Happy New Year!!

 

...from us all to your home and family. May there be many lights in your darkness.

 (and hardly any darkness, naturally)

This lovely dressed candle was a gift from Bev of La Vie Vintage and much appreciated.

Had my little helpers in the kitchen yesterday, they do so enjoy watching me cook. Heaven knows why. 

The market was good, packed, a laugh though cold -

and in the evening we went to Matthieu's bar to see if any friends were about and indeed they were. Didn't stay but lovely to see everyone.

Have a good year, y'all!

sunrise

 Lovely sunrise though the day has stayed rather cloudy and dull - says it all, that gap between christmas and new year. All quiet, all well. Phew.

At Home

 Le  Capt and I had a wonderful afternoon/evening for which we must thank our friends, who came to our Open House to celebrate surviving Christmas.

Busy doling out mulled wine, I didn't take many photos but this (of O-B and Cleopatra, Sally and Gordon)  is fairly expressive....

Regret not catching Claudine's christmas jumper. Next year??

We are a small commune, Esperaza - around 1,300 folk, though it fluctuates - and it amazes me how many off them don't know each other. They do now!!

Thanks all, a fine finish to the festivities. 

christmas in the Aude+++++++

Frankie and Greg, the Rushtons daughter and son-in-law,
with their new babe - most seasonal! 

 We were treated to the Rushton hospitality for Christmas lunch yesterday and as ever, Johns flair for entertaining shone through. He and Claire pulled out all the stops. Alison cooked a seriously major meal with birds stuffed with birds and incorporating pistachios; some sort of miracle. 

So good to have been involved with this family for so long!

Mansplaining by John Rushton :)

Here is Alison Judge, bus driver and star chef, actually explaining how to make choux pastry. Here's a tip from me; don't! 

We got to meet Sally her mum this year which explains Alison's good genes.

Hope you too had a beautiful crimbo!!

crimbo

 

Erika is working overtime.... she and Nicholas will be open on christmas morning for those forgotten bits, what saints they are - 

Here is a fine duck, painted on Katerinas staircase by Nel, along with other beasties. Very nice piece of work -

and here of course is Katrina, cooking the now traditional Norwegian feast for a handful of the blessed...

Voila, Nell looking adorable and Alain, less so...  but better than the other snaps of Rose, Louise, Norbert, Pete, Bob and Charlotte. Veil drawn.

Wishing all the readers out there a fulfilling and content day spent in the company of people you care for. 

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Those following the story of my nephew Paddy Beer, cruelly struck by GBS, will be pleased to know that he can now talk and has spent 45 mins off the ventilator. He's improving rapidly. Best possible present! Thanks to all for the messages and prayers. I'm now a believer.

Nick and Barbara and more celebrations

 Trotted - slowly - up to Nick and Barbara's house for mulled wine and veggie sausage rolls.

Totally bewitched by the view! Which probably explains why I have no photos of any of the many humans there. 

That, and the excellence of the mulled wine. And the lively and interesting conversations. (and the recipe for the veggie sausage rolls)

This christmas lark is a good thing, in my view.

hohoho

(this slightly sinister Santa was in the Xmas market a week or so ago -)

solstice bells

 

Sav managed to get permission from the mayor to have a bonfire last night, to clear her garden waste - and lo! It happened on the solstice! What joy...

The only ringing bells were the Angelus from Esperazas church - bit sombre for the occasion.

Great evening, many thanks to Saveria and all involved. Feel fit enough to cope with another year now. Strangely cathartic, hanging about a bonfire under a half moon with mulled wine and mates.

Most of my pictures are without merit, except for this of Di which I rather like -

She kindly invited me and The Captain to tea in their new gaff in St Ferriol: here is their view, phew, featuring what can only be dragon trails.

no prizes...

..for guessing where we were last night. They are so good - we had lasagne and extravagant puds and enjoyed ourselves very much. Terry and Di came back for coffee - the port was a tiny step too far for me.

 Wandering around in the rain yesterday, spotted this critter in the little park off Rue des Jardins.

The neighbour assures me that there are two and that they can been seen in the garden every morning.

So sweet, a christmas rabbit! Must find some clover though this one seemed happy enough.

BBC taking an interest

Freezing cold this morning but gradually the sun burnt off the mist and it was warm enough for the elves to come out...

In case you missed this... at least Le Heathy got  mention though my spies (Kaye and Marianne) saw the reporters first in Le Pont. New age dingbats to an elf, obvs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67734560

 

Roland recovery and pre-Christmas gossip

 Kat and Roland are now together and in the Ariege where Roland will remain strapped up for some time; dislocation, repaired by surgeon, now needing to grow back into its rightful place. But all well. In general. Phew.

Was at Tout l'ap last night with those folk still in these parts - wahey - thence to le Healthy which was really good. Pete, Ray, Clare and Bob all enjoyed it too. Forgot photos, except on my way home:

This morning plodded through the rain to the Arts Centre (so called) to collect the Mayors Christmas Package. This is the gift of the mayor and his council, not a drain on the taxpayer, and Bob and I were reflecting on the changes over the years. Andrees generation got a box of chocolates from General Lafitte. Since then its been very varied!  Todays offering seems very generous and rather weight conscious. Nice.

les vacances en Ariege - latest from Roland

Despite a broken arm it is clear that Rolands spirit continues to triumph!! He has had an accident of some sort on his way to the Ariege. Les vacances sont terminees, he writes... more info as and when.

News of all this arrived whilst we were aperoing at Robins so I missed photographing him and Louise and Norbert in my anxiety. 

Please be careful, y'all. 
 

More christmas joy...

 Here's Claudine at the Centre Culturel yesterday and here's Erika at the Pont this morning...

and see below for the  collection of the geriatric prizes!!

Finally, on their last night, managed to snap Margaret and John. The Margaret pic is dreadful so here is John with Roland.

We ate heartily at the Chapaire. Now back to the quiet life. Ahem. 

Xmas joy

 Difficult to know how to explain yesterdays adventure... the beginning, perhaps.

The bus containing the bulk of the troisieme age trolled down the gorges and across the plain towards Perpignan, which was all rather lovely; in order to arrive at Barcares and its famous christmas village, apparently a tradition hereabouts.

Immediately we were introduced to its most striking tradition - queuing. We queued to get tickets and then we queued to get in. 

-after a deal of time, we all wandered off. 

There were no little interesting artisanal stalls to get my friends christmas pressies from (well, there were about three but knocked into a cocked hat but Esperaza market tat) Queueing persisted when I thought to try the toilets, quelle horreur! Not just the toilets themselves which were indeed awful but the angry lines of Spanish with fractious children trying to get in.

Ah yes, the Spanish. It was a holiday in Spain so every  single one of them came to the christmas village. I like the Spanish and have a small amount of Spanish blood in my veins to prove it but en masse and with their sense of personal space that is very underdeveloped,  nightmare. 

So what were all these many stalls?? Attended by queues?  There were various fast foods of an unremarkable nature. But the only way to get to actually sit anywhere was to buy something and claim a corner of a squashed table flanked by planks. At least I got to speak to the man who fried whatever it was I ate, who was Brazilian but moved to France for the better life. He said that yesterday the place had been empty but today being a Spanish holiday...  shrug shrug.

No shelter or respite. I'd assumed that being with a group of elderly persons would find me in a cosy corner, heated, served hot chocolate and left to doze. Wrongly.

After a few hours of this exhausting fun, I happened across two of my friends from the bus. They had commandeered an entire table in a pub and simply filled it with their spirit. I joined them, glaring malevolently at anyone who looked like joining us. Bliss, though by now the muzak was on full and it was cold.

---other things happened but enough painful reminiscences.  We got back to blessed Esperaza alive, all of us, late, but missed the firework display.

If I hear another shrill xmas song or see more flashing LED's I shall probably run amok.

DONT FORGET today and tomorrow, our own decorous and charming christmas market at the MJC. I'm off there shortly.

Angel Steve

 Been a bit remiss with the photies lately, missing last night with Pete and Ray and a day in Carcassonne with Phil - so here's a nice Christmas picture of the edge of Rue Alexandre Dumas.

As part of the search for lodging in Glasgow for my family (who are there caring for the dreadfully sick Paddy) Steve Hall has been in touch. Looks like that problem at least may be resolved, blessings on him. And what a pleasure to talk! I've updated him on local gossip in the hope of luring him here for a visit. He sends love to those that remember him.  

local news

Advance warning!! Shop locally and creatively... Jean is selling his paintings and many others will be there. Can't wait! 

And - oh lal la!!! Montazels on breakfast TV this morning. The last of the hat factories in this once hat heaven. I didn't know it was a co-operative; how very agreeable. Another place for Christmas shopping then.

 

Leavings, Tims birthday and a prayer request

Bahar and Moritz returned to Germany yesterday leaving a strangely quiet house.... 

...but it was Tims birthday and he and Yvonne had arranged a celebration at Tout l'apero, which filled the void-

Tremendous party. No photos of the birthday boy nor our lovely hostess, but many of people laughing.

Vanessa and Richard

Kat and Kaye

Rose, Roland and Mike

I missed several engaging photo opportunities - John Matthews is back in town, for one - but you get the gist. Congratulations to Tim and thanks for a lovely party xxxx

Some friends may remember my nephew Paddy who has been to Esperaza a couple of times. He is a student at Glasgow University, where he has been struck with Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS) - which is very nasty indeed. He is in hospital where his parents and siblings are in attendance, supporting him and each other.

If you pray, will you add him to your prayer list? Thank you.

Christmas in the MJC

Our friends in the Vox Vallis choir invited us to their Christmas celebration in the MJC last night.... huge spread with much wine and the pleasure of old familiar songs, treated with angelic overtones!

Above is Alex doing a particularly moving hymn and below, the general melee.

many thanks to all for the spread and the fun - it was clearly an evening enjoyed by all. My German visitors are having their cultural awareness broadened no end :)

 

St Ferriol frolics

 Here are Moritz and Bahar, visitors from Germany - working on a particular project with me for a couple of days - at the chateau of St Ferriol last night. Jamsie threw out a careless last-minute invitation and though the two had been travelling since the early hours I persuaded them that they wanted to visit a medieval castle. Many neighbours were there: multi-national and interesting and erudite, as one might expect. Thanks to Wren and Jamsie who were hosts extraordinaire :)

Cinema in Quillan info

Here's the promised info... it behoves us Brits to support the nice little cinema, probably. Cheap as chips and very convivial. 

Forgot photos last night, when Margaret and I set off to Le Healthy. She'd never been there - imagine !- so first choice. Always open on a Weds., I said; wrongly. No idea why they were closed but we went to Tout L'apero instead and had fancy French chicken and chips with a delicate amount of wine and (in my case) a Rum baba. It's not that that kept me awake last night but the  sensational moonlight, frosting the countryside. 

Today is sunny and warm, so far -