Hand painted tiles

The jolly post lady arrived this morning clutching an interesting looking parcel. Interesting insofar as it didn't have one of those nice little clear windows on the front thus dispensing with the need to open it if you didn't like the look of the sender.

It was my very first Christmas present, and possibly the only one and I decided to open it immediately as it didn't have any of the usual bossy notices attached. 'Do not open before Christmas' 'No peeping says Father Christmas' 'excess postage to pay' etc etc.

I was absolutely thrilled with the contents. Inside was a beautiful hand painted tile from my very talented friend Un Peu Loufoque, translating as, A little crazy which readers of her excellent blogspot can verify. I was slightly mystified as to why she had sent me the one entitled 'Boozy' but nevertheless deeply grateful that I had been bestowed one of her very talented pieces in the first place. I personally think it would have been far more appropriate under the circumstances to portray me as the lady hanging out all the washing whilst it is being vigorously blown by the wind, one of her four tile panals, but I don't wish to nitpick. Not only is she a writer of wit but does divine hand painted tiles, many of which are individually commissioned. Even now as we speak there is a splendid panel making its way across the English Channel for a discerning client to be displayed behind an Aga cooker.

She once inquired as to whether Le Chateau wouldn't benefit from a scenic display behind our Aga but she got short thrift from me. 'I know your game' I said, 'it's a free holiday in the Languedoc you're after. Soon afterwards due to the launch of her gorgeous website she became too busy to offer 'freebies' so in that respect we now share a common bond !!

I know that you are all hoping that I'm going to post yummy pictures up of roaring log fires, candles flickering, a fat basted turkey, a la Delia Smith for you to feast your eyes upon. You want the aroma of spices and woodsmoke to waft seductively through the computer screen, you want to feel the full experience of Le Chateau at Christmas. I hardly know what to say other than watch this space.

Tonight we have a raging gale with lashings of rain. The house is being buffeted this way and that and the shutters are groaning constantly. It's a seriously wild night.

Time to throw another log on the fire and fill up the glass with some fine red wine and thanks to the skill of Unpeuloufoque you can picture that very well .....