Birthday girl

Lily the Fish is 11 today and continues to grow in grace and wisdom. 

In France on this day it is the custom to try and pin a picture of a fish on the back of a friend, hence Lilys name. No idea where this custom came from or why. Like much of our life here, it is a mystery.

On a more mature note, here is info about Christains expo near Avignon ....
http://christianhadengue.blogspot.fr/

Anarchy in Esperaza

Outbreak of graffiti in town - which would be better if the paint were water soluable  and even better if it said something useful. 

Nothing beats the Old Testaments' first mention of graffitti in the Book of Daniel ; Aramaic, indicating that you have been tried and found wanting.

Bet God didn't use an aerosol. Tougues of flame, like as not.

Spoilt

Gert and Elizabeth spoilt us last night - apero on the terrace (it was really warm enough) and oysters before lamb and fattening pudding. Was determined to start dieting today but got tripped up first thing by a pain au chocolate. Life is good, though :)

Easter Bunnies

Two fat rabbits  wishing you a happy easter!

Ours was wonderful. Bob cooked the traditional leg of lamb with all that that implies and invited Angus and Mary and Gracie to partake - Mary cooked the divine lemon cake and raspberry coulis thing - we ate chocolate. 

Now we are commited to a diet.  Honest.

Carcassonne vernissage

Many local luminaries were at the vernissage of 5 Artistes de la Haute Vallee last night -  as I left there was no dancing or vomiting but as Jean-Noel (below) said, the evening wasn't over...

Some of us tottered off to l'Eucurie for a stupendous meal afterwards so a terribly late night ensued. Thanks to Laura and Tristram, John and Margaret, Kat and Roland and Lizzie for contributing to the fun (my photos are rubbish) - and to Bob for all his hard work :)

So, farewell...

Alain and Veronique are leaving the Relais Occitan after 25 years. They held a farewell apero last night - Alain clearly sadened, Veronique saying 25 years is enough and no, she won't be visiting.

(Bet she does though)

 Afterwards went to St Gobains for the Friday night moules - and met Antonia and Steve, newcomers and a very welcome addition to our subversive band :)

Big sadness

So sad... Bella and her husband and their friend have been killed by a dog. At least, they've been chased and had their heads ripped off which apparently is the M.O. of an uncontrolled dog - which had to leap two large fences to get to them.

Bob found ther remains this morning and is very upset, of  course. Its one thing loosing them to the golden eagle - quite another to know that some out-of-control dog just  casually destroyed them.

We've had them since eggs so very attached to them and their ways. Despite the fact that Ive eaten chicken twice this week, feel very diminished. Will miss them. 

The other flock, with four hens and 2 cocks, dosent seem at all perturbed.

Thursday's excesses

Moonrise over Leos yard...

Thursdays are always difficult because they are basic maintenance days - housework, shopping, stuff - though ameliorated by the pleasure of taking tea with Andree. Tonight as an extra reward Bob took me, Gert and Elizabeth to the Auberge de Faby where we gorged (embarrassingly not too strong a word) on giant prawns cooked in pastis and garlic, with salad and sauces

Here is Elizabeth having TOO MUCH PUDDING :) Me too, it was great  -

Being Danish, Gert and Elizabeth have a glorious grasp of international politics. We share opinions but they are very informed and much info was shared. More, soon, please!!!

Bieke

Bieke was heading back to Belgium this morning, congratulating herself on missing the air traffic controllers stike yesterday.
Unfortunately the radio was on on the bus... so she knew what was happening in Belgium as she headed towards it, worrying desperately about her family and her flight.
In the event the flight was fine and there was a special bus from Charleroi, 'all incredible well organised' she writes. Anxiety abounds but all well in her life. Phew.

Spent today in Carcassonne and had the pleasure of the company of our refugees on the journey. Papers are begining to come through and they are begining to be able to make decisions about their future. One young man of 26 years who was studying to be a lawyer in the Sudan is learning French so that he can return to university.

Ferren appeared at Limoux so the theological debate became enriched. It seems that The Prophet parted company with the Christians after the Council of Nicea (325AD) where the Christian relationship with God became trinitarian (that is, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit), contradicting the 'There is no God but God' maxim. Three Gods in one was two too many.

Thinking about it, the trinitarian structure was a response to the Arian heresy which as we all know figures large in the Cathar thinking of these parts. So perhaps the divisions amoung the peoples of the book is traceable to the Languedoc?

Or not.

creepiness

The night Margaret made this fish pie to entertain her friends at dinner, her Octi-pie,  Gracie had been making these matching fellows... an idea whose time had clearly come :)

Saturday Night plans

If Easter saturday hasn't yet been taken, come to Carcassonne for a jolly party:)

All most welcome.

For the french readers, here is a sweet article showing a couple of 'our' refugees talking with the schoolkids in Couiza - 

http://www.clg-bieules-couiza.ac-montpellier.fr/rencontre-entre-deux-refugies-et-les-eleves

Hanging in Carcassonne

5 Artistes de la Haute Vallee opens in Carcassonne next week, featuring me and Kat, Stephan and Chantal and Philippe (the prime mover); yesterday we hung the show and very interesting it is too.Vernissage Easter Saturday, details to follow - save the date:)

We had planned to go from there to Pomas and the Toques et Clocher but it was cold. Sissys that we are, we hung out in Carca instead and dined at St Gobains - where alas, the band was not playing. Another day.

Starting the weekend

This years chosen village for the Toques et Clochers is Pomas so this group of artists- Gracie, Kat and Margaret -  went there last night for the vernissage of the art show.

Bob has returned to the fold and he announced that the show is more of an anti-art show... by which you may tell that none of our friends won a prize.

Afterwards we fed at the creperie en masse, where we ran into Fiona and her Dad -

Today is the Tocques et Clochers in earnest, followed by Stan and Eddie playing at St Gobains.

Mark Lockett lives on. Report in full.

Mark has survived 60 years on planet earth. Allelujia!! He thought he was going out for a quiet meal with Kate and Ezra ...

..he was welcomed by the many sounds of Peter, Jack and Dave playing My Brother makes the Noises for the Talkies (a song much loved by Bonzo afficionados) (thats the Bonzo Dog Do Dah band if you are too young to know) 

We ate and drank and chattered -heres Dermot, the only Irishman in sight on this Paddys night- then The Few took the floor, being Frank, Ezra and William (geddit?), sons of musicians and really giving the oldies a run for their money. Excellent. Will seek their gigs out in future.

naturally Mark had to play with his son - before taking the drums to play with Stan, Kate and Eddie

 Then there was CAKE and more partying and more music

and things got blurred. Heres a nice pic of Christian waving.

Brilliantly organised, Kate. Did he really not know? Hard to keep so many people quiet in a so small a community - just goes to show how much Mark is loved

Misty morning

Rennes le Chateau this morning, floating on the mist - 

and here are the new owners of the PMU, Le Relais Occitan - Anique and her sons -