Welcome!

 Clearly the town hall - who manage our information panels - knew that Saveria has become a grandmother! Wonderful news; called Sophia Rose and already adored by Savs large family and the community at large.

Other news is that my computer has taken a funny turn and life is now more erratic. And Jeanette is 93 today. And there's more but stop me in the street on account of libel laws.

Random cloudy Sunday

Here is Cedric, who is staying with us in Chez Francois while he and his colleagues work on various environmental projects; yesterday he was asking people where they'd travelled from to come to the market and more importantly, HOW they travelled - where they usually shopped - interesting things. 

Below is Raj Gopal, working hard in the street - taking time out to say hi - he was opposite the old bridge. Catch him here

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/armyth/51136661767/in/dateposted/

And Ole-Bendik, Eddie, Claudine and Jean. The latter has taken to asking the superfluity of gendarmes in Esperaza why they are not in Paris controlling the disturbances there.  There were certainly a lot keeping the peace at the market :)

 

Healthy lunch

Yesterday; lunch at the eyrie given by Louise and Norbert for Le Captain, Susan, Robin at petite moi; what have we done in whatever life to deserve such largesse! We drank Blanquette on the terrace, ate lasagne of the gluten-free variety, layered with smoked trout and spinach and (I'm not sure I should be listing all this, feels like food porn -) gluten-free chocolate cake with raspberry coulis and cream and ice cream. Then back to terrace for coffee.

Inexplicably there are no photos of our host and hostess. Won't be forgetting them in a hurry though. 

Le Capt and I walked there and back and managed it fairly comfortably, indicating great good health. Great big thanks to Louise  and Norbert for making us well :)

 

good news

Ian is re-homed, thanks to his lovely sisters.... sighs of relief all round. 

Below is his neighbour who showed him how to use the key. The other photo shows him exploring the grange that comes with the house. He's very central and there was a constant stream of visitors, all admiring the bathroom which is well tarty - and the rest of the property. 

May he have a long and happy life there.

 Saw Saveria who is awaiting the birth of her first grandchild, already 2 weeks overdue; and Jutta, new neighbour to Ian.

Also spotted Lionel and Susan and perhaps others I've forgotten in the excitement of the day. Life in Esperaza currently delightful.

We wait

 The takeaway food shop - ex-sushi, ex-burger - about to reincarnate opposite the newsagents. Erm, that's it really....

The Man with a plan

Voila! Roland, who this morning gathered a coterie of available women, dressed them as babushkas and soviet workers, and photographed them.

 I don't know why. 

Assume we will be told. 

Great to see everyone - Rose, Louise, Loes, Kat, Hilary, Mike and the passing cast of thousands. 

Sundays fun

Janet and John!! Lovely to catch them. They are now veggie and we swopped recipes, since Le Captain is sailing that same boat. Both well and a good advert for rejecting dead animals.

Loes and Cees, spotted here in Kats Kitchen - we are all rejoicing that they have come to their senses and decided not to leave Esperaza. 

The market... as ever only smaller and with fewer people and more gendarmes AND the mayor, thereby scotching the rumour that it was going to be closed down for the duration. A counter-rumour is gathering strength, claiming that outdoor cafe/resturant spaces will be open soon - mornings only -

Very pleased to see that Jutta is back for a few weeks - though heartfelt commiserations to her on the death of her mother. Jutta was able to get to Germany in time to spend her last days at her bedside. What a blessing.

Heard from Fran!! He and Claire are expecting to be back here in July when both will be fully jabbed. And Pete and Claire are travelling mid May. Same scenario. Feel quite tearful at the thought of our merry tribe being together again. Older, wiser and ready to party :)

 

welcome home

 Tristan is back in town :) Only for a week but what a breath of change he brought with him. He had a long and hideous journey from Worcester involving 2 planes and several trains, buses and trams to get as far as Esperaza, from where our Gracie took him onto his home in Arques. 

He has got a real job now and has to be back there, hence swift trip. Looking very glamorous despite it all.

The View from the Queue

Waiting for my turn at the post office... could be worse.

Sundays market was slight and grey. Bah.

Captain H was suddenly ill over the weekend and we saw the docs last night. He's on the mend - they upped the meds.- scary though.

Overheard an interesting conversation at the health centre. One doctor was being asked if he'd arrange to do the anti-covid vaccination between particular hours for the Muslim community, who are fasting during Ramadan. Apparently if you are fasting you don't want to take into your body the contents of the vaccination.  This led to a debate about the medicinal needs of Muslim diabetics, who it seems will continue vaccinating as usual. Guessing this is about what the vaccine consists of - or perhaps medicine is excluded during fasting, as it is with the Catholics. Anyway, it was agreed that our doctor would do out-of-hours shots. Nice.

 

Distancing at 80

Ole-Bendiks birthday.... one hesitates to say party as of course that would be illegal, but 80th drop-in session with social distancing is a bit of a mouthful. DISSD perhaps. Above is the man himself, greeting new Norwegian- in- town Katerina.

And adorable Cleopatra checking things out. 

Nora

Mamadou

Aileen

Cake 

Mamadou (Louise and Ferren)

Ferrens minder

Angus and Mary

Ferren

Diana

 Diana's glorious hat reads 

Ole Bendik - toujours independent

People dropped in and out and I missed photographing many friends;  curiously as the blanquette-fuelled afternoon wore on some of the snaps became unusable. 

(Sorry Susan)

Gracie didn't make it - key problems with her home - hopefully now resolved. Sent love to all.

Gossip from outside Esperaza:

News from Peter Dunn; they are stuck in London till mid-May and stuck more than somewhat as Clare was trapped in the SE London gridlock that occurred yesterday. Clever girl managed to get into the ASDA car park so had access to food and water for the day. Nightmare! Hope she was eventually released.

Shuff has been touch. He's hoping to get here in July and asked after the ex-pats, all. He says Amsterdam is great without the #H++%*  Brits. 

Brother-in-law Phil has escaped from his second British hospital in two weeks and has a date for the third attempt to preserve his life in late May. Shudder. Best to him -

-and to all out there! Challenging days. You are equal to the task. (yes, yes, I protest too much -)

chat

 The Captains garden, yesterday - glorious but with a cold wind.

Had a couple of visits from a young man whose job it is to up date the electric meters hereabouts with new computers. Effectively, his job is to make himself and his comrades redundant.  He was not happy about this, nor about the work ethic nowadays which is punishing. Had an interesting talk (he worked throughout, of course -) about the disappearance of human work and the rise of digital life. People in France are very pessimistic, he said. He has two little children and no idea what their future will be. He didn't like the parties of the left nor of the right - and anyway, no-one does anything whatever they say in elections. The Gilles Jeunes are a busted flush. 

Interestingly, he didn't understand why France won't allow the wearing of the burkha when in England and America its OK; whatever happened to Liberty?? But the principles of laicisation were solid, he thought. Equality in all.  

Fabulous country to live in :) 

party plans

This handsome man will be 80 on Friday. Could easily pass for 72. Nonetheless, Louise and I went round this morning to talk with him and Nora to see what can be done by way celebration.

The plan is that there will be an 'open house' at his place, between the hours of 3.30 and 6.30, where you will be offered cake and trifle. Bring a bottle, please, and perhaps some token of your appreciation of the years this sage has spent with us all. 

Nora suggests you might like to wear a hat. Probably good to bring a mask and there will be hand gel at the door. The garden will be available though the forecast is dull -

         See you Friday :)

Other news; our little gourmand resturant in the square is being stripped back and it seems that it may be a wine bar, regulations permitting. 

 

Bonne Paques

 Erika and Nicholas continue to make Esperaza shopping fun, bless their hearts - the multi-nationals drive out our little shops but the rabbits bring them back :) 

Sunny but sparse

The market this morning.... it may well have frisked up, I shot in early to get the bits for the Pascal feast. Did a plate of lovely bits (a la Fran -) and a lamb (a la Gert and Elisbeth, under instruction from Chez Charlie) with leeks from Bieke (sauce a la moi, martini, nutmeg, oregano and cream) and cake - oh la - from Serranos. It had Vanille written on it and the queue all burst out laughing when I bought it.

 We were celebrating our long friendship with Bruno. And our invisible friends, whom we hope to meet with in the flesh before next Easter. 

Oeuf!!

Dear Nel arranged a girly paint-in yesterday for a traditional Dutch event - where we ate disgraceful amounts of cake and chocolate, chattered, painted boiled eggs and got judged by Pete.

There was Kat, Louise, Katerina, and Dame Judy look-alike Gilly, who is in fine sprits and great form; we checked out Peter Dunns painting  of his stupendous view, made into a very very difficult jig-saw; Peter Gregory came back from his errands and judged the eggs (which lead to a debate about criteria and authority, you may be sure) Then we drank blanquette. 

Life is real and life is earnest. 

And the popular winner!!! New girl in town, Katerina - whose egg is above - receiving her prize of an inflatable flamingo. Of course. 

Great morning, great fun - hoping that this will become an annual event.

 

Shoes in the mist

 The little Thursday market this morning has this impressive shoe van which along with the cobblers van and the clothes seller makes us self sufficient :) - The butchers and greengrocers also present, as usual. We thrive and blossom in Esperaza.

Yesterday Kate and Paul let me hitch a lift with them to the prefecture in Carcassonne, to up-date our cartes des sejours. They zipped through and I got stuck in a queue - the sweetheart's waited patiently for me. Milles mercis!  All well though and the permissions to live and work here will be in the post in about three weeks.

Bruno (ex-La Caderonne, which he reminds me was 18 years ago oh la) is currently driving Bob to get his. Timing impeccable. After Saturday non of us can travel further than 10 kilometres from home.

And today is called poisson d'avril. It's the day when people try and afix a fish to your back. Stay safe out there!!!