Wednesday is market day, so off I went this morning with my straw basket (that makes me feel like a true Française). The sky was blue and the sun was shining, but unfortunately the stalls were being battered by a strong Mistral wind. Stallholders were holding on to their canopies for dear life, while the olive seller had given up altogether and was selling his olives out of the side of his van, because, as he explained, he couldn’t get accurate readings on his scales.
The square was particularly busy today, as there was a group of people rallying troops to fight against the rising cost of water to our homes. The lady who grabbed me to deliver her spiel was actually someone I knew, although she didn’t recognise me at first as we had only met a couple of times previously through friends of friends. Once we (re)introduced ourselves, though, the cost of water was forgotten as cheeks were kissed and greetings were cheerily delivered. Other friends and acquaintances popped up and the whole shopping experience turned into quite a social event. A friend beamed at me and introduced us as “her favourite English people”. When I asked her if she knew many, she replied “Just you and your hubby!”
Hubby was intrigued by the man displaying a row of wooden chairs with cane seats, demonstrating his abilities to repair and restore them to their former glory, whatever their sorry state. He was wearing a navy blue zip-up parka with a Bolton Wanderers badge stitched on the chest. Never one to pass up on a football-related puzzler, hubby enquired as to whether he was a fan. The man looked rather bewildered, and replied “Oh, I don’t even know what it is, it’s English rugby I think?” He went on to explain that someone gave him it. Did he mean the coat itself, or did someone give him the badge which was then dutifully sewn on even though he had no idea what it was??
Our purchases included a fennel bulb, cherry tomatoes and some salmon, which now look like this.
Bon appétit!
French Life Baht 'At 
Arte et Labore. Very disappointed to see that your normally impeccable football knowledge has come unstuck here and even worse has already gone to print without first being proof read! No doubt that Bolton Wanderers is in the red rose county and only a goal kick away but the zip-up parka you referred to was actually bearing the Blackburn Rovers logo – Arte et Labore and a red rose!
Can’t beat a French market. Your tea looks scrummy :0)
Re zip-up parka, it’d have been even better if it’d had an Accrington Stanley badge on it. Who are they? Exactly!
Exactly indeed! Which would take his lack of knowledge of British culture to a whole new level ie when was the last time you saw a milk float in France?