Goodbye again

I'm off again - Rome, 'till the end of the month. In the meantime here is a photo of the old sidings between the station and the Dinosaur Museum, being excavated to make the footpath from the new car park.

Young Jutta

 Jutta was the youngest at her birthday party last night, apart from the killer kitten - Photos still in chaos as I fail to master new technology so a random sample here, featuring Mike and Gilly, Diana, Bob (arrived from the airport just in time), Nel and a cute pic of me and Jutta that technology supremo Kat took on her mobile and sent to me - after I'd promised to delete the ones of her playing with her food in an unseemly fashion.

 - voila, the Artistes a Suivre 2017 is kicking in. First meeting yesterday in Couiza under Victorias capable aegis. Bigger and better than ever. Anyone doing an 'Off' or hosting gigs is advised to talk to their mayor first; its only polite.

catching up

Look! Annie and Pete and their genius greek-god-like boychild Gus!

They have been absent, have been back and now are off again so something of a glimpse is all we get. Speed gossip revealed little except that Pete is still gainfully employed and of course that Gus is developing may new skills including the ability to squint and grow facial hair. Ah, youth :)

Latest excitements

 Dearest Kat - aided by darling Roland - fed me last night when I was a zombie. Here is the moon that wafted me home... with the last of the festive decor.
Below it (the festive d.) is being removed by the municipality-

and here, what??? There is a hedge missing. The hedge behind the point propre has been removed in my absence. General view is that this is to aid the rash of car parks that are springing up everywhere, sigh. Hey - a new health centre, a new arts centre, people will flock to Esperaza and have to park in town. Its been explained to me. Not happy though.

hello again

 Forgot to mention that we had to be Isle de Brexit-ing so have been absent, not ill - many thanks to those who inquired :) Surprised to have survived the trip, none-the-less; outward flight left via Perpignan some 6 hours behind schedule and my return trip (by coach) was highlighted by a customs raid.
One bright spot of my visit was the tube strike. The National Gallery was empty except for guards anxious to tell you how they got in, walking from suburban stations mostly.
I'd forgotten what a delight it was to look at paintings without the crowd hassling you to move on. AND I got a good look at Boris Anreps' mosaics, normally invisible because people stand on them. Here's one for us all... rather sedate view of Folly IMHO

First Sunday of 2017

We walked carefully to the market this morning and lo! There it wasn't. Not a thing. The sole open store, apart from two bakeries, was the crystal shop. The one where you can buy crystals.

Luc's was open - the only cafe in town - and there we found Kieran and Ann, what joy :) and were joined by Fran and Clare, hurrah, afterwards by Olle-Bendik, more rejoicing. I took photos of these worthies because it was so nice to see them but haven't got the measure of the camera and they are so blurred as to be mysteriously spooky.

Luc came out OK, as seen here.

He is the party king of Esperaza.