April 21, 2022 - Groceries and guests

 The grocery list is long and we need a real supermarket for our shopping today. But before that, we need our morning croissants. David and Clark researched "boulangeries" (bakeries) and which days they are closed/open, so he has a couple addresses to try out. Pouilly-en-Auxois, 9 km (5 miles) from the house was the open bakery today. By the time I got up, Dave had returned from the bakery with croissants and had even made a quick stop for OJ and bananas. What a guy! 

And the best news! The scooter works today - or rather, the battery managed to charge last night. Dave had taken out the fuse from the battery box, checked it was OK, and re-inserted it again into the battery box. And now it works! Hooray! 

Lynn (on her now-working scooter), Joann, Larry and Janis 

Breakfast finished, list adjusted, we headed to Pouilly and the SuperU. Clark is in charge of wine purchases and happily went off to that part of the store. Janis and I did surprisingly well at finding stuff in the aisles that once would have felt foreign to us. We remember brands and flavors we had bought in previous years. We even remembered to weigh and tag MOST of the produce we put in our cart. 300 Euros later (about $330) we loaded up the car with our purchases, returned the cart to the cart park (recovering our 1 Euro coin which we keep in the car for such occasions). This first shopping is always costly - laundry soap, dishwasher soap, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, zip lock bags, etc. Then we had to buy flour, sugar, oil, balsamic vinegar and such type of staples. We bought enough food for a couple of meals. Quite the collection. One highlight is the basket of Carpentras strawberries. Large and ripe and sweet. 

Baguettes from the bakery and Carpentras strawberries

our collection of groceries

Back by 2, we unpacked, made lunch (baguette sandwiches, Carpentras strawberries, mustard potato chips. Our typical French lunch). Dave checked in with Larry and Joanne who were arriving late afternoon and decided to wait for his walk until they arrive around 3:30. So we have a bit of time to sit outside in the backyard and enjoy the beautiful sunshine and warm weather. 

Janis & Lynn in our backyard at La Maison du Capitaine

Once we settled Joanne and Larry into their room and tested out the washer on Joanne's laundry, (They've been in Switzerland for the past week.) we headed out to walk around the town, well, hamlet of a dozen or so buildings in Solle-en-Commarin. After a half hour, we had seen all the buildings - cool old stone buildings, some stone barns, houses and barnyards, so it's time for aperos. 

Blue shutters like ours at home! Le Hameau de Solle

sign means we're reached the end of the hamlet of Solle

Le Hameau de Solle

Le Hameau de Solle

Once home, we had aperos in "the quiet room." The main living room has a TV in it and this one has only books and sofas for reading or even for taking naps. (Ask Clark) Then dinner - grilled sausages, salad and roasted little potatoes. Oh, and wine. Of course there was wine. We stayed up talking till 11 before realizing we had places to go and people to see tomorrow.

Tomorrow we start exploring the area - we plan to tour the château in Commarin and explore the "plus beau village" (most beautiful village) of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois. Then hit a market in Pouilly that runs from 4-8 pm. Oh, and we need more wine. A bottle doesn't go far when shared with 6 people.

A demain.