Goings. And squirrels.

 Can't believe that Gert and Elsebeth are off again - how the last two months have flown! They gave me and Kat a farewell apero last night and will be back in September. 

Safe journey dear ones xxx

We had some decent weather, briefly, this morning. Saw a red squirrel by the river down by our garden. Nice neighbour said there are three there which is good to know - not seen even one for years.

yesterday...

 ...lunch wasn't all that festive on account of Petes' family having suffered a major loss: but one must eat, so Pete and Di and Jasmine and l went to the Pont where pintard (guinea fowl)  was the plat du jour, much to everyones approval.

(The person sitting behind Jasmime was a stranger so she is here ineptly rubbed out, hence odd object in background)

All sorry to have cancelled Petes birthday party but it would have been no fun - another time, he says.

Weather here dismal. Says <11 degrees and feels like 7>  on my app, but having just been out I'd say it feels more like 4.

Despite this; a baby nuthatch appeared this morning!! Chubby and fluffy and ravenous. Feathers in tufts. Sensationally lovely.

I bear bad news from Jean-Luc though. An a Vendre sign has appeared above his door - and its true, he will leave us when the building is sold. There are enquiries already but he will go at the end of the year anyway. Too expensive, he says - so Tout l'apero will no longer be a feature for us foreigners and indeed, for the many French folk who have espoused it. Will try and get there tonight, see if we can make him change his mind. 

Esperaza dawn

Dramatic dawn... not sure what it portends. Will wait and see...

and here's yesterdays demo in the market, all five protestors.  Attracted a large police presence but as far as I know there were no Israelis claiming god-knows-what against them. 

Impressed that the young people are bearing witness.

**********************

Small and select and jolly soiree last night, largely fuelled - literally and figuratively - by Margaret and Wee Ann, who brought most of the food. And Jamsie is back!!

 

testing

 Here we are again, testing the bistro des amis (think that is what its called nowadays) in Rennes le Chateau - David Baileys place, anyway. Excellent. Lunch enjoyed by all :) Ann wanting to get home for a rest.

Attention party goers; those many people who were going to Peter Dunns birthday party tomorrow will probably know by now  -  its been cancelled. Very sad news for the family, who have all decamped to the UK to be together at a tragic time.

Love, strength, courage to them.

Busy town

Look who turned up this morning! Joy and delight; Peter and Annie, as I live and breathe. Though Annie is off tomorrow and Pete will only be here a couple more days (and with Gus, apparently. )

Yesterdays arrival was Toby, at last - here for 5 weeks, awaiting the appearance of the rest of the family.  Hoping to spend time with her soon xxxx                       

 

A departure... and Jean-Luc is away so Tout l'apero closed. Sigh.

speed gossip

Wee Ann said we look as if we are waiting for our carers to collect us.

Great soiree at the ex-creperie, now le marin d'eau douce but generally known as Kevins. 

*Tobys flight was cancelled yesterday - weather stuff - but we expect her today. 

*Took tea with Karin and Jem at their new gaff in Couiza on Monday - no photos but lovely place and they are pleased and happy. Working hard to create an on site gite, of which more anon.

Grey and cold. Out of the frying pan, into the fridge. Bah.

 

Hot and heady with the Vox Vallis

 I'd thought since so many friends were actually in the choir, there would be lots of seating for those of use who are not - but the MJC was packed -

extra seating was called for but there were still people standing. I got there early but if dear Claudine hadn't saved me a seat, I'd have been hanging from the roof :)

Vox Vallis are very good and the fact they can pull crowds is evidence.... see www.voxvallis.com 

Congratulations to all involved! Alex and James for the organisation and the choir for the rest. Keep up the good work everyone.

Bad planning on my part meant I had to skip the apero afterwards. The parrots had to be exercised before nightfall and generally cleaned and fed - being market day I hadn't done them at their normal time. Like I say, bad planning...

Keep cool out there. Forecast says temps are dropping soon.

on the razzle

 Wee Ann is visiting, hurrah! -  and John is in Ireland, Roland in the Ariege, Bob in London. The four of us hoofed it to Le Healthy and behaved in a decorous fashion. 

Met Pete in the market, also abandoned by his partner. Nel is in Amsterdam. We had coffee at tout l'ap and addressed some global issues.

It was calm and cool in there, unlike everywhere else. Market packed and hot. 

This evening, 5.00, don't forget! Vox Vallis at the MJC. See you there.

ESPERAZA IN THE 30'S...

That's yesterdays temperature, not nostalgia for past decades.

 Look what was looking at me this morning! Its on Tobys' windowsill, opposite my new bedroom. It's about the size of my hand. Ain't nature marvellous.

Cafe du Pont and MJC dates...

Nice idea!! And another for the diary.

Don't forget the 14th, Sunday, at 5.00 in the MJC where our own Vox Vallis are singing fit to bust :) 

 

April Saturday

Had lunch in St Hilaire yesterday, what an amazing little village - unchanged since the medieval days. Dear Lizzie Jackson fed us with local fare ( globe artichokes,  salmon and asparagus,  strawberries) fab AND healthy!

Evening in Esperaza was Samba...

Here are Nick and Barbara beating the bejazus out of it, pounding Rue Gambetta into shape -

congrats to all and to John-Luc at Tout l'Apero who loves a challenge -

Off to market now so more anon :)

La vie en rose in Esperaza

Yesterdays lunch with Dougie and Regina - wonderful food (=soup of carrot, plus magic: tortilla; a vegan trifle ) wonderful conversation and a fair amount of hilarity. Hot sun and bird song. Life is pretty damn good.

Don't forget! The stage is up for Saturday nights' samba

 

Great Craik at La Serpent

 

Love this picture!! Cen and Pete at lunch at their home in La Serpent yesterday, for which many thanks to Clare: whose photo, alas, isn't up to publication. The one of Annette ain't great either.

 Annette and Cen had been out lambing, another set of twins for the flock.

We ate lentils :) and spinach tart and roast spuds and home-crafted humous. Brownies with raspberry coulis and strawberries.  

Easter monday

 Beautiful spring day - here is Phil sporting the debris of his v successful operation, getting better daily - 

Forgot to photograph Barbara and Nick, who ate here last night (carrot and ginger soup, cauliflower steaks, plum tart) Conversation engrossing and engaging :)

It was such a beautiful day I went a-walking. Interesting clouds;

and sure enough, the storm broke while I was floating about.

Don't mind getting wet and enjoy thunder and lightening but hail?? Hail HURTS!

Lets hope the young vines are OK.

Easter

Easter gift from Bob - the elephant being erm an ancient tradition that has so far escaped me - 

and last night, our now traditional pascal lamb with Danish friends Gert and Elsbeth, Kat and Roland. Lovely evening!!

Kat, Roland and Gert

Elsbeth taking a break from cooking our dinner -

Next year it is really our turn :)

 

Fairly quiet

Love-lorn Rico donated a feather to Brunos hat... 

 

Friends in kitchen

awful lot to be said for having French friends who've been restaurateurs...here is Brunos' expertise on the lunch table. He can come again.

 It's freezing here and looks like snow, though on the plus side the bone-chilling wind has dropped.

Sundays excitements

 The market was freezing. One day its 30 degrees but yesterday was too cold to stay out.

Rapid gallop through the frip; a vintage plastic mayonnaise maker which has filled my heart with joy. Lovely piece of classic design. Haven't tried it yet.

For anyone wondering where the shags have gone, so are the shags; the powers-that-be have seen fit to cut down the tree they hunt from.

It is not impossible that this is connected with the fisherpersons outcry about the cormorants eating their fish. Though that much co-ordinated thinking seems unlikely. 

Here are sad the remains....

Rico has fallen for Bruno, who is spending the week with us. He followed him into the dining room last night, totally 

bewitched. He is calling for him now...

Catherine who is also with us came and joined in last nights' supper - Rubens curry plus left-overs - good evening! Here's to many more -

Friends and family

Louise, Fran and Norbert last night - and Fran and Don, fixing the pudding which they donated to the feast!! It was the high spot, as it turned out, since I variously burnt or undercooked the other courses. 

Great evening though. It's been said before but bears repeating; this area attracts all the right people.

My nephew Paddy Beer, whom many of you have asked after since he was nearly killed by GBS (Guillain- Barre Syndrome), is now so totally recovered that he played a gig last night in York with his band Eugene Gorgeous. He's now exhausted!! And I believe in miracles.

At the end of November he was paralysed, bar one eye and a bit of mouth; dependant on machines to sustain his life. His recovery has been amazing. Thanks to all for prayers and whatever healing you sent his way.

Other news: the hat museum has a new site! https://musee-chapellerie.fr

 

Balmy and warm here

 Forgot to take photos at Kat and Rolands' last night, where Gert and Elsbeth, Bob and I were dined in  style. Those two do food so well - 

here's a substitute picture taken today, specifically to annoy friends and family in the UK.

slash and burn

Here are the dates for the Vox Vallis' performances in April - get them in your diary now :) 

and here is one of the fires of the cleared riverbank, where all the natural habitat was destroyed by the authorities; and then some. Much grinding of teeth here.

On a happier note, Steve tells me that when he starts his rotovator the birds appear and queue up for him to finish the job.

The lizards are back

 One lizard band in Esperaza market yesterday - 

magic

Drove to the lake at Arques yesterday for a change of air... been years since our last visit and things are somewhat changed. The little patch of holiday shacks on one side has swollen to a large holiday village - bet it'll be fun when its finished, though the sheer numbers would prevent much hermetical communing with nature. The mountains and escarpments and castles around make that area amazingly magical, the geography and history are extraordinary.

 

Thence to Matthieu's bar to wish our Toby a Happy Birthday!

birthday girl

 

Leo and MIchel doing well

 

Here's Leo! Rather late in snapping him, especially as he leaves today for Amsterdam. Toby will stay with us a little longer.

This is from last night at Tout l'apero where the tribe had gathered, comme d'hab.... Bob and Peter D and I made to to Le Healthy afterwards - as luck would have it, we were too late for the chicken in honey and orange. Bah. Pizzas all round then.

Below is Michel from the Pink Palace in Quillan, fully recovered from his op and back in harness. He claims his recovery is due to eating well. 

I should mention that John Matthews returned to Ireland with covid, so its around again. Take care y'all.

And wishing  Ramadan Mubarak to all our friends who observe the holy month. 

Weather report

The market was lovely for Sunday - here's Suzie enjoying it too - but its been raining ever since. Bah. River looking healthy though.