Shags by the river-

 - or are they cormorants? The debate rages, especially as there are now FIVE. Saw two of them gliding under the water and breaking the surface looking like shiny machines...

The tree is by the old bridge if anyone with proper photographic kit wants to join the debate. Seems to me they are too small for Cormorants; happy to have my mind changed.

All else well here. General tenor of the town has been lifted with the return of the sun.

Blue skies back

Blue skies and fluffy clouds in todays market - cold, but glorious - not overwhelmingly crowded, with a fair selection of riff-raff outside the cafe on the bridge -

We lunched at St Julia de Bec at the behest of the Rushtons. Clare and John did us proud: prawn salad, roast chicken with trimmings of delight. (note to self; fennel, parmesan, onion, cream puree) Then apple flowers with apricot  and a hint of rose water.   

Spring is creeping in, little birds bopping and whopping it up in the garden, chiefly tits, finches and nuthatches. Still got patches of snow up there but melting now -

 Big sloppy thank-you's to Clare and John - feel like we're thawing out at last :)

Undeterred...

...by the freezing cold, le Capt and I ate at le Healthylife last night and very nice too. Ran in to Phil and had an interesting debate about morals and the arts, from Dali and Pound to Beckham. Here are Gracie's pictures transcending all.

 

Literate 'r' us

Introducing Samuel - moved here a few months ago and settling in enough to be laughing at the thought of the chess problem he has left me with. Bah.

That aside, he is an excellent neighbour; maker of tea, kumquats confit, distributer of epiphany cake. 

That was yesterday; Today, here are Andrew, Bob, Norbert and Robin at Louise's lunch table. Conversation frisky, nosh gorgeous. Big thanks to all. It snowed steadily but didn't really settle so that's alright ---

Voila, the view! 

And here, outside La Poste, is another little library. Delightful. Samuel, who is French, says he's not seen them anywhere else so we are all pleased about our charmingly literate Aude Valley.

 

Cold and colder

Like most of the known world, we have snow - it's not settling but its pretty. Terribly cold however. In Gracies commune their mayor has warned of -10 temps and black ice, ekk, but we are lower in the height department and sheltered by our gentle mountains. (Take care Gracie - and everyone out there)

 

Yesterday met with Claudine and we went shopping :) Such a pleasure. The stores were deserted, the cashiers thought because of snow...

so I did some remedial cooking. This is not toad-in-the-hole but pears on frangipani. Yum.

Andrew has joined us for a week, from Blighty en route to Greece. Was not expecting this level of cold. Just too pleased to see him this morning so forgot photo. 

 

Good news-

Ole-Bendik is back!!

Now bionic but defiantly recognisable.  

It is cold here and there is little going on, that I'm aware of anyway. Awaiting news of other friends who are hospitalised; much confidence in the system despite that the hospitals are on strike.

France is en greve today which is a delight for those lucky ones who don't have to get anywhere and a nightmare for those who do. The big plus is the broadcasting changes, as some agreeable blackleg is left to play whatever music they fancy. Often enchanting.

Fighting back

 Good news is that Ole-Bendik is out of intensive care and is querulous in cardiology; bad is that Hilary was taken in by ambulance last night.

AND the market is threadbare, those stallholders that turned up are even now packing up to go home. 

Here's a view from the riverbed yesterday evening, the water being so low its possible to walk where no human foot has been for some many years.

...and yesterdays lunch at the Chapaire - coq au vin for me, Spag Bol for himself. Yum.

Exercise

Neither the Captain nor I are fond of exercise, au contraire, but yesterday decided it was time to leave the house. Well wrapped up, we promenaded very slowly round the lake at St Bertrand's park (that's the one on the way to Quillan).

Lovely. 

Back cocooning now. 
 

Our revels now are ended...

 ... and to prove it, the christmas decorations are down. Here's one in the impasse yesterday:

Sunday in Esperaza

A nice market... bit chilly, but one dressed for that. Friends out and about. 

Ole-Bendik conspicuously absent, not having his breakfast of oysters and wine nor his later coffee. No news of him, which we must assume is a Good Thing.

In the afternoon, it rained - slightly -

 Stood under the panel in the square to find out what's going on - excitement looming -

 

bibliotechery__

 

It was a few years ago that dear R. set up Esperazas first free bookshelf, in the Rue d'Arc - it took an occasional hammering from unhappy people but the commune repaired it and it functions still. 

Then another version cropped up in the playground, by the entrance to the frip; that has been moved and is now just outside the play area -

the latest incarnation is by the station  - between the musee dinosaur and the ex-T- Rex. This one is fully legal :)

It behoves us bibliophiles to dig out books to put in the little libraries - and to take out new ones, naturally :) So far they are all in French. Bit of internationalism won't hurt, for sure.

Anyone out there in touch with God? If so, please have a word re; Ole-Bendik, who is in intensive care. Best place for him, of course, but we want him back intact. Please.

excess sociability in 2023

The philosopher at lunch... here's Jim Hankinson after his lengthy foreign travels, glad to be back in France. Nice to see him here. 

Afterwards Regina, Dougie and Marlon came to tea - what a treat - and I was too overcome to take photos. The three of them were on gloriously spiffing form.

Thence to Tim and Gracies party where I failed to photograph our hosts; no idea why not. But look! Here's Kate Coughlan, hardly ever spotted since her removal to a village elsewhere. Kates immune system is on holiday so she kept her  mask on - missed snapping Dermot and many other friends, really need to pay more attention (but was having fun.)

***Im thinking of reading Wittgenstein's Notebooks and Jim recommends doing this with at least one other which will help make them comprehensible. Anyone interested in a reading group? 

 

FIrst footers...

Claudine and Jean are our first visitors of the new year and what a treat to see them... and to learn about French politics. Jean says its good that the Brits can't vote because we don't understand anything. 
 

Happy New Year

Last nights apocalyptic photos... wonderful sky -

followed by a wonderful party with Berndt and Jutta who are back with us for a little while. Hugely welcome, please stay forever -

Nel and Louise

Norbert and Pete

Susan

Charlotte

Jutta

Berndt

Stayed up till midnight :)