A glorious Easter Day, which reminds me why I live here...

[NormanH]

You can fall out of the church baking under a hot sun in a cloudless blue sky

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/Easterbluesky_zps31b2d4b1.jpg[/IMG]

Stagger along a row of excellent restaurants to choose the one you wish

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/roworrestos_zps6c4b8d11.jpg[/IMG]

to find a place on a sunny Terrace

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/SunnySquare_zpsc3f8bfef.jpg[/IMG]

While you wait you have a mise en bouche of snails and mushrooms while you think of what to order

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/miseenbouche_zps8f05fd57.jpg[/IMG]

and then are faced with Spring Asparagus in the lightest of puff pastry

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/Springasparagus_zps0288c152.jpg[/IMG]

followed by a rack of lamb

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/carreacutedagneau_zps1bac669c.jpg[/IMG]

and strawberries in cups of home-made chocolate on a lattice of white chocolate

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/EasterSundaystrawberries_zpsc447338e.jpg[/IMG]

surrounded by people enjoying the  weather in T-shirts and sunglasses..

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/t-shirtandsunglasses_zps3013b9cc.jpg[/IMG]

I am so grateful for the French health service who have treated cancer 3 times and now can't find it any more (for the moment). They have given me a sort of temporary Resurrection, for which much thanks.

Despite the apparent gluttony I am in fact on a diet and have lost 10 kg since Christmas..

[suein56]

[quote user="NormanH"]Despite the apparent gluttony I am in fact on a diet and have lost 10 kg since Christmas.. [/quote]

Now that is impressive. Especially considering the quality of the food you show us.

Please keep posting your photos as they cheer me up so much.

We have seen the sun here today in my corner of Brittany and I have watched it glinting on the sea and seen the children running around on the sand, excitedly building sandcastles. But they, like me, were all bundled up with warm jackets, and I had on 2 pairs of socks, as the wind was glacial.

Sue

[Christine Animal]

Falling out of church and staggering along the restaurants, you seem to be doing all right Norman.  So lovely seeing someone appreciate life and enjoying all its pleasures, however small.  Keep it up and keep the sun shining ! xxx

 

[Chancer]

Very well done Norman, keep up the good work, you must be feeling the benefits already.

Me I worked today like most Sundays, the temperature never rose above 3°c and that was inside!!! [:-))]

Remind me please why I live here!!!

A neighbour has just returned from Albi, he went from 20°c to minus 4 dans un seul coup (he arrived at 6am).

[idun]

We had a few hours of sunshine this afternoon.  A decent resto, nope, not near here and I am in a rather bourgeoise town. We ate in the only half decent one with local dishes a few nights ago and that is it, here at least. 

I have eaten in two other restos in the general region since I have been back and nothing at all to write home about,  both giving me galloping indigestion half the night.

[Gardian]

Lest anybody think that all of us down here in the South are basking in high temperatures, I'd just like to point out that there was a rather brisk breeze around today which made it decidedly 'parky'.

Plus ..... piddling rain yesterday & the same forecast for tomorrow.  'Normanland' is a bit different though.

Looked nice though.    

[Frecossais]

How lovely to see your photos, Norman. A reminder that sunshine and warmth really exist. Congratulations on losing weight, that's truly impressive. Keep up the good work!

[5-element]

Lovely photos, congratulations also from me about your impressive way of dieting and about the results.

I find that Beziers is probably at its best at this time of the year, while most of the rest of France is still shivering, It is the oppressive summer heat there which I don't like so much. But in spring, and late summer/autumn, it's gorgeous!

[nectarine]

great photos Norman ... we had good weather here yesterday but I spent it working up a sweat in the garden. How much better it would have been to have enjoyed a leisurely and delicious lunch, such as you had ... I'm very jealous.

And well done on the weight loss ... how are you doing it? Are you on the 5/2 fast diet ... please give us your tips.

[Sprogster]

Yesterday's sunny weather in the south of France was unfortunately a brief interlude, although the mistral was blowing full force, as today the cloud is back and further rain forecast this afternoon and most of the forthcoming week on and off.

Whilst the UK gets the unusually cold Scandanavian weather the Med is getting the wet unsettled weather normally typical of a UK Spring!

[NormanH]

[quote user="nectarine"]great photos Norman ... we had good weather here yesterday but I spent it working up a sweat in the garden. How much better it would have been to have enjoyed a leisurely and delicious lunch, such as you had ... I'm very jealous.

And well done on the weight loss ... how are you doing it? Are you on the 5/2 fast diet ... please give us your tips.[/quote]

I won't bore everyone with full details, but basically I am combining two systems.

I have a couple of days where I eat little, so it is is 5/2 in one sense, although I don't fast. I just have one meal of protein and salad/vegetables and a small snack and a piece of fruit  with plenty of water and green tea during those days.

The main thrust of the rest of the time is to cut out all extra sugar and starch, so the only sugar I get is from fruit and vegetables.

No pasta,  rice, white bread or cakes, jam etc. and no processed foods with their hidden sugar and salt.

For breakfast I mix a few flaked almonds with berries (raspberries in season which is 7/8 months here, if not frozen blueberries etc) and a couple of spoonfuls of fromage frais from a local farmer. Sprinkle on a good pinch of pumpkin seeds and you  have a crunchy  tasty and nutritious start to the day that is better than croissants or bread and jam.

On these other days I continue to have a meal out, but  I am lucky in that my regular restaurant is very co-operative.

Today I had some grilled scallops as a starter and a tuna steak with vegetables (mange tout, cauliflower carrots and french beans) eHe serves the sauce separately so I can choose how much to take (in this case a catalane sauce of chopped tomatoes, red peppers and a little pimento, so not fattening anyway)

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/tunacatalane_zpsf1c161f0.jpg[/IMG]

I am not being as extreme as Atkins or Dukan, but I have found as I belive Chancer and Quillan have in the past that leaving out the sugary things has a quick effect.

On the other hand I am not increasing my fat consumption as I am not adding anything to what I would normally eat.

The Easter meal was exceptional, but if you realise that I only ate one of the roast potatoes on the plate as a treat, and left the various bread and pastries more or less untouched apart from a nibble to appreciate the texture I don't think I strayed too far.

[Gardengirl]

I loved your photos Norman, and was interested to read about your diet and weight loss - very well done! Those meals all look quite something!

My meal tonight is going to take some thinking about. I had a snack lunch, with a daube planned for tonight - left from yesterday evening. However, one while eating my snack one of my teeth broke and is almost hanging out, which will make it difficult to eat - and which is very uncomfortable as well as disconcerting when I speak.And of course it's a bank holiday!

I phoned my travel insurance number and was told to go to the nearest hospital, as there wouldn't be any dentist available. So off we went to Nimes, 30 minutes or so each way, where there was nobody available to see anyone with any dental problems - I asked what would happen if car accident victims were brought in with mouth/teeth injuries - a shrug was the answer. Apparently the wait was 4 hours - at least as bad as our local Berkshire hospital on a bad Saturday night. Plus we couldn't find any signs in the multi-storey car park to help us find the department, nor our way out of the deserted hospital afterwards. I think I'd rather stick to the other Nimes hospital where my husband was treated recently - at least they have good signage!

I'm now waiting for tomorrow so I can contact a nearby dentist.  [:(]

Plus it's chilly and raining!  [:(]

[NormanH]

I have come across this problem with dentistry in emergency departments before, fortunately for me not first hand.

I was shocked when I took someone in very evident and considerable pain in and they had the same gallic shrug in reply.

To make things worse the prescription for antibiotics and painkillers finally  given had to be taken to the Commissariat in the centre of town before we were allowed to know the identity of the duty Pharmacie, which was on another side of town again.

That isn't too bad if you have a car, but the distances involved are considerable.

Serves you right for hiding your gold pieces in your sandwiches [6]

Seriously I hope you manage to get it sorted quickly.

And of course you have brought the rain..

[Gardian]

GG .............

If you're stuck, try Dr Gallesse in St Quentin (04 66 22 23 96). He's at the medical centre on the left as you enter the village, just before the Marche.

You'll need to tell them that its an urgence though - normal appts are a 6 wk wait.

A pleasant young man, who speaks English quite well (I know that you don't need it, but it helps .....)