There is something bizarrely exciting about opening a new roll of tinfoil. It's a bit like snow at that point - completely unspoiled! Very shiny and smooth, with no tears, crinkles or wrinkles. The matt side is just as interesting. Such a shame in some ways it has to be used. I've saved a few sheets from Christmas, to re-use, but having been wrapped round various bowls and roasting trays, it looks decidely unattractive - a bit lumpy and definitely bumpy. Oddly the very wide type of tin foil, which is particularly useful at Christmas, I haven't been able to get anywhere locally over here. Sure I can improvise and fold two pieces together, but I rather like swathes of the wider stuff. So when we were back in the UK this last time, I stocked up. Given its foldability, it should be useful for origami and probably the used stuff more than the smooth stuff. I'll see what Mike thinks. Maybe it's not strong enough.
We've had a really fun Christmas. Definitely in merry mode. Not to imply that we've been pulling and popping corks relentlessly. But a few sips have passed my lips! Christmas Eve was great fun. We were round with our neighbour's Jacqueline and Norbert and their family including four grandchildren, two of whom are twin girls. Le réveillon (festive late night dinner), started around 8.30pm and we crawled into bed around 3am. Lovely evening. We'd negotiated taking round fizzy and amuses bouches for the apéros. The origami chef had gone into overdrive and I made a few things as well. So in the pouring rain, (it would be wouldn't it), we marched round to the house with everything tightly packaged up - in tinfoil. Damp and droopy amuses bouches are no fun, especially for Christmas Eve. All arrived safely and all were devoured (with very good feedback), while the children had their own special dinner on their own table. Worked so well. Jacqueline is so organised and thinks about everything and everyone. While in amuses-bouches mode, we were playing one of the games, that Jacqueline had enjoyed at our party and had asked us to bring along. Two small sacks of objects, that you have to identify by touch. Mike got them sorted out, and did one for the adults (17 objects) and one for the children (7 objects). It's not as easy as one thinks. Everyone knows how many objects there are, but because they fall around inside the bag, it's quite tricky sometimes to find them all.
Le réveillon was of six courses with different wines for each course. Beginning with oysters, then
fois gras, with special bread and condiments of fig and onion, a gorgeous fish dish, then roast capon, cheeses and dessert. It was all fabulous and it couldn't have been a better way for us to celebrate. Very kind people and very generous. Christmas Day was quieter, grey and chilly, we had various things on the go, but spent much of the day at home, which was really nice. Boxing Day is just an ordinary day over here, while in our heads it's a holiday. However a Latvian friend who has lived a long time in Chinon came round for lunch. It was a beautiful day, so afterwards we went for a walk, before taking her back to Chinon. Lovely lady. Her family are in Latvia. For various reasons she couldn't get back there to be with them.
So a very different Christmas for us in all sorts of ways. But one that we thoroughly enjoyed and were delighted to be here for. Thanks to our neighbours in Cravant for making it so special.
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