Tuesday in February in Esperaza

Not a normal Tuesday... started with Bruno Lang, he of La Caderonne in days of yore.
Bruno was caught in a gas explosion, quelle horreur - badly burnt but lives and is enjoying retirement with his full considerable force. Magic to see him and catch up after a decades' absence.

Then things got madder. 

Our Kat had a Winter Party to which the glitterati of Esperaza flocked, huddled together for warmth on the coldest night we've had so far this year. 

We are rather good at huddling :)

Tim, Kat, Gracie and unknown photographer

 It was noted that if the house went up in flames - which god forbid - that the cultural life of our town would be over. Or terribly terribly different.

Annie and Pete

Rupert Soskin and Janet (of John)

Kat, Eva, Andrea, Saveria

Vivienne, Richard, John (of Janet), Ann

Mandy and Tim

Gracie and Mary

Dermot, Mary and the laconic Lionel

The Marshals, a bit of Mandy, Sebastien and a bit of Kieran

Saveria

Tim, Richard, Mary, Ole-Bendik

 Got lots of photos of varying quality and in the end went to capture the jolly sense of camaraderie that was evident.
Thanks to Kat and Roland for a brilliant multi-languaged party that left me feeling that I'M SO GLAD I LIVE HERE and know all these marvellous people:)

weather report

 Its -6, according to the illuminated panel by the station - but the sun is strong and it all looks so pretty it doesn't seem to matter. Got an SMS from SAUR (the water company) asking that we protect our meter from the cold, which has lead to lengthy debate about where they are. Not a clue.

 It was Andrees 89th birthday yesterday so we took cake - and  forgot to snap her.
      She hasn't changed.

wood smoke from (possibly) Richard and Evas house

dimanche esperaza

very nice band - clarinet, accordion, guitars - playing near the cheese stall. 

Fairly random snaps au marche to show I'm still on the case - and some snaps of riff-raff au caff - was too overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of Bruno Lang to photograph him but seeing him soon so will redress. Old lags will remember him as the head honcho at La Caderonne, when it was a bio restaurant with gigs and expos.; the glory days! 

I passed my afternoon playing Go with Andy and cleaning out parrot cages, though not at the same time. Tonight its the ironing that beckons. Life is quite full enough.

Kat, Marie-the-etcher and Ole-B.'s back

Ole-B.'s side and Msr Marshall

New Kelly, Kat, Ann and Keiran 

At Chateau Rushton

 It was adorable Clares' birthday yesterday - also her wedding anniversary. Clever of John the fix on the same date, ensuring that neither is forgotten...



The darlings gave us a fabulous dinner (=Coquille St Jacques with divine complications; lamb, fennel, mash ditto; bread pudding a la Rushton)

We drank Champagne that John and Sue Marshall provided and wines from the region. Well, nearish.

We played loud music and were unruly into the night.

My photos are rough but this is included to show some of the Chateau's excellent art collection. What a good eye John has.

Bobs back

Nice to have the old boy home again. He took this photo of me and New Kelly at the Creperie last night, me already looking the worse for wear - and I snapped Derek and Val whom we sat next to. Clearly I should not be allowed out with a camera.

Derek and Val are from Rue des Jardins and you wouldn't recognise them from these pictures.

changes

 Look what bad penny has come home to roost!! Welcome back Andree...

Andree has re-located with her sister to the Maison de Retrait le Soleil du Levantin in Limoux.

Alas, the cause is sad - her nephews wife has died suddenly so the reason for the move to the countryside by Biarritz  has gone, as it was her choice to retire there. The family prefer to remain by Toulouse now and the only vacancy nearby was in Limoux. Very smart it is too.

For us, her Esperaza friends,  having  Andree 20 kilometers away instead of a 5 hour drive is a relief.

But many condolences go to the family. Hard to bear, especially as she was only 58. Hugs to Nicholas and Alexia who have lost their mother.

Sounds rather callous after that to carry on having fun, but Max and Andy are in town. And the Authentique opened for us. And then we had digestifs and music at my place and it was unashamedly good.

South of France bah

Steady, light, continual rain falling from grey skies... ugh. Some mistake surely. On the plus side, it's warm.
Extremely good night last night that I forgot to snap; a group of artists gathered round to talk about Dada. Thanks to Gracie and Tim, Kat, Jim, Michael and Barbara and Victoria for making it such a thought provoking time. Last time we met, slightly different group, we dwelt on performance art. Next time it'll be about the very nature of creativity... all working artists welcome. Get in touch.

sunday was yesterday-

-and I can't remember if it rained. There were patches of blue sky, Im sure...the market was active and friends were out. Rushton and Clare came to visit, here for a week or so; and Lo! Annie and Pete, in between Morocco and Glasgow.

They took the rather glam photo of me above and I took the hazy and dull picture of them below. Not that they are dull :) Au contraire.

Lovely day. Thanks all.

Limoux carnival

 Kat decided that she hadn't seen the carnival for a while and since I can't remember the last time I saw it, I ponced a lift. That was when the weather changed.

 The blame for the lacklustre photos clearly rests on the shoulders of the weather.

 Was cheered by persons dressed as parrots - a macaw and a cockatoo, to be pedantic.

working

 Its quiet, time to do some work... and bunk off into the sunshine.Warm and sunny here. Here's Tango being winsome.

gatecrashers

beautiful Gracie

 After a knackering day The Captain and I opted for a takeaway. Then found not a place in Esperaza was open and gatecrashed Gracies dinner party. We'll be doing this more often - lovely night, thanks everyone :)

Tim and Bea

Mervyn the champion cook

Derek, Gracie and Tim

Tim

COLD this morning....

That manif in full...

The manifestation against the loss of a teacher at the school was a great success despite the drizzle, though we have yet to see if the government will change course as a result.

 About 60 demonstrators chatted for a while and then set off to find roads to block. The only car we managed to halt was Marie's; she was pressed for time as she was off to open her exhibition in Collioure but the police let her through the schoolyard so with luck she wasn't late.

 Our 4 local police were in attendance plus some serious gendarmes but they were not needed to keep order and the whole event went off without any arrests.