cake

 Kats birthday :) New Kelly, Claudinne, Jean, Bob and I celebrated decorously with blanquette and curry followed by cake. All back to diets today.

police request...

Just had the police at the door, wanting me at the police station - eek? - but no, they had found a wallet and wanted to trace the owner. His name is Eric Nelson and I don't know him. If you do, you can make his day by letting him know his wallet and contents are safe :)
Forgot to take photos last night when Pete and Clare honoured us with their presence. Lovely catch- up night.
Impossible to take photos this morning, the mist was so thick...

birthday season

First there was Bob, then Hilary, Saveria and Kate; tomorrow is Andree and Monday is Kat. For a quiet month, this is all rather frisky. 

Our Kat tucking in

The plan was to take Andree and Kat to the wonderful Cathar Gormand in the square. I booked the table and thought I'd spring it on Andree at the last minute. Too late!!! She was already booked - at the same restaurant, as it turned out, only with Lily and Vassily and a couple of their friends.  

We shared the same food only at different tables - much hilarity ensued. 

The chef excellent himself, again. 

Andree, across a crowded room

Pete and Clare 

Bob and I haven't eaten such a big lunch for months and went into a coma afterwards, gradually coming to -  and then delighted to be visited by new arrivals Pete and Clare. Massive gossip ensued and then, joy! Kate arrived.  A lovely afternoon.

sunrise

Chilly this morning but its clearly going to be a beautiful day. Good thing too; Pete and Clare are arriving, after a long absence. And New Kelly got in yesterday.

Latest

Here is the footpath from the new carpark to the station and the new car park itself, not finished as you can see. I await the electric plugs for the electric cars I trust the commune is expecting. 

and the graveyard in the mist this morning. No I'm not labouring the point about pollution. I took it for the eagle-eyed to spot the two horses on the hill.

This mornings' backlit heron

Sunny Sunday

Market yesterday was cold but clear - crowded but manageable - loved it, it's so good to know you can see friends and make new ones, easily - AND do the shopping :)

And in the afternoon was Kates annual cake and bubbles event, normally shared with Oscar who now as an adult has better things to do. Smaller and more select than usual as a result.
Kate was also celebrating the 10th anniversary of her near-death experience, in very fine fettle as the photo shows...

It's always hard to know which photos to show of a party. Pictures that are lovely photos may perhaps show ones dear mates in an unflattering light, perhaps; so here are some inoffensive ones.

Lionel, Ian and Saveria

Kate cutting cakes. Broke diet. Worth it. 

Captains return

There is far too much colour in life so I've black and whited this one for a change...Margaret and John, Captain Harris, Jutta and Bernt and Ian (who dropped in -) at dinner. We ate wild boar. 

So, Bob is back, Margaret and John are going, Bernt is here for the weekend, Ian and I remain. As does Tango, here in fine feather. Below him is the beautiful rib cage of a dead boar.

glorious day off

Margaret, Kat and I took a day off to draw together.  This involved breakfast, coffee and lunch and lots of free-range ambling. Started at Quillan market and checked out the newly sited English library (which we all joined - now 20 euros for residents but they do a part-timers ticket for 10) Its open 10 - 1.00, Tuesday to Sat., in a building by the Pink Palace.

The sun was strong and a delight to bask in. Its as if a switch had been thrown and spring arrived  -

A bit of shopping later and lunch at a cafe in Limoux, one in the square - very nice - thence to the Musee des Automates where we were welcomed as artists, given folding chairs and left in peace to get on with it. It was eerie; the machines all creak and groan as they move and the owners had created the music that goes with the show. It's lit in weird ways and the fabrics on the machines are metallic so lots of strange visual effects; the constant slight movements all around are both comforting and creepy.

Dear John had decided in our absence to make an evening meal so went home to drop stuff off before going to theirs and lo!! Oswald is up from his hibernation - to the chagrin of Jess who followed her around, sniffing. 

John did us a spag bol and tarte - the latter bought in a supermarket before he remembered he hadn't got a box on his motorbike. He wouldn't say how he got it home. Mike and Hilary and Glen and Kat were there (Roland has gone away) and songs were sung.

Florists away

Using this charming Dufy to let you know that the florists of Esperaza have closed, after thirteen years here. Strange to shut up shop just before valentines day; will try and find the story.

More news; her indoors at the Cafe du Pont has been safely and easily delivered of a baby boy called Tiago. (4 hours labour, 20 mins birthing in case the details are of interest.) Shes back at work with Tiago in a cot.

AND the town hall are giving out free kits to kill the Asiatic hornets. They consist of a piece of green plastic that you clip onto a water bottle which you fill with a mix that they will go for but that the bees don't like. Half of beer, 3 spoons of grenadine plus a glass of white wine. Lots of clear instructions to start mid march when they come out of hibernation.

Sav's birthday

 It was a big one for Saveria yesterday. Many friends wore Saveria masks - see above - and there was music and dancing and far too much food :) Have taken many many photos; here's a random selection.

Sounds rather odd given the spontaneous merry happenstance of the event, but the organisation was superb! Suspect Sav's sisters were behind it all. Good parking by the petanque area, coat hangers and rails in the entrance to the house, clearly marked toilets, designated smoking (outside, in the cold where they belong), a staffed bar, endless supplies of plates and knives and forks and glasses, good music desk and of course excellent drummers :) Chilling space and dancing space, room for all ages.
Congratulations to all involved xxxxx

Chez John and Margaret

 Very cold nights here - full moon and frost last night - so dinner with dear friends was especially welcome. Margaret and John did us (Kat and Roland, me and Bob) proud. Back to diet today.

Many hearty and impressed congratulations to Margaret and John on the occasion of their 48th wedding anniversary!
Here's a nice pic of Roland and John up to something - dunno what. Caption needed, perhaps.

Bob Birthday

We celebrated Bobs birthday quietly - fairly quietly - with Andree, at the Odalisque in Limoux. The food is excellent there and so was todays' company:)
All is quiet here on account of it's February and it's wet. No doubt it will frisk up soon but for the moment, it's a gentle pleasure.

Rain stops play

The market continues but so small and sooooooo wet... still good fun, thanks to Kat who braved it for a coffee. Apart from that, the only news is that the creperie on both Thursday and Friday nights was excellent, comme d'hab.; Margaret and John are here for 2 weeks and Kerian and Anne for a  long weekend, Hilary and Mike are back from their travels, Roland and  Kat are ensconced, Gracie is in the hills and god's in her heaven.

No place like it

Back in Esperaza! Its better than Rome - for one thing, you can breathe here - the pollution in the eternal city is frightful. Here is the market this morning, in the mist which has now lifted.

And below, the Creperie which has changed in my absence. A toilet for the disabled as been added and the space re-arranged as a result. Am going there tonight to check out if all is working properly:)

Here's Tango, bonding with one of Tchouki Miners' Macaws.