Birthday boy

After four hours on the ski slope on our penultimate day, we headed up to La Bergerie Kanata for lunch, as we have every day this week. We both ordered the bacon and potato pie, and it was fabulous.

Today though, is New Year's Eve and also Tony's birthday, so I suggested we order dessert of myrtille tart. I told Tony I needed the toilet, but in actual fact I went into the restaurant to ask if they had a candle for when they brought out our desserts. They fetched me a chef who spoke good English and he explained to the other staff what I had asked. After much rooting around in cupboards they found a tea light which I said was fine, thank you.

I could see our order sitting on the pass and when the waiter picked it up I said to Tony: 'This is ours. It's coming.' But the candle had extinguished in the wind. 'Oh, and now it's going,' I said, as our desserts went back into the kitchen.

It was obvious the candle wasn't going to stay lit but the waiter was great, hiding the tea light from Tony until the last second and then wishing him a happy birthday as he lit it on the table and letting him blow it out.

It was a lovely gesture from the restaurant that already recognises us and remembers our drinks order - a litre of rose wine - each afternoon.