hors d'combat

Unusual silence due to slight unwellness; waiting for the magic of modern science to diagnose me. In the meantime the in-laws had me to dinner last night, most delicious (though, oh dear oh dear, I can't drink alcohol - painkillers preclude) Here are Phil and Ziggi, chefs par excellence -

Other news consists mostly of tiny frog watching in the pond (aka Annies bath)

and here is advance warning of my incursion to Fa, next week and on.

 

Esperaza polarity

It didn't look too crowded at the polls yesterday but in fact there was a steady trickle of voters - only 29% of those permitted to vote abstained.

Of those that did vote, nearly 5% presented invalid voting cards.

Slightly over 8% presented blank voting papers.

M Le Penn came in top with 58.77 % of the vote; followed by Macron with 41.23%.

But in the first round of the election Melachon (deeply left wing) came in 4 votes behind Le Penn, (hard right) - who accordingly won. 

Confused? Our little town has a middle of the road president now, despite these extraordinary polarities. 

Naturally our ex-pat community is alert to the xenophobic anti-foreigner stance of Le Penn and accordingly worried... much relieved to find we will be allowed to stay and continue to pay taxes here.  
 And its stopped raining, the sun is out, all is well with the world again :) 

Breckers

 Leisurely breakfast in Esperaza this morning.... not much going on, in my life anyway :) Here's Sally explaining another sports injury ( easily avoidable but she does persist)

Kat and Rose, coming from the Pont breakfast (where I forgot to snap all our other friends)

and Kelly, addressing her pretty new shoes - actually a passing dog but the new shoes are pretty.

Tonight is the last night of DonQuichote, closing until the grand mid-may re-opening in the house-next-door. 

Dismal Day...

 ...but fresh and the river is looking more like a mighty fleuve and less of a trickle. 

Had a visit from New Kelly who is with us for a week. Erm; that's it really.

Esperaza amazes

 Yet again I forgot to buy a lotto ticket - someone got lucky though.( Maybe they collect art. )

Other news consists of lists of friends who are unwell, though mercifully not too seriously. Covid is whizzing through the town but the mild flu-like version.  Rest up, y'all; in summer we will forget these days and return to our joyful existence.

Rennes-les-Bains

 Here is lovely Will, sitting in his resto in Rennes-les-Bains in front of my Self-portrait as a Mermaid. Small expo up there for a while... 

more shameless self-publicity to follow. 

Rabbits

Easter.... Erika en forme a la 8a8!! And here is a snap to immortalise my Easter egg (which isn't going to last,) made by Msr Serranno in his bakery - yum -

And this, a date for tonight. It is Sammis birthday today and he and Angela are still missed, so what a delight to discover a film has been made about them. Being shown tonight at 5.00 in the foyer at Rennes-les-Bains. See y'all there :)

 

Dunn it again

 Peter Dunns birthday!! Much celebrating in the hills...

Beni and Freya singing Happy Birthday in Norwegian, with actions - didn't get the video to work, sadly, as it was something of a triumph- here they are again, helping in the kitchen.

And dear Clare -

and finally the birthday boy, attending to a chocolate  cake of spectacular excellence.

Our name is Legion, Foreign

I'm sure there is a simple explanation, as to why the French Foreign Legion are selling raffle tickets outside of LeClerc today...

We were in Limoux for lunch of course, at the splendid and remarkable Grand Cafe where my exhibition of paintings continues to look appropriate. Incidentally other pictures by me are appearing in Wills Place at Rennes-les-Bains (and will do in another place soon, details to be announced.)

The principle being that paintings loose their lustre if not taken out of storage and aired from time-to-time.
 

Last night we went to the creperie.... beautiful night. Still, warm, scented; spring in evidence.

Any horticulturalists out there know what this is? It's by the entrance to the blood labs in Quillan and is rather scrappy but very highly scented, like church incense. Fab.

Apropos: this is Easter weekend. A traditional time of joy, recovery after a long winter. Could we not declare peace for a while???

Aude parties

 Lovely day to vote!! Queues not looking long, here's hoping that those that still have the right to vote do so... at the MJC (Centre Culturel) 

Here is Tims vernissage yesterday, packed to the rafters - and the artist himself, looking good :)

Afterwards was the party of Ole-Bendik who having achieved 81 years was well deserving of a celebration. Susan hosted in her newly-re- designed house, for a handful of the chosen. Ziggy made the cake and everyone took something in honour of our best-beloved old boy.

Fridays frolix

Sam, everybody's darling boy, joined in breakfast yesterday with his parent Kathy and Kenny and grandmama Margaret, plus all the Pont breakfast gang - he was very patient with us despite being bored with our grown-up ways...

and here are Cen and Gracie hanging my exhibition in Limoux, The Grand Cafe, which is now up until May 6th. The images are on my site, http://vanillabeer.gallery, if you can't get there.

 

Tonight...

See y'all there :)

 

Lovely Regina

 The good captain organised a tea for me and Regina yesterday which was wonderful fun - though we missed Dougie, who is elsewhere. I'm getting dizzy with all the comings and goings but naturally hope to see as many mates who are here as possible...

...but today is work. Hanging an exhibition of painting (about a dozen) at the Grand Cafe in Limoux - first exhibition for years, I'm looking forward to it. No vernissage but if you are in Limoux pop in and check it out (whatever that means)

Passing through...

Annie and Pete!! Wonderful to see our dear old friends, albeit for moments. Well, half an hour. They are rushing through and we were just so excited to see them that the sensible questions didn't get asked - but the kids are well and so are they, madly busy but full of the joys. 

In a mature and sensible way, of course.

 

Art Outing

 Kat, Margaret and I pushed off the the Camargue - Aigues Mortes - in search of better weather and art and we found it. Flamingos, white horses, nesting storks. Cold but not a hint of snow.  Kat organised a fab hotel which between three women sharing was cheap; we found amazing restaurants including a fish place in les St Maries. If you are heading that way let me know and I'II pile you with information.

And back in Esperaza... sunshine! And Antonia!

Only here for a week as the usual flights are being tampered with - Ryan Air changing northern schedules, more on that when I find out.

By the new playground- take books, give books. Life doesn't get much better.

Winter in Esperaza, again -

Last nights research took us to the cafe previously known as l'authentique  (among other things) - opposite Richards ex-gallery and next to our garage - which was cold but enormous fun. The Captain and I had the plat du jour - rice cooked in coconut with chicken bits - and Jamsie did the burger thing, without complaint. The piece d' was def the tiramisu, made in house obviously by someone who knew how to do it. Drink was taken and much enthusiastic esoteric nattering followed, accompanied a little by guilt as it became clear that the Ryan Air Manchester flight had been massively delayed... 

Poor Phil had been waiting for it for an age and then missed all chances of getting to his destination as there were no ground crew to get them off the plane - and public transport had closed down. Overnighted in a nearby hotel. Not happy. 

Here today the snow is settling on earth but not (yet) on the roads. Cold as mid-winter. 

 

Here is Jamsie with Masha, who is a  very wonderful beastie.

Leavings

Phil and Ziggi yesterday... he came to say goodbye as he's off to blighty for a few weeks.  And Max too, except he's off to Winnipeg. Alas. We shared a simple glass or two with Roy, Louise, Bob and Mike in the Tapas bar under Jean-Lucs care. 

And now, of a sudden, its April :) And snowing. In rather a playful way; there are flurries of the little hard balls of snow and then tremendous Hurrahs of sunshine. Confusing but fun.