I did a lot of cycling this weekend - maybe it's to make up for my wonderful Italian chocolates which will be winging their way here soon, thanks to the lovely
Michela and her theraputic autumn giveaway...
Son 1 has some Rentrée Resolutions too, and I thought I'd let you know how some of them are working out. Firstly, he's joining a Gym Class. He used to play rugby like his brother, but team sports are not his thing, and after a year with only dog walking for exercise, he's chosen gymnastics as a good addition. He adored the first class, despite (or perhaps because of) being the only boy there! They spent a lot of time on the trampoline.
His other resolution is to cook at least one dish from this cookbook (with me) each weekend. Have you seen this book? It's awfully good...
He has to work out shopping requirements in advance and let me know what he'll need, and I'm also available to help in the kitchen. For this first attempt, he chose a Hungarian Goulash.
I did some of the work, and was available for advice, but he did most of the cooking...
We used Ben's ancient slow cooker ('Crock Pot', for the Americans), which makes the meat so tender.
While the Goulash was cooking, he made some dumplings. I think this is an odd addition to Goulash, but I have to admit they were fantastic!
Here was his finished dish, which he ate with me and Ben in the garden on Saturday evening. His brother was staying with a friend, which was no bad thing, as we're not sure he would have liked the goulash...
But the rest of us did!
On Sunday afternoon I had to cycle to see a new pupil in town - not for a lesson, just to pass her some work to prepare in advance. I decided to cycle all the way to the next village, which was having a little festival including a
Vide Grenier. There weren't many stalls, but two items caught my eye... Firstly, these lovely enamel jugs are very desirable and are, in my opinion, overpriced at the moment. Ten to twenty euros, depending on decoration, is more than I am going to pay at a
VG.
When I saw one on the floor in front of a table, rather than in pride of place on the stall, I was hopeful that the stallholders hadn't caught up on current values. I was right - five euros for this plain but pleasing (and very large) jug!
The second item was overpriced. This great red, white and blue crochet throw, which will go so well on our sofa this autumn, was stained and needed some mending. The stallholder asked me to pay ten euros for it - sorry, no go. She suggested eight and I declined and moved on. She then ran after me offering it for five, which is what I was prepared to pay, so I was a very happy shopper and I hope she was a happy stallholder - after all, most people go to the
VG to get rid of stuff, so she had got rid of one fairly bulky item, hadn't she?
Cycling home with it all was a bit clanky!
gHave you been following Ashley's One a Day craft challenge? Pop over to her blog,
Peacocks and Dragonflies, if you want to see some lovely creations, at a rate of one a day!!! I'm lucky to manage one a month in the summer...
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There was also a sweet set of little plates, marked 'Royal Albert - Paris'; Paris seemed a strange location...
Someone has done a bit of recup' here, a good while ago.
Two great pieces of crochet have been stitched onto two, rather different, blue cushions. I may need to tidy them up a bit, but I like them!
Always worth picking up a bit of crochet...
Especially if it will look good on a somewhat battered cushion!
Crochet doilies seemed readily available - I think that something along the lines of dottie angel's banner tutorial could be produced from these!
So I moved from training for university lessons to buying doilies, to teaching 6-year old twins, to taking lessons for 12 and then 14 year olds! Shortly after that I lost the power of coherent speech - it could surely happen to anyone.
... a patchwork bag I picked up at Veti'relais...
... which sits on a very pretty bottle which held Beaujolais Nouveau 2008...
... crocheted mats on my ironing board cover... 
... 'dancing waters' at a show with the boys last summer...
And that's the end of Colour Week! It's been such fun, and I've met so many interesting and sweet people, and seen so many varied photos. Thanks, Lynn, for the idea. 
