what mask???

 Here's Will - of Chez Will, in Rennes les Bains. What a treat to see him after this long years' hibernation:) You can order pizza and plat des jours to be collected +33 4 68 69 19 61 :) I'm missing his brie-and-pear pizza... he is well, as is Marvi and their child who is now, gulp, 10 years old.

Anyway, he took his mask off for the snap. Most folk in the market were masked up and the third policeman was going about reminding people - and we are outside, you can duck the unmasked.

Not if you use l'Amaranthe, the co-op run whole food store. It's a small space. They only let three people in at a time, unless they are really packed and they are then too busy to bother. There is a sign saying masks are obligatory but when I pointed this out to the staff, re; the non-masked, I was told; we are not policemen. 

My but-l-am-vulnerable-rant was treated to a series of magical passes which I'm assured will protect me. 

Not going there again.

Life delights

Yesterdays lunch; carrot soup and Scooby Do's and Ruby Tuesday pudding and the perfect setting with the best hosts :) Big thanks to Regina and Dougie who made us feel so special and cherished.

It was a little too hot on the terrace, hahaha, who'd of thought that was possible even a week ago? Keep muttering that we've had snow in May before now but for the moment, hush my mouth, it looks like we are through the winter.

Here is last nights moon in all her splendor. Didn't exactly break curfew to get the picture, it was, erm,  out of a window. Yes. Honest.

And look! Jamsies new book has arrived. A gripping read,  a rigorously scholarly tome. 

 

spring in the step

Weather so lovely yesterday - impelled to walk to the barrier, air full of the smell of blossom and birds doing the alleluia. It seems we have survived the winter. A year ago, just before the first lockdown, the Captain and I were writing our wills... though it ain't over yet and the possibility of jabs seems still remote.

But the wood anemones are out and a couple of sand martins have returned. 

Whilst coming back to Esperaza on the little Campagne road, was startled by a large white van creeping up behind me. We all know that this road is closed to traffic. He pulled up next to me and asked where he was; are there more barriers ahead??

He was on GPS and delivering for Amazon and having found the road blocked simply lifted the barrier. Who knew. eh?

 

We are not alone

- half the town headed for the lake with us, decent temperatures and bright skies leading the way.

Thanks to John and Clares' forward planning we had the finest table - next to the stream, by the lake - and ate a hearty picnic. Violets and cowslips and celandine and speedwell and more all out to the accompaniment of bird song. Never, ever, has a spring been more welcome.

 

Monday visitors

Delighted to see Original Kelly, after a very long absence from our lives. The dear girl came to swap some books and we had a long catch up, non of which is repeatable :) She is well, didn't get Covid as it ripped through her family, everyone better now.

It's a grey and damp and windy day making guests doubly welcome. Below is Vincent who popped in to check on Rico. He it was that brokered our stewardship of the beast after the previous stewards' death - Rico had not been allowed out of the cage in the previous regime so he was happy to play with him.

 

ça marche, le marché

 I hung out and and followed people around. Kat said I was like a stray dog. Nice way to pass an overcast Sunday morning though.

Here in order of appearance are Ann from Couiza, not spotted for a while; and our own dear Edith. Many other mates were out but I randomly focused on the rarities. Ole-Bendik was his usual shining self - he asked after the English, were we all dead?  

There was an awareness of criminality today. I was bumped by an agreeable young man who handled me copiously in apology - it was Roland who had me check my purse and mobile. No harm done but it seems we must not be occasions of sin by providing temptation to the vulnerable.

Cold and windy. Bob says rain is forecast. 

Virtual hugs all round. Stay safe.

Sleepyville

Keep forgetting to take snaps of our friends, despite enjoyable occasional contacts - instead here is the church just before curfew tonight, Rennes le Chateau glinting on the hill in the background. 

Town is mobilising against the closure of a class at the school. We have been here before - I suspect its for the chop this time. 

Reflecting on the changes that Covid has wrought, found myself in receipt of the newsletter from Paul the chef.... he of the superb pies. 

All Brits who use the market know him and Val.

 As a response to the enforced closure of their resturant, they began bringing pies to us on Sunday and now are increasing their largesse. Email them to get the newsletter which tells you what is available and lets you order it for collection.

pauletval.bridgestock@orange.fr

 

Beauty in Esperaza

 Much excitement yesterday as a group of young women and their (probably) rugger playing boyfriends set about refurbishing the old patisserie. Previously Le Escoffier, the Purple Patisserie, a Buddhist bookshop and tea room and before that a florists. Its possible that there were other incarnations but one forgets so much...

I asked what an Insitute de Beaute was, in my best gormless franglais. The dear girls looked on me pityingly and explained that they looked after skin and facial hair. Was this OK in a time of Covid? Oh yes, masked and distanced.

They open in March. All the best to them.

Sunday sanity check

Greeted by cupid at the 8a8 - and the mask police in the market. Trouble is as soon as they leave for lunch the teeth emerge.

Feeling somewhat covid-aware only stayed for the early market - but the Captain (who with his beard hidden has morphed into his father) stayed for tea at the Pont where we met some friends and had a five minute socialization with  Louise and Norbert and Diana. And Kate, who has her Carte de Sejour update interview within mins of mine in late March so we can hand hold. 

Back home before anyone else emerged though managed to trap Kat as she was cheese buying. It's these things that keep safe what we used to call our sanity.

 Cheers!

Happy New Year

Chinese New Year - the ox - was celebrated in the 8 a 8 yesterday by Nicholas and Erika dressing for the day. They do know how to enliven a moribund town! And really, if you have shopping to get, its worth going there today to see Nicholas dressed as CUPID hahahaha

 Other than that .... the town is rising up against the oppressor, see photo. Interesting as France already has a rich tax, unlike the UK. 

 

Other news; dear Claudine came for a distanced and masked coffee with me - quelle plaisir - and  as she walked back to the car park we saw the bar was open.  Ooooh. Asked Mathieu was it real, did we dream??? 

He had got mates in to clean the place, he said - and the minute he opened the doors the police arrived to see what was going on. 

No idea when we reopen. We'll be there. 

Birthday Bob

 Delighted that Bob has survived another year - as an MS sufferer this is truly significant and he's still in fairly good nick for an old boy. He didn't want a fuss so we didn't arrange anything. 

Then at coffee time, Louise and Norbert hove up with cake, oh yes (lemon drizzle with poppy seed and served with cream) As if by magic Jutta and Bernt  appeared. Most convivial (crap photos) and as they left Kat appeared, disappeared, followed by a fleeting Susan. 

Lunch had been cunningly prepared by Chez Charlie. If you ask nicely, they give you a list of things they'll knock up for you. I consulted le Capt and he chose a dish and I chose another. They said, couldn't we have the same thing to save them making two sauces?...of course it was perfectly delicious. 

We'd planned to got to the lake and take a thermos of tea. Rain stopped that play: went to Carrefour for some washing powder instead. 

Watched an Inspector Allen mystery on you tube in the evening and drank half a bottle of blanquette while Captain H knocked back the non-alcoholic variety very thoughtfully provided by Susan  - who is off  again to Paris - (and who says 👋 to Karen and Dale in Pennsylvania.) (👋 from me too)

Many friends sent messages and cards to the birthday boy which he greatly appreciated. Mille mercis to all who contributed to a gently perfect  day. Stay safe, y'all.

Party in heaven

Lovely Sunday - actually hot in parts - greatly enriched by the sitar player and her entourage causing an outbreak of dancing and serpentine wriggling hither and yon.

All the tat was back too. 

Our mates were out and about. Had I been slightly more awake Id have snapped them. All rejoicing in our choice of domicile.

The  mask police were out too. (Your scarf is not a mask madame) When they left, there there was a rash of faces everywhere - frightfully dangerous - mine was firmly over nose and mouth of course.

Before curfew Le Capt drove us up to La Serpent where the vultures were doing a great aerial display. Still dozy, I failed to photograph them but quite like this strange cloud where they had been. The heavens were clearly having a party, never seen so many radically different clouds in one sky.

 This is for Peter Dunn and Clare Millar. All is well in your paradise. 

(Post moved to table plus an article on landscape painting).

Please come back now.

Impromptu expo

 Philippe Cros treated me to a show of his latest work as I hurried to beat the curfew - he has a gallery downstairs (next door to Le Escoffier, ex-purple patisserie)  if anyone wants to check out the work.

Le Capt has rebuilt the lovebird homes and we spent an exciting afternoon installing them. Other news; a visit from Gracie yesterday, who entertained us with tales of Skippy's near death experience. Seems the little critter swam over the river in Limoux in her perennial quest for duck, managing to maroon herself of a small outcrop underneath the hospital. The pompiers were called and roped one of their number to the rivers edge to carry Skippy to land. Applause and cheers from the river banks and the hospital... Limoux get all the fun!

Tuesday wander -

 Not a great deal to report... they are painting the shutters at the cafe in the square. The sheep are back by the river. There is a shag in the tree over the old bridge.

Seen Ian, Jim, Kat and Roland - not all together and with all the distancing a government could possibly require - and all is well. 

Not a good idea to crave excitement in these times.

Esperaza blues man

Here's Michel Aubenas, blues player of these parts... snapped him as Susan (who is back) and I wandered about Esperaza in the sunshine. 

Thinking of the blues; it's a year since Stan Adler left the planet. His music and many wonderful  memories of his life here remain. Hugs to his daughter Miriam, whom he loved and was amazed by.

Et voila - sheep are back by the river.

Had something of a drama outside no 9. in the afternoon. The parrots were disturbed by people running in  the impasse so I had a look and found our third policeman trying to communicate with a young woman who was twirling on the spot, one arm raised to the skies and the other trailing free. She was singing, printemps, je t'aime. Fair enough. Beautiful day.

The policeperson asked if I knew her.  I'd never seen her before. 

Not knowing why he had pursued her into the impasse I kept my head down and the dance continued. Was worried that the girl was getting exhausted. Whirling dervish ritual perhaps? This is Esperaza, after all -

-reinforcements arrived. Several gendarmes, four I think, plus a young woman policeperson.   After a very long time, our twirling girl left calmly at the side of the woman law enforcer. 

That wasn't it by a long chalk though. The group set up at the end of the impasse outside the Centre Culturel where the girl commenced screaming, pitie, pitie, which drew the attention of everyone in the street. She held both hands up and her short woollen frock rode up too high - it was indeed a pitiable sight. The police treated her carefully, gently even, no hands were laid on her though the third policeman shouted at her to be quiet (ineffectually) Ambulance arrived, white coated workers, papers signed - guessing she was being sectioned. She was still screaming as they took her away.

It was a sad ending to a spring time dance. 

More encouragingly: I've had friends sectioned here and it has been a Good Thing. They are locked in for a month, fed well, treated medically with whatever is necessary and then released back into the wild. That may be what she needs to ease her distress.

 

weather report

Yesterdays interminable rain - here is the water coming off Mont Marot and under the railway line. The French don't walk in the rain but being a Brit it's normal for me .

 Tita, however, is made of stronger stuff and I bumped into her at the recycling point behind the church. She is looking to rent a small apartment for herself and her daughter - if not with garden then with terrace. Anyone got one to let?

Today; the sun shines!! Long may it linger. People are in the streets, smiling; one Frenchman said 'good morning' - so sweet -