Patricia Maffli, 12.12.1955 - 25.02. 2019 RIP

 Just back from Patricias funeral which was as sad as sad can be - too young, too talented, so much loved.

Patricia had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer for a while and looked like she'd be OK - when suddenly something happened to her heart and an emergency op failed to rescue her.
Heartbreaking for her family and  many friends.

Her sister Crystal took the photo above and Joel her husband chose one of her paintings, below, to illustrate the funeral programme. Rather a good choice - as well as being a smashing painting, it shows an image of freedom which is a good idea to cling to -

For her son and daughter and their families one can only hope that time will help them to come to terms with this awful loss. Much love to them, to dear Joel, to all who loved her.

stop press

 Outside the creperie, yesterday.

Andree Bonnet is 90

Andrees birthday lunch yesterday - her 90th - would have been easier to photograph had the sun not shone fiercly thought the window above her head... I should have sat her somewhere else and done a decent portrait but you can see her agreeing to that, ha -

nonetheless, I rather like this one of her with Peter Bowyer, where she is clearly on the brink of naughtiness 

 Annie and Peter Bowyer, Kat and Roland, Alain and Annie Lagauche, Wassily and Lily, Peter Dunn, Mike and Hilary Aberson and Kelly Breen helped make an entertaining, multi-national and memorable event - the oldies shared memories of Esperaza and Quillan and there was a deal of bandinage - and cake, of course.

Peter gave us a song and managed to look hazily like a Vermeer subject - and Oswald came our of hibernation to give us her blessing :)


Great day. Thanks to all, Andree for still being our friend and to all who brought food and wine.

Already planning the 100th.

invitation

Look what was on the towns' information panel today in English... guessing that there are new Brits in town. I know Kate will be in attendance to help with any translations and if I wasn't such an old lag I'd be there for the fun of it. Go along and enjoy, y'all newbies :) Our Mayor is waiting for you - and hes very charming.

garden lunch

Heres Annie! With a different Pete... and below, her Pete and (my) Bob. Wonderful strong sun and great company, food parfait.
Peter Dunn awaits the birth of Claires grandchild, ready to fly as and when... Annie and Pete Bowyer off to Glasgow next.
Here everything is in preparation for Andrees 90th birthday. Seems like only yesterday she was a slip of an 80 yr old.

Scatty is us

Dinner at ours last night - Bernht and Jutta escaped the camera (a pity, Jutta especially looking especially lovely IMO) but I remembered to take a snap before Eva, Richard and Angela got away from us... on which subject, Angela leaves this morning for Isle de Bexit though she'll be back, hopefully soon.

Off for breakfast in the market now.

creperie

Les filles had a night out at the creperie last night; here are Angela and Claudinne in ernest debate :) I have lovely photos of Kat too but she'll kill me if I post them.
Weather still wonderful, chilly nights and warm days.

easy days

Soft morning - the river in the early mist - and, below,  this afternoons sunshine. Lizards are playing about. It's lovely.

Bob is cooking for me, Ian and Angela (who is here for the week.)

Passed the morning in Quillan and tried to work this afternoon, honest.

Misty mornings, sunny days

Heres the market yesterday, lovely - as is today - marred only, erm, quite a bit by me getting the dates wrong and sending Ian to the dentists a day early. 

3 hours wait later, nice dentist explained the error. 

Incidentally, Ian insists he did not teach the parrots to fart. Only belch.

early morning mist clearing

return to form, nearly

 Here are some of the tribe as we grope our way to spring and real life... Kate and Dermot, Kat and Roland, Louise and Norbert risked my cooking last night (prawn avocado, veggie lasagne, chocolate mousse, since you ask - all very retro).

Louise

Roland and Norbert

Alas, we heard durning dinner that Pat has been taken back to hospital as an emergency. She has been dealing with lung cancer and since she had gone back to her easel and was working again, I'd assumed she's recovered. Not so.
Much love to Joel and love to Pat from all friends and the artists hereabouts.

Roland and Kate

The evening finished early because we are so out of practice!

Thursday back home

An exciting day, one way or another - the morning in Limoux, visiting Andree. She is glorious, I'm glad to say. But it was clear by the time we reached her maison de retrait that Bob was unwell, so he sat in the car and took to his bed when we got home.

When the local police arrived to ask him to move his car, he was fast asleep. Since I don't drive I handed over the keys... 

Much hilarity ensued. Steering wheel is on the wong side, it seems, plus it's an automatic and what we like to call a 'classic' car, that is, ancient. Our policeperson drove down the middle of the road to the station car park accompanied by roars of laughter from the council worker; c'est criminel!!

They wanted to put in a cement barrier where the car was parked, presumably as part of the rubbish collection changes that currently bedevil the town.

Where the mysterious hole appeared behind the church rubbish collection thangs have been installed, rather sweet in this case but still, something of a waste of a prime site by the river behind a 12 c church. If this were India they would be garlanded with strings of marigolds.

Other news; dropped in on Hillary and family and found all in excellent  form, including Kat and Louise. Forebore fom snapping all, not quite back in the grove yet :) Bumped into Roy who this year has only broken his wrist snowboarding (metal plate, eight screws) In previous years he's done much more damage. Suggestions that he quit winter sports are ignored.
Anyone know how to get the evil black cement of old floor tiles? Bernt and Jutta are restoring their kitchen...
And Andree will be turning 90 at the end of this month. She will be lunching here. If you want to join us - perhaps you were at the 80th? - get in touch. All her friends are welcome.

re tuning

Bit of a jump from the mad colours of India to the subtle nuances of Esperaza -!- but here are some of the evening strolls' snaps. All with their own curious beauty.

Our parrots have nearly forgiven us for pushing off - Tango his usual winsome self but Rico, alas, stroppy -

Been catching up with the gossip which is slight - chief and tragic news is that Patrick who plays the banjo while selling bread in the market, has been robbed and lost his bango to the thieves who also took his flute. He lives in the hills somewhere - may the bad people have an attack of remorse and return them, please.

I hear; that Hilary is well, weller anyway, her kids are here for her birthday tomorrow: that O-B is in Morocco with his innamorata: that my dear god-daughter Holly had had pneumonia but is out of hospital and well. 

And.... our lovely Canadian friends, Beth and Dylan and Iso and Chloe, are gone. They are continuing their travels, Barcelona, Morocco and then Columbia. Desperately sorry to say goodbye to them. Sure we will meet again.

Im back

Mimosa time in the market today

- rather zombified after mega voyages but delighted to be home :)

Peter Dunn and Clare Millar met us at the airport and brought enough food to cook a meal for an army. No sooner was that in process when Beth and Dylan and Iso and Chloe turned up - with a whole camenbert melted over pastry sraws stuffed with raspberry jam. Gracie and Tim arrived with cake. Louise left lemon tart. Someone found some alchohol (which was very welcome, have been drying out in India.)

ALL was very welcome. It was Captain H.'s 70th birthday and he had cards and pressies and we are so blessed with our friends as to be rather tearful about it all.Big soggy thanks to all.

Parrots pleased to see us and are in fine feather though Ian has taught Rico some revolting noises. Tango has attacked Bobs reciept for the Carte de Sejour, bad parrot.

        -More anon, when I wake up.

Adrian Hailer RIP

Whilst in India l recieved the sad news that Adrian had died, on Jan 21st. Many Esperazannaise knew him and Maggie, his wife; they had a holiday home in Roumanichou. They loved walking - it was Adrians passion - and they loved their house which they painstakingly restored.

I met them in the early 1970's when I lived in Fulham and Adrian worked as a catholic priest. His theology was very advanced for the day and eventually he left the church to work as the co-ordinator for the voluntary sector in Slough. There he was massively effective and much happier as a worker, without the hierarchical and (some might say) oppresive nature of the church. He never lost his faith though and contuned to practice after  being released from his vows.

In the fulness of time he and Maggie were married and Adrian found himself stepfather to three kids. A VERY full life from the protected seclusion of the priesthood to the hurly-burly of family, home, work - his excelllent good humour and joyful spirit never waivered.

There was a problem with his spleen... one day he walked into Hammersmith hospital, agreed to take an experimental drug, and never walked again. A most cruel trick of fate. His brain was as nifty as ever but his body was immobalised. Maggie worked 24/7 caring for him and fighting to get some sort of  acknowledgement from the drug company. Her perseverance was eventually rewarded but not by much - there was a settlement. After a bit of specialist treatment it didn't go far.

Despite his suffering - he was in pain - he could talk a little, continued to write poetry and delight his friends with his advice, observations, wry humour.

He'll be missed.