Dates

Here's one for the diary!! Barbara exhibiting her beautiful pots in Bram. 

And here's one to ponder - Tony Williams, who is plotting the Hat Festival for Esperaza. Exciting days -

This is NOT Esperaza - :) - me and Margaret were driven by Kat to Carcassonne yesterday, where we hung out in the all-but deserted cathedral. It's out of season and it was raining so we had the pleasure of the place to ourselves... plus the empty town. Managed to get a lunch from one of those little places that are dotted about, not bad and at any rate open; thence to a spot of shopping and hot chocolate in Limoux, at the Grand café which has had a bit of a make-over in time to be trashed by the carnival. That started on Saturday.

Lovely having a day out with les filles...

Hanging in the Tibetan takeaway

 

Auschwitz and the Aude

 Today is the 80th year since the liberation of Auschwitz. Somewhat sombrely, I wandered about town, thinking of the past...

This is by the bus stop, opposite the train station - a leaving place for those who died for being Jewish or for being in the resistance.  Elie Sermet was in the resistance as well as being a force in the unions - he died in the concentration camp in Dora-Mittelbau- still remembered in the street name here.

it's illegal in France to flaunt religious identifiers but this looks very like a star of David to me...

...No idea if it's significant - it's at the side of the town hall - 

When I arrived here the old people I got to know told me not to mention the war. We were all collaborators, I was told. It was the only way to survive the occupation. 

One of my friends saw her father interred at the end of the war for collaboration with the Nazis; another had to watch as her father, (the mayor) together with the butcher were obliged to accompany the German Commandant as he lead his men to Carcassonne. There's only one road, alongside the river; an obvious spot for ambushes. Flanked by the mayor and the butcher, both loved locally, the Commandant was indeed safe. There was an ambush though and many died - including the young American whose grave and memorial is just by the Alet les Bains exit. 

Such sad times.

                        *******************

Yesterdays market: cold, but so beautiful! My photos don't bring it out. The trees had drops of rain hanging  on them which looked like diamonds when the sun hit - as I came to the market by way of the new bridge, it took my breath away.

Photos don't get it at all... just assume that the whole of that frippery end of the market looked like Disney had blessed it!

Burns night in the Aude

 No idea how often Burns night is celebrated here but I propose it should be done more often. Not that I have any attachment to his incomprehensible poetry but the food traditionally associated is pretty good. Margaret did us proud last night; a coquilles St Jacques starter then haggis burger with creamed potatoes and  neeps and a raspberry thing. And Whiskey. 

John declaimed a load of the poems and we, Mike and I, thanked him nicely and left. A great evening! Och aye, ahem.

another cafe, another view -

 The view from the cafe by the station yesterday - heavy machinery merrily blocking the road as the school is being repaired.

All quiet here otherwise... 

Full house

 Comme si Nous, l'assemblee des clairieres, entertained the town last night with the odd story of the disappearance of a coachload of  children, a choir, in 1999. It was presented as a detective story, what happened day by day after the unaccountable disappearance- formal, like a classic Greek theatre - and definitely surreal! Great masks.

Dear Claudine alerted me to it... but many friends and neighbours were there at the MJC, a happy throng :)

chill in Esperaza

The view from the cafe, yesterday - not too  cold, felt able to sit with friends and catch up on the medical news hereabouts. Which is in itself chilling. Amazing how much medical knowledge one acquires, almost by osmosis...  
 

Montpellier trip

 Sunset snapped coming from Montpelier last night,  boding well for today with luck - and below, an Odile Redon painting of Orpheus spotted in the Fabre Museum, house of endless delight.

Went with Lizzie Jackson, fabulous travelling companion - here at lunch in a crepe bar near the museum which was almost as good as Esperazas creperie, but significantly different in that it was open.

Wonderful day out.

yes, its cold...

 ...so time to ignore the plummeted temps and focus on the fact that the sky is blue and -provided you stay indoors- all is well!

Here are Sundays glamourous visitors, Peter Dunn; and Di his divine daughter...

That's it, really - except that the school is shrouded in scaffolding so a footpath has disappeared and Rue Gambetta is closed to traffic as the house on the corner has major works done. It's open sometimes, confusingly: closed when workmen are working.

Fine Living at St Hillarie

The very wonderful Lizzie Jackson gave us christmas lunch yesterday, since circumstances had prevented us doing it on the day. Smoked salmon, turkey and trimmings, cheese, christmas pudding and yes, brandy butter (my sole contribution)

She is such a hedonist!!
We drank my favourite red wine and a white hitherto unknown to me, from La Serpent. Unusual taste, very oaky, subtle back flavours. Will be demanding friends from La Serpent to find a supplier.

Thursdays excitements

 

You may may have to trust me on this one... kingfisher preening in the mighty Aude, this morning! Never seen such a thing before. Usually it's an iridescent blue arrow shooting along the the rivers flow. This morning s/he settled on the stick and tidied the feathers, starting at the ridiculously burnt orange chest, and twirling to do the back and wings. VERY long beak. Gorgeous, was thrilled to my twitchers' core.  

Later, saw a Pyrenean Blue Bee - out early - and most welcome, they were scarce last year. Blue skies attracting blue critters?

Saw humans too. For the last two days have failed to get decent photos - last nights excellent and highly convivial evening at Toutla being a case in point, most of the tribe being there - and at Samuels at tea time - and the day before of Jamsie, who is briefly here. Looking most photogenic. 

---Though you'll have to trust me on this one too. 

gallettery

 At this time of year, we are forced to eat Galette des Rois, allegedly to celebrate the arrival or possibly departure of the wise kings at the birth of the savoir, or to acknowledge the supremacy of the Sun, depending on your culture.

Thin leaves of puff pastry stuffed with almond cream (frangipane) - what could possibly go wrong? It's quite serious here, with 'blind' tastings between manufactured ones and artisanal ones. They come with a paper crown, which the eater who gets the 'feve ' has to wear. In they olden days a feve was literally a bean but nowadays it's a little porcelain statue. Can be anything, depending on point of origin... a film star or something pertaining to the christmas story. It's in the cake, somewhere - watch out for your teeth.

The top pasty level is cut either with a leaf pattern or rays-of-sun pattern. Here's my feve...

There are people who collect these things; and I confess, there are many dotted about our house. 

Sunday's market was thin on the ground - lots of people but not many stalls. Fruit and vedge especially lacking though Geraldine of Verdier and sons was doing duty, bless her - didn't snap her but here's her view - and Mamadou. looking glamorous - and a strange image emerging from the advertising column.

Other news; La Chapaire continues closed, as do all the other restaurants in town and ha! a sign to the 'arts'  centre.

Met many other friends at the market whose photos I will not embarrass them with and chatted lots-  though alas, it is matters medical that concern us all these days. Still quite exciting though :)

Philosophers Lunch

Jim Hankinson joined us for lunch, which (in his honour) was a takeaway from the Tibetans. Not that he is especially fond of Tibetan food but that I thought he deserved better than my cooking. And I was right, he deserved much much better! (The Tibetan nosh was smashing, as ever -)

I'm sure I've mentioned - probably somewhat obsessively - that I'm writing a book on what we know about death. This involves a lot of philosophical research, about which I was far from confident. Jim is a professional philosopher and a field leader and how lucky are we to know him!! 

You can guess from my tone that I haven't been shot down in flames.

Thoroughly enjoyed my seminar and the general chat. All most encouraging. 

The other news is that Barbara Jackson, Larrys widow and friend of many of us older denizens, has written; a few days short of her 93 birthday, she says. She sounds in very fine fettle (twice broken arm healing well)  and send love to Esperaza... we remember their time with us with deep affection :) Happy days.
 

Happy 2025 to all!

 And here we go again, another year in our necklaces...

Bob and I did the usual for new years eve -  went to bed at 10.00pm and hoped there wouldn't be any fireworks. In the event there were, as youngsters raced about with crackers and the like, but we were asleep and didn't hear them. 

Wandered to this mornings market and found it totally absent; quelle shock! Met Claudine, Norbert, Clare John M., (in that order)  and possibly others, all well, all bemoaning the missing market.  

But there is some news...

You can dump your tree behind the church, until the 14th. 

Erm, that's it, really. Enjoy what's left of the holidays