Liberation lunch

 Yesterday in Banyuls, to meet with Louise and Norbert for lunch. Most lovely day; good weather, good friends and a good distance from home! We were stopped twice by the police on the journey though the second lot let us go when we said the first lot had cleared us. The permitted distance is 100 kilometres from home, as the crow flies.

Not that many folk around. A couple swimming, a few more on the beach. Roads not oppressively busy though the other direction was packed - the border to Spain is still closed so the police turned people back.

Can't resist adding this (out of focus) Maillol sculpture which some wag has planted with cactus, perhaps to explain her pose. Or maybe to stop kids clambering over her. Maillol was born in Banyuls and the place is littered with his work - as is everywhere in the South of France, actually. There's one in Carcassonne.

Now off to market. Cafes open Tuesday - many chairs are being shuffted about - and Kevin is opening the creperie next weekend.

Secrets of La Poste

Knowing that the post office is open for a few hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I arrived at 8.45 yesterday - a quarter of an hour before opening. I was third in the queue. It took no time at all for the road to be lined with masked and distant-ed malcontents :) There was a youff in a black suit with an armband reading 'Security' who kept us all in order.

The gossip  was about the virus, of course, and poorly-informed it was too. Just like 'flu, my bottom! Been reading accounts from mates in the UK who've had it and 'flu it ain't. So take care, y'all.

Gradual deconfinement

Distant but together!!! Peter G., Nel, Joel and the captain, dappled in Antugnac... bird song, gabbling stream, gossiping friends. Peters cake, Nels nibbles. Impeccable :)

masked massage

 Always forget how sweet a place Couiza is, until I'm loitering there and forced to take a look - the Saltz is packed with baby trout which is no doubt what was attracting the killer cat. Vets look like they are in trouble...

 Weird to wear a mask for a massage -knickers and a mask - but Ann is punctilious at enforcing the government guidelines. Felt secure.

Here's last nights little moon, set in a warm and balmy evening scented with all the mountain flowers. This has to be the best time of year - despite the enthusiastic mosquito's. 

Sundays happy market report

Policing was an issue... we had a clutch of gendarmes, fully armed. I watched as one of them leapt to a young man with a kid on his shoulder and right in his face shouted at him to replace his mask. The young man said he'd taken it off to ask for his vegetables and the gendarme replied that he was standing over uncovered vedg and could be spreading disease. Fair point but it was most aggressive - the young man turned very white and heaven knows what the kid thought.

The youth of the town were naturally disgruntled. With no cafes or spaces to sit, they didn't get more than individually grumpy.

 The middle bit of the market wasn't in use which meant there was lots of room for social distancing.

 It was all very well organised, with guardians at the main entrances making sure everyone who entered was masked. Felt comfortingly safe.

 Here's everyone's favorite cheese man, glad to be back - he says - and look, Nel and Pete - saw many other mates and didn't get to snap them but I did get Gillie, see below.

 The dear is awaiting her chemo sessions while her heart drugs kick in. A difficult time which she is bearing incredibly well; as a nurse she knows the score and is sanguine. Much love from all. All her friends are rooting for her.

First Night

Our first dinner invitation since the descent of lock-down :) Kat invited us to hers - complete with social distancing, of course - and it was wonderful.

Today is the market but Kat has already texted that there is no fripperie.

Nonetheless, will boldly go...

life hazards

 Rode to Campagne sur aude, regretting that bike saddles are not designed for women. Thought maybe I had a weird shape but met Louise on a similar mission with the same problem. Anyone know if there are women friendly saddles out there? We both have gel padding on the seats and it makes little difference.
The other drawback to cycling in this beautiful beautiful weather is that the sunlight dappling the road makes it hard to spot potholes.
And the fact that one can hear the call of the Orioles but not see them :)

Mustn't moan though; today is overcast.

All will be well for tomorrows market, according to the forecast. OOOh so exciting :)

Met Patrick and his lovely dog, walking the Campagne route... his wife Crystal was caught in the lockdown and trapped in Belgium for the duration. He said he talked to his German Shepherd, without whom he thought he'd be in trouble. Walking huge amounts every day too and looking good on it. 

Open again

 Here is Moon Mouse, the town's resident haikuist, taking the sun in the open market yesterday. Well and happy. Below is the queuing system for the veggie stall - because I was wearing a mask, I was allowed to ignore it. Bizarre.

Could have bought a handy crystal :) The shop is open again.

Dropped in on Hilary and Mike who are untouched by the virus and en forme. They wouldn't let me photograph them as we had a glass of wine in the garden. As I left saw this magnificent cloud so snapped that instead. Weather continues to be perfect. 

La Covid-19 latest

 Get your mask fairly quickly - today between 9 and 12 (it's a feastsday, Ascension -) and tomorrow the same plus the afternoon - see below.

 Et voila!!!!!
The markets are coming back. What a relief.

That's all the news really, except that I was struck by the queue arrangements outside the school - which looks like a new form of hopscotch and probably soon will be.

The weather continues to be fabulous. Warm with gentle zephyrs of wind. 

If you are planning a trip to the sea be aware that the police are checking that the documents for journeys of over 100 k are in order....

I'industrie

For reasons that need not concern us here, I had to visit la place de l'industrie this afternoon. It's had a real makeover since I was last a visitor. The rugger club RC Coes is based there (see above); the restro de coeur: radio ballade: a musical space (see below) and other enterprises of interest. Most are closed on account of the virus but will re-open -

and news, or possibly unattributed gossip - the market will re-open on Sunday :)

Escape to the chateau

For the first time in many many weeks we left Esperaza and the main road- - and went up the little roads to St Ferriol, to have lunch with James.

The sun shone!

Brilliant to chatter with Jamsie after this long isolation. He is in very fine form, gardening about the castle when the sun shines and working on his books when it doesn't.

Incidentally, his book Beyond Belief: 2,000 years of Bad Faith in the Christian Church is one of the most scholarly and comprehensive  tomes on the development of christian thinking that I know of - he is here working on the Cathar story now. He is a rigorous scholar; I've tried to corrupt him into making things up, as is the new tradition here, but he resists.

Apart from sighting a red kite by the river, ditto a red squirrel - and hearing a golden oriole - nothing else going on. But the sun is back and is scheduled to stay all week.

No news

 Watching the news yesterday; a minister was addressing us from the Presidential Palace. I noticed behind her, decorating a  fireplace, the motif of a head in a circle flanked with plant growth.
 We have the same device in this house, pargeted, over the fireplace. There is a lesser version in a small  bedroom. AND I've seen it in Kats house... what does it mean? Is it a Napoleonic victory commemoration or a reference to ancient fertility cults?
Its nice, anyway.

 Here's the latest in the ongoing story of La Poste; 

The rain it raineth everyday. A fair portion of it through my roof. Sigh.

Esperaza calm

 Here's Victoria!! Spotted in the street and dragged in for a spot of social distancing - which is why shes out of focus, I used all the wrong settings across the room.
If this carries on I'm going to have to learn distance portraits.

Wonderful to see her and catch up. Naturally the  Artistes a Suivre is cancelled but there is 2021 to look forward to...

Yesterday being  Thursday the health-food shop was open; idly took these snaps as I waited my turn to go in. Grey day, much like today. Bah. Forecast says it'll get better on Sunday.

Esperaza mirrors art

....Oh! Yet

Stands the church clock at ten to three

and is there honey still for tea?

The end of Rupert Brookes rather odd poem springs to mind as the time is frozen here - took this morning as the clock struck nine.

It's drizzling and misty...

But some good news - Maire re-opens as does the dump!

Yesterdays delight was breakfast with Louise and Norbert. After this long break this became almost sacramental.

OUT

We went 60 kilometres to Carcassonne!! It was a bit scary.... its been so long:)
 Went to collect a picture that has been in purdah being framed since March; was told not to ask for it before May and then of course we had the confinement.
The lady in the framers said the confinement was wonderful for her, she caught up with all her work.
We did sundry other shopping too (GiFi!!!Yes!) and the stores were pretty busy - everyone in masks. The roads crowded.
I expect the excitement will calm down.

And on arrival in Esperaza, lured Kat and Roland in for an apero - love this picture of them, there were better ones but this has the spirit of the joy of freedom (whilst respecting social distancing, natch)

Let joy be unconfined....

...and the rest. As our isolation circumstance is ameliorated, slightly, the rain is constant so no frolicking about in the streets without paperwork for the Esperazannaise.

 Yesterday I took shelter at the back of the Museums on a conveniently placed bench, having visited the memorial to the wars. Presumably the Mayor laid the wreath in splendid isolation on May 8th. So sad, as pretty much all the local families are listed as sacrificing one or several of their young men -  the laying of the wreath is usually a well-attended ceremony.





Restrictions being lifted here mean that the hairdressers have opened. Er - that's it.

waiting for change

 While we wait for Monday and the end of confinement - withing strict parameters - we continue to continue. Here is the garden association re-installing the little terrace after the flood, having reclaimed it from the next field - the guys are clearly maintaining social distancing. Thanks to Bieke for the photo and the remembrance of yesterdays blue skies; today overcast and showery and storms expected.
And look, the rarely spotted Susan! She was en route to the recycling point as I was coming home from shopping ("Ce n'est pas une crise, c'est une guerre" as one of my co-queuerers remarked) There was so much traffic, continuous traffic, that we had to shout at each other to be heard.
We are both suffering from lack of materials.

Apropos; a friend -in Wales- sent me a brilliant French web-site that claims it will deliver to the studio door in 3 to 8 days. Met Kat in the 8a8 and she already knew it, said it was fine but hadn't used it in the confinement. Had a great deal of trouble getting the order in and am still not sure what I'm getting and what I've paid for. Wonder if my brain is going?
The only other news is the great fish and chips we had last night. Louise did the run to Quillan and seems to have fetched for the entire ex-pat town. Many thanks to her, from many of us :)

Great slightness in Esperaza

Up and down the street today - not a lot happening - 

and the shadow of Toby's fig tree...

 ...and Toby's fig tree.

and the only excitement lately - the bees are back :)

Too many trees and stuff in the way of their home in the chimney breast, I doubt that even the eagle eyed can spot them here. Just take my word for it.

Only other excitement  in my world is the opportunity to participate in an on-line conference that would have been really interesting but turns out to be held in Romanian. Sigh.

Twisted

hahahaha enjoyed tearing this apart. Thanks to Rose for the loan - good luck to Hilary, who has inherited it - and YES I did finish it! Just to check that all the bits were there. None spare, it was exact.

OK, bored now. Really should get out more.