Summers lease is over?

 It's so cool! Seems that summer is over with none of the scorching temps of last year, thank heavens.

Had dinner last night with Bieke and her family and regret terribly not photographing the beautiful tribe - Bieke and Willhems daughter and partner plus the three young adult offspring.  So beautiful, I was probably overawed.

Most of the food - veggie - was from the garden. Not the tofu, soya-soaked and honey-glazed, which will be featuring chez nous next time veggies are here.

The conversation was tops also, the young are very informed and informative. They live in Belgium so can chatter in many languages, making us sad old Brits look shoddy. Sigh.

Here's a cheering parrot. He is Tango and he wants his neck tickled.

More rain

So, there we were eating, [Bob, Lizzie et moi]  at the luxurious Chateau du Ducs du Joyeux...and the heavens opened again. Highly trained staff whisked off the tables to the safety of the arches where dinner continued apace (ate sturgeon for the first time-)

Most memorable evening :) 

The young waiter that unbrella'd me to the car was Spanish, from Barcelona. It's too hot there so he works in the S de F in the summer.

Market lovely, everybody out with tales of where they were when the rains came :)
 

After the storm

 This is on the new bridge, commemorating the author of the hymn sung at Jeanine's burial. Still can't find the words. Will try approaching some of the elderly left in town.

---we went shopping in Limoux. Outside Aldi was a white male, cleanly dressed as a walker with a knapsack, sitting with a bowl to collect change. No eye contact, no words. Good smart phone. Rather odd, we thought... then we saw another, same sort of age (early 50's) clean, well dressed, outside the bakers by GiFi. Along the road, sitting by big stores, we saw another two. Only one had a beard.

Posh tramps? Jesuits getting to St Jacques de Compostella? Police spies? Extra Terrestrials??? The list is endless :)

AMAZING storm last night!! The house shook with banging and crashing for a couple of hours: it was as light as daylight with continual flashes of lightening. Today the earth smells marvellous and the world is refreshed. 

Blinking Orange

The Captain last night at Le Chapaire... sausage and pommes dauphine, le plat du jour. Perfect (for me) after a slight excess of the good red wine at Tout l'Apero. And here's this mornings market, twinkling away. 

If you live in these parts you have had computer collapses for the last three days. Word on the street (ie Louise told Bob) is that lightening has caused problems that Orange are trying to resolve. So you don't need a new machine.

 

All change

Found this handsome beastie in one of the little streets and brought it home to the pond - s/he didn't make it through the night. It struck me how few there are this year; then I thought, what's happened to the little scorpions? The bats left us about 4 years ago, hence the rise of mosquitos. But where are the scopes owls, the nightingales, the hoopoes? Or am I getting less observant -

Here's a selfie with the current post office timetable. 

Use the place, please, or we all know what'll happen - extinction awaits us all -

 

Lovely day for it...

It rained, softly, for Jeanines funeral - perfect. Everyone over 50 in the town turned out and it was a dignified and moving event. A tent had been erected over the family grave (+ Pages and Verdier, together) and after two voices sang the Song of the Esperannaizes, joined by everyone that knew the words.

Jeanine had said she wanted that sung at her funeral and so it came to pass, probably because Toby and Rose arranged it... it recalled Andree Bonnet to me, who was but a girl when the song was written on the family piano in her living room. In the white house opposite the school. Will try and track down the words; a hymn of praise for Esperaza, 'village of my birth' -

After that her sister read a moving and emotional tribute. We filed pass the coffin, touching or kissing it as appropriate, and left. There was a movement towards Matthius cafe. 

And now the sun is out :)

 

Jeanine Pages-Verdier RIP

 Saddened by the death of our friend and neighbour Jeanine - though she was 95 and made it clear she'd had enough.  Can't find a photo of her and the drawing I've got doesn't do her justice. 

She was a special Esperazannaise. Her life-time was spent in a hat factory, from her early teens to retirement; her father took her out of school when he went to fight in the war, saying it was up to her to take over producing the family income. She LOVED it! They sang all day, she said. She was delightful company - especially fond of our Toby and generally interested in us weird foreigners. When her heart started playing up she moved into the local old folks home and was OK - but the joy had gone from her life. 

So, to the point: she's being buried tomorrow at 11.00am in the cemetery. No ceremony beyond the graveside presence. See you there.

Latest

 Tomorrows market will have choral singers :) AND there is a vide grenier on the banks of the aude.... it's tolerably cool at the moment, lets hope it remains so for Sunday.

What to do if you loose everything in Carcassonne

 ....The first thing to do is return to where you lost it. 

I was trying to buy Bobs weird toothpaste when I realised my wallet and purse were missing, so I ran (beuph) back to the bus stop where the bus I'd just got off - had just gone.

Into the train station then and explain at the enquiries desk what had happened. Though the bus was a replacement train and in the pay of the SNCF they had no info nor any idea of what to do.

Where else now but to the tourist info desk, just over the canal and open. Sweet girl offered sympathy and a map where she marked the police station. It's not just the money or the cards, its my carte de sejour, carte vital and health insurance. My identity all gone and not a sou to my name - nor the euro for the bus to get me home. 

(Bob is not answering my frantic phone calls.)

On the way to the police station (at the side of the town hall) I saw the Credit Agricole - my bank. Told them what had happened, and asked if I could have some money. Easy! They said. Took my name and date of birth and asked how much I wanted. They gave me a plastic card thing, told me to stick it into one of three machines, I did and it ate it. I used the wrong machine. Wha??? That took some sorting as now I'd irritated the banker and his trainee was on his first day, there were queues and no-one was having fun.

Eventually clutching cash in my shaking hand I went off  again and whilst outside the police station Bob rang me, having got my messages. Now with some dosh I wouldn't need him to come and get me but naturally he was worried... the police were really not bovvered and sent me on to lost property.

Police station 

next door and a bit to the police station

Lost property were kind and sent me on to the regional transport folk, which I found eventually (by luck) which was as well as being distressed and baffled was ready to give up. (This has taken a couple of hours, I'm on foot, its hot.)

But lo!! The desk keepers asked which service operator I'd used and what time it left Quillan, disappeared and came back some 10 mins later saying it had all been found by the driver! I was as surprised as they were when I burst into tears.

The driver would bring it on the 14.00h bus home. And he did and his name is Joseph and if you know him, please buy him a drink...

Wednesday oh la.

 Jim Hankinson visited yesterday - we commenced in Tout l'Apero as is customary on a Wednesday nowadays, if we remember; thence to Le Healthy, ditto.

Here's Jim with Robin. They are both travel fans and shared magical stories of Asia to the quiet amazement of me and Bob. 

Weather report

 Been away to the other side of  Mirepoix visiting Richard and Alison and clocking old mates, Micheal and Kaye and Ian. It was good. 

 No local photos so here is an old picture of rabbits, of blessed memory...

Only want to talk about the weather which, while, while hot, is not as disastrous as in some places. Staying indoors in the shade is sensible, creeping out early morning and late at night ditto.

Apropos; the Fete du Vin is at Matthieu's, by the station , on Thursday- food tickets in advance from Chez Charlies and the usual places. Might see you there if its cool enough....

Fri/Sat in mid-July

The drop of rain that finally arrived last night coincided with the start of Lizzie Jacksons street party over at St Hilaire... everyone was delighted!! Interesting event; Lizzie started it last year, inviting the neighbours in for an apero. She was firmly told that this was now a tradition and indeed, this year the neighbours baked and prepared all sorts of delights. They stayed late and it has been decided to extend it to the next street in the future (we've booked a place as foreign visitors, Esperazannais of course)

Friday night; a surprise visit from Andy and James and Louise, what joy!! Here are Andy and James concealing themselves ( my photo of Louise is unrecognisable) Will be visiting in the week to get it right. Just lovely that they are staying for a while :) Been missed xxxx

And Toby is back, hurrah, though we wait on Leo. Soon... hugs to him pro tem.
 

Bastille Day

Here is dear Erika of the 8a8 celebrating the commencement of the republic with suitable glamour and here are some of the commune beginning to gather for the official speeches and solidarityness.

 The Captain and I were somewhat busy - Bob was up early to take his young friends to the airport - and I was recovering from too much eating-outness. The kids loved the Poulet en Velo last night and before that the Creperie. And the rest.

We did take sandwiches to the lake and dozed under the trees...gentle pleasures :)

Tourist season

 Kitty and Zoe have been joined by Felix who got here on the delayed flight last night - here are our marvellous, magic and thoughtful hosts Peter and Clare plus other fab guests Dougie and Regina, waving good bye to us-

beautiful evening in the hills as the weather became cooler (slightly) and we were able to relax somewhat. Dear Clare did a rainbow meal - bowls of food to accommodate all tastes, from yellow and orange (rice/carrots) through green to purple (cabbage and apple) A new challenge for me :)

Mondays night market was both hot and crowded. Ate moules frites - loved them- and of course the traditional brebis ice cream, liquorish in my case. 

Our guests made a night of it though Bob and I turned in early. 

 

Margaret and John excel

Zoe, Clare and Kitty

Margaret and John have thrown some parties over the years but yesterdays seemed to me to be the biscuit taker... herewith, random snaps.

Nel

All life as we know it was there, evading my camera - 

Zoe and Kitty arrived late and then slept for a while - woke them to get to Le Healthy, where I for one ate mightily. Hadn't noticed what appears to be a set of teeth in the middle of the plate. The hidden skull? Oh dear.

 This morning, Monday, Pete and Nel were sweet enough to take me for an early morning swim at the lake. No, of course I didn't go in - the water was cold - but they did and I got to contemplate stuff. Here's a snap of the St Bertrand stream doing its thing en route; and of course, the lake.

Post Office hours ...

The queues will be fun :)

 New terrace at le healthy - shelter from the sun but not car exhaust or tobacco fumes. You can still sit inside of course.

Post Office matters

Ian banks at La Poste - as do many other citizens of  Esperaza - and for it to close is disastrous. It's all well and good saying drive to Couiza but for those of us who persist in not driving, this means a bus ride and a long wait to return. 

So, to the barricades... the mayor called a meeting and a decent 100 plus persons turned out to listen to him (and persons wearing sashes) explain what we all know - that the post is a public service, that many Esperazannaise  depend on it, that small businesses rely on it and that tourists, if forced to go elsewhere for the post, will stay elsewhere for lunch.

The police kept us in order as the Mayor informed us that he has succeeded in keeping the Post Office open 3 afternoons  for the moment - and his committee told us how he'd intervened over Christmas to keep the place working. Elvira, committee member with dog, reminded us that Couiza was without a disabled entrance and that the elderly, even if they did drive, would have problems there.

Hey ho. No action or sense of direction forward. 

So, in the meantime - an event at the Spot on Sunday after the market. Looks fun, if you are free.

 

Ca marche...

Very pleased with this snap of the speedy waitress at Le Heathly, taken last night where we went to recover from meeting friends at tout le apero... Pete and Bob and I ate pulled pork with mashed potatoes and enjoyed it hugely.

 

DONT FORGET tonight in the square... post office closure meeting with Mayor and official persons. 19.30 H

Citizens action

 This from our mayor - who has since altered the time to 19.30 - see you all there tomorrow, Thursday, in the square by the post office. 

Bonsoir à toutes et à tous.

Suite aux publications de la poste qui a décidé de fermer le bureau d'Espéraza "pendant une période peu attractive" du 3 au 17 juillet, j'ai demandé à notre Conseiller Départemental Anthony Chanaud de se saisir du dossier.

Nous avons, avec Anthony, la même vision du territoire sur la défense du service public. Le lendemain de son élection, nous étions côte à côte à Mouthoumet pour essayer de sauver une coopérative.

La semaine d'après, nous étions présents aux côtés des facteurs pendant les grèves sur Limoux.

Nous vous donnons rendez-vous jeudi soir à 18h30 sur la place d'Espéraza, devant le bureau de poste, afin que nous puissions engager une action commune avec le soutien de la population.

Nous comptons sur votre présence massive afin de défendre notre territoire.

Cordialement.

Christian SOULA.

vernissaged

Some random snaps from last night and a bit THANK YOU to all who came and made it such fun!  

Bieke with favourite drawing

apologies for many omissions but having trouble sorting/downloading photies... 

Beautiful Gracie, Bonzai and Louise

Reuben

Regina 

 

Claudine, Ole-Bendik and Cleopatra

Fran and Steve

Kats back, Reginas front, Bobs bottom, Petes hat

Jamsie and Pete

Mike Hinc in full evening dress

Captain Harris who did all the work -