goodbyes and hellos

Quick apero at Gert and Elizbeths to wish them bon voyage - three days driving 700K per day to reach Copenhagen - and to encourage them to get back soon. September, they think. 

On the plus side, Toby is back in Esperaza! And Di has signed for her little palace in St Ferriol.

Its very hot here, 29 degrees yesterday. Most pleasant.

 

Waiting...

Anyone who has bought or sold a house here, knows what Di is going through - waiting to become our neighbour :) It's seven years since her Dad Peter and Clare moved here, so they can afford to laugh...

Bob and I popped up the hill for tea and very nice it was too, we have light drizzling rain which cleans the air and softens the light; most agreeable. Due to stay like this for a week, hurrah -
 

street food

 Spontaneous Sunday lunch with the Rushtons, one of those events that just float perfectly. Great friends and lovely cooking - chicken curry made by Reuben from the market - long may he flourish :)

Saturday night following Friday -

 Voila, a pretty frog in the plant pot - 

...This because I forgot the photos last night, of dinner with Regina at the Creperie. Kevin has re-opened the gaff, different staff, same menu and if last nights' clientele were anything to go by, new customers. We were the only foreigners there - the place was pretty nearly full of French people. What does it mean???

Regina has gone off to join Dougie in Scotland; wishing them a great time together :) 

-Remembered photos tonight though. Max and Andy, looking well and happy. 

We had a convivial evening with hardly any booze and barely a crisp. 

They are off Spainward next. No-one is keeping still anymore, bah. 

Only me and I'm too lazy to move.

Surprise

 Annie and Pete turned up, on their way somewhere else... despite the coils of entropy, they are unchanged and it was a joy to speed catch-up.

Hoping for to see them again on their return bout.

The weather is marvellous and looks like it'll stay that way - until the weekend.

Weekend in Esperaza

Max and Jude in town - actually Jude isn't, anymore, having returned today to London - though Max is here with Andy for another week. Being thoughtful.

Missed Andy though, she has the wearisome cough and cold that is doing the rounds - Bob also laid lowish.
 That was Saturday lunching at La Chapaire, which was smashing, those people go from strength to strength -

 ---from there I went with Claudine to the circus.

Like most nice English girls I've been opposed to circuses all my life but having seen the fat happy beasties by the river I thought it was time to actually test it out. 

The most maladjusted beastie there was this llama who couldn't be persuaded to spit at anyone - there were a couple of hoity-toity camels and two horses, one small and spotty, the other huge and black. No signs of ill-treatment - in fact, since they were probably born in captivity, they looked like family with the small troupe of circus folk who run it all.

The little kids - some hundreds that were there - loved it. Just loved it. They oo'd and ahh'd the animals and the jugglers and the acrobat and the clown and when Mickey and Minne arrived for the finale tried to trample on each other to touch them and be hugged.  

There were a lion and lioness we were encouraged to see in an enclosure on the way out, which seemed rather sad. Only because they look so beautiful, so intelligent... but I wouldn't like them roaming the hills, frankly.

Todays market was fab., all the world basking there. This is a great town.

Esperaza busy

We have fish!!!

 We have camels, spotted horses and things with horns. And lions.

(the lions were asleep behind the poster)

Easter Feast

 Was feeling a bit jaded ... but Gert and Elizbeth mended that with the roast lamb traditional feast, preceded by gazpacho loaded with garlic and followed by the perfect cheeses and apple tart and cream. What with Gerts assiduous care re; the wine, I haven't felt so well in ages :) 

Great to catch up with Roland and happy Kat too. Thanks all xxxx

PS Everyone seen this??

O-B lingers on -

 Everybody's favourite geriatric had his birthday event at Matthieus last night and it seemed to go well  :) Being something of a geriatric myself I left early but it was in full swing then... 

Ziggi made the cake, a black forest gateau

 of huge excellence. Here she is, leading the birthday singing -

There was a great deal of fancy food - I'm embarrassed that I took marmite sandwiches but that's what I like to have with blanquette. Look what Robin made, cor, and there were other visual delights but since I don't know what they were or who made them...

And here is Patricia, from far flung Alet-les-Bains, come to see how we live in Esperaza 

Here's to next years party, Ole-Bendik!

mad Sat

 Nel hosted an egg painting competition, a tradition in her her homeland - since it is women only I'm guessing there is an ancient fertility link.

Here is Nel, fiercely concentrating - and Rose, ditto

This year there was a celebrity judge.

That's right, our own star Ole-Bendik who carefully deliberated between the finished eggs, knowing full well what happened after the judgement of Paris; he chose three winners, hoping to minimise the damage. The fact that the first was a fellow Norwegian raised an eyebrow or two. The second was the blameless Kat and the third our hostess. 

Lovely day, sunshine and cake and chocolate and blanquette... Nel is a brilliant organiser and in my view should be put in charge of the local events. Last nights' Spanish party in the Rue Gambetta, whilst entertaining, was a shambles. Not enough seating, food not ready for hours, impossible to get to the bar - you name it. Real problem for me was that the air was still and people smoked, activating my asthma and forcing me to take extra meds. Others may have had more fun - and Max and Andy were there, having just landed in these parts, hurrah!

 

Spring fun in Esperaza

Lovely lunch at Kat and Rolands yesterday... with Jo and Billy, what joy!!!!

And tonight is paella in Rue Gambetta - no need to reserve, first come first served and when its gone, its gone - then tomorrow is Ole-Bendiks birthday. In the meantime, I'm off to Nels.... 
 

Weather continues to be smashing. 

Timetabling

We - Ziggy, Phil, Bob and I - ate a topping lunch at the Chapaire yesterday - leeks in raspberry and cassis vinaigrette, chicken and chips (only much more complicated and delicious) and ice cream things.

Ziggy herself is no mean cook and is currently occupyied with preparations for Ole-Beniks party on Sunday at 7.00pm chez Matthieu - all welcome :)

Here's something useful for all us travellers - the timetable of the navette from the train station to the airport. Its quite pricey IMHO - around 5 euros - there are cheaper routes but more complicated. This bus sits at the road entrance to the station, easily found. Adjacent to the canal.

Getting the navette back to the train station is easy - it meets all the flights so just come out of arrivals and clamber on -

Then the bus back home. If you think this is difficult to read, you should see the original! Hope you can magnify it and perhaps print off. Only 1 euro and much scenic routing.

And here's a dinosaur eating a hat. 

Tomorrow is the street party in Rue Gambetta, Spanish themed, stage was going up this morning so I'm guessing live music - See you there, between preparations for Ole-Bendiks party. 

Ole-Bendiks party : Bring a plate to share. There bar is a pay bar. It starts at 7.00 on Sunday. Chez Matthieu. 
 

Gormandes'r'us

 Anyone who knows Charlottes cooking will know that an invitation to dine at her place is an honour... overwhelming! Starting with tempura fried oysters and moving onto quail, all amazingly complicated and ingenious. And tiramisu. Cor and again, cor. 

Jamsie and son-and-heir also blessed with an invitation -

Hardly saw the Kitchen Queen which is my excuse for not having a photo of her, all in her chef gear. 

Great evening. Still arguing about spiritual realities/ delusions in the streets as Charlotte kissed us goodbye.

Here's a nice snap of the end of the day in the square, taken en route to Charlotte's home. 

wandering in the rain

 Miserable weather made better by the knowledge that we really need this water... and one can walk between showers, of course. So this is yesterdays haul;

Yup, still no post box by the station... as some helpful person has written, not been open since 2020. 

This is the creperie door, saying they are re-opening on the 18th April. No idea if Kevin is still the boss or if there are changes. Lights were on but couldn't find anyone to ask.

This is big and new; Esperaza now has the only little trout canning factory in France :) The shop is opening soon -

NOW, the important stuff (pay attention at the back there)

Ole-Bendiks  birthday party is at Matts bar, by the station  (ex-Lucs, ex-petanque court - l'Original) on Sunday 9th April at 7.00 pm. It's the usual pay bar and it's helpful if everyone brings food to share. United we stand to witness our hero's continuance - and Cleopatras too. 

There will be continual reminders. Bring friends.

The Boy Cen

 Cen celebrated his 60th yesterday and we were lucky enough to get to help... weather has taken a dive but it was still not bad (unlike today, the market is dismal in the rain) Here are the random snaps from the party - here's wishing Cen another happy 60 years xxx

Cen reflecting  on the amount of musicians he knows