Excitement is building here in France as we reach Blogathon Eve.
Hardly have the decorations been put away from Christmas before the whole country comes together to anticipate the month-long blogfest. In towns and villages across the nation, communities are starting the celebrations. As children leave school they are presented with the sweet delicacy Pomme D'Amour or as we in the UK know them a TOFFEE-APPLE. The excited chatter of the little children as they break their teeth on the caramelised goodie mounts as they rush to the Halles des Fetes where they are joined by the adults and the great and the good of each commune. As a whole they crack open a bottle or two of pastis and give the ancient toast for the snowy months "Bien Niege" or good snow a phrase that has been corrupted by English ears and eyes leading to the anglicised word of bien-bren and niege-nig or BRENNIG! Once the pastis has been downed it is time to choose the young boy or girl who will be crowned King or Queen. Once the child has been chosen they mount the stage and are presented with the Couronne de MASHER or Mashers Crown, an ornate headpiece made up of old bits of circuitboard and motorcycle parts topped with a luminous GPS unit. Photos are taken of the monarch supported as in previous years by two accolytes dressed purely in budgie smugglers.
The children are then sent to bed and parents stay up all night waiting for the sighting of the first blogathon post of the Spring.
Vive la France! Vive la Blogathon!
