covid advice

The advice in the health centre not really that useful as the  recorded message says that pressure is strong and to try another time, which is what the advertised website says too. No one in the medical business seems alarmed. Hang on and we'll get it.

Here is the Aude yesterday - mighty but not raging. The rain isn't letting up. This also will pass, sigh.

Heavenly activity

 Says it all, really - snapped from above the graveyard, direction Aileens house - can't see any mountains anywhere for clouds. Lovely in their way.

That was this morning, may have perked up since. 

I haven't.

Walking in Esperaza

Here is Ceri, already cleaning out her new home, where she and Atmo will live following the fire at their last one. Lovely bijou res.! Small but perfectly formed. Jo was there helping out and as we nattered Roland turned up with Atmo and a bed... Aiden (their son) and his friends have rented the house next door.  Walking these mean streets is a pleasure.

Didn't realise how poor this image of Carcassonne plus the snow-capped mountains was - snapped from the car - and now can't discover how to delete it. It was spectacular. Honest.

 

The days do merge....

I'm sure its the same for us all, this sameiness - sometimes it rains, sometimes it dosen't - yesterday Le Capt took me shopping at Aldis in Limoux! That was exciting. And today we are off to the hospital in Carcassonne where he will see the nice team who are (hopefully) going to say he's OK.

 Richard-in-Roumania and I had an exchange of messages yesterday about the visual differences between sunset and sunrise and how an artist might describe them. Here's todays sunrise seen from the square for him. But it might be sunset?? Except that I've just snapped it en route to the croissants, so it must be morning. Lalalala.

Walking without a dog

We'd been hoping to offer this creature a new home - Skippy, not Tim (though of course he is welcome anytime)  The Captain and I still miss our dreadful dog Lily and have been keeping half an eye open for a smaller, biddable version. Skippy seemed a perfect beastie. 

That is, until the boss parrot, Rico, saw him. Rico started growling, then barking and screaming, whilst doubling his size. Clearly he has history with dogs. Poor Skippy hid, trembling, behind Tim and the Captain and I realised our dog-loving days were over. Sniff.

Skippy is a rescue dog and still looking for a home if you have no parrots.

A dog less walk by the lake later...

 The market was much as ever in these sad days, bit of damp, quite a lot of sun, many friends out and about. 

The gossip is  grim though. Several friends and neighbours are infected with the virus. It is definitely in these mean streets.

Gossip is only gossip so there will be no naming of names - but here's wishing everyone well soon and the rest of us must start being more careful.

That said, we gave lunch to Kat and Roland and Robin on Saturday - plenty of spacing and no snogging -

The French government is convening on Weds and we can expect further confinements to be announced Thursday, it seems. Hey-ho. It's for our own good.

Hugs to all. Stay safe.

Esperaza famous

Thought I was hallucinating... but no, Espe was on breakfast TV. We are among the rural areas that have been forgotten when it comes to vaccine distribution. Our mayor, below, says we may have to travel to Quillan to get the shot. The badlands beckon-

below him is Michelle which is how come I noticed the broadcast, she was in her kitchen with other town notables. TOO thrilling! Last time the town hit the TV was when our murderer got caught (see blogs passim -)

 

Gossip central

Leaving the 8a8, centre of our universe, bumped into Aileen who has been missing for ages.

 We were catching up when Kat arrived (rubbish photo, sorry) 

Then the mighty Ole-Bendik hove up.

And Rose. Then Sally.

And others no doubt, at my age there is only so much I can recall.

We all bemoaned the lack of cafe but managed to trade info...the interesting bits not printable and the dull bits forgotten :)

 Heard from Susan, not happy with her apartment in Paris. We are all deeply sympathetic, ha. 

Maggie has sold her house in Rue St Saens - to an American and his daughter. It is currently let and the tenant will remain.

Bernt and Jutta have accepted that their home is just too big for the two of them. They used to BnB from it. It's got 5 bedrooms and has been done up most beautifully, plus pretty garden. Its for sale so that they can downsize...its under 200 grand and next to the chemist;  seize your chance!!

erm.... everyone well, basically. Except for Aileen who is heading to Toulouse for an op on her foot, scary in these days but needful. Good luck to her. 

early drinking only solution

 The captain and I took a trip to Luc-sur-aude yesterday and found it rather crowed -

many folk were visiting the solar paneled  park. Well, about 10 couples at the most but it felt busy, given how deserted it normally is up in the vineyards.

https://luc-sur-aude.fr/projets/parc-photovoltaique/

Beautiful, crisp clear day but cold - this pretty horse was frisking about like it was spring.

Later Kat and Roland came for apero and I forgot photos. Because our curfew in France starts at 6.00pm now we had to start drinking at 5.00, quelle horreur. 

mid jan and able to celebrate

 In these somewhat cruel days it seems unfair to be bragging about yesterdays' lunch - but it was delicious and there is not much we can do to change the fate of friends and allies who are not as fortunate as we are.

Et voila; Berndt (seen above) and Jutta did Norbert and Louise et petite moi proud yesterday. My photos of the others are unpublishable, due as usual to my enthusiasm overriding my technical abilities.

ALL the vedg we ate were grown by Berndt; only the salmon was brought in. So, tomato soup, fish pie, raspberries and ice-cream made for a well-balanced and healthy feast. It had been Jutta's birthday and today is Louise's, so a great deal to celebrate.

Todays market, oh dear. It is raining and it was sparse. I had the customary coffee outside the cafe and that's it, really.

Esperazadrama debris

It's bad, after the fire, but yesterday saw the Marie cleaning up and Atmo and Ceri and friends and family shifting stuff... and a gentle rain which began in the late hours and dispelled the smoke and ashes. 

 

Drama in Esperaza

At 8.00pm last night all the power went off. A brief rekkie revealed that there was a chimney fire at Atmo and Ceri's house necessitating the presence of some five fire-fighting engines - quite a show.

Naturally the road was closed. Below is the Carcassonne last bus being sent round the block.

 I got chased inside after that by the attendant gendarmes, since it was after curfew -

The heroic pompiers had to get on the roof and work late - such a comfort knowing they were there, fire would rip through these old places even if they are mostly built of stone -thanks to them and for restoring our power  around 11.30. 

 Of course we were in candle-lit beds by then and had to get up and switch off all the lights and appliances we didn't know were on. 

Hugs to Atmo and Ceri and the other residents of the house - and to Annie and Pete - no bones broken eh, that's the main thing.

Thursday shopping

Shopping here is so much fun. Thursday is the little market day so off I went, planning to drop of the recycling en route. My usual recycling point next to the church was full so I trotted down Rue des Jardins, where there is a large bin and where Derek lives. And lo!! Derek is back!

 Here he is, looking groovy and cool. 

And the news there is that he has taken Sally in - since he has a palace - and she has let her house for three years. Now read on.

Interesting story. She had a contract and a job, until the Covid/Brexit double whammy. But she had effectively moved out of the Maroc and now can't throw out her tenants. Billy and Jo had given her a roof;  Derek has more space and so she is sorted. Quelle bonne chance!!

As Derek said, we have to look out for each other in these times. How true.

Looks rather as if she has been put to work  but I think it was breakfast -

Other excitements: Rose is happy but bored, Ceri is good, there is a new estate agents where the old police station was (caught the mayor and staff being photographed outside for the local paper which  would itself have made a nice shot but too dozy to grab it ) 

AND The reason its hard to get taken on at the Health Centre is that Drs Coue and Baille have retired and not (yet) been replaced. Went there with new friends a few days ago and they were offered an intern as no-one else was available.

And so it goes....

Mondays highlights

Kat was the major highlight of yesterday  - dropped in to say hi and reported back to the remarkable Roland that our frigo had packed up. 

We pottered through the day, me and the Captain - and when we got back from the lake there was Roland on the doorstep with his toolkit. What a saint. 

He identified and addressed a blocked thermometer and the fridge is chattering away happily to itself again.

The lake was still frozen  but the defrost was in evidence everywhere. Thermostat unblocked perhaps :)

Sunday report

Tragic market... would have enjoyed it more had it not been rather dangerous, mushy slidy snow made for uneasy strolling. The highlight of my visit was a couple of cars driving around - resumably not all barriers were down - culminating in one heading up the side of New Kellys place and simply ramming the barrier. Which was down. At which point our local police person, who had been scattering spoonfulls of salt hither and thither, materialised and remonstrated. Had I not been frightened of slipping I'd have charged over to eavesdrop but...

And here is yesterdays visitor! Robin dropped in from next door. He is in fine form :) Todayit is not snowing and seems warmer...

snowbound -

- not really snowbound but it snowed and settled, gently. Doubly happy to see Norbert as we felt rather beleaguered. Here he is listening to Bob on Brexit and the future of the world. Have other bloggers had their mechanics altered lately? The editing here is now done in code and a lot of this is guesswork. Any passing techie will be welcomed. As indeed are any friends, we have room for decent distancing :) Other news; it seems as it is very cold, brrr, and electricity supplies are threatened again. This time on yesterdays TV they were suggesting that we do not power up our mobiles between the hours of 8am and 1.00pm which are peak demand times. Seems improbable. Off to market - if there is one - to see what the world is doing, will report back.

Day out

Took this outside the BeauxArts in Carcassonne - clearly Ryan air are functioning, if nothing else!

So; the visitor to Carca will find cafes and restros closed (and the Beaux Arts). It is easy to buy food at lunch time as the restros are selling in plastic boxes from their entrances and the wonderful sushi shop from their counter. What you aint got is anywhere to sit and eat it. I found benches behind the covered market but there are bus stops and, nearer the old town, parks a-plenty. In the covered market I caught the tail end of the trading and managed to get a triple expresso from a stand as the traders packed up and drank wine, complaining about the state of the town. It's all over, they think.Finished. It is pretty empty. Curious about what the French consider essential supplies.... yes, Monoprix, of course- but the jewelry shops? The beauty parlours? All the cheap clothes stores are open too. Resisted them. They just don't have the class of the Sunday markets' fripperie.

Heres the healing virgin from the old bridge. I lit a candle for all our ill mates. She looks like she might work it...

Mystery fairy

Mille mercis!! Whoever left these flapjacks on the letterbox is indeed an angel.

January in Esperaza

The footbridge in the icy frost this morning - and roadworks on Rue Gambetta. More cable laying. Erm, thats it -

Tobys garden wall...

 It's both settled, settling and snowing whilst thawing. Madness !!!!

Esperaza in winter

Woke to snow - not too disturbing, just with that wonderful calm quietude that comes with it. We are warm and cosy and thankful.

Here's a snap from yesterdays market which (again) has a different character from others. No tourists, fewer stalls, many friends and neighbours out - drinking around the wine stall, taking coffee from the cafe du Pont to drink in the street - singing and much chatter. Our British mates  were outside Roy and Jo's mostly, at least thats where I uncovered a clump :) 

Here is Tim - without Gracie ('Hopalong') who is growing-in her new hip - talking with Monseigneur Plion, a major theologian in our town.

 

Mick Bolton R.I.P

 So very sad to learn from Ian that his brother has died. He passed away in his sleep in the early hours of the new year. He was a musician of the legendary variety. Even if you don't know the name, you may well have heard him; Mott the Hoople,  Paul Brady and other classic bands de nos jours.

Here's his biography, written in his self-depreciating style - he was a shy man and very lovable.

https://www.mickboltonmusic.co.uk/biography/

                   Hugs to Ian, his sisters Angela and Helen and to all of Micks family. 

Boding well

If the first day of the year is a good guide for the future, we are doing pretty well. 

Susan arranged an apero for friends which of course had to end before curfew and nearly did. We all ran to our various homes in company with a deal of the town; much giggling abounded. No sign of curfew police. Anyone out there been pulled?

Above are Susan, Rose, the Captain, Louise and a mysterious hooded man. Was the game to guess which element each represents? I forget. Below is our gracious hostess who worked tirelessly to force alcohol and snacks on us all. Magic.

Earlier in the day Le Capt and I went to the lake at Quillan, aka le park St Bertrand - hardly anyone around (a few dog walkers)  - quite lovely, stunning indeed. Tried to paint but the cold bit my fingers.

Cant resist sharing Ole-Bendiks new years email;

 Well, we are already more than 12 hours into the new year here in France and  I just got up, looked around and everything looked the same as  before.  The Power of Change,  has it got no sense of timing? When the bells  toll 12 on New Years Eve he/she should be riding in on the soundwaves as were they Apocalyptic horses; because that is what we are waiting for, isn't it? The great cataclysm that will put an end to all this anxiety and fear and doubt  and clear  a space for a new chemin to open towards a new future, one we we can start walking without carrying  the accumulated burden  of three million (?) years of human existence. 

But no, nothing has changed, and if The Power of Change  thinks that by 'Bidening' his time, things are going to change, he has not only lost his cue, but also lost the clue, for " the people- ah, the people - They that dwell up in the steeple,

 All alone,

and who tolling, tolling,tolling,

 In that muffled monotone,

  ( they) feel a glory in so rolling 

On the human heart a stone- 

(For) they are neither man nor woman-

 They are neither  brute not human -THEY ARE GHOULS 

(as my illustrious predecessor E.A. Poe so eloquently put it) 

 

But while still waiting for the reticent Power of Change to make an appearance, I wish all of you (us) the necessary power to cling on to this life ( as it is the only one we have got) until the bells again toll 12  in twelve months time and the Power of Change hopefully has got his act together. 

---to which one can only add, amen!! Hang on in there y'all -

2021 in Esperaza

This was sweetly arranged by the recycling point this morning - empty calendars, dead Christmas tree. Years go by. La de dah. 

Brexit? Covid? These also will pass.

I asked a French friend (who just rang to wish us a happy new year) what he had to eat last night. Oh nothing, he said. Nothing??? Just a bit of fois gras and some minionette gateaux.

LOVE France.

Heres Ans, snapped yesterday in her splendid mask. Her news is that she has sold her Esperaza house and will go back to live in Holland in March, alas. Her garden too is bedevilled by the wild boars - they have eaten all her walnuts. When the current herd are finally shot by the chasse they will be delicious :)

Mention of the hunt reminds me; knowing that La Chasse are responsible for damage caused by the boar l tried to find out if we can claim for our destroyed and lost crops. It seems that they are only insured - and able to pay out - for the actual days of the hunt, that is Wednesdays and the weekends. Days when the boar go back to the forest, naturally. Not sure how one may prove damage on particular days. Working on it though.

Et voila! Greeting and all the best for 2021 from my chaotic home to yours... may this year bring global peace, individual enlightenment, communal joy.