DLCI 2022 Magazines - November
November
2022
Autumnal vines
Sent in by Teresa Tildesley
Our special thanks and big hugs go to Teresa Tildesley for all for all her hard work as DLCI Events Officer – she even organised this years Christmas Lunch while recovering in hospital! Teresa has now wisely decided to retire from the committee and concentrate on getting well. We wish both her and Mike (not forgetting Bertie) a happy and peaceful life in their new home.
Love from us all xx
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hello everyone,
Following Halloween (which is much more prominent here now, even our little village held a big party for all the younger school age children and many of us decorated our homes), we start the new month with a very important date in the French calendar:
1st November La Toussaint (All Saints Day) although a day of remembrance for all Saints and martyrs, it is also a day where the graves of loved ones are visted, candles are lit and gifts of chrysanthemum are left.
11th November Armistice Day
Commemorating the end of the First World War and is honoured by the Mairie. Our village gathers at the memorial and tributes are read, honouring all those who have died serving their country up to and including the present day. Our Maire then invites everyone to the mairie for drinks and canapés where friends are met, toasts are made and a sombre occasion becomes more convivial.
12 November (Saturday) DLCI Marché de Noël/Christmas Fair at l’Orangerie, Bergerac this month is famous for its fabulous Christmas Markets and ours will be no exception. Organised by our Vice President, Isla, I know it’s going to be a huge success so please spread the word to your friends, come and support us and say hello.
17th November (always the third Thursday of November) the time for the Beaujolais Nouveau. This is a red wine from the Gamay grape and is fermented for only a few weeks before being bottled and sold. It is made to be freshly drunk in November and is definitely not one for ‘laying down’. Enjoy!
Finally I would like to thank the committee for all their hard work, both front of house and behind the scenes. We had a hugely successful DLCI Quiz and thanks go to Liz Davies and Pat and Basil Sansom for organising.
We now look forward to a very festive Christmas Fair and a fabulous Christmas Luncheon at Les Merles.
With such a busy schedule we are always looking for new committee members to share the load so if you would like to join us please contact me at:
or Isla at:
DLCIVicePresident@gmail.com
In the meantime please put these dates in your diary:
12 November (Saturday) – Marché de Noël in the Salle de l’Orangerie in Bergerac.
8 December (Thursday) – Christmas luncheon at Château les Merles
19 January (Thursday) - Chinese New Year Lunch at the Asia Royal in Creysse
(booking online will be available towards the end of the month)
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
This year we have a lovely variety of products being exhibited, notably this year with no duplications in order to give you and and the visiting public the widest possible choice of gifts and goodies to buy, as well as affording each exhibitor the best chance of having a really productive day.
As usual, we will be running a coffee shop in the side hall and in this regard, we are asking for help from our members. We are looking for volunteers to serve tea, coffee, baked goods and mulled wine and also to donate cakes or other baked items to sell in the café. In addition, we are asking if you would consider volunteering your time for a range of tasks related to running an event of this kind. We will need help with serving in the coffee shop and clearing tables. This will be done on a rota basis so please let me know if you can come along for a couple of hours and also what time of day would suit you. We will also need help with clearing up after the event. This entails stacking tables and chairs, sweeping and mopping the floor, cleaning toilets and generally leaving the premises just as we found them. Again, if you feel you can give us just a little of your time, please be in touch as your committee would be really grateful!
The annual funfair will again be in the main square in Bergerac, so unfortunately the main car park will not be available to us for parking. However, there is ample street parking near to the Orangerie (where no parking allowed in the grounds) and so parking shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this event. Please do come along and support us.
If you would like to help please contact Isla at: DLCIVicePresident@gmail.com
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Elli Downer
Charlotte Halsby
Sue Hugo
Sheila McPhee
Amanda Mears
Jean Walton
DLCI CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON CHATEAU LES MERLES, MOULEYDIER
THURSDAY 8th DECEMBER
11.30 for 12 noon
37.50€ per person – payment on the day to the restaurant
To book please go to: BOOKINGS NO LONGER VALID
To welcome you - une coupe de Méthode Traditionnelle
THE MENU
*
Salade de salsifis, bœuf salé, crème aux œufs, chips de salsifis.
*
Poitrine de pintade, purée de céleri-rave crémeuse, pommes de terre confites, sauce moutarde
*
Entremet au chocolat et aux noisettes, crème vanillée
***
Option végétarienne
*
Salade de salsifis, crème d'œuf, chips de salsifis, œuf fumé.
*
Purée de pommes et de pommes de terre, prise de shi glacé, betterave rouge
*
Entremets au chocolat et aux noisettes, crème à la vanille
*
café
in addition A glass of wine (cost covered by the DLCI) will be offered to each guest
***
Please notify at the time of booking if you require the vegetarian option or you have dietary requirements.
***
You will receive confirmation (within 24 hours) upon receipt of your booking.
NB
‘No shows’ will be charged the full price in their absence.
Additional purchases of wine, soft drinks will be at members own expense.
GARDENING IN FRANCE
Planting for winter
At this time of year, given the continuing good weather, our garden pots and window boxes and hanging baskets are still full of colour from summer bedding. However, as the nights start to get colder and there is more chance of frosts, it's time to think about replanting with winter bedding.
Pansies and violas are bright and cheerful and will grow through the winter with an extra spurt of growth in the spring. I frequently find that they will last until mid summer in combination with summer bedding. Add some fresh compost to the tops of the pots and some slow release fertiliser for flowering plants. You can also plant small winter flowering shrubs or shrubs with winter berries, as well as grasses. Smaller bulbs including dwarf narcissi and tulips, dwarf irises, crocuses and grape hyacinths can also combine well with winter bedding. Make sure that you have a strong colour theme rather than a hotch potch of different colours.
Violas can look very pretty in hanging baskets and dwarf cyclamen are lovely in window boxes, in both cases you can appreciate the small flowers more at eye level.
It's also time to plant up your borders with narcissi, crocuses, grape hyacinths, alliums, irises and the more unusual smaller bulbs. Tulips are best planted in November to reduce the possibility of viral diseases.
Happy planting!
Chris
DORDOGNE LADIES BOOK CLUB
Introduction, and excerpt chosen, by Dawn Kidd
As I consider this month’s contribution, I am wandering around the garden in tee shirt and cropped jeans. It is difficult therefore to get inspiration for an autumn read despite the leaves turning colour. (Interesting to consider as we are an international organisation, what do our members from the Southern hemisphere think of Northern Christmassy books and movies with snow and thick layers?) I therefore have gone with Halloween and its ghostly tales. As Emily Brontë is much in the English newspapers currently due to a new movie soon to be released, I hope you consider this appropriate and will tempt you to read it.
Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë
I heard distinctly the gusty wind, and the driving of the snow; I heard, also, the fir bough repeat its teasing sound, and ascribed it to the right cause: but it annoyed me so much, that I resolved to silence it, if possible; and, I thought, I rose and endeavoured to unhasp the casement. The hook was soldered into the staple: a circumstance observed by me when awake, but forgotten. 'I must stop it, nevertheless!' I muttered, knocking my knuckles through the glass, and stretching an arm out to seize the importunate branch; instead of which, my fingers closed on the fingers of a little, ice-cold hand! The intense horror of nightmare came over me: I tried to draw back my arm, but the hand clung to it, and a most melancholy voice sobbed, 'Let me in - let me in!' 'Who are you?' I asked, struggling, meanwhile, to disengage myself. 'Catherine Linton,' it replied, shiveringly (why did I think of LINTON? I had read EARNSHAW twenty times for Linton) - 'I'm come home: I'd lost my way on the moor!' As it spoke, I discerned, obscurely, a child's face looking through the window. Terror made me cruel; and, finding it useless to attempt shaking the creature off, I pulled its wrist on to the broken pane, and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bedclothes: still it wailed, 'Let me in!' and maintained its tenacious gripe, almost maddening me with fear. How can I!' I said at length. 'Let ME go, if you want me to let you in!' The fingers relaxed, I snatched mine through the hole, hurriedly piled the books up in a pyramid against it, and stopped my ears to exclude the lamentable prayer. I seemed to keep them closed above a quarter of an hour; yet, the instant I listened again, there was the doleful cry moaning on! 'Begone!' I shouted. 'I'll never let you in, not if you beg for twenty years.' 'It is twenty years,' mourned the voice: 'twenty years. I've been a waif for twenty years!' There at began a feeble scratching outside, and the pile of books moved as if thrust forward. I tried to jump up; but could not stir a limb; and so yelled aloud, in a frenzy of fright.
If you are already a Facebook user, you can join in discussions on the 'Dordogne Ladies Book Club' private group. On there you will find notices, reviews of personal reading, plus any monthly choice of book & the subsequent joint reviews etc.
Just follow this link to the group and put in a request to join.
DL Book Club Private Group
There is also an ongoing list of books recommended by members, which can be emailed to you periodically on request.
We will encourage and give all possible help to anyone wishing to start-up a new meeting group, with a few friends, in their area.
For more information please email any of the current Group Organisers.For more information please email the DLCI Book Club Coordinator, Sue Morrison
sue.morrison.france@gmail.com
Please see our website for further details
https://dlci.weebly.com/
Monpazier Book Club
The Monpazier group book of choice to read in the month of October is 'The Wish' by Nicholas Sparks, which is a recently published 'love and life' novel, set in the U.S.A. (Copyright 2021). We plan to review this book on the afternoon of Thursday 10th November; meeting in the Bière de la Bastide café. If you wish to come along, please let me know and you will be very welcome to join-in our usually lively discussion of it and other books. At this time we will also choose a book to commence reading and give first impressions of at an informal/social meeting, scheduled for 1st December: full review of that book will be left until the January meeting, to allow for the absences and distractions of the festive season. For more information or to join please contact Sue Morrison at:
sue.morrison.france@gmail.com
Sainte Foy Book Club
We will be meeting to discuss our choices on the 5th December, hopefully eating mince pies and sausage rolls and surrounded by Christmas lights!
Details of our latest reads are available to view on the D L Book Club Facebook group. For more information please contact
Lin Green at:
Lin.green100@gmail.com
Bergerac Book Club
Our next meeting will be on Friday 2nd December at Rody Chocolaterie, 5 Rue de Mourier Bergerac 10:30 am start. We will be discussing The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.
We will be posting our evaluation and marks out of ten on the DL Book Club Facebook group.
For more information please contact Dawn Kidd at:
Dawn.Kidd24440@gmail.com
If you are already a Facebook user, you can join-in discussions on the 'Dordogne Ladies Book Club' private group. On there you will find notices, reviews of personal reading, plus any monthly choice of book & the subsequent joint reviews etc.
Just follow this link to the group and put in a request to join.
DL Book Club Private Group
Lastly we will encourage and give all possible help to anyone wishing to start-up a new meeting group, with a few friends, in their area.
For more information please email the DLCI Book Club Coordinator, Sue Morrison
sue.morrison.france@gmail.com
Please see our website for further details
https://dlci.weebly.com/
Just for fun
Best wishes and take care.
Sue Morrison DLCI Book Club Coordinator and Organiser Monpazier Book Club
Lin Green Organiser Sainte Foy Book Club
Dawn Kidd Organiser Bergerac Book Club
OCTOBER EVENT
DLCI QUIZ
11th October at the salle de fêtes, Creysse
Review by Ann-Mary Stanton-Wijgerse
A large group of eager members and friends gathered on 11th. October in the Salle de Fete at Creysse for the DLCI Quiz and dinner evening. The venue was large, airy and light and the tables of six were decorated and welcoming on our arrival.
The committee members who had spent time preparing the hall for us had worked really hard to provide the atmosphere and organization for the quiz and the meal which was a delicious buffet. The quiz itself, provided by Basil and Pat Sansom was entertaining and unusual and the wide range of topics sufficient for us all to learn new facts as we progressed as well as challenge memories and knowledge. I personally was glad to see the usual topics such as sports, TV programmes and sitcom actors or pop music which you either know or you don’t, left to one side and instead to be presented with unexpected questions which we could still manage on a team basis. We all found it most enjoyable and thank Pat, Basil and Liz Davies for their time expended on our behalf.
THE CASE OF THE MISSING KEYS
by Julie Goatham
A few weeks ago, I decided to walk my dogs around the field next to Leclerc as I had an appointment in the complex at 11am. So I got the dogs out of the car, leads on and off we went, locking the car as I left and depositing the keys in my trouser pocket.
However, unbeknown to me, I hadn’t put the keys in the main pocket, but in the tiny coin pocket. So we have a lovely walk around the field, the dogs enjoying the new scents and I was enjoying the sunshine.
On my return to the car I went to get the keys out of my pocket, but to my horror, no keys. It was 5 minutes before my appointment but I couldn’t take the dogs in with me. Many choice phrases went through my head. But the polite version went like - how could I have been so, so stupid? I had never done anything like that before!!
So in panic, I set off at a run around the field for a search. The dogs were delighted – another walk!!! As I got to the edge of the field my heart sank; I hadn’t noticed the length of the grass or the ground-covering weeds the first time around.
I telephoned and managed to delay my appointment and then phoned my poor husband. Jerry unfortunately got the brunt of my anger, which was really aimed at myself. (That’s what husbands are for isn’t it?) Jerry abandoned his tasks and drove to Leclerc. We asked at the Leclerc “acceuil” in case I had dropped them in the car park. But no luck.
Over subsequent days we spent many fruitless hours searching for those keys! A set of new car keys was €550. We really needed a metal detector, but didn’t know anyone who had one!
In desperation I made an appeal at the beginning of the DLCI quiz on the Tuesday. A lady sat with Lin Green, called Sylvia, had seen a post on Facebook, about a man based at Issigeac who had a metal detector and did searches for people. She sent the info to Lin, who then sent it to me!
I emailed the poor chap at midnight once I had got home. Alan replied in the morning and offered to come on the Thursday. Lovely man, so kind and understanding. But Alan requested that I to go to Leclerc to ask permission to search their field using a metal detector, to go to the Pineuilh police, (same reason plus to see if they had been handed in if found outside opening hours) and to the Mairie (ditto). Apparently there are strict rules in France regarding metal detecting. I didn’t know this.
I rushed around doing these tasks on Wednesday and then collapsed at my local coffee shop in desperate need of a coffee. Izabela, the owner, knows me well, having stayed in our gite whilst waiting for their house sale to go through, asked me why I was stressed. So I told her. She said; “But we have 2 metal detectors!”
Izabela sent me straight to their house and her eldest son offered to come and search with me. So we walked around Leclerc’s field and found the keys after 30 minutes of searching. Poor Pavel was a bit surprised when I started jumping around shouting “Yes, yes, yes!” when I found them.
I contacted Alan Cox and told him the good news and that he didn’t need to come. He was genuinely very pleased for me and just said to pop in for a coffee if I was passing and I told him I would publicise his details for anyone else that needed help.
So:-
Alan Cox - email address spudicus24@yahoo.com
Alan asks for fuels costs if it is a distance to travel, and then if the object is found, a small sum according to how much you feel the object is worth.
But without the DLCI “network” giving me the metal detector man, this wouldn’t have happened. So a big thank you to the DLCI as well!
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
SAMOSA
Sent in by Jenny Brahma
India is a country famous for snacks. You will find street vendors selling them wherever you go. Tourists are advised not to eat from them. Big mistake! You will be missing out on a real treat.
When you visit an Indian home you will be offered a snack. Indians love to feed people. Their hospitality is warm and generous. You cannot refuse, it would be an insult to your host. Visiting a few homes in one afternoon was quite an experience. I enjoyed it enormously but it played havoc with my digestion. Plus I gained so much weight during that trip. Fortunately the sari hides a multitude of sins and I love wearing a sari.
One of the most popular snacks to serve guests is the samosa. I must have eaten dozens during our visits. The following recipe is for the humble vegetable samosa. It is a kind of family recipe and a real favourite in our home. If you come to visit we shall be sure to serve you some.
This makes 16 Samosas. They keep in the fridge and warm up nicely in a hot oven. They freeze well at the pre cooking stage. Thaw in the fridge or thaw program in the microwave and continue the recipe from where you left off.
The Pastry
200 g Strong white flour
100 g Wholemeal flour (you can use all white)
1 level teaspoon of salt
100 g butter or margarine
100 ml of cold water (just over a half a mugful)
The Filling
500 g potatoes (roughly about 5 medium sized potatoes)
2 large onions
Good chunk of fresh root ginger (from the tip of your thumb to the first joint)
2 chillies (red or green) If no chillies use 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds (optional)
I heaped teaspoon of haldi (turmeric)
2 teaspoons of ground jeera (cumin)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of garum masala
150 g frozen peas (a mugful)
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
3 tablespoons of cooking oil
Oil for deep frying
Method
Prepare the pastry first so that it can rest Mix together the flour and add the salt. Add the butter and crumble it into the flour with your fingers or use a mixer.
Add the water cautiously, you might not need it all. Knead the mix together to develop a soft dough that cleans the bowl.
Put aside to rest.
The Filling
Peel and chop the onions.
Scrape the coat off the ginger and grate it.
Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes.
Put the 3 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan over a high flame or heat.
Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to spit and crackle, add the onions, ginger and chilli.
Stir well and add the cubed potatoes.
Add all the ground spices and the salt.
Stir well until the spices are incorporated into the potatoes. You may need to add more oil if the mix is very dry.
Turn down the heat whilst continuing to stir.
Cover and leave to cook for 20 minutes, checking from time to time.
After 20 minutes add the frozen peas and replace the lid. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Add the chopped coriander and leave to cool.
Assembling the Samosas
Portion the dough into eight parts and roll each part into balls between the palms of your hands.
With each ball make a thin pancake shape with a rolling pin. Dust with flour to make this easier.
Divide the pancake into 2 semicircles and brush the edges with cold water.
With the straight edge of the semicircle at the top, place a heaped teaspoonful of the filling into the centre.
Fold the outer edges into the centre forming a triangular shape. Pinch and seal all the edges together using more water if necessary. If the edges are not sufficiently sealed they will open when frying and the filling will be exposed.
Heat some oil in a pan. The pan needs to be filled with oil deep enough to float the samosas. I drop in a spare piece of pastry and when it fries immediately, the oil will be hot enough.
Fry the samosas on both sides until they are golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
You may need to adjust the temperature of the oil by turning the heat up and down during this process. This will ensure that the samosas do not burn and that they are cooked all the way through.
Serve with your favourite chutney or pickle. We like tomato ketchup.
* The samosas can be frozen at this stage. Place them on a flat tray in the freezer and bag them up when they are frozen.
You can adapt your filling using whatever you have to hand. Spiced shredded cabbage with potatoes, spinach. Just experiment to your taste.
PETS CORNER
Cats like to be high up! Archie and Smokey making themselves comfortable.
Sent in by Chris Lees
Bertie looking for moles
Sent in by Teresa Tildesley
PHOTO REQUEST
We would love to include more of your photos including those for Pets Corner in the next Newsletter. Simply email me at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com (no later than 25th of the month) with the photo and where it is. They will be published in the next months newsletter.
LASTLY
Food for thought
WELFARE
If you have an accident and need help with transport, errands or some company during convalescence or if you know of another member who is unwell, has a bereavement or you think is going through a difficult patch. We will do all we can to provide support and we will be totally discreet. Please contact Isla at: DLCIWelfare@gmail.com
The DLCI website address is :- www.dlci.club
EMAIL UPDATES, CHANGE OF ADDRESS, NAME/TEL NO.
If any members have changed their email, address or telephone number could they please let Rosemary Copley know at: DLCIMembers@gmail.com
DLCI COMMITTEE 2022 / 2023
Lin Green
Isla Cathcart
Jackie Colgate
Sheila Harrell
Rosemary Copley
Lin Green
Teresa Tildersley
Liz Davies
Isla Cathcart
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership Secretary
Magazine Editor
Events
Joint Events Co Ordinator
Welfare
Information and communications contained in this newsletter are accepted by the Committee in good faith. The DLCI cannot be held responsible for complaints arising from them.
All contributions to the newsletter should be sent to Lin Green at DLCIMagazine@gmail.com by the 25th of each month and we hope to have a new monthly issue to you on the 1st of every month to allow you time to plan your calendar.
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS NEWSLETTER
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO CURRENT DATA PROTECTION LAWS THIS DOCUMENT MUST NOT BE SHARED WITH ANYONE WHO IS NOT A CURRENT DLCI MEMBER