It was my birthday - see the team out of work hours!!!

So...  I had a little celebration at my house for my birthday.  (25yrs old of course!)  We started with a cocktail made famous by the film Sex in the City, a Cosmopolitan...  I highly recommend it if you would like to get your party to start with a bang!!

Marie, Laetitia, Martyn, Lionel, Florence, Me, Celine, Valarie, Jose and Bernard.

Valerie, Celine, Bernard (Flo's hubby) Florence and Martyn (my hubby) and more cocktails!

Now the evening started off gently and quietly, everyone enjoying the apero cocktail and some delicious slices of sanglier (wild boar) and duck with walnut saucission and a few other delectable offerings bought from the market that morning.

Florence and Celine with Francis being the man in the mirror!

Francis and Valarie - yes the cocktail is taking effect!

Of course, being in France and being surrounded by the French, you cannot avoid a certain amount of Frenchness to creep into the evening....  Francis had been out during his lunch hour (two hours!) and collected an assortment of wild mushrooms.  A bucket full of cepes and girolles which he lovingly prepared in my kitchen and what is so amazing is that everyone took a turn in tending to these mushrooms as if they were the most important thing ever!!  We BBQ'd aiguillette de canard (strips of duck breast) and I had thrown together a couple of salads.

Francis and my son (who is at chef school)

Lionel with the mushrooms!

Ooohhh it's my birthday!  with Laetitia

Once the meal was over which was rather late, as in true French style we stayed at the table for most of the evening, the tables were moved, music volume vamped up and whoo hoo....  off they all went into dancing mode!  These Frenchies dance Rock 'n' roll to anything!!  Now, there are many photo's which I couldn't possibly put here on my blog as I want you to still think that we are a professional bunch but here are a few of the carefully selected ones.  Your team from Century 21!!!!

Laeititia and Francis!