All fairly quiet here. Folk on the street complaining that this is not a 'confinement normal'. Amazing how quickly traditions are established.
Recent news; Toby was out in her new dancing shoes yesterday and if I ever get to photograph them you too will gasp with delight :)
Yesterday was our last day of freedom before the lockdown began at midnight. Town was accordingly jumping, the sunny pavements of cafes crowded by thrill-seekers ---
LATER; the 8a8 have the declarations, distributed by the mayor, plus they are now on line on the French government site.
The town is much as usual, and so is the traffic which is a disappointment. Asthma all but disappears when the cars go.
Now; Important stuff! Anyone need a couple of affectionate cats? Mimmi and Tigger are happy enough in Richard and Evas garden, fed by the neighbours, but winter is coming and they need warmth and love. Consider your confinement. Would it not be improved by a couple of furry friends???
Waiting to hear what Msr Macron will pronounce as new anti-covid measures tonight, with some anxiety as Le Capt must get to Blighty soon. So far three of his booked flights on 3 airlines have been cancelled. His latest booking, the 4th and via Paris, is still live. For the moment.
It's so pleasant here its easy to forget that there is a raging virus out there. The TV says it is moving from the cities to the countryside now, so our turn is coming.
Hope everyone is well.
The house smells reassuringly of TCP.
Apero chez nous is never dull. Though it might be a Good Thing if it were.
My Aunt Cecily, alas, not so. The virus got her, alone in a hospital in Liverpool; her huge family with her in spirit. The fact that she was 100 years old does not diminish the sense of loss.
This mornings' news programme called the Aude l'Eldorado - because we don't have a curfew. Too few Covid cases. No doubt our time will come but for the moment we seem to be the safest place in France.
If you study this picture carefully - assuming you have nothing better to do - you will see the imprint of the collared dove that flew into the window in an attempt to join our parrots. He was fine, tried the other door too, then flew away.
Saturday night saw me, Michael and Barbara at the Espace Louis Alibert (over the footbridge) for a conference on raptors. A real, live conference. There was distancing and masks were worn but there were people in front of a screen talking and taking questions. Turns out that where we live has the greatest biodiversity of Europe and is therefore host to many vast birds whose job it is to keep it tidy. Most of us were probably familiar with most of the birds, though the snake-eating Jean le Blanc was new to me. Had never heard their calls though. How many of us can tell the sound of a vulture? FYI, it sounds like mad laughter....
This is Lise, one of the presenters. She seems to be building a nest. She wasn't.
See more at their site https://aude.lpo.fr/
That's all the photos anyway. Failed to snap Louise and Norbert, who flourish, Tim and Yvonne, now in the North of France, Kat and Roland (ditto on the flourishing front), Ken and Annette, likewise -
Some excellent news here about Gillie. Her op and treatment for cancer have been successful, amazing that this should happen during the Covis Crisis and a tribute to the medical system and to Gillies fighting spirit. Much love to her and family.
and here is the sunshine yesterday after the market, shining on our Danish friends' house.
I'd bought some boots - very needful- and walked away. I'd not got far when a woman came after me calling Madame Madame. To cut a long story short, she said I hadn't paid for the boots. Au contraire, I said good humoredly; I paid your colleague over there. No you didn't, he said. They set up a clamour - and I suddenly realised that it was my word against theirs, there were no witnesses, I'd bought them on my own. I knew I'd paid, having handed over two 20 euro notes and been given change and a plastic bag to put them in. I'd even asked if they'd take a card since handing over the cash cleaned me out.
In a stroke of luck I saw our third policeman wandering about and called him over. He asked what was happening and I said, these people say I've stolen these boots but I have paid for them and you know me, I am not a thief. He didn't say anything as his phone rang and he answered it. But the boot people backed off immediately, saying oh yes it was another woman.
Et alors? Never shop in the market without a witness!!
Other news As of next Friday Lou Cantou in Couza is to start Friday curry night on a regular basis . I'm told that this will be available for take away and delivery also which is a bonus for those who cannot venture out. There is also a lunchtime menu at a set price for groups . Will be testing asap :)
Margaret and John have left for Ireland this morning - who knows when we meet again? Very soon, I hope. All Bobs UK flights have been cancelled and since he is obliged to return in November we are looking for friends who are driving there about then. You have been warned.
We have many enthusiasms in common so enjoyed the conversation. Less so for poor Bob, currently stone deaf.
Roland was more cautious.
Notwithstanding, it was a noisy and fun evening.
These two would make a sandwich into a party.
Normally a first offence is a warning but then fines come into play... we could have a whip-round, depending on what the state are using the collected money to finance.
And more news!! Chez Charlie is closed for their hols., we'll starve -
And we made new friends :) Here are Paul and Katheryn. They live down by the river on the little road to Campagne and are artists- its extraordinary that we've never met before. Very glad we have now.
John was a very decent scholar, getting a first from Reading and always producing lively and original ideas. For most of his life he taught, until 2005 when he and Julie got so unhappy with the UK system that they decamped to a Greek island, where John continued to teach.
I've known John since the early 1980's and he was always, unfailingly, an amazingly good companion. He had an effortless tenor voice which he used to great effect in the Irish pubs of SE London. I'm reminded of the ''Carrickfergus'' singing competitions he had with my brothers which were marked for angst (this will resonate with those who are familiar with Irish folk singing. If not - and curious- listen to the link below) He will be truly missed. Bonne courage to Julie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGR6dbaoAkg
Been wandering about. Here are various snaps around town, including the continuing road works by the bar and involving the station. All for computer cables, it seems.
Was upset so forgot to post last week that Richard and Eva have abandoned us permanently. They are in Romania and prefer it there - getting back here will involving crossing five countries and leave Eva in difficulties with her passport. They have put the gallery and two large and classical houses on the market for sale. Alas; but come the day, Romania gets put on our visiting list. There's no escape.
Its raining again today. Gently but persistently.
