Up here for thinking…

I've got a horrid headache. A headache I was well aware I would end up with, but at the time I felt it was worth it. This morning however, I'm not so sure. Too much champagne will do that I guess.

We went out for Paula's 25th birthday last night, Mags, Paula, Claire, Paul (friend of Paula's) and I (S is away). Not a good idea on a Tuesday night, but promises were made about how this was just a perfunctory dinner and that true celebration would have to wait for another night. Mags turns *&#$ on Monday night and we're planning a girls only spa weekend for our real celebration of both birthdays.

Well 'apéritifs' were at Mags place before dinner at Killarneys. These consisted of champagne, fois gras and some 'crisps' for Paula because she doesn't like fois gras. S and I had bought the fois gras this weekend near Auch. It was a 'bloc de foie gras de canard à la compote de figues & au porto blanc' or fois gras with a fig and white port compote. It was heavenly!

Unfortunately, 10pm found us still at Mags, all the fois gras eaten and two empty bottles of champagne staring at us accusingly. It was probably the empty bottles more than anything that got us moving; we're a thirsty group.

We piled into my car and drove to Killarneys. The trip was marked by Mags trying to teach Claire to say 'Up here for thinking down there for dancing', said more like ‘up here for tinkin and down there for dancin’. Think Irish accent. Of course explaining what the saying meant was far more difficult and there was a brief attempt to find a similar phrase in French. None was found and Claire was still confused as to what the saying meant. The rest of the evening the saying was repeated when the opportunity presented itself in an attempt to provide contextual clues to its meaning. I think Claire may have gotten it by the end.

At Killarneys we ate some fabulous food. I had chicken in a cream and whisky sauce with a small crock of baked creamy potatoes. Marie makes the best potatoes. It was fabulous. We shared a bottle wine and we set about getting our daily requirement of laughter. We being a health conscious bunch. Dessert was a fabulous chocolate cake with some coffee ice cream. Maggie tried to convince us that the ice cream was pepper flavored. We decided it was time to cut her off. Marie came over and joined us for a bit and Mags got her to say that the ice cream was pepper flavored.

I started on some water with dinner and by midnight I was buzzless and tired. I was also speaking with an Irish accent and stinking of smoke (gee, I'm glad that Mags quit smoking!!??). Another glance at my watch and I had to remind the now more mature and therefore more responsible 25 year old, of the promise we'd made and she got everyone moving to the door.

A great night was had by all and I was in bed by 1 am.

..............................

In other news, the last few days have seen less warmth and much wind. Outside my window there is a constantly blowing blizzard of almond blossoms, yet the trees do not seem any less full or white or beautiful. And because the house has gaps everywhere, I keep finding little white flower petals in the oddest places.

I'm working on getting S and I reservations at a hotel in Aix-en-Provence. It's in the Provence region (duh) about 15 miles north of Marseille. Cross your fingers for me, I waited until the last minute and they were meant to be getting back to me with availabilities.

Even now, wishing I'd been using 'up there for thinking' last night. Oh well, I've got to fix some dinner for me so...that is all...for now.