Bieke

Bieke was heading back to Belgium this morning, congratulating herself on missing the air traffic controllers stike yesterday.
Unfortunately the radio was on on the bus... so she knew what was happening in Belgium as she headed towards it, worrying desperately about her family and her flight.
In the event the flight was fine and there was a special bus from Charleroi, 'all incredible well organised' she writes. Anxiety abounds but all well in her life. Phew.

Spent today in Carcassonne and had the pleasure of the company of our refugees on the journey. Papers are begining to come through and they are begining to be able to make decisions about their future. One young man of 26 years who was studying to be a lawyer in the Sudan is learning French so that he can return to university.

Ferren appeared at Limoux so the theological debate became enriched. It seems that The Prophet parted company with the Christians after the Council of Nicea (325AD) where the Christian relationship with God became trinitarian (that is, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit), contradicting the 'There is no God but God' maxim. Three Gods in one was two too many.

Thinking about it, the trinitarian structure was a response to the Arian heresy which as we all know figures large in the Cathar thinking of these parts. So perhaps the divisions amoung the peoples of the book is traceable to the Languedoc?

Or not.

creepiness

The night Margaret made this fish pie to entertain her friends at dinner, her Octi-pie,  Gracie had been making these matching fellows... an idea whose time had clearly come :)

Saturday Night plans

If Easter saturday hasn't yet been taken, come to Carcassonne for a jolly party:)

All most welcome.

For the french readers, here is a sweet article showing a couple of 'our' refugees talking with the schoolkids in Couiza - 

http://www.clg-bieules-couiza.ac-montpellier.fr/rencontre-entre-deux-refugies-et-les-eleves

Hanging in Carcassonne

5 Artistes de la Haute Vallee opens in Carcassonne next week, featuring me and Kat, Stephan and Chantal and Philippe (the prime mover); yesterday we hung the show and very interesting it is too.Vernissage Easter Saturday, details to follow - save the date:)

We had planned to go from there to Pomas and the Toques et Clocher but it was cold. Sissys that we are, we hung out in Carca instead and dined at St Gobains - where alas, the band was not playing. Another day.

Starting the weekend

This years chosen village for the Toques et Clochers is Pomas so this group of artists- Gracie, Kat and Margaret -  went there last night for the vernissage of the art show.

Bob has returned to the fold and he announced that the show is more of an anti-art show... by which you may tell that none of our friends won a prize.

Afterwards we fed at the creperie en masse, where we ran into Fiona and her Dad -

Today is the Tocques et Clochers in earnest, followed by Stan and Eddie playing at St Gobains.

Mark Lockett lives on. Report in full.

Mark has survived 60 years on planet earth. Allelujia!! He thought he was going out for a quiet meal with Kate and Ezra ...

..he was welcomed by the many sounds of Peter, Jack and Dave playing My Brother makes the Noises for the Talkies (a song much loved by Bonzo afficionados) (thats the Bonzo Dog Do Dah band if you are too young to know) 

We ate and drank and chattered -heres Dermot, the only Irishman in sight on this Paddys night- then The Few took the floor, being Frank, Ezra and William (geddit?), sons of musicians and really giving the oldies a run for their money. Excellent. Will seek their gigs out in future.

naturally Mark had to play with his son - before taking the drums to play with Stan, Kate and Eddie

 Then there was CAKE and more partying and more music

and things got blurred. Heres a nice pic of Christian waving.

Brilliantly organised, Kate. Did he really not know? Hard to keep so many people quiet in a so small a community - just goes to show how much Mark is loved

Misty morning

Rennes le Chateau this morning, floating on the mist - 

and here are the new owners of the PMU, Le Relais Occitan - Anique and her sons -