Into 2016

 

All that planning and preparation and it’s over! I know I can hardly believe it although my liver and waistline are reminding me otherwise. Those delicious handmade chocolates by mandy are partly to blame!

The Christmas veg was (of course) superb……

and as my lot sat down to a very English affair Mandy joined the French side of her family for a traditional French réveillon.

Yup, it was a mad dash down to Tours for us, chez mes beau-parents for two days of pretty nonstop imbibing! On Christmas eve from eight through ’til three am a succession of platters were passed and plates cleared only to be replaced by shiny new ones ready for the refilling. The only pause was the placing of our slippers under the tree and a couple of hours shut eye before it all began again…

We then saw the New Year in together and my family and I had our first réveillon experience. The reveillon du jour de l’an. An 8 course feast and a wine for each course….

And let’s not forget les digestifs! Hal hit the amaretto pretty damned hard, I tried to keep up with the eau de vie de poire and we both had to stay well clear of the fireworks, (flambée danger)…

Luckily we danced it all off and I rose from the Camper the next day as fresh as a daisy – heeheeheeeeee

…… we recovered just in time to celebrate my 36th birthday!

I think my hangover was actually worse after that evening – I’m blaming the accumulation… Yup, it’s serious detox time!

Et voilà it’s over, we made it through the festive season intact!

At the start of the year we really want to say thank you to our readers and thank you to those who have been so supportive and encouraging. Thank you!

Huge thanks to Mark for taking on the editing of our films. For laughing with us, not at us and agreeing to continue! Thank you!

Thanks to our mums. Your never ending (if somewhat biased) enthusiasm is appreciated. Madame Pickles, keep those recipes coming. Thank you!

And I guess we should thank our little families for listening endlessly to our ideas and dreams. Indulging us and putting up with seeing a bit less of us when we get carried away in all things 23 little trees. Thanks guys!

 

Time to get back in the garden….

Hal & mandy

xxxxxx