Leaving and not-leaving

 Here's Cathy  and the adorable Samuel, leaving for Ireland via Luc's cafe- back in September with Kenny.
Sian has gone too, to Montpelier. I'm embarassed; she been here for many days, resting between treatments and I never managed a single snap. She's  well and fighting her illness with courage and style.

Tonight, Kat and I went to the Mediateque in Alet-les-Bains to see Michael talk about a book hes produced. ....

The book is Tresors Oublies de la Haute Vallee de l'Aude and its lovely. Micheal writes about the churches of our region and there are beautiful photos by Jean-Louis Socquet-Juglard. Esperazas wonderful church naturally gets a full write up:) There was standing room only at the talk, enjoyed by all judging from the excited chatter afterwards. Micheal is extremely well equiped to write this book since in Blighty he was President of the Sacred Art Commision in the diocese of Worcester; many of the questions dealt with the British methods of protecting their heritage.

I should have asked where you can get it from but was too pleased with my signed copy to think of it. At a guess, ask in the biblioteque at Rennes les Bains. Since Micheal and Suzie live next door, they'll know.

Bob has returned to the fold. The weather has gone cold and misty, following yesterdays rain. Good for the land of course but having trouble finding a cardigan. 

Life on Tuesday

Alecias birthday! She was 40 yesterday... obviously going to stay beautiful into old age.

She and her family went to Limoux for a lunch - seen here at the bus stop.

 Couldn't go too on account of galloping asthma, dammit, but consoled by a visit from Rachel,seen here with Sylvain - you may remember Rachel as she used to live in Moon Mouses' house, opposite Pete and Clare in the Rue Voltaire, some decade ago. While there she gave birth to Nathaniel, now an adorable young adult of 10 years.





Rachel is a musician and held me spellbound with tales of performing John Cage's work when she was a student. Have missed her.

forgetting and remembering

Since I forgot to take photos last night, I have remembered that I've been meaning to post this farewell to Nancy and Joe picture - they have upped sticks and gone back to America for ever since the journey here is proving difficult. Nancy wanted her picture taken with Alain (on the left) who as she says has served her wonderful coffee for 17 years.
They are already missed.

Back to last night; Sian and Kat and I went to the newly-reopened Cafe du Pont, a song of joy in our hearts. It was packed in the street, crowds of young persons smoking heavily so we ducked into the comparative shelter of the empty cafe. Delight. But not for long... we were followed, it filled up with underdressed persons and then the racketty music came on at a blast. By this time it was clear that the new proprieter was smoking behind the bar... on we went to the newly re-opened TyRex where Mike and Hilary joined us.

As Kat said, nothing has changed - same old, same old, thank heavens:)

Bit of a drizzle this morning, allelujia. The heat has knackered us all.

Summers' lease renewed...

 Back to being hot so I crept out to the market early - and discovered the Cafe du Pont open again:) Dawn was alarmingly pink-tinged but only slightly. Weather looks set.

Margo and Theo have been overnighting and we ate at the creperie - Theo's total fave - where we were joined by Ann, Jean-Mich and (eventually) Monique, old mates except for Jean-Michell who was new to me but the others have known for yonks...
Much fun and feasting and astonishment at how Theo is grown - he's six-and-a-half now, only months away from the age of reason.

I forgot the camera. Took these snaps this morning, before they moved on. Next stop French Guiana, Margo having quit Cairo. Wonderful tales of deeply foriegn parts from both of them.

suddenly its autumn

The heat wave became very oppressive yesterday and finally broke into a storm, though a small one. Could have done with more water. This morning is chilly but the forecast is for the low 30's this afternoon...

The wind blew open the rabbit gate and they won't go home. They scamper about the garden, smelling the flowers.

odd snaps, not much binding narrative

Shopping in Lidls with Etienne, Ryan and Alecia- terrific aircon when its very hot. Same with GiFi which is large and clean and deserted, perfect for practicing the crawl.

Though paddling at Alet-les-Bains source probably better.

 Appropos of nothing, here's the nice horse that lives under my bedroom window, snapped being saddled in the impasse and (below)  is the infant Samuel, snoozing through breakfast in the square this morning.

Cathy is here for a few days, offering her parents Margaret and John a chance to re-live their baby-rearing days :)

Fete du vin - report in partial fullness

 The old bridge was closed off and the bar at the Pont Cafe opened for the night... Chez Charlie and The Creperie and the new patisserie had their stalls on the bridge and that was where you redeemed your pre-bought meal tickets. Terrifically good - Bob and I had Pomme Dauphinois and Veal something (don't like to use the word 'stew' here ) with a plate  of boudin noir, pate and camembert from Chez Charlie and a perfect creme and abricot cake from the patisserie.

Tita (below) was staffing the creperie stall - apparently the fete crepe featuring a sausage from Chez Charlie, was excellent too. She's done something to her neck but was in good form.

 Gert and Elizabet were on another table - the place was crowded, there were tables arranged outside Jo and Roys and down towards the square and alongside the river to the new bridge. Packed.

 Here's John back from Ireland and as his son pointed out, gone feral - our El, looking fab as ever - below her, Margaret and Kat being decorous. That was early on.

 Andy seems to provoke bad behaviour wherever he is - :) - here are Nel (with Ryan and Etienne) and Pete

 Margaret and fungus, Neil and Kat, below Neil and bride whose name I'm not going to attempt to spell* -

*Late info: She is SORCHA, pronounced Sor-a-h. We  knew that, right??

 Very very hot and as darkness fell the lights came on - then the new moon put in an appearance over the adjacent night market.

There are many more photos but some are actionable and some are very blurred. Apologies to those friends who have been missed off.
Its for your own good.

Phew what a scorcher

 Bad luck that the first Esperaz'art should fall on the hottest day any of us can remember. Kat's mandala-creation event had to be cancelled and most of us scurried from shade to shade trying to do as little as possible. Great fun though; everyone good humoured and making friends. Here's Stephan, below, with a selection of his and Chantal Thomas' work

Our garage was at least cool and it attracted a visit from the Mayor, here in the hat, with his wife (next to me) and staff from the town hall. The organisation was as ever very good and it's not them that we blame for the weather.

Many friends came a-visiting and I thank you all. There is a pleasant feeling of an arts community developing here - I hope next year that the ones that shied off, Margaret, will be engaged. Plus others who have been evasive:)
Off for a cold shower.

Let joy be unconfined :)

 Look - the TyRex is back in action. Here's Yves, looking good  and Bob and me and the Scottish Daves ditto. And then the rain started, cool and gentle and marvellous.

Esperaz'art...

...opens tomorrow, for one day only :) In the Garage opposite the Grand Hotel.

Bastille Day report

Here is Barry, the Remaining Policeman, leading the town's notables  in the march against tyranny.

This is a good place to tell you the result of the vote on CCTV. 226 for; 74 against. 

We are shortly to become a culture divided into the watchers and the watched. Sigh...

 We did our bit for La Belle France by joining the Esperaza celebratory meal in the square. This year over 200 people were there, ably served by the team of local traders-  many thanks to them. Here in the middle Msr Cross is cheerfully waving:) We had melon and ham, sausage and a bag of crisps, a small Camembert and tinned fruit salad, with jugs of wine. It worked well. Bizarrely.

Many people sang and we heard the Hymn of the Esperazannaise (for the first time, live -  only ever heard it on tape at funerals before)

Next up was Lithium, dry ice and so forth; then darkness and the fireworks.

I legged it to the other side of the old bridge and found an unoccupied bollard to sit on. That's when I noticed that the hedge had glow worms in it:) Joy joy... they were unperturbed, carried on in competition and continued after the last firework died. 

Making the bridge

When one holiday follows on the heels of another most people don't bother going back to work - this is called Making the Bridge, and I'm pleased to note that Sylviean and Belinda, shown here, did no such thing today. They were slaving on in their agreeable office in the square, where the crystal shop used to be. Should you need help with French taxes and accounts, these are the gals to consult.

And look! Toby is here, showing her car who is boss :)

 Was invited to a simple omelette and salad meal at Margarets, where Kat, Mike, Hilary and I decided that she has a totally new understanding of the word 'simple.' Several delicious courses and quite a lot of wine later, we weren't complaining... and afterwards we took the air in the night market having by-passed the funfair and the band (Starlight. Again) It was fun, there was an orgue du barbary (see below)  which is what they call a street organ hereabouts. Our mayor was out glad-handing and accepting congratulations on the town fete.

Tomorrow is the great day in France, Bastille Day - there is a communal meal in the square starting at 7.00, buy your tickets in advance from any of the stores. Many of us are going and plan to share a table.... see you there :)

white horses, no unicorns

Margaret has sent these pix of the horses strutting their stuff by the river - lovely:)