8th December 2013

Toulouse, busy with shoppers.  Le Metro its usual Disney ride, one minute up and over the city streets, the next whizzing to Capitole in the heart of the city.  Metro announcer eclectic with French and Occitan announcements. Everywhere people, everywhere noise, everywhere life. Just what we needed. The wooden chalets had gift ideas and  traditional handicraft like wooden toys, pottery, jewellery, candles, clothing, leather goods and food. Lots of it. Everywhere people sitting on stone bollards eating aligot, a local dish made from mashed potato and cheese. Had to steer Him indoors away from the smell of mulled wine and hot chestnuts - reminded us of a time long ago in Birmingham, where a little man used to sell them with  baked potatoes from his black cart, just off New Street. Ah, those were the days.  
Now I don't have to avoid invitations on Mondays, said Him Indoors, clutching a new pack of socks from C & A's.  Why? He used to have 7 pairs of socks, each with a day of the week, but had lost Monday's.  Now, we're available again any day. Gott sei dank!