31 March 2017

Méchoui

birthday boules
We’ve been away for more than six months but nothing much has changed here during that period.  Monsieur Escalier has planted a new plantation of chestnut trees.  Monique has got a new car and a live-in lover.  Her son Vincent has started work at the post office.  Philippe (Monique’s brother)  still has the same car he was driving when we bought our house in 1999.  It was antiquated even then.  He will be 60 years old this summer and has invited us to a méchoui to celebrate the occasion. I have some trepidation about this invitation as we previously went to a similar event for his fiftieth birthday.  

In France a méchoui is a whole lamb spit-roasted above an open fire.  Ten years ago we all trooped (my daughters were here with their partners) next door to have pre-lunch drinks and admire the lamb being turned on some mechanical Heath Robinson spit contraption. At midday we sat down at a long table with about fifty other guests and enjoyed a magnificent meal accompanied by copious amounts of wine and pastis.  This was then followed by a game of boules.  Early evening the table was re-set for supper.  By 11.00 p.m. my eyes were glazed and I had completely given up trying to follow any conversation. There was still no sign of the party coming to an end.  We made our apologies and staggered back home.  I just don’t think I’ve got the stamina to survive another party like that.



8 comments:

  1. Thank goodness my brother's 70th party was only the evening. It took me a week to get over it.

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    1. I'm wondering how offended they would be if I just stayed for an hour or so.

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  2. Sounds like a fun party - makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I love lamb!

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    1. The lamb will be good; Philippe is a master butcher among other things.

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  3. We had a Méchoui here for my 50th. We were eating Lamb for months.

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    1. I like lamb and I like wine but it will just go on for so long!

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  4. It is funny how the stamina for partying seems to dwindle as we get a little bit older. How would you have felt about this same party if you were twenty? -Jenn

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    1. I think it would still have been a bit daunting when I was twenty. (Was I ever twenty?)

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