sundays shenanigans

                     Market was as market is. Great. 

Here is Michel 'Living Dead' Gluck, between adventures, breakfasting in the Relais Occitan; 

quelle joy! 

For elevenses Luc's beckoned, where l met Eamon and Margret (below) for the first time - they've recently bought a palace here. We'd been emailing but meeting face to face is better.

 At  noon everything changed. Deluge on a biblical scale lathered the town. The short run from Lucs to home soaked me through so at least I didn't have to bother with the sunday bath... rain didn't let up till lateish evening and this morning there are clouds of condensation hiding the landscape.
Enough weather.

unghosted

 Not that much of a ghost town then. Jutta and I were settling into a cup of tea together when Andy turned up with his mates Sam and Danny, who are a delight and welcome back anytime. The parrots loved them too.

Later in the a cafe I ran into a couple of mates who had clearly been to the psychic doctor, who leaves paint marks hither and yon. How was it? I asked. I'm still psychic was the reply.

Im back, where are you?

 Back in Esperaza to find its a ghost town - no-one around, though I've only been here 12 hours.
So far; A friend in the creperie last night was wearing odd smudges and plasters which turned out to the residue of her visit to the psychic doctor. Ian has visited a homeopathic doctor. Im back from the medical tests in the UK (I'II live) and Bob is off for his today. Boring news, really. Will hang out in a cafe later and see what real news can be gleaned.

 took these random snaps by the railway line this morning - its about now that the SNCF send out psychos with strimmers and weed killer to put paid to all that. Bah.

Night returns

John was sweet enough to take us to dinner at the Creperie last night and there was Nightingale!! Her motherhood hasn't impaired her memory - she can still recall the Captains' favorites.

I'm off to Isle de Brexit for a week, leaving John in charge - buy him a drink if you see him :)

arrivals

 Kat and Roland are back, hurrah! from their Marseilles holiday. Train strike forced them onto buses and all is well.
My brother-in-law John arrived on Monday and here he is, bonding with Rico.Without much enthusiasm. Rico of the big beak needs handling with caution.

Went to visit Andree at the Maison de Retrait in Limoux in the morning - she was on top form, nearly over the bronchitis, acerbic and drole as ever. Sends love to all.

celebrations

Peter Dunn has been having a rollercoaster of a health ride and he is definitely on top :) His birthday dinner yesterday was a celebration of the magic he and Clare have put into life; here's to loads more.

Clare and Annette fed Bob and I, brother-in-law John, young new Kelly and Kenny with aplomb and great deliciousness will we will all now diet to expel, sigh. We barely drank a thing, honest.

The birthday cake was an outrageous cheese and chocolate confection. Might pop up to La Serpent soon and see if there's any left...

Sundays activities...

 ...started with bumping  into New Kelly - here for a measly 2 days - and coffee at the purple patisserie. She brings news from the Big World, always a gas :)





Market was brill. Hot sunshine, all the world out and about. A treat after the rainy days. See random snaps below.

 Spotted Aileen, relaxing after her Mirepoix show, with Ferren - greatly recovered from his maladie and back in his own home.

And some orchids (pyramid?) are out.

In principle all well. BUT today is grey again and Bob, back from Blightly, displayed symptoms alarming enough to merit a trip to the docs followed by a rush to the ultrasound folk in Quillan. Thence back to new health centre with results.
Not a lot to worry about, deo gratias.

New health centre very nice BTW.

all the latest

 Had a take-away at Andy and Lou's last night. They were driving back to Blighty first thing this morning so that was the easy option. Went to the nice woman opposite the newsagents where she cuts up the spuds in front of you and turns out amazing chips, plus her home-made burgers are garnished with salad so the meal is healthy as well as delicious. She had this poster on the counter so thought I'd snap it... Im a fan of L.P.'s ( as we used to call them.) Still have a quality record player (ditto).

  Several points arise;

Radio Ballade   - in Esperaza we have our own radio station and its the finest ever, if you are into music.  Press this link and go to pop-up radio (top right) to listen to live broadcasts.  http://radioballade.net/equipes

Maison de Chapelier gite  -  next up is Andy and Lou's change of direction.They've bought a house in England near Lou's Mama and are schooling young James there. This means not managing their fabulous palace as a BnB as in the past; they plan to let it as a gite.  See the photos here - it really is amazing.
https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g677538-d949704-Reviews-La_Maison_de_Chapelier-Esperaza_Aude_Occitanie.html


Also leaving town this morning are Tim and Yvonne, heading for the north - and Gert and Elizabet have already left and are back in Copenhagen.

Here's Lily the dog lying against the wardrobe this morning looking glum. She wasn't too keen on walking - and it isn't even raining, it just stopped. About to start again though.

Bored now...

 ...with Kellys help got the central heating working; got my accounts to the accountant; failed to fix some bank stuff; agreed with our lawyer  to sue our insurance agent; and discovered, with delight, that the strange activities in the field at the back of the house are about planting truffle impregnated oaks. Now to sort some house tax details. WISH this rain would stop.

Angels in the rain

 This morning was grey with constant rain. Looked fit to last for ever. Then it brightened up.
Above is Toby's wet garden from my studio, with angel; below is angel James, whose parents were good enough to give me a cup of tea when I interrupted their work as the rain actually stopped; and Andy, father of angel. Mother of same, Louise, avoided the camera which is a pity because she really does look like an angel :)

Tuesday changes

Lee Robinsong's* birthday dinner at Maxs hosting.. is that a verb? At Maxs bidding, certainly. And at Maxs house.


I love this picture of Lee taking pictures whilst Jo looks thoughtful. Our conversation had been profound, evidently.

Jolly rumbustious night for all the thoughtfulness, featuring Roy and Jo, Kat (now departed for Marseilles) and me and the Captain - who is also leaving today, for a stint in Blighty in his case.

Lee and Max go tomorrow. I'm dizzy with all this activity.


*of Lovesong Fine Arts, see www.leerobinsong.ca

This morning I nosed my way into Tim and Yvonne's new gaff which is lovely. I'm so impressed by their intuition. By which I mean they bought this tiny holiday home sight unseen and its far more than anyone could have expected, a darling corner of town with everything you could need for short Esperaza breaks. They have to live in Brittany while Tim finishes work but they have a foothold here to retire to.

They go at the end of the week. Keeping up with this lot is exhausting.

Strangers return

 Heres Theophile, now 9  years old and as tall as a 12 yr. Still funny and interesting and now also a decent chess player. His mama Margo took Bob and me, Ann, Monique and Jean-Michelle to dinner in the Creperie which was fuelled by Cider in the traditional manner.

 Alas, I have no stamina and retired to bed early. Woke refreshed and looking for fun and FOUND IT - Luc's was stuffed with friends for late breakfast, market being dismally wet, and lo! Yvonne (below) and Tim were there (here in Esperaza inspecting the new property that they bought sight-unseen) They are bored by the north of France where they moved after leaving Esperaza so they've come back.

Simon and Fiona  and kids were there, plus Pete and Nel, Mike and Hilary, Alan and Gillie, Berndt and Jutta and many others. Anyone who thinks life in a small village is dull ain't lived in a small village.

Impenitent

Olle-Bendik, Didier Bourdon, Jean-Noel Cuenot and Sabrinas back

 The glitterati of Esperaza flocked to the Galerie l'Impenitente in Mirepoix last night to see Aileen Hennes new paintings. Looking at the photo above I can't help thinking that Aileen chooses her friends to go with her work :)

Ole-Bendik Madso and Peter Dunn

Didier Bourdon, Ferren Mcintyre, Capt Bob

 Many of her friends are actually in the paintings, Ferren (above) being a case in point. Had I had my wits about me I'd have tried to snap people in front of their portraits.

Aileen Hennes

 Finally able to relax after hanging the show and welcoming her guests, here is Madame l'Artiste realising that she is a success - below, Ferren and O-B  swapping beard stories-

 Was rather pleased with this portrait of Gunter who with his wife Sabrine used to own the Auberge de Faby - they have lately sold it to a couple from a Rouvenac family so  it'll be back on the circuit soon. Lovely to see them out and about again...

 ...and Dave! Not seen for an age. Dee was there too and they had to endure the usual where's dozybeakymickandtich jokes.

 Heres three of several pictures of Phil who has announced on Facebook that he is laid low with pleurisy at the moment


and what would have been a beautiful photo of beautiful Annie had it been in focus.

Annie Bowyer, Ferren McIntyre, Sabrina

 No idea who the clarinet player was - though he was very good, providing just the right tone for the evening - nor whom the artist on-the-floor was.

Here is the galleries' owner Madame la Baronne, with Dee (of Dave etc).

Kat, Le Capt and I ponced a lift off Peter Dunn and having had a lovely evening of art headed back to the car and the long ride home, only to get way-laid by a sign saying Fish'n'Chips, 6 Euros. Some sort of magnet. Nice unpretentious and cheap, in the  Cours Colonel Petitpied - highly recommended.

As is Aileens expo. It's on for 3 months and central to Mirepoix so if you are there, check it out.

PLEASE NOTE all friends of Andree - she has bronchitis at the moment which is causing her some distress but I don't think should deter visitors. Shes been told she must wear a mask to avoid infecting the other residents so if you do visit,  would you take a photo? When we were there yesterday it hadn't been delivered. Otherwise shes doing OK. Only 12 years to her 100th.

Mountain baskin'

Dinner last night at Pete and Clares mountain retreat... here's Annie  and again below, with Peter Bowyer and Peter Dunn. Below again is darling Clare who with her sister Annette produced a huge and delicious meal, one course of which would have done nicely. No complaints though - in fact we took notes. Ingenious and delicious all.

The cuckoo carolled us through the apero.

Bliss.