Sad news- RIP Joel

Joel ( aka Raju), a familiar face in Esperaza, has died - suddenly, of heart failure, outside his door in Rue Victor Hugo.
Suzie Harrison took this photo and I shamelessly lifted it from facebook. Such a beautiful image of him -

Haven't met any family but condolences to anyone he has left behind and to all his friends. We won't forget him.

***Later; Suzie has posted on Facebook that he will be cremated at Trebes at noon on Monday****

Pete does good -

Pete is looking pleased, as well he might - he and Nel are about to start a life together here and yesterday they made a big leap up the rungs of the ladder they must climb. I love being cryptic:) But the fact is I dont know when they want to go public. You can read all about it soon.

Anyway, Toby, Leo, Kat and I offered to help celebrate. And where better than Le Creperie.... luckily Pete had the foresight to book as it was full. Not bad for a tuesday night, out of season.

There are other reasons to be cheerful hereabouts. Pam Job, poet and bonne viveuse of these parts, has been awarded the first prize in the Crabbe Memorial poetry competition and Jean-Noel Cuenot who draws with the Monday morning art group has won a major prize for one of his animated films. 
Something in the water?

divine dinner

 Ryan and Alecia, bless them, offered to cook dinner last night so before they could  change their minds I invited Aileen and Olle-Bendick too.

Here they are grafting away in the kitchen, being protected by Lily


And afterwards, the god-like Olle-B presides....

Thanks everyone! We must do more of this entertaining lark now my energy is returning (not that I do anything, mind you)











Anyone out there not know about our Monday morning nude?? The artists hereabouts club together to pay for a model and we would welcome new artists on account of our numbers are down. 5 Euros gets you 2 hours of profound silence except for the scratching of the charcoal with a naked person as a focus. Middle floor of the Centre Culturel, bring whatever materials you enjoy using, 10 - 12 every monday. No tuition, no criticism . Deep camaraderie.

caption needed

Et voila! Andree has a Guinness.... we  had dinner at Robins gaff and were made very welcome, enjoyed ourselves thoroughly:)
Andree goes to Toulouse on Tuesday to have her back done on Weds. By the weekend we will be dancing.

dinosaur at dawn

Couldn't resist snapping the window of Le Musée des Dinosaures this morning....



http://www.dinosauria.org/visite-au-coeur-du-musee.php?dinosauria=3rdu4juoljnb50qcnvp4gbup65


I'm back! Been in London, back here for a week - no idea whats going on or what Ive missed, anyone know??

Toulouse Sunday

 We - Alecia and I - celebrated Ryans birthday a couple of days late at Le Marrakech, behind St Serrin in the thick of the Sunday flea market. Excellent fun, great nosh; resisted the temptation to buy ANYTHING.

dawn at Chateau Rusthon

 John and Clare gave me a blissful evening last night - a perfect dinner and not really too much to drink, with brandy and chatter by the log fire till late. So we are a bit blurred this morning -

Dawn up there (St Julia le Bec) is really worth getting up for.

weighing out

Heres Oswald, preparing for hibernation (like me -) He gets weighed so we can tell his health in the spring. The rabbits, in the meantime, have betrayed us by turning out to be one of each. Jessica is in fact Jesse.

Bob has gone back to London and its raining. Sigh.

Oh nearly forgot. The Comite de Jumelage are having another shared meal, 26th Oct., 12 H., bring your own plates and cutlery.  Its 15 euros and consists of apero and nibbles, assiette de charcuterie and taboule, paupiettes de veau and gratin dauphinois; fromage, gateau, cafe, digestif. Its at la Salle du Maroc Louis Alibert, over the river by the footbridge. Ive got the number to book it if you fancy going - has to be booked tomorrow so asap.

introducing....

...Princess Alice Tete de Lion, friend for Jessica Le Chainsaw Tututut Lapinette.

They seem to have taken to each other and are a delight to watch playing together. So sweet:)

Back

 Et voila!! The Musee de Dinosaur viewed from over the railway line by the station... gosh, its so good to be back:)

Here's the Captain walking Lily in the hills.  It is lovely here. Sigh. Too knackered to go out last night so missed Toby and Leos dinner to welcome back the Scottish Daves and Pete. Saw some of the guests this morning and they looked wrecked so now I can be virtuous. Hopefully not for long.

 

Miss me???

Still in London; hoping to be back in the land of the lotus eaters soon:) In the meantime heres an hours worth of me and my friends banging on about the state of the arts... better put the kettle on then. Oh what am I saying! I mean, open that bottle:)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40EWKT2cJvY