International community

 Spooky picture of last nights' dinner with our Danish friends Gert and Elizabet...this was before Gert showed me how to use the flash on the camera and after I'd discovered the panoramic button. Life is full of surprises. 

Glorious evening! Big big thanks to our friends, who spoiled us with a feast which we won't forget in a hurry. Non-stop interesting conversation ditto. Hugs to them  xxx

Wednesday night a blast

 Long time since we hit Le Healthy but Pete is alone in the mountains so we went out with him, first to l'apero to see many engaging mates and then on... full of praise for their menu, we'll be back asap!

Anarchy -

 Friends in the UK have been told by the BBC that life in France is perilous. We are experiencing a surge of complaints against the democratically arrived-at decisions about retirement age and pensions due. 

Among my French friends, a straw poll reveals a need to protest; the weather is beautiful and the streets are fun places to be. Though its generally assumed that nothing will be changed by the protests, its a warning to the elected government that they wont get elected again. (BUT the fear of LePenn is strong, so ...)

In the countryside, where we live, most of les hommes sur le rue say, what strike? What protest?? The local shops have had no disruption to the food chains and though I suspect there are less cars about, the petrol issues seem not to touch us. Bins are still being emptied. Council workers are out working. The post office, however, is closed. And there are aeroplane cancelations as the air traffic controllers shut up shop. 

La Poste yesterday...

Bloke trying to empty bins but slightly foiled by inept parking - 

Riverside strimmers a-strimming

An escargot - where the traffic is slowed by traffic (especially tractors ) creeping along at 4 KPH was planned to hit Limoux but haven't heard what happened...

On another track, discovered that the reason there are no English papers in the newsagents is that they stopped after Brexit.

Bacchus lives on

 Regional experts will recognise the Taverne de Bacchus... where Pete'n'Clare and Bob'n'moi had a very long and enjoyable lunch yesterday. Not for the vegetarian or indeed the faint hearted; hearty is probably the mot juste. Place was packed with elderly French families and hats off to the young staff who were capable and amusing. 

Todays weather rather grey... off to market to investigate. Clocks changing has confused me.

Yet more food

Here's the Captain, back in town - at the Chapaire, suspiciously dismembering his bacon-wrapped lotte.

 I liked it :)

The place was rammed. Get there early or reserve . (09 80 32 62 21)

Big news here is that Saveria will be holding yoga and meditation sessions at the Dojo centre on Monday mornings throughout April, to see how it goes. Get in touch with her to sign up.

I'm off to get the croissants for the returning hero...

Procession in town

not sure how many of us will be disguising ourselves as celebrities and processing from bar to bar but its an engaging notion  

 Spent the last two evenings at the bar l'apero; Weds  by accident as Jamsie arrived a day early for last nights' rendezvous and he wanted to test it and last night on purpose, with Jamsie, Gert and Elizbeth, Tim and Yvonne, Charlotte - 

Beautiful warm weather here. (|Lets hope it holds for Saturday) Life is good.

 

Couiza excursion

 Bruno took me to Le Carnozet in Couiza for lunch yesterday - not been there since before their fire which must be yonks ago now. Nice food - we had four types of meat that we cooked ourselves on a hot plate. It's interesting, dining with someone who has worked in restaurants; constant evaluation of the staff, the mechanics of the place and of course the food...

...back in Esperaza (= 3ish kilometers away) the house martins are back, the heron is getting fat, the trees are in blossom. Alleluia!

Esperaza calm

Clare...sporting a broken leg, oh dear,  and below, Bruno trying to watch a program on Trotsky whilst being bovvered by a worshiping Rico.

And last nights sunset :)

 

Irish winners

Our sole French guest, Bruno, setting the tone for last nights' dinner - four others were Irish and jolly pleased by the rugger result.

Bruno

Wee Ann

Ann and Kieran and Margaret

Food pretty good, since I made hardly any of it - egg salad, lasagne, cheese, apple tart - and much laughter and pleasure in each others company ensued. Thanks to all xxxx

Moules

Bruno is here for a week and Jamsie has returned to his chateau after wintering in l'isle brexit. Both happy; we ate moules frites at le Chapaire (who are hosting the Paddys day celebrations tonight - need to book if you want to go -)- the captain ate spag bol., being constitutionally unable to face bivalves. The lads are off to Andorra today...

Weds a tout la

Le Capt and I strolled out for a drink at Tout l'apero last night which was v agreeable - and Jean-Luc presented the notion of a fete on the 8th - the street will be closed and there will be fun and games. No doubt. And while you have your diary out, you should know that the immortal Ole-Bendik has his birthday on the 9th. The party will be at the bar by the station, and ALL ARE WELCOME. Bring a plate to share...

Tuesdays exhausting schedule

Margaret's friend wee Anne is visiting, to the delight of the ancient inhabitants who remember her from six-plus years ago... Bob and I in particular. Here she is at breakfast yesterday; forgot to photograph her at apero in the evening but you, ahem, get the picture -

And behold, Micheal and Barbara! Many folk have recommended a resturant in Rennes le Chateau, the name of which we are uncertain about.   Used to be many other things. Tony the Templars place 25 yrs ago, then other incarnations build about dragons and such-like- David Bailey now the boss.

Barbara drove us there and it was everything everyone had said, really decent nosh and charming ambiance. We'll be back.

They are talking of doing musical evenings in the adjacent crypt with David on piano and Alex and James singing.  Can't wait - especially if they can arrange a minibus to collect locally -

 

Big Sunday

 It started off with drizzle but cleared up in time for Tim and Yvonnes lunch -

Charlotte

Ann

Kieran

Rose

Tim

Somehow Yvonne escaped me... so here are further pix of what we ate and drank...

AND there was wild boar! An unforgettable feast, in short - for with many thanks to our lovely friends xxx 

Fishing

The Shags or possibly Cormorants have been missing for a few days now - guessing that as the river level has risen, they can go back to fishing in Limoux - so the town Heron is back in charge. However... its the start of the fishing season. 

Other news; Le Healthy is having a make-over

Asked at Chez Charlie after the health of the eponymous butcher and was told he was fine. Had heard last night that he was unwell ; all now OK. Last night I forgot the camera but had a sweet apero-type evening (a tout l'apero) with Regina, Charlotte, Tim and Yvonne, Gert and Elizbeth and Margaret - must do it again soon :) And in the meantime.... England is playing France and Matthieu is hosting the event at his bar by the station,  5.45 kick-off. 

 

Latest

Gert and Elizbeth joined us for dinner last night, rendering a very poor meal enjoyable - not going to dwell on my shortcomings, manifest and multiple though they may be.

Today is a spring morning, alleluia. Had coffee with Margaret and Kat who are off on an arts adventure without me and ran into Ole-Bendik, brought home from Paris by the heroic Susan who went and got him from some station in the middle of the night. His adventures are classic O-B :)

 

Life returning

Yesterdays market viewed from inside le Relais Occitan - where its nice and empty and you can watch the world in comfort. Afterwards Hilary and Mike, Kat, Roland, Le Capt and I were given lunch by the energetic and resourceful Margaret; here's the pineapple (carved by Mike) which mega-enhanced the meal. The photos of the guests are not so good :( 

And today Margaret and Kat and I had lunch Le Pont, excellent as ever - and I forgot the photies altogether. Gert and Elizbeth were there, hurrah, having driven from Denmark. More from them anon...

 

warming up

The weather is cheering up - here is Le Chapaire being bashed by sunshine. A culinary mishap drove us there for lunch yesterday - bit of luck actually :) Got there early and were followed by large numbers of hungry French... all most appreciative.

and here, bafflingly, are giant crayons which have sprouted around the area used by the fripperie on Sundays - which is where I'm off to now. Have a good day, y'all!
 

good news at last

 Gillie has been cleared! Her cancer has gone. She announced this last night at Tout l'Apero where a dozen or so women celebrated heartily. Which is why the photo is a little hazy, perhaps. She's had a tough few years so many plaudits to her for her courage and determination.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Poor Jean-Luc was heard to mutter that groups of men were far easier to serve. 

The Tout l'A is a marvellously comfortable place and we all feel happy there but the long thin table means you can only chatter with the nearest neighbours and several faces spotted in the distance only get waved at. I know that the group of men that meet there feel the same. Of course we should rotate, blow a whistle and move two the the left alphabetically but you know how it is...