The time of cherries

 Neighbours brought us this shed load of cherries, to Bobs delight; here he is with Jamsie, eating them.
Weather continues grey and wet. Warm and not unpleasant. 

normal confusion

Housework has been dominating life on account of many friends are arriving soon and there is a limit to the chaos that one can inflict on them; unfortunately this makes me ditzy. So I forgot to photograph the excellent lunch that Bob prepared yesterday for Lucy, Norbert, Louise and Pete. Shame, it was a lovely event.
Here is a snap of Tango in his new and splendiferous cage, glowering at Rico.
Many thanks to Sue the Quillan book lady who donated Tangos cage. He's a happy beast :)

Life goes on

Despite missing Lily dreadfully, we soldier on... yesterdays vide grenier was packed (despite indifferent weather) and as ever, an excuse to buy terribly important things. Snapped Peter Dunn, above, chattering with Bob - note dislocated fingers, not a good state for a musician/painter. All will be well shortly.

Lily RIP 2003 - 2018

 Here is Lilys passport photo though in the event she rarely left Esperaza - maybe the odd trip to the sea-side. She wasn't a good traveller. Below is the last photo of her, a couple of days before her death yesterday; a good death at home with family. Its very quiet without her.

Should you find yourself in the position of needing to dispose of a large dog outside of office hours and over a weekend, be aware that the Pompiers don't have a solution - and if your vets is closed with an unobtainable emergency number and only a vet can help (advice of pompiers, finally) then the new vet just before Quillan is brilliant. She is kind and efficient.

Brexit brokerage

Here's a synthesis of this mornings meeting, beginning with the nice lady on the desk of the marie knowing nothing and saying the mayor was busy -  :) After speaking with the mayors assistant and reminding her that I watched him write the date in his diary, we were taken to the council chamber. Around 20 of us sat happily gossiping while the mayor finished his unusual and extra meeting elsewhere.

What have we learnt?? Thanks to Kate and Kat, Diana and other contributors, we now know that if Brexit continues as expected we will no longer be European citizens and will need permission to live and/or work here.

The obvious route for such as us - inhabitants of long-standing with measurable incomes, in retirement - is Carte de Sejour. Fairly painless. Proof that one had lived in France for over five years, signs of income. Mayor will email us all the necessary links.

For persons whose income is too low - falls under the SMIC level which we reckon around 2400 euros per month - or who want permission to work here, nationalisation is a good though difficult bet.

In lieu of riches one can claim worth in the community; having a home already here is a plus; speaking the language is essential, knowing the history and culture of France ditto. It's got tougher in the last 2 years. There is an examination and YOU HAVE TO KNOW ALL THE VERSES OF THE MARSEILLAISE. In French. The Mayor offered to have singing classes for the English in the town hall.

The other issue with nationalisation is that all the dossiers must be translated into French by accredited translators and this is expensive - 30 euros a page. Depends on your career and stage in life what documents are needed but it could be a lot for a professional person.

We don't yet know what impact changing nationality may have on our UK pensions. It's possible that nothing will change. Equally.... well, who knows?

                        The mayor pointed out that if we are in trouble with our government in Britain we could have refugee status.

Being married to an EU Citizen doesn't mean you have their protection. You must apply to share their nationality (Learn their language, sing their anthems...)

Erm, I've probably forgotten stuff. We've got time - even after Brexit there will be a gap before whatever becomes obligatory. Plus we all know foreign persons who have property and live here without any European status. Limits your freedom of movement though.

Georges will send info as and when and we will all keep talking. He's very keen that we should not be anxious and is happy to talk to anyone about special circumstances.

more r e m i n d e r

Those concerned with the impact of Brexit - meet the mayor this morning at 10.00 to discuss our options. Outlying villagers also welcome! See you at the town hall shortly.

r e m i n d e r

...tomorrow 10 am, Mayors office - Brexit debrief - even Bob is coming!! Here he is after dinner at Restovale on Pentecost Monday when Id forgotten the shops were closed and had no food in, woops.

I guess its my age. Thought that Bobs' brother John was arriving yesterday - turns out to be next month.

The sun had had his hat on

It was another festival yesterday - festival des hermits? - where young people wear white shirts and black bowler hats, paint on a black eye and follow the brass band about the town, drinking as they go. In the evening they have a party which they are good and ready for. Jolly noisy; lots of plastic cups lining the streets this morning.

Which was rather good as me and Fiona and Simon (see below) were making quite a lot of noise in the garden - bet none of the neighbours heard us :)

Had a very good night - thanks for your erudition and humour and sheer joie de vivre, m'dears -

 Market back up to speed - bright and noisy and packed - quite wonderful. I spent most of it in the patisserie chatting with Peter Dunn, because I could. Had the honour of introducing him to Beike; he has worked with Joseph Beuys and she has worked with Louise Bourgeois. (For an artist this is like, I dunno, hanging out with Leonardo. Only better)

Oh Happy Day...

Not yet sure if the merchandising dept has got these for sale - profits to the reptilian fund - but big thanks to Craig High, the designer. Nailed it in one, Craig :)

post-meeting

After meeting with our mayor to sort some arty stuff - the Brexit meeting is NEXT Thursday - did a load of housework and had programmed an evening of ironing.

But found a book instead... here's Kate Hardys book, jolly good fun, well written and tightly plotted. Might be on the chiclit scale but many men I know would enjoy it anyway :) ironing another time then.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-out-midday-Kate-Hardy/dp/1291420363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526630995&sr=1-1&keywords=Kate+A.+Hardy+out+in+the+midday+sun

The arty meeting has established that there will be an open air painting event in Esperaza on July 21st. Save the date to join in or to come and mock the artists in situ.

Testing

John and Margaret, Mike and Hilary, Kat and Roland and petite moi did the decent thing and tested the Restovale last night. Again, in my case. It was packed, pretty much all local people. Valerie and her staff held up well in the face of pressure. General thumbs up. (Just don't mention Margarets salad).

Wet 'n' Fed

 Water back, on schedule; and here's the menu from ex-Ty-Rex which is now run by  lady called Valerie, hence new name.

Having decided to eat there we discovered Berndt and Jutta trying to have a quiet meal together, which we soon put paid to.
We were charmed by the notion of Fish and Ships :) The food was OK and the service capable - we all agreed that its the ambiance of the place that holds us. Dead sophisticated.

TyRex extinct

Ty Rex has been renamed, see above... no idea when it will open or if (please god) they have changed the menu.

Later
STOP PRESS IT'S OPEN :) Someone else can check the menu.

Later still
NO WATER IN TOWN the excavations in Rue Gambeta - rather a lovely water feature including a bulldozer - appears to have severed the towns water supply. A bunch of blokes about to go and have lunch were looking at it just now.

After lunch
They say we will all have water at 6pm

Yuri and Ray have just left for the airport where the flights this afternoon seem to be OK; this mornings' were deviated to Toulouse due to high winds, it seems.

Brexit fears

 We are inevitably touched by Brexit, despite having it forced on us. Georges Reverte, our Mayor, has offered a session in his office to talk to us about what to do - citizenship? Carte de Sejour? Suicide? Thats next Thursday, May 24th at 10.00 am in his office. All welcome. There will be frequent reminders.


Et voila! ANDREE, as cute as a button, as ever. Had a lovely long tea break with her in Limoux - she sends love to all, comme d'hab.

Just walking from the car to the entrance to her place was an epic as that's when the hail started. There was a brief sunshine patch this morning and here is Lily taking advantage of it, trying to drink the place dry. You can see from the size of the river this is not an easy task. AND there's snow in the mountains! So the snowmelt - if it ever happens - will cause further chaos.

Further news; Rue Gambetta is closed.

holiday weather

Yesterday the sun shone. Bunked off work and did some Artistes a Suivre touring, most rewarding - and found that the little river Faby isn't bone dry as it usually is, showing just how much rain there has been. Folk were moving stones though it might have been a performance.

Emboldened, decided to take today off and hoof it to the Med. Lovely, a little cloudy but still, hey, sea side!! Ate at Gruissan - fried place, chips, salad. Himself had pizza. All good.

 Came home over the mountains, in mist and rain. Most beautiful. It's is now pouring down and storms are forecast. Weather, eh. Boring or what.

extreme dinner

Clare

Clare, Pete, Annette, Ken, Ray and Yuri ate with us last night. I'd got it into my head that we had some vegetarians in the team so made alternative dishes as well as the usual, which resulted in an excess. Fortunately all were omnivores; accordingly, we all overate. Heroically.

Yuri

 Wild asparagus tart; onion and anchovy tart with sun dried tomatoes; salad; macaroni cheese; toad-in-the hole with roasties; meringue with chestnut puree, cream and raspberries; cheese and a selection of halvas from Yuri. Clare also brought a large gateau with her which we did not embrace.
A deal of wine accompanied all and many conversational topics were launched. Wonderful.

Ray and Pete

 At coffee time Yuri met with Jamsie-from-the-chateau and Roy and me at Lucs and held us spellbound with his tales of contemporary theology in action. The world is an even stranger place than one supposed.

Bobs irises 

Holiday season

 The town is on holiday, spookily quiet; though the little market is in the square this morning and the shops are open till noon. Better get a move on if you need anything...
 Last night - look!! - skyped with Ryan and Alecia and Etienne, who is now at school, playing football and chattering eloquently. They send love and are hoping to do a spring trip here.
Didn't manage to get Ryan in a decent shot but he's well too, working hard. His hair is growing back.

Yuri arrived last night so we sat up late catching up with the news from the frontline. International scholars do not have an easy life though they do have an interesting one.

And lo! Its Artists a Suivre time, when all the massive amounts of  year-long organisation pay off. The launch party was last night at Alet-les-bains and I couldn't go on account of waiting in to welcome some of the participants who are staying here; you'll be able to see then perform in Couiza on Friday night.

Liberation day

Missed all the ceremonies on the 8th, yesterday, on account of catching up with stuff indoors; but this morning thought these flowers left in front of the monument to 'King John' worth a snap. Here he is in all his glory, the arch resister - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Lattre_de_Tassigny Not sure why hes in our car park, will try and find out if he had secret links with Esperaza.

Big Sunday

 Vide grenier, first of the season, packed; of course we all found treasure - and liquorice brebis ice cream, my favorite :) There were tables and chairs and lots of food stalls, very sensible especially as the day warmed up to be hot. There were drummers and music,  a swimming pool full of trout to catch, little ponies to ride, all most jolly.

When we'd had enough squandering, John and Clare came and shared out frugal lunch in the garden - baguette and pate, tomatoes and artichoke hearts (from the garden) -

and in the evening, a little late, we visited Richard and Eva's new house which is stunning, vast and beautiful, backing onto the river, furnished already in classic French style. Wow, is all. And there was a barbie in the garden, perfect end to the day...

Raj, Richard feeding Eva, Joel being happy

 We left just before the storm broke!! This morning discovered Oswald had abandoned the garden and was in the dining room. Smart tortoise; especially as the rabbit had moved into his little hut.

excess

 Luckily New Kelly left me the remains of her stupendous gateau yesterday, to distribute to the needy - so when Richard and Eva came round with Richards' son Cirrus round abut tea time, they were able to appreciate it too


Further gluttony followed at the creperie - Charlene took the photo which shows Paidge, Clare, Jo, Clive, Petite moi, Roland, Bob (home again) Kat, Roy, Max (home again) and Fran. Great and gossipy night.

 And today... voila! The first vide grenier of the season. Here they are setting up on the riverbank this morning. Looks like the day will clear up soon, so off we go in search of more useless tat we can't live without :)

A friend in need

 A friend who loves to cook and needs people to eat is a friend indeed, no question.
Darling New Kelly did Roland, Kat and me proud last night. 'Just a bit of tapas', she'd claimed.

Langoustine cooked somehow, marvelously, with a tart Cava to drink;  roasted asparagus, little patties of fried salted fish, complicated omelette with a good Chardonnay;  a meringue and chestnut puree with almond crust eaten with pink cremant (that old favorite Duc Royale) ; cheese - crystal studded cantal, a brebis and em something else and salad with an amazingly profound red that swirled with all the dark secrets of the rivers under Zanadoo - yup, a good night !

Big thanks to N Kelly who unfortunately leaves today and isn't sure when shes back. Pressure of work keeps her in London. Hopefully pressure of mates will bring her back soon.

date for sea side diary

Some time ago Maggie and her kimono collection got a mention... her show at Gruissan is opening on Saturday 19th May. Good plan; to take a day by the sea and have a stimulating evening aafterwards :)

won

 Serrano's (the bakers in Rue Victor Hugo by the 8 a 8) has been significantly honoured by being included in the Guide Gault et Millau for this year. The mayor and municipalite have noted the specialness of this by awarding an award to point out the award, which can be seen as soon as you get through the door. Apparently it was very fierce with the Guide people following the baker around all week to make sure that everything was prepared on site and done proper.

Congratulations !

Whilst on the subject of prizes, anyone out there want to paint in the streets of Esperaza? The Mayor is talking about having a street arts event in June or July, en plein air, with juried prizes in the aftermath.

So far the reaction of the local artists is mixed. Can you contact me if you'd enjoy being a part of such an event? Cheers