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.

 

Village life

 Wild anemones are out on the riverbank, the mallards are back, the fisherpersons are fishing - and Gert and Elsbeth have just arrived after a three-day drive from Copenhagen. Leo and Toby are also here, from Amsterdam. Bob is back tomorrow! 

Photos of yesterdays lunch at Kat and Rolands don't do it justice. Barbara was there being fed in the absence of Micheal who is partying with Ole-Bendik in Spain; oh dear oh dear, candles lit for safe return.

loose artists

Kat and Margaret and I occasionally bunk off to draw en plien air, unless the weather is inclement in which  case lunch is the main attraction. It being sunny but with a bitterly cold wind, we lunched early at the Bistro des Amis at Rennes le Chateau - a favourite -  and waited happily till the wind dropped. 

The tiny Jonquills are just coming out on the plateau.

There is snow on the mountains.

 

Few tourists yet and a real sense of spring... lovely day.

 

Sunshine day

 Beautiful Regina at lunch yesterday... she and Dougie fed me in their garden, where the sun always shines and the food and conversation are brilliant :) Love you guys xxxx

Credit Agricole AGM

Looks more like a prayer meeting than an AGM, but it was in fact last night when Credit Agricole explained themselves to their punters at the Centre Cultural.

Most interesting! They seem decent enough; promoting renewable energy, fundraising for the Resto au coeur (=food bank), aiding artisanal industries. Daft not to, of course.

To lure us into the AGM they host a splendid buffet which we were admitted to after a couple of hours of speeches. 

Looked splendid! There was ONE veggie option, sigh, but that was nice (from the Tibetan takeaway) and loads of wonderful local wine which alas, I have forsworn. 

Claudine checking the beer

Oysters!

Respect to them... for bankers to engage with their clientele in this way takes some bottle.

 

the week so far

Sundays' market was pretty wet and subsequently short. Always feel cheated when that happens... but cheered up when John and Margaret Matthews came to dinner last night. Very selfishly didn't invite other friends but hugged them to myself - its been a  while since we could talk together.

(They got salad chevre chaud, roast potatoes, purple cabbage, mushrooms and a tart chevre et epinards from the 8a8, followed by an apple pie they had the sense to bring with them.)

When they left it was raining but today has brightened up, sunshine is flashing about the place.

 

Avizandum

 Missed many photo opportunities yesterday morning, as the sun (briefly) shone. I'd joined Mike for a coffee at le Pont - in my absence he'd fallen off his bike and bruised his ribs, alas. Ole-Bendik joined us; he is planning his trip to Sevilla and its environs with Michael B.

 Louise and Norbert briefly hove up en route to Banyuls  where it is allegedly not raining. Then - glory! - the towns new fire engine sauntered past!! Much talk of the use of public money. So decided to check the new footpath...

....and there was the circus. Performances last night and tonight.

All a trifle lack lustre but I am thrilled to be back - the weather will improve (though not, it seems, today)

Claudine and I ate most happily at tout l'ap and afterwards took a stroll around town. All very quiet. Hope todays' market is a bit friskier :) 

Esperazas antimacassors mistresss

 

Phil gave us very fine electric tout comfort chair; for the elderly and infirm this is a blessing. It is upholstered in a soft silver grey plush -  for a parrot evidently  delicious.

Here is Bev from La Vie Vintage, measuring for elastic sided antimacassars which will at least keep Rico from chewing it to bits.