family fest

 John, Bobs brother, and his partner Jean arrived yesterday with Maddie, Jeans grandchild - so with Ziggy (the missing brother Phils widow) we tipped off to Couiza in the rain - had an excellent light show :) and far too much food. 

todays weather is keeping us guessing. Sunshine at the moment. 

bye bye for the moment

Angela Espinosa and Jon Walker heading to other places, alas...

and here's Garrick last night - he too has left us this morning. 

 We all meet again in September at the Metaphorum conference in Manchester UK.  We were entertained by many things last night, but this song may have won the round -

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BDXKO7-KC0&list=RD4BDXKO7-KC0&start_radio=1Stafford Beer

Later, in the bar...

People who are into Cybernetics will recognise that the real work of thinking happens when a group of people are relaxing together, hence the after-conference meetings in the bar - and last night, our visiting cyberneticians made the point well! 

Garrick Filewood, Angela Espinosa and John Walker have been whirlwinding round Europe filming a movie about my papa Stafford, who was born 100 years ago this year. They are staying here for a few days.

Our Gracie is already staying here and is not fazed by cybernetics; Fanny and Dom are Montazel inhabitants and already known within the group.

Gorgeous night!! Much joy in discovering connections -
  we'll be doing something very similar tonight, probably.

Charlottes birthday

Billy and Jo with the birthday babe

 

Rose and Ole-Bendik in the background 

Gordon, failing to evade camera

Clare, Atmo, Billy and Jo

Such a lovely evening. Many old friends happily chewing the cud together, or rather eating Charlottes delicious nibbles. She made guacamole in tiny cones, set in palettes; little burgers, veggy and animal; polenta fried with wild mushrooms; all washdown with blanquette from Ole-Bendik (thanks to Norbert!) And thanks to the PMU people who made us welcome -

Love this time of year. House martins and sand martins, swallows and swifts are sweeping the sky unless the buzzard family floats over when they all go quiet and hide. The river is still a bit fast for the regular birds, no herons, no kingfishers and no sign of the otter I saw a month back - the lizards and geckos are posing in  the sun - and town is quiet, hardly any traffic. Guessing that the May Day holiday has meant people going off for the long weekend. Enjoy!!

Love Fest

 

Teresa and Didier married yesterday - with an audience drawn from across the world - 

Christian

Teresa talking about marriage -

We were at the Domaine de Castillou, in the hills above Luc-sur-Aude. All this week the sun has shone. Just before the marriage party the rain started, which is regarded as luck in France - and at some point there was a rainbow.

Met some smashing people from Minnesota, much talk of politics and war.: fascinating. And many local mates of the artist variety, much gossip :)

This from the ceremony;

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To trust is to risk being broken.

But not to love or trust is to be already dead inside.

 

Sunday afternoon

 The mornings can be a little grey but they blossom... well, so far. None
of us know what's in store.

John playing an invisible clavichord

Lizzie and I had lunch (from Ruben) yesterday and Rushton popped in, followed by some entertaining Australians.  Lovely afternoon :)

Missed the vide grenier (everyone said it was merde, dealers and crottes), missed the harp festival, caught the market - life is good.

Frantically burying the bodies now, Bob due back tomorrow.

seven years

Maryann, Terry and Kaye

Maryanne and Kay were celebrating a seventh anniversary yesterday and invited the tribe to share their joy - fizz and feasting - much hilarity!

Norbert and Maryanne

Louise and Mike

Yvonne, Rose; Tim at the other end of the table!

Maryann, Terry, Kaye and Bev

Missed out posting many more photos of many of the other guests for various politick reasons. 

Our hosts were amazing, catering to the cantankerous among us and constantly making sure all were fed and watered... and that the conversation never faltered (as if!) Here's joy to their next seven years.
 

Peter Dunn turns 80 -

 Having battled ill-health for ages, Pete showed us how well he is nowadays... fabulous birthday party which I failed to photograph well, being over excited by it all -

I've made some pix black and white because it makes them look better but it was a very colourful night. (Pete was in red.) 

It was packed! Which was as well as there was a mighty amount of food and drink. Many friends old and new. Wish I'd been paying more attention and taken some better snaps!

Here Dom and Norbert join the birthday boy - Roy is out of shot - they've been practicing and it's paid off! FOUR of Petes kids were there and at least two performed with him. He must be exhausted today, though maybe not! His energy and joy de vivre seem inexhaustible.

Here is Lovely Lizzie Jackson, herself a musician, who enjoyed the family -

and a splash of colour from over Ziggies shoulder

La Ravito hits the spot

 Bob and I threw caution to the winds and lunched at La Ravito in Couisa yesterday. We are both agreed that the food, ambiance, space and all that is smashing - which is noteworthy as we rarely agree on anything :)
And look! Elaine...

,,, a treat to catch sight and catch up with the Montazels gossip xxx

Esperaza warm again

Look at which radiant granny turned up yesterday! Our Kells was on a flying visit to check out the little one and Margaret and John gave us all a celebratory lunch. Dead good. Here's an appreciative Father Matthews - Margaret evaded the camera by sticking to the kitchen.

The totally awful grey, wet and cold of the last two days has gone, hurrah, and sun has returned to Esperaza. The cafe Relais Occitan has built a fence, mysteriously.

 

April dinner

It's so warm!! Loving it all - and Gert and  Elizabet gave Kat and Roland and me and the Captain our traditional Easter feast on their terrace, where we watched the light change and the stars come out - magic!!

It seems we are heading for another weather change and not a good one, so enjoy the last of this spell -

 

Thursday in April -

Sad to say goodbye to Richard and Lynne, who have transformed our courtyard... so we went from coffee at the Argentinian café to the Tibetan takeaway which is a bit done-up and has new folk in charge. That did us for lunch. Hung about till Vox Vallis did their practice in the MJC and shared a meal with their appreciative public - great day :)

Vox Vallis

 

Lingering Immortal

 Ole-Bendik is 80something today - 85/6 maybe - and the tribe waylaid him in the station café. He was inundated with cards and gifts and generally fussed over, as befits the occasion. Those of us that are spared expect to be doing the same for the next decade.

Tibetans are back

 

Easter Monday

The other magic Norwegian in town... Katrine gave the tribe a remarkable meal under shade in her garden, all much appreciated; the friendship, the weather, the wine and the amazing cooking.

We're all a bit shocked, after weeks of grey wind'n'rain, to be  catapulted into summer -  no complaints, just forgotten how it works.

Richard and Lynne who have always come here in August, when the heat is intense, are revising their traditional schedule.

We spent the Sunday having lunch in the creperie with Richard and Lynne and Siggy and Laura, and the theologically curious went to mass in Couiza. The church is spectacular, restored within an inch of its life; not a centimetre unpainted; you can see how the folk of these parts thought a posh house should look. Glorious!! 

Here's Venus (we think) early evening on Easter Sunday. Just lovely.

changes in the air

This mornings sky...very cryptic

 

yesterdays brunch, the best British breakfast Ive seen in France - available at la Ravito in Couiza, next to the bus stop, before 12.00 (when lunch sittings start.) Claudine and l were most taken with the place. Run by a charming English woman of these parts, good menu and not too pricey. Lots of space so very comfortable!

Below is brunch from the day before at our own extraordinary Relais Occitan  in the square - Louise and Norbert -

and Kathy and Kenny!!! Whom we expect to see a lot more of, now they've bought a splendid house here.

Bob and I await the imminent arrival of Richard and Lynne, Bobs brother Johns son and wife.  So Id better get cracking....