Kat birthday celebration

 Last night was Kats birthday dinner, with us and Margaret who is here for 3 weeks (!!) 

Such good guests - really enjoyable evening. We had individual onion and anchovy tarts, salad, poached salmon, aoli, cauliflower steaks, sweet potatoes, cheese, weird ice-cream things with caramel, chocolate cake, digestives.  

Haven't grossed out like that for ages and was surprised that I slept deeply, cuddled in lovely dreams. That'll be the Cointreau then.

Here is Roland communing with Rico.

Robin dropped in for apero and digestif - nothing against my cooking, he had a previous - alas, my only photo of him makes him seem to be saying grace.

Winter in Esperaza

Claudine! With terribly smart new haircut. We had coffee together sometime this week - I'm loosing my dates - she is well and in fact somewhat sensational.

The Captain is back and to celebrate we ate at the Chapaire last night, grossed out in my case. They do us proud there. The Cabonara was late; apologies in advance because they had to make the pasta. Brilliant.

Today there was an icy wind enveloping the market so after hasty shopping Peter G., Nel, Alain and I dived into the Relais Occitain for warmth and succour.

                                                                                                    catching up in a warm French cafe is a tranche of heaven  IMHO 
 

Weds frolics

Many Esperazanees hoved up at Tout l'Apero last night, curiously diversive groups - here is the French women's table adjacent to the British men's table which was close to the very diverse table indeed. Jean-Luc presided.  It was great, actually - a mid-week spirit-lifting event.

Peter Dunn and the lovely Di and I moved onto Le Heathy for dinner. Pete and I had a stir fry thing which was a little poem - Di had a burger - and pud was pears poached in red wine and sprinkled with speculos. I have a photo of Di being lascivious with hers which I will spare you.

 Today is warm and rainy. Lovely.

Sunday

Jolly market - and sweet sunset - lovely Esperaza

 

We got weather

Beautiful evening last night, preceding todays glorious weather. It seems these high temperatures will last at least till Wednesday.

Bob left for the UK yesterday, had a four hour delay on the flight and is dealing with the cold and the wind in London. 

 Another plus for Esperaza is that the hat museum has free entry until March 5th. Time to pop in after the market, perhaps...

Wednesday action

 After a long and entertaining birthday celebration, Bob took to his bed leaving me to soldier on alone. Yesterday had lunch with Lizzie at le Jardin d Inez, set menu, most excellent (eggs benedict, chicken cous cous, shocking chocolate thing in crème anglaise) - mine host told me it was jolly cheap and included the wine - and in the evening ate with Peter D at le healthy.

We stopped off at Tout Apero en route; here is what is left of Alan after last weeks frolix -

All the colours have faded and he is in good form. Hope he got home OK after last night. 

The other habitués are fine though all saddened by the news that Fran now has covid so won't be coming next week.

Here's Pete at le Healthy, addressing pudding with dutiful solemnity...

and the latest addition to our ad hoc zoo. Its a glis glis, a European edible dormouse, annoying the birds and disturbing the sleep of anyone in our spare room (I moved out - they were impossibly noisy)

Anyone know what recipes the Romans used to eat them? Asking for a friend -

Big Boys Birthday finale

 Phil and Ziggy were decent enough to take me and Bob and Bellow to the seaside, a perfect pressie... and we had a mega sea food lunch to boot. Sun shone but with a freezing wind. The photo above was at St Pierre-la- Mer, below was at Gruissan chalets; no shelter from the cold in either though those that could run around warmed up quickly enough...

Big Boys Birthday cont.

 Bob wanted to share his birthday with some (other) close friends: Regina and Dougie, Peter and Clare and Annette and Cen and Cerys, Norbert and Louise and - although we lost Clare to circumstances - the mix was a most happy one :)  After the lengthy lunch Pete produced a guitar and much entertainment followed - Cerys turns out to have a pure and charming voice and she can remember words. If she ever gives up her academic career she will still have an assured future. Thanks to all for a fab Saturday and for giving Bob a birthday he won't forget.

I didn't hang about for long in todays market on account of post-party exhaustion. More tomorrow....

Big Boys Birthday

Lunched at the Odalisque in Limoux with Lizzie, John and Clare - a joy on every level, good friends and good food -Captain H enjoyed all :)

Then surprise, surprise! Filip and friends are in town and came for apero. Not seen Filip since the tragic death of his wife, Lorne. It was a tearful meeting.

He is surrounded by love - here are Amy and Jenny, David and Dylan. What marvellous friends to hold him in his dark days. 

 They are not staying long but hoping we can drag them to a bar before they all leave...

Monothematicism

-hate to sound monothematic, but there's not a lot else going on... the shag/ cormorant debate rages. Now there is a school of thought that thinks we have BOTH; I veer more towards the Shag adult/juvenile camp. 

Other excitements are that Max and Andy will be here early April; any one got comfy chairs for them? Or anything to make their depleted home welcoming? (They sold up prematurely) Think on't. 

sunday; fur, feathers and bivalves

Oysters heading for le Chapaire, where I nearly followed them before remembering that on Sundays you have to book (I think-); anyway, the market was a laugh, graced by Cleopatra who was very happy to be reunited with the immortal Ole-Bendik. The list of friends braving the cold was long, too long to itemise beyond saying that Didier Bourdon is back from the USA and about to embark on a new adventure in Nebias. And Raj Gopal was out drawing again - a sign of spring? 

Here are the Captain and I cocooning around the France/Italy rugby match with our feathered friends.

 ***Michele Pascual has sent a note via Rose to thank all those foreigners who sent commiserations on the death of Gerard...

much lunching

...yesterday we were the other side of Mirepoix with dear old mates Richard and Alison, whom I forgot to photograph but here is some of the garden with our mountains just visible in the distance;

and today, alas; I forgot to photograph Micheal and Barbara who gave us lunch in Rouvenac. Stopped to photograph Bugarach on the way home - a poor substitute!

what a place to live and to what a place to have friends who can cook :) Thanks everyone. Lets all meet up again soon.
 More cause for rejoicing here, in that Ole-Bendik has survived more heart intervention (medical rather than emotional)  and is bouncing back to us, ticking with new rhythms -

sociable 'r'us

   At Le Healthy last night, with Peter Dunn, Clare and John Rushton, le Capt... had a really good meal, canard for me and Pete which was perfect. John had steak, Bob pork, Clare the veggie burger.  

Facing up to Johns constant demands for lobster, Yann (the owner) said if we'd call first saying what we wanted, it could be arranged.