Despite numerous technical problems and a last-minute glitch which caused the delay in going to press the movie is complete and ready to go on general release. If I thought making the movie was difficult getting it on to the big screen (well actually quite a small screen) produced major problems. 

I sought to find some video editing software to edit the raw footage of the hens. I managed to find some free software which proved to be useless. It may of course have been me that had the problem but it all seemed very complicated and not at all user friendly. In the end I found an app for my phone which was at least comprehensible even if difficult to use. It involved much trial and error, a lot of swearing and driving the family mad as I repeated the backing track over and over again. However, I finally managed to get a final product ready to show.

If anyone out there has any recommendations for video editing software, I would be very grateful for your ideas. La Godefrere Studios has some interesting ideas for future productions and may be even a mini-series!

Our first film features three hens in a titanic struggle with the wind and it also features a special guest appearance from Moggie. Archie eventually walked off set in a major dispute over his contract and the fact that he wasn’t offered star billing. We are currently in negotiations about a sequel. Maybe a gangster movie The Godefrerer, a story of the cat mafia and the family head, Don Archie Corleone.  Anyway, I hope you like the movie!

To view the movie go to the La Godefrere Facebook page. Any problems let me know and I can try to send the video!!!

We have had a week with the Vegans as my daughter Amy and partner Charlotte came for a week. We had appalling weather but did manage to get out for a couple of trips. We went to one of our local “workers” restaurants at Oisseau. We go there quite often and had a word with the owner, Ann-Sophie and she prepared a special vegan meal for them which was really good. Mrs. Parish and I went for the full meat option with a really nice boeuf bourguignon. We are now getting very good at shopping for vegan options and it is surprising even in France to find a good range of vegan products in our local supermarket.

The French are coming to terms with food that does not involve meat. The French have a well-earned reputation for culinary sophistication and it is somewhat of a surprise to hear of the French Nutella riots. I am grateful once again to my American friend Shuriu who reminded me of this news item. Nutella is a hazelnut and chocolate spread which for some bizarre reason the French like to put on their toast. Apparently disposing of around 100 million jars per year!

Recently a large supermarket chain put a discount on Nutella which led to violent scenes, as shoppers jostled to grab a bargain on the sweet spread. The supermarket, Intermarché offered a 70% discount on Nutella, bringing the price down from €4.50 (£3.90) to €1.40. Police were called when people began fighting and pushing one another. "They are like animals. A woman had her hair pulled, an elderly lady took a box on her head, another had a bloody hand," one customer told French media.

A member of staff at one Intermarché shop in central France told the regional newspaper Le Progrès: "We were trying to get in between the customers but they were pushing us." All of its stock was snapped up within 15 minutes and one customer was given a black eye, the report adds. Similar scenes have been reported across France, with some being described as "riots".

In the wake of the riots that broke out on Jan. 25, the French Minister of Economy and Finance held an emergency meeting with the store's head to discourage the deep discounts that caused riots over the hazelnut spread.

"I told him that this must be stopped — we can't have scenes like this every few days in France," Minister Bruno Le Maire said in an interview

The hunt for discounted jars continued on Friday, with shoppers in a supermarket near Toulouse being handed just one each Some 365 million kilos of Nutella, a hazelnut chocolate spread, is consumed every year in 160 countries around the world.

It was created by the Ferrero family in the 1940s in the Piedmont region of Italy, which is famed for its hazelnuts. The firm said it regretted Thursday's violence, but noted that the discount had been unilaterally decided by Intermarché.

Pietro Ferrero, who owned a bakery in Alba, Piedmont, an area known for the production of hazelnuts, sold an initial batch of 300 kilograms (660 lb) of "Pasta Gianduja" in 1946. At the time, there was very little chocolate because cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. Ferrero instead used hazelnuts, which are plentiful in the Piedmont region of Italy (northwest), to extend the limited chocolate supply. This product, called "Pasta Gianduja" was originally sold as a solid block, but Ferrero started to sell a creamy version in 1951 as "Supercrema".

In 1963, Ferrero's son Michele Ferrero revamped Supercrema with the intention of marketing it throughout Europe. Its composition was modified and it was renamed "Nutella". The first jar of Nutella left the factory in Alba on April 20, 1964. The product was an instant success and remains widely popular.

Just in time it seems as World Nutella Day is today February 5. I sometimes think the whole world has gone mad!

Apparently, I have to wait until June 3rd for World Cider Day! Here in France every day is Cider day and there is no need for any riots here at La Godefrere as my good friend Emile has just arrived with a crate of newly made cider. It is known as cidre doux as it is very young and very sweet and of low alcohol content, around 2-3%. Emile has made around 250 litres of cider this week using his ancient cider press. It is very nice and I may just have go over to the cave for a bottle, to try it out.

Just as well we are well stocked with cider, wine, calva and whisky as snow is forecast for tomorrow.

Bonne journee Nutella
Graham