RIP Frank Dunnett. d.20 02 2026

Frank left Esperaza with his (then) wife Liz in 2019, deaf to our pleas to get them to stay- 

they were a delight to be around and we shared many a meal, many an interesting conversation, many a merry evening.

Frank had the sweetest manners; we all know that Esperaza is the safest place one can imagine but he would insist on walking me home after many a riotous party. He and Liz were most kind to my appalling dog Lily too, knowing I was a vegetarian they'd keep bones for her. She adored Frank!

I visited them in the UK... here they are in Bexhill-on-Sea, where they'd relocated. Frank was a member of the yacht club and of course maintained his golf obsessions. He was well-known in Esperaza as the man who bought his wife a golf club he wanted for christmas. She didn't play.

Their divorce was a sadness but after 40-something years - and diverging interests - it arrived. 

Liz rang me today with the news of his passing and instructed me to let his old friends know.

                                                   All the best to her and to Franks family. 

 

Sun set last night

-not only beautiful but there were bats! Perhaps this endless winter has finally moved on. 
 

Early market

 Thick mist!! It'll be cleared, no doubt, when I go back for round #2 Below is Ruben, preparing our lunch. He's simultaneously hosting breakfast for the other stall holders, they take it in turns - wine, bread, cheese, pate. That's why they're always so cheerful :)

Day off in Carcassonne

 Most of France appears to be underwater which we've been spared. 

Again today, wind and rain.... so glad yesterday was sunny and hot because yesterday I bunked off with Rushton to the the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Carcassonne. We had a comfortable and ungormande lunch in the Place Gambeta and then tottered off to the show.

Here are the international artists showing a bit of work apiece, all of them new to me.

The work looked mostly familiar though, developing familiar themes... nice nonetheless.

One installation alone had an impact on me. By Yoann Ximenes and called Mantras, the artist had taken significant speeches from these times (and before), taken a copy of their soundwave patterns and translated that into hanging pieces, most ingeniously (layered circles of polystyrene), surprisingly beautiful.

 In case we missed the point, the actual speeches were broadcast in the gallery. Happy time trying to match speech to vision which made me suspect they were not an actual copy -  I've always been a pedant. Still worked as a sculpture and idea IMHO.

Speeches by Mandela, Churchill, Obama, de Gaulle,  Allende, Guevarra and the like - sound bites rather than speeches actually but enough -

Entry free, staff sweet, beautiful building (ex-monastery and old bank) Well worth a visit.

CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART - Office de tourisme de Carcassonne

PS just had a visit from a neighbour who has a friend who is having a vide maison, since his ma has gone into the maison de retrait. Forgot my camera! If you are yours are looking for good solid French furniture or any number of dinner services, lamps and so forth, you could do worse that contact Tim who is managing it for the family. Message Timothy Price on Fb.

consolations of a wet sunday

Not a lot of stalls in the market, what with impending rain and a bit of wind - hardly a patch on what we had been led to expect - Rushton and I had arranged to meet and were joined by Louise and Pete, below, and then Norbert... Nel is in recovery from her last treatment but doing fine.

Got home, where Pete was entertaining Bob... and offering a blessing :)

Water level of river down from yesterday and though the sky is grey, urgh, all is manageable. 

 

The rising Aude

 

Despite the flood alerts, the mighty Aude is only teasing...

Rain is forecast for the next WEEK! 

But as international world-famous traveller Max Johnson has been heard to remark, there is no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing. Dig out those wellies.

Forgot to photograph Thursday night which was brill, starting at the café du Pont  and evolving to La Chapaire where some of us had chicken in chestnut cream sauce, fantastic! What will they think of next. 

Discovered that the new tea and plant shop in Rue Gambetta (opposite the temporally defunct tout-la) does amazing cake, BTW. Recommended.

Erm... that's it. Enjoy the quiet.

esperaza red alert

 Poor old Heron having a hard time this morning - fast flowing water and a fierce wind, which blew it backwards when s/he tried to cross the river.

Apart from that... no trains between Carcassonne and Limoux until the fallen trees have been cleared (I daresay they'll be running buses...)

We're still on the reddest of alerts, which means all the emergency services are paying attention.

-erm, the sun has just come out!