Tickets!

Blog Entry Tuesday 22 April, 2008 Lignieres, FR
Rain, clouds, light wind and chilly beer temperature. Sun? No sun. Reasons to stay inside and do little...many. Reasons to go outside and work, zero. The winner? The cats get a heated warm room.
We read, I stare at the weather screen on the computer and we wait for France Telecom to take some action that will result in us being back on-line again via DSL other than send us the letter stating our passwords (two days in a row). That is the summary of this less than energetic morning at Rue 35 Marechal Joffre. I turned on the water heater and we have waited the requisite hour and a half for the water to get sufficiently warm to shower one of our every three day shower routines underway. Kelly is first. I next. Fun and warm.
Got a @##$#@! speeding ticket this morning from the 24th of March. The machine along the route du St. Amand got me going 100kph in the well marked 90kph zone allocated for it's divine presence. Merde! 45 Euros worth of speeding enjoyment. Oh well. It's frankly amazing I don't get more, I have become so used to just cruising in the green world of middle France that I miss the un-miss-able 5 X 7 foot signs that announce the presence of the radar box and all that means to one's checkbook. I just go blank. Then I realize as I'm about parallel with the @#$$! box that I am going OVER the LIMITE...shit! Too late, it's beady square eyes have me in it's sights, photo taken and weeks and weeks later I (The BIG We) get the notice. 45E to you buddy. Pay up! They mean it. You have 15 Days before it's 68E, 21 before it's 108E! Fun huh for 6 MPH over the limite. Kelly writes the check and inserts it into the envelope provided, sigh.
So off to my swell olde kitchen with it's wood beams and roof for a ceilin, red tile floor and wooden cabinets 100 yrs old to make a warm potato salad.

Warm Potato Salad with Lemon and Red Bell Pepper

2 lbs white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes more or less.
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks of celery cut into bite sized 3/4” pieces
2 cloves garlic diced finely
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 canned red pepper diced 1/2” pieces or substitute fresh red bell pepper roasted and skinned.
½ lemon – juice (About 1 Tablespoon)
½ teaspoon lemon zest.
1 tablespoon Italian Parsley chopped fine
1 Tablespoon Celery Leaf chopped coarsely

Put potatoes into a medium pot with water just above them, place lid on and cook for 25-30 min. til done to al dente. Mix Onion, Celery, Garlic, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper and the olive oil in a small bowl and stir vigorously. Add lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust for salt. When potatoes done, drain and allow to cool 5 minutes. Place into large bowl, mix in Parsley, Celery Leaf and rest of ingredients.
Bye for now!