Our grand day out

Domestic sort of a day yesterday, catching up with three machines' worth of laundry and a bit of shopping.  Fortunately also a drying sort of a day.

Boat at salins, Barbara's commission

Today was altogether more entertaining: we met old friends and new ones for lunch at Le Somail.  It had started life as a lunch with Barbara, for whom I did a modest daub a while back.  It subsequently turned into a full-blown going-in (as distinct from coming out) party for Patricia, who is having surgery on a foot on Friday.  The twelve of us had a fine and moderately-priced* time at the table, and the usual boat ride along the canal afterwards, then valedictory teas and coffees back at the restaurant.  Facebook is jumping with photographs already.

Barbara presented me with some bottles of wine, including a rosé labelled Le Vin de Merde, which prompted the comment 'so that's what you think of my painting, eh?'.  I might take a few photos of the boat next time we're down at the salins, and have a crack at it for us.  (My original sketch is...sketchy.)

Gentle drive home through the Minervois vineyards, back along the canal, then odd bits of shopping in Lézigzag: some card for Martyn's model-making, and some pencils for my art class cronies.  And the makings of a minimal supper.  Early night: I'm not sure whether it's hay fever or yet another Ryanair cold, but I've been sneezing no less than is my wont, by dose is ruddig, ad by eyes are waterig.

* One is reminded of the Edinburgh-Aberdeen cultural divide.  Edinburgh: 'Come in, come in!  You'll have had your tea?'   Aberdeen: 'Come in, come in!  The table's fair groaning with food.  And all verra reasonable.'  Coming from Dundee (half-way between the two), as, fortuitously was Heather, our neighbour at the lunch table, we boast the hospitality without the parsimony.