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. 

welcome visitors

 Our drab lives have been lit by the arrival of Bobs great nephew William and his sister Hannah. Great company!

And they brought bad weather, grey and wet - cool - very very happy here :)

of Mice and Breakfast

Charlotte and I were having an innocent coffee this morning when look who arrived.... Andy and Lou, hurrah! Would have stayed to chatter all morning had I not had a call from Electromanager, who were coming to examine our dreadfully ineffective washing machine.

( Well, it was effective at washing the floor but little else.)

The mice had feasted on our pipes... 

Can't recommend Electromanager enough, he's local (next to Intermarche) will sell you all your white goods and more importantly, come out and fix then when they're manque.

All this excitement meant I forgot to photograph Norbert and Louise who came for coffee. They are blossoming, take my word for it. Ditto Charlotte, who somehow never photographs.

 

chilly weekend

 Our very kindly friends Richard and Alison Samuel offered to collect us and drive us away for a cooling weekend by their swimming pool, nearly at Belpeche. What joy!

We stopped at Bastide-sur-l'hers for lunch on route.

This little dish is coquilles st jacques, very finely sliced into a marinade - we were all thrilled with our various plats, its clear the chef knows a thing or two :)

En route, we noticed that the heat wave was thinning and by the time we got to Peche Luna it was chilly. Some of us braved the pool - not Bob -  but then it was closed up for the weekend. Sigh.

After weeks of uncomfortable heat, all felt this was not fair. It stayed cold until we left. Now back in Esperaza, we swelter again.

However, we stopped off at the Cafe de Fa to cheer ourselves up and had a terrific meal there too -

here's a bit of Alisons fresh crab pasty, which was a great success. All happy! That little place goes from strength to strength; congratulations to the team there.

Too hot for me to go to the night market but hope all who go have fun -