Never dull...

Found the French water board (SAUR) merrily digging up across the front door of the house at St Saens, where we seem to have our own little lake. They found the leak they'd started looking for yesterday - an inept joint of some sort - went off to lunch came back and fixed it > Would that life was always that simple :)

Last night was a blast at Toby and Leos. Here is Toby, graciously overseeing dinner for a dozen - marvellous- multi cultural food and company... 

Johns socks deserve a special mention

Rather pleased with this photo of Leo and Roland, doing god-knows-what - and here are John and Peter Dunn, ditto -

Kat and Clare doing a catch up -

there are other photies of course but quality control forbids exposure.

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And at lunch today, totally forgot to photograph anything! Margaret and John prepared a feast for us and Gert and Elizabet, but alas, in the event a covid test came up positive so they (G and E) stayed away.
 

Bob and I did justice to the vast and delicious nosh, for which many thanks darlings xxxxx

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Heard last night that another friend has died, the great and remarkable Brian Catling. Spent half the night awake, remembering some extraordinary things about the man but find I'm too saddened to write of them. Another time. In the meantime, it behoves us all to enjoy these remaining years. Timor mortis conturbat me be damned, say I.

Town fete

 

Despite it all, enjoyed last night. The music was designed for outdoors but it rained so we were in the MJC: ear-splitting shrill yelling passed as the entertainment for the apero. The apero, that was another thing. Got to the bar on arrival and asked for a glass of wine and was told no wine. Quoi???

The wine, it appeared, was for the meal and would be put out with the meal when it arrived. In around an hour, they thought. It was raining so the pig wasn't roasting all that well. So what did we drink for the apero? Well, Blanquette de Limoux of course. I could buy that. They poured me a tiny glass at which I demurred. Oh, did I want to buy a bottle?

Friends who arrived late and missed the meal did rather well... 

the salad was lovely and much needed after too much blanquette and no sign of dinner, though me and Elzabeth had to queue for a long time for that. When roast spuds were circulated in their aluminium wraps, followed by lumps of pork, we were well ready.  Alas, the spuds were undercooked to crunchy and the pork was cold.

The falsetto shrieking carried on but say what you will about blanquette, it really helps :)

I was blessed by having my dentist-philosopher as a neighbour and met his wife, a charming lady - local kids danced along with the scantily clad sparkly girls and caused much good-humour. All fun, in short. And the organisers can't be blamed for dealing well with adverse conditions.

The late arrivals danced till the early hours, I'm told. 

Hither and yon

Certain amount of rancour here as the maire gave no warning to the organisers and ditched the long-planned exhibition in the MJC. The show relocated to Quillan which meant I'd have to withdraw, since I don't drive and shlepping a few large pictures on the bus wasn't really an option. Saved by the intervention of Mario who collected the work at 8.00 am. 

Bruno left - and is safely home - having taken us for a very decent feed at Tour l'Apero last night - where we ran into Margaret and John and Sally and I forget the photos. Fun evening...

and fun lunch, just before the storm broke! A joy to be at Annie and Petes again, in the company of Peter Dunn and Clare and Tom, who grew lunch.

 

Replete Tom

Pete as quizzical as ever

 Somewhere in this equation the internet went down. Word was it we'll be without till the end of the month but it seems to be working now.

Lorne Regner RIP

Here is Lorne from a photo taken here a very few months ago. Filip discovered her body at their home in Copenhagen in the early hours of Sunday, following a respiratory issue. A huge shock. Poor Filip is inconsolable. I'm sure all who know him send him and the girls love and best wishes for the courage to deal with their nightmare.
 

Filip has sent this recent pic of Lorne playing with her granddaughter in the street outside their house in Esperaza. 

Fete du Vin, encore -

The day started innocently enough, with this photo from our last hat factory where Bruno had gone to buy a new hat - there running into John (of Janet and-) a small world :) They met again later at the Fete du Vin -

The band were Les Tonton Givres, who were amazingly funny and fun - parodies of French songs and this, where the established religious groups got (harmlessly) ridiculed -

and here a lovely snap of Gert and Elizabet, who unfortunately were the bearers of very bad news. Lorne, beautiful wife of Filip, has died in their home in Copenhagen.  Another loss to our little world. Will write about that elsewhere.

 

Proper summer

 Such a beautiful time of year - lots of sun, a little chilly morning and evening - bliss after the extremes of this year. So far. Yesterday saw us lunching with Peter Dunns family on the terrace at La Serpent, what a family! They are entertaining and have remodelled a lot of the landscape, it seems - 

here are some of them. As ever, faced by a feast and too much fun, I missed a lot -

Today Bruno Lang is with us and we will be flaunting him at the Fete du Vin this evening ...

News round-up

Dinner chez nous, with Gert and Elizabet and Janet and John... Saturday night I think, but I'm often confused. Enjoyed it hugely, whenever it was. 

Can't resist adding this photo of one of the ponds' denizens, getting fat on mossies and therefore presumably our blood. Curious thought.

and joy! At yesterday's vide grenier (which was the best of the year IMHO) Jim holding Sadie, an angel! 

Flags are furled at the town hall, presumably not in memory of my friend Tom Karol whose memorial service was held on line. In the last two years following covid I've been able to attend a handful of farewells this way - surprisingly moving. I've known Tom and his family for ever and regret that he never got to visit here as he was fond of France. 

 

Featuring futures

Only two days left to book for the cochon event - which coincides with the weekend of art at the MJC (centre culturel) organised by the rotary club and featuring many interesting artists inc. petite moi. Having trouble downloading the loverly poster but will get something sorted before the weekend. And of course, ANOTHER vide grenier !

Life rarely gets better.
 

Mashup

 Not a lot going on here except that we have been dog sitting Masha, above, who was terribly perturbed at being parted from her owner. She settled in, however; to the extent that when Jamsie turned up, she had forgotten him. Until she remembered, of course.

Today is warm and sunny, a perfect market day - and a streaming head cold is keeping me out of play. Bah.

QE11 * KC111

 Like everyone in the known world, we have been profoundly shaken by the death of a 96-year-old woman we have never met; so we hove off to the Apero bar and were embarrassed by the respectful silence of our French friends. 'A le Roi'! I raised my glass... relieved smiles broke out.

Reflecting that the death of princes is mirrored by signs in the sky, it was great to see the moon on our way home:

It was a mixed day for me, wrestling with other deaths (2 dear friends whom I knew very well -) so a bit of wandering ensued. Here is the neighbour of Gert and Elsbeth; she is expecting them to arrive tomorrow, after midday. She is slightly older than the late Queen, proving that it's not only huge amounts of dosh that keeps you fit.

Here's the Mighty Aude, perhaps a bit under strength -

Took down my show at the Cafe de Fa yesterday, many thanks to all who bought and supported in general - and a reminder to all that Diane Dunn is playing there on Sunday. Unmissable :)

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slow blogging

Sundays market, my memories presented a little late in the week - this chap was one of a team alleging that Nostradamus was of these parts, and why not. It was good enough for Jesus...

The festival they were promoting looks terrific and worth a trip if you are free on Saturday.

Another market scene - how to carry your shopping in the heat - and below another diary date for the end of the month as Magrie kicks off again. I'm not in it (again) this year but many friends will be showing their work.

 

Welcome back

Roland and Kat returned to us after a long absence - they arrived just as Bob and I were deciding where to eat, so got kidnapped. In the event, the Auberge du Faby being closed, Roland sorted us out -missed that man- and we went to the only cafe in Campagne sur Aude (I don't know its name) It turns out there is a restaurant at the back. We'd only been there 2 minutes when beautiful Gracie turned up with her tiny dog and the lunch turned into a proper party - ! 

 Having been introduced to this lovely place, we were all dashed to be told that they are closing next week, the season being over. 

Where will the local fishermen eat now??

Weds and Thurs in Esperaza

Claudine and I took coffee in the Pont yesterday and chattered for an hour, promising each other to do it again soon :) And in the evening sweet Bob took me out to eat, at the Chapaire in Rue Victor Hugo; a quiet night but not that quiet as Kieran and Ann, Jean-Luc and his femme were there. I have Kieran to thank for the snap (Thank you Kieran -)

Before that I was forced to have a most agreeable apero appropriately enough at Tout l'Apero. Jolly good day, in all. 

Today has been more work orientated and about time too.