Friday 12th December

Many apologies to all the folks awaiting with baited breath for a Mumble. I am afraid “the Mumbler” was struck down last week and was rushed into the
Clinic in Prades.
I am however much better and ready to Mumble.
Our daughter Rebecca and our Grandson Jordan arrived late on Friday night to
help us celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary. Plans had been made a while
ago for her to come and she was just what the doctor ordered. And of course
being a Mum I bucked up for the weekend and loved every minute of them being
here.
We had planned to go up for a BBQ at the top of the mountain at The Grill
and had meant to ski but we just sat in the sun on their new terrace. It was
fantastic – we got a place out of the breeze and sat and drank tea until
lunchtime.. The “Boyz” went skiing and snowboarding and came back full of
news about the fantastic conditions.
We however had news of our own…..They have had the grill “modernised”.
Well it has been extended and has now got extra tables and benches. It is a
superb place to take a family, you can leave your bags and bag your table.
You take your own food and the Patron will cook your meat ,potatoes and
cheese while you wait.It’s a really rustic way of having your lunch and
different to anything I have seen elsewhere. By the way the cooking is free
and you can if you like leave a tip for the cook. (See the attached photos).
Mike has been taking full advantage of the superb snow and has been out
skiing, snowshoeing and ski touring. He is thrilled at the best early season
snow we have had for years. Tomorrow he is going off with some friends to
climb and snowshoe on the Cambre d’aze They are hoping to climb up the gully
called Vermicelle.

I can actually see it from our house so will be wondering
how they are getting on……
Report of day out in next Mumble
The best time to come up at the minute is to come midweek whilst it is
quiet. The car park is only half full and the pistes will be bliss. I will get out and about and find out all the little details of events over
the coming weeks so you don’t miss anything and neither will I.
More Mumbles to come
TTFN Jen

Sunday 21st December

Has any anyone else noticed how short the years have become between
Christmases? When you were a child it took forever for Christmas to come and
the build up to Christmas day was an exquisite feeling that just grew and
grew. Santa was going to come and preparations were made.
I mean Real preparations. Old fashioned holly and ivy, home made decorations
and the wonderful smell of cooking and baking. Christmas Eve services at
Church were the norm and the walk home at 1am was all part of the
festivities. There were no i Pods and PSP’s lurking in corners and I don’t
think [well I hope not] we were as mercenary. We were happy with a knobbly
stocking full of exciting bits and pieces and a mandarin orange and some new
pennies in the toe.
Ah! times gone by and none of us are brave enough to try to bring back the
knobbly stocking.
Maybe next year.
Maybe I’ll start a ‘Bring Back the Knobbly stocking’
Campaign.
The snow has arrived here in abundance and the skiing conditions are quite
good.. It has been very windy on the tops which has spoilt it slightly but
the main thing is that we have had snow.The wind is supposed to keep down
now until at least Boxing Day and the icy cold we had last week has gone. The tracks have been pisted for the cross country skiing down in the forests
so now I have to be careful where I walk the dogs.Two days ago Mike and I
were walking in snow between 8 and 12 inches deep. Superb but hard work.
Yesterday we drove down to Girona airport to pick up Emma and Jack who flew
in from Guernsey via Stanstead. We had arrived a bit early and just popped
into Girona for a mooch around.What a lovely surprise, they had a Christmas
market that filled the streets, stalls were on the bridges and every
handicraft you could think of was on display.They had really worked hard to
have the whole town centre looking beautiful.
That said I think the village Christmas fairs they hold in the PO are just
as lovely..
Has anyone else been swept away buy the lovely new shop in
Saillagouse? Bonzoms have always been well known for their hams and things but
now they have built a wonderful new shop. Wines, meats and cheese are layed
out before you like jewels. The open fire crackles away in the grate and you
are swept away with style and flair that has been produced buy the artisans
of today to make shopping and real pleasure.
Downstairs is a small but delightful restaurant serving the produce of the
shop. Again there is an open log fire and a pretty water feature made from
an old farm trough in the corner,well worth the trip up especially if you
are visiting the hot pools in LLo.A really nice trip out.
Just a quick note to close on. Even through the roads are now clear, please
please remember the snow chains. People think that they can manage without
them but a good percentage end up in the ditch or crunched into another car.
Much better to be safe than sorry.
Hope to write another Mumble before the big day but just in case I
don’t, have a Very Happy Christmas and a Healthy Happy and Peaceful New Year
& we hope to see you at our snowshoe & bbq day on the 11th Jan 2009.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Jen