Less exciting Sunday market

Of course, rain never entirely stops the market but the forecast was bad and a lot of stall holders didn't show. Enough to chat with and wander around, so most pleasant - and the rain was only intermittent. 

Today is a national holiday to remember the dead of previous wars. 

Esperaza is deserted - no cars - its very like lockdown in the covid years. Lovely.

 

Thursday market excitement

 On Thursdays there is a market in the square - a fraction of the Sunday extravaganza- where fresh vedg are sold, some meat, new baked bread, that sort of thing. Robust clothes for women of a certain age, occasionally books, the wonderful cordonnier for fixing your shoes and cutting your keys. Very laid back and peopled with the gentle elderly, pottering about and gossiping.

Today the sun was shining and it boded well. But Linares, the newsagent, was closed. According to the sign this was due to an electricity cut.

And such it was. None of the shops had electricity and the Relais Occitan cafe could only provide bottles of beverage so the atmosphere was rather giddy and full of laughter.

Here's Clare wondering what to do without coffee.

 

What with the sunshine and carnival atmosphere it was all a bit jolly. I skulked a while and thought of the Pont cafe, where the electric was still on AND they had a pain au chocolate left.

----Despite it all, life is good.

 

FYI Francis Funeral

 

 

The funeral will be in the church tomorrow, Friday the 8th,  at 3.00.

Francis Dos Santos RIP

Most of the inhabitants of Esperaza knew Francis. He was kindly and charming and thoughtful and on the brink of retirement... heart-breaking, that after a life of hard work, back-breaking work, his life should end so suddenly. 

Francis was found in his field trapped under a tractor late Sunday night. The local papers say that his injuries were too severe to be survived.

I'independent says he was known for his kindness and helpfulness and indeed he was. We first knew him when he was quite new here, some 20 years ago; I didn't have much building French and neither did he, being Portuguese, but his English wasn't bad. He was a mason; having trained as an engineer/architect in Portugal he was incredibly useful. Looking at my home I see evidence of his work everywhere. 

 

He was also a lover of parrots.

Profound condolences to his family and to all those that mourn him.

Sundays revels

It's that time of year...

and the lovely sitar player was out again. Good market, if a little thin. 

The big bad news is that Jean-Luc at Tout-la is off on his hols - well merited but all our Wednesdays are disrupted.

Probably best to check with Roy but guessing it'll be the Pont that welcomes us for the interim.

 

appy alloween

 Rolands shoulder is rebuilt, safely, and he is has started his rehabilitation in Limoux. Kat sent the picture and as she remarked, only three more weeks and it'll be over. 

Toussaint being a public holiday was fairly noisy here, many children painted up to look ghastly and being marched about. Today much more pleasant. The captain and I have booked our christmas lunch at a table in Couiza, delighted with the notion... and for the moment we will live on lettuce.