Boum boum not

 Upheaval continues.

There are  those who think perpetual revolution is a good thing.

I do not; nor do the parrots.

Decent storm yesterday, plus another bunch of rain in the night - temps around 34 so not exactly comfy but a load better.

FranceInfo, reputable source, runs a piece today saying that yesterday the children of a recently deceased man in his sixties found radioactive pots of jam in his house. ( FranceInfo says three pots, other sources four, but I digress)

Twenty emergency firemen and two special mobile units that deal with chemical risks plus special help from Toulouse - two fire trucks, an ambulance and a special drone - came to La Place de l'Industrie and closed it off.

Inhabitants 100 meters around the site were evacuated as a precaution. Ingredients found; mercury and dioxide of thorium (that's radioactive) which are a chemical poison comparable to uranium and all the dangers that that offers. Glass optics, aeronautic bits, and hey, jam jars... our mayor says he was a physicist interested in quantum mechanics and was doing scientific experiments. All have been removed by the correct authorities and are safe. 

La Place de l'Industrie is home to the wonderful Radio Ballade and the studio where the Friday night artists hold life-drawing sessions. There's a yoga studio and various other worthy activities. Plus (it seems) a physics lab - Esperaza really is amazing :)

expulsions

Here is Bob keeping the parrots company in the garden.

Everyone has had to leave their familiar spaces as some changes are made which incur a barrel load of dust and debris.

Then they had to be expelled from the garden as a sudden rainstorm arrived:) Not sure where we are now. It's a full and exciting life, for sure.

 

sadness

 Babette has turned up - alas, no longer of this planet. Aileen thinks she copped a snake bite. She was discovered dead on a bed of waterlilies in the lake. 

Actually any of my dogs, long passed, would have benefitted from such a death.

Many commiserations to Aileen ---

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My family have gone off to Toulouse, thence to other pastures French. Pinning for them.

Matt, Tom and Paddy on our last evening together. Come back soon xxxx

stop press

Babette has gone missing, by the lake at Arques.

Anyone spotting her, please contact Aileen who is desperately worried. Babette is 16 and prone to senior moments but is much loved, well medicated and of course the matriarch of Aileens pack. 

 

Family summer

 William and Hanna Harris have just left for the airport, their visit over too soon - my brother Matt and his two boys have arrived and are here till tomorrow. It was a treat watching the young ones bonding.

Farewell dinner at the Poulet en velo last night, which was of course fun and a delight for those that hadn't been there before (we didn't tell them anything about it) Here's Tom snapping in the lake:

My meal was thin slices of marinated of beef with truffles and parmisan...

and here's this mornings brunch, after we'd waved goodbye to the Harris's, at La Ravido in Couiza;

Sorry, Harrises!! You were much missed!! Honest!!!!

night market, not

 The Monday night market was cancelled - much rejoicing here, we had a storm!! Sad not to eat at Ziads stall though, took this on Sunday when it was amazingly hot. Next week for Lebanese food then.

very fresh here. Bored by talking about the weather but little else matters in a small French village.

Everything changes

 Alet-les-Bains have been doing late nights at the pool on Fridays so we went there with our guests to round up a lively day - breakfast  at Couiza, La Ravito (naturally), then the tour of Rennes le Chateau after a spot of Limoux shopping. Evening snack at the little cabin by the pool.

Very pleasant to sit under the trees and not roast.

Today the kids are with their Aunty Ziggi, lake swimming and who knows what else...

...and tomorrow is the market. 

You might like to know that Esperazas post office has moved to what they call the summer time-table. Open Monday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 2.00 to 5.00.

You should also know that I bumped into Isabelle, late of Tout-la. Jean-Luc is OK, (she wiggled hand like a dying fish,) and sends love to us all.