Rays birthday

 Ray is but a boy of 70 and shared his birthday with a select group last night - at Comme a la Maison (39 Ave de Carcassonne, seriously recommended.) Here he is, sorting clever camera...

Comme a la Maison have a little marquee in their garden where we feasted, blessedly moderately cool  - much blanquette flowed and the food was superb. They use only locally grown organic stuff. The salad which started the event was the best! Then it all got a bit hazy, to be honest. Though Ray made several of his famous cakes. Here are some random snaps :

Val

Derek

Fiona (Friend of Sallys, will be visiting again)

Rays speech - in two languages, with two meanings - one thanked the French friends for everything and the other leapt into the shambles that we call the British government :)

And last but not least, beautiful Sheila who has partnered Ray for these long years, wife and mother of his children; and last night not obliged to do the washing up :) 

Was struck - not for the first time - by the calibre and intelligence of our many friends. Should have lined them up and done a group shot as I missed photographing so many.