Roaming free

The Thursday market... charming as ever. Was surprised en route by how many of our labyrinthine streets are closed off; when I went to photograph the latter snap a big SAUR worker charged up to shout at me that photos are forbidden. I showed him the picture and asked, why?  He just repeated that it was prohibited.

If you enlarge the picture and zoom in you can see him, should you want to. Can't imagine what SAUR have against random pix. 

In the meantime, at the maison de retrait, noisy sheep roam wild.

Life is weird innit.

Much beauty in Esperaza

This mornings beautiful sunrise over Rennes le Chateau... 

and yesterdays beautiful visitor.

 Our Kells dropped in with the excellent news that grandmahood is looming - 

 

Lou, the son-and-heir, Andy

Look who's in town!! Gave them a really poor dinner last night but hoping they'll come back anyway, if I promise not to feed them. Their time restricted by school hols., - and I thought parrots were a chain...

 

Madame Simonne Llena RIP

 Sad news on this beautiful day. Madame Llena has left us. Admittedly she was 97 but as bright as a button always... if you hold your phone to the pattern below you reach an electronic condolence book and leave a message for the family.

Snapped on the town hall wall. Science is amazing, eh.

This was taken 2 years ago after Madame took a tumble - that didn't slow her down much :)

++++++++++++++++

The big storm has past us by leaving no apparent damage though I believe neighbouring villages have lost a tree or two. The Mighty Aude is looking cheerful anyway.

Here's a random view behind the church.

Here's the church.

Eats in Esperaza

 Lunch at the packed Pont....

...very good, very noisy, very young and lively. That's why we all look stunned. Bob anyway (Yes he's back) Di still a girl as is Siggi -- they can cope.

Weather still lovely if a bit  colder than of recent days... saw 4 shags heading up river yesterday. 

MoMos in Quillan

Momos at the Tibetan's, a perfect lunch...
 

Claudine (below, telling me not to take photos haha) invited me for shopping in Quillan and we made a fine fist of it - at least I did, I'd forgotten retail therapy.

Started at Terre Mere (by the abattoir on the cemetery road) for much needed organic bits and bobs thence to a new brocante place in aid a worthy charity on the road into the centre  ( I got a large glass cheese dish cover which is actually useful)  

Found my winter shoes. The shoe shop has been taken over by the son of the previous guy and he is as insightful and agreeable as his father. The previous winter shoes lasted three years after the last seasons slight repair and I expect this pair to outlive me.

We had coffee at the van which does the best coffee ever, though you must wait - I shall be waiting by it in Esperaza market shortly :)

Really enjoyed the market - where many stalls are the ones that can be seen weekly in Esperaza- friends and usual suspects were floating about.  

Totally failed to get Bobs christmas present

Anyone going to Esperaza today might like to know that there is a vide grenier at 4 Rue d'arc, a real one where the old grange has been opened and all its stuff left to browse, cheap. The enormous house and attached shop is for sale too, a sweet project for someone ...

Enough chat. Off to market.

beautiful thursday

 The little market was in full swing this morning, great for the fruit and vedg., key-cutting and boot mending, pizzas, cakes, clothes, jewellery and - oh la - antiques. 

And great for gossip too, many mates out and about.

Bob joined me for breakfast on a video call. Here are the coffee and croissant from the Argentinian café. 

Yum.

Great Weds night at Tout-la last night, many absences  but also many not.

tragically quiet

 Andy and Max left yesterday. Overwhelmed with tristesse, I forgot the photo; so here's this mornings sun burning off the mist and yesterdays kingfisher.

classic sunday

 The market was crowded but agreeable; I managed several turns before flaking out. And there was...

-Msr and Madame Rushton, looking happy to be back together again (Clare been grandma'ing and that in the UK)

bitter sweet

 It's hard to say goodbye but a pleasure to welcome the new. La Pierre Lys has been sold. Madame Rullac has handed the baton to Thuy and Michel Bouix. Max and Andy, Jude and moi went to check it out...

... the food was as excellent as ever, phew, but we were the only guests. Get down there and support our local treasure!!

A classic of French design and ambition. :) 

Esperaza Tuesday cont.

We watched the sunset from Gert and Elizabet's terrace, apero'ing and cooing with delight at the bats that were areobaticalling...magic!

Our friends fed and entertained us, bless them - avocado and prawns, grilled pork chops, air-fried chip potatoes, salad, cheese and a meringue and ice cream thing of huge  calorific content. Yum.  

Gert photographed us leaving, under the full moon - smashing night :)

Gracie left us this morning, I was too bereft to take a last photo. Max and Andy have arrived... off to Tout-la now. 

Research

 Claudine and I ate at La Pont in the interests of research. It's tough, but someone has to do it.

We had the Plat du Jour which was pork and pommes dauphine and stuff.... excellent!

Continuing the questing, I had pud - fromage blanc whipped up with fruit, dusted with speculos  - marvellous! We had no wine so we were good really. The Plat du jour is just under 15 euros, pud just under 5 more, coffee thrown in. As it were. Will be back ASAP.

Signs of Autumn by the river

80 and going strong

 Mike  and his family last night... they're all off to Ibiza next to continue the celebrations. Exhausting.

price shock horror

 The price of a two-bus trip to Carcassonne has risen to 2 euros!!

(Actually the trip might be one bus or a bus and a train, depending on several factors. Which you'll only discover at the time by doing the trip)

Yesterdays chaos was amplified by both Limoux station and Carcassonne stations bus stops being inaccessible. Due to 'perturbations'. 

Other than all that - and Carcassonne having had some sort of make-over so you can't find anything - it was a good day out.

It seems that 2 euros is still good value.

Just say no

 Spent some time yesterday doing a spot of research in the towns funeral parlours. 

Burying people is a business and you'd think it would be easy to find out what it cost. The first I visited, in the square, seemed amazed that I was asking questions. They either buried you or burnt you; which did I want? I said that depended on the cost. That in turn depends on many factors, non of which he was apparently willing to talk about. It could be that their head office in Couiza had a list of services but all he'd say was that a mid-range prospective maybe all-in funeral was a 100 short of 5 grand.*

The next, opposite le chapaire, was more forthcoming and made me two devis, one for an inhumation and one for a cremation. She also let me look at pictures of coffins. They don't do basket, organic coffins and to get one made of woven leaf-stuff would be very expensive which was a surprise, having seen them in London funerals. The other main surprise was that it was cheaper to be buried than to be burnt - 3,734.46E for burning, 3,507.70 E for a burial (plus around 150E for the passage to the church if a ceremony is to be held).* And of course the price of the land in the cemetery.

*Approx prices, of course -

Off to the town hall to ask for about a burial plot in the cemetery. And here's the clincher; there aren't any. It's full. What's a body to do, then? I was told to  ask around other communes, see if they have any room.

Time to advertise my book again, available on Amazon.fr or any Amazon platform. The trick, clearly, is to stay alive.

maybe a sequel called for; How to Enjoy your Funeral?

welcome

Behold, Julie Rouquette who is now running the Pont! How nice to have the cafe back, with the usual suspects littering its terrace... happy days.