Vide Grenier- to be continued...

The incredible sunny November weather continues. Ben and I sloped off to pick up some concert tickets this morning (more on that later) and then drove on to the tree nursery, where Ben had ordered three silver birch trees. Here he is, driving off with two of them. The third? Sill in the ground. Monsieur le Digger Driver doesn't work weekends so his little mistake can't be rectified yet. But digging three holes and planting two trees is going to keep Ben plenty busy, so we can wait for the third!Ben dropped me off in a neighbouring town, which is holding its pre-Christmas Vide Grenier and craft fair in the unseasonal warmth. It's a real biggie, with brocante stalls, Other Peoples' Tat, food stalls and an assortment of weird cheap things vendors think we might want before Christmas. These severed heads are advertising Hairigami. I dunno...

But spot the cute doggie in his hand-knitted vest? I was reminded of Happy Loves Rosie's little chap. This little toutou didn't think he needed a knitted vest at 17°C:His owners took it off him when they saw how uncomfortable he was.

I wandered around, dispirited by the prices on the brocante stalls (although in fact they're worth looking at just for ideas and sheer pleasure), and keeping an eye out for 'mum and dad selling off granny's junk' stalls.

So here are the finds, winkled out of 'Other Peoples' Tat' - you've got to be patient and in the right mood! The green choolate bowl on the left for 20c.

A bunch of vintage-kitch Christmas cake decorations - I was attracted by the way they are different to British ones, especially in the prevalence of saws. 'For the buche du noël!' confirmed the stall-holder. I had to have me one.

The stall-holders of that stall were the kind of people who make Vide Greniers even better. Sometimes I feel a bit stupid for being second-language French, but these two retired couples (selling granny's stuff?..) were great fun! The men had worked for Airbus, the huge employer of most Toulousains, and knew England (if not English) in terms of the Farnborough Airshow. They have a trip to London booked for next weekend: 'For the Christmas Market. Is London famous for its Christmas market?' (Um, no, that's Germany...) But I think they'll enjoy themselves. I found 25p in their box of odds and ends, and gave it to them for spending money! They asked what it would buy and I was stumped.

And here is the To Be Continued part. Another cheerful pair of retirees was selling maman's stuff, and had somehow managed to bring part, but not all, of the set above. After muttered searches through all their boxes, they concluded that they had left the largest canister and probably one lid in maman's garage. They will be back at the Vide Grenier tommorow - I am to come and find them: 'We'll wear the same clothes, so we'll look the same - and smell worse - so you can recognise us!' they assured me. 'If we don't find the missing pieces, we'll give you a refund!'

A suivre...