well fed here

 

A cold and threadbare sunday market was made very cheerful by Rushton turning up with breakfast :) Followed by Jamsie bringing lunch - and the adorable Masha.

 Between showers - and well wrapped-up - the town is charming :)

Waiting on the chimney sweep now - hes rung, went to the wrong  commune, sigh.

past and future events

The waiter took this last night at the Creperie, where we were all behaving - evidently - gathered for the farewell to Leo and Toby, who push off this morning till the Spring.

This rowdy lot happened to be there too. don't know what their excuse was but nice to see Norbert and Louise, Pete and Nel and Katerina out and about -

There are some diary dates looming. For art lovers, this is unmissable - centered on St Jean de Paracol, just turn up there and follow the signs :)

And again for culture lovers, our very own opera singers are hosting three christmas themed events which require booking... a real treat in store!

 

Sage and SAUR

 Yesterdays coffee break - with the sage of these parts, Ole-Bendik. Always entertaining company -

Other excitements, oh la village life; SAUR, the water providers hereabouts are threatening to cut the supply to one of our houses on the grounds that they haven't got in to read the meter. A letter from them claims two visits, neither of which I knew about despite rarely leaving here. No note in the letter box from them recording said visits. No opportunity to read and report the meter nor the leaving of the traditional poscard to fill in.

So I rang the number they gave me and so discovered that they were far too busy to talk to me and I should go to their web site. I did. Can't talk to them without setting up an account which alas, they won't let me do - the 'are-you-a-robot' button is stuck in an alogorythm. Wasted a deal of the day on phone and computer until Tim and Yvonne stepped in, bless 'em. 

They'd had exactly the same issue on moving into their house and knew what to do. You go to command central in Cepie and talk to a sweet lady who deals with it all. They offered to take me there, and did. Thats when we discovered they are only open on Tuesdays.

On the plus side it was a treat to have a little trip and spend some time with Tim and Yvonne....

extreme rain

 The expected rain has hit but not as hard as at Narbonne, where roads are closed off - nor as hard as at Carcassonne where I was hanging out with John last night. We got soaked. On the plus side we chose a bar for apero and a resturant to eat in by random selection, that is to say how near they were to where we happened to be; and in both cases found perfect places. Here's John tucking into his marrowbone;

Didn't note the name of either place but will certainly find them again. 

The reason I was hanging out with John - and he with me - was because our various partners had gone to England together. After we dropped them at the airport we thought to amuse ourselves in the Big City - hadn't planned on the very heavy rain though - 

More unplanned internet cuts here, the whole schebang went down from noon yesterday till this morning.  It's becoming the new normal. Anyone working from home must be preparing to to sue the providers...

dicing with death

First time for two years, I cooked a meal for 8 people... fig and goats cheese tarts, onion and chicory tartin, pureed jerusalem artickokes, mousse au chocolate, jolly nourishing.

Above are Ray, Louise and Norbert; here is Tim (pictures of Yvonne deleted) and below with Tim  is Shiela, carefully concealing herself behind candles.

It was a very enjoyable night - conversations still causing me to reflect. Hoping we can do it all again soon :)

Poor Bob leaves for the UK again today. Away for a week, alone on Plague Island. Covid is in our town though (friend close to Fa down with it -) (his wife was out and about yesterday,) (both unvaccinated.) It's all in the lap of the gods and the prevailing winds.
 

Saturday night in the Aude

Last night; it was Leos turn to feed some of us which he did with his customary panache. Toby sent this fetching photo of the boy in action.... he did his traditional salmon in whiskey sauce, much appreciated as ever, followed by duck, roasted and served with loads of deliciousness and sauce.  Strongly suspect the lovely Toby gave him a hand.

Here are Roland and Kat in some epiphanous moment -

also contributing to the fun were Mike and Bob and Rose, not snapped for some reason. Inattention on the part of the editorial staff.

                                                                ********************

Changing the subject completly, here is a question; what on earth do Carrefour think they are doing to promote biological/ethical/thoughful marketing by slavering the store in plastic, inside and out? 

 

mixed celebration

Last night we celebrated Bernds success - he has got the job he wanted. The bad news is that it's in Germany and he and Jutta will be absenting themselves from our merry tribe.

Here is our gracious hostess - really gracious, she fed and watered us most royally - with the soon-to-be-absent Jutta, sniff - and below the marvellous Norbert and some of the guests, including me. So I can't be blamed for this one :)

 The moon was very nearly full and the evening though chilly was quite beautiful. We walked up the hill - and back down - and felt young and able, ahem. Moonlight and good mates - can't be beat.

Open and shut...

Verdiers are on holiday, dammit - a short walk to the best fruit and vedg in the Aude, but as I discovered on yesterdays twilight prowl we will have to manage without them for another week. 

On the plus side Derek and Val are here for a few weeks - working hard - happy to stop for tea, bless them.

 

RIP Pietrus Plion

 

Pietrus had been ill and in hospital for a while, predicting his own death and looking forward to it. He was an intensly spiritual man and a profound believer in a continual existance. Alors, he was eagerly anticipating his next adventure - which made this mornings' funeral a rather more joyful experience than l'd expected.

Will miss him. He had a theology of his own which made him fascinating. 

In the photo he is looking towards the church where his funeral ceremony was held - with some pleasure, it seems to me.

Bon voyage.... till we meet again?

Vina here

Yesterday picked up no end as Vina Orr turned up - one of my oldest friends - the one who made my last wedding dress - with whom over the years many adventures have been shared. She's only here briefly but wanted to see Jamsie again while she  could. We hove up to the castle and he obligingly lit a fire... 

 

dismal dimanche

The market. Oh dear... though still a pleasure to see mates and heres Gill out and about, coping with running la Vie Vintage (with Bev)  and her career as a lawyer in the UK. 

 Our excitements here are currently built around the loss of internet access. It all went yesterday at some time but had returned in the morning - no phones, radio, tv - setting off alarms in the middle of the night, to my sweet neighbours concern. And of course they couldn't contact me because there was no internet access. It seems this was very widespread, as far as Limoux anyway - and a total blank-out in Esperaza.

And my record player broke! . 

S Not OK

Yesterdays market, though not so's you'd notice. Yup, still raining and the river noticably higher.

Susan was celebrating her 32cnd year of living in France and gave a speech to her assembled co-celebrants last night, along with a splendid meal and much wine.Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Below is Louise, looking at cake - cake (s) were good :)

Norbert, laughing with Brian who is leaving us today and dosn't like being blogged -

Looks like I took this from under the table which was a possibility. It shows Jutta and Zara having a natter. Wonderful to see Jane and Zara and Ray and Sheila out to play, they rarely set forth in places where I am and though I have some sweet photos something whisphers to me that they won't appreciate being blogged either.  Should rename the blog 'Not OK' perhaps.

 

Again the rain

 Hearty fare for winter weather - veggies move speedily on, this was boudin noir and apple slices made by Ziggy and eaten enthusiastically by me and Phil. Cheese and frresh fruit salad...Just the job. Still raining BTW.

Rainy day

Look what you can buy in the 8a8 nowadays :) Flies out of season, hoping there are enough microsopic things for it to feed on - and here's Tango, having a bit of a chat -

Not a lot going on, though Jamsie, Ziggie and Phil were variously here last night and I forgot the photos. Great evening though.

It's raining, all the fair-weather friends have left town. Bob also; miserably heading for Isle de peste.

Still waiting for the revolution.
 

Winter arrives in Esperaza

 

Here is the sun, doing its best at the market this morning. It is COLD. Scrabbling about trying to find where I packed the winter clothes. Nothwithstanding, many of the tribe could be spotted on the streets.

So, I'm back from Toulouse; not pickpocketed,  not mugged,  no sign of covid (yet). Slightly underwhelmed by the lack of open museums and galleries though did see a show of the work of Theodule Ribot at the Musee des Augustins, who is billed as deliciously obscure. Tremendous handling of paint - liked him a lot. 

Post-covid dinner/breakfast with Sue/ bed with Van Dongen

 Celebrating getting out of whatever we were in after a covid-contact - dinner chez nous last night with Roland 'n'Kat, Kieran 'n'Ann. I did smoked salmon terrines and duck in madera, with gnocchi and grated dried beetroot. Such a treat, to cook for friends. And Kat did the pud, her massive delicious almond cake. Our guests were frisky and amusing and I thank them for it.

It's lucky you know what they all look like as my photos are dire - quite funny, but dire -

and betting you don't know this face, new in town and alas, already left for England. This is Sue Patterson, who came to join in the celebration of Jims life.  Welcome back here anytime - a pleasure to swap Jim-memories with her. In fact, all the people that have been in touch after Jims death have been really really sweet, interesting, engaging... maybe we should have an annual Jim party??

This evening I am in Toulouse after braving the train strike. Took the 10.38 bus this morning and arrived at 6pm, too long ( cancelled trains and so forth) 

Now find myself here:

in bed with a van Dongen :) Or at least a most successful copy. Made me gasp with laughter as I entered the room and I havent stopped laughing since. She's ENORMOUS.