raining, not

Here we are this morning after yesterdays rain... its unnerving when it rains because of the fear of flooding. Thursday (when the weather was lovely) went to Carcassonne by the magic of public transport and the trains between Limoux and Caca still can't run because of flood damage; the buses are fine but gave an alarming view of the vineyards  around St Hilarie which are crushed and covered in debris.
Coming home in the dark was especially freaky as you can see nothing except when the bus headlights picked out things like colanders, washing-up bowls, old bikes and so forth, scattered over the darkness. Bright plastic, shiny metal. The remains of peoples homes - felt so sad for those that lost everything.

Ah, yes. The reason I was coming home in the dark is because the timetable has secretly changed. The advertised 4.00 return bus in fact runs some time before 3.30 and the next is at nearly 7.00pm. Check everything if taking advantage of the 1 euro trip, which remains the same and the best value in the Aude.

shocks abound...

Went to Rest'o'Vale last night with Tim and Gracie and found half the known world already there - in shock at the news of Mike, who is alright. Which is more than can be said for the Mercedes that hit him on his motorbike at Limoux yesterday.
More on this anon, but you can imagine after Tobys terrible crash we are all rather jumpy on the subject.
Here's dawn, silvery rather than grey ....

Diary date

 Lets not miss this - next Sunday from 10 - 7.pm. Not only will it be enchanting but the money raised gets Lizeas family to the states for her treatment.
Yesterdays Sunday was lovely, good weather, good mates... heres a snap from inside Cafe du Pont.

 And here is Quillan from up the hill, where we went in the afto after we failed to see the expo  in Rouvanac, which had already closed.

 The eagle-eyed will see that I managed to snap a dragon - can't think what else that black shape can be. Of course at this time there are plenty in the hills popping out for a late feed before hibernating.

Official photos

 Roland has sent his photos of last night and here are a few l especially liked...above are the full contingent with Kat hiding behind Jutta.

Jutta 

Bieke 

Field Fare

 Last night was the occasionally annual feast of the fields' gardeners. There is a great team there now, German, English, Belgium and French, all grafting away organically to produce brill vedg. Above is the Captain addressing Bieke and Roland, Louise and Wilhelm and Kat - and off pic Bernht, Jutta and Norbert.
Roland took  the official commemorative photos of the evening which we await, Roland :)

Here is my only decent snap - of Bernht, who hosted the event with Jutta. Everyone bought a dish - (Bobs was an apple crumble with apples from the field) - and I assume I was not alone in eating too much. Walnuts from the garden featured in Kats salad and in Biekes brownies.The potato crop is now consumed. It was a bit late in the year for most of the crops but the winter huddling was a perfect.

We reflected fondly on Alecia and Ryan who laid out the field - to Jennys basic design - and remembered past workers. All are looking forward to Ryan and Alecia seeing how its all developed.

Scarcity and excess

 Saw this collection box in the Maire yesterday.
Eight-year-old Lizea has leukemia  and has had the treatment that France has to offer; the next stage has been made available to her in the USA.
The child wants her family with her and the fund is to raise money for them to fly over, get visas and insurance (and all that) and to have board and lodging.
Anyone who has been around childhood leukemia knows what this represents.... lets not send Christmas cards this year and give the dosh to her? Just a thought.

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Excessive eating and drinking yesterday (which really suits my general health) began at the Cafe du Pont, AKA 'Passe  Partout'. Gert and Elsbeth have been recommending it for ages so Kat and Roland, Claudine, Bob and I set off to be joined by Ole-Bendik who eats there twice a week anyway. Turns out we should have booked - Friday is a fish plat du jour and they need warning though other lunch times may be OK. They squeezed us in.

It is terrific - another little coup for Esperaza. The chef was trained at the Pierre Lys in Quillan and for a 12 euro menu you get a salad - v good- the plat, which yesterday was fillets of trout, with pasta and either fresh fruit salad or creme brule made in house. And a small caraf of wine.
Book on 0468 69 47 35. They don't do food in the evening or at weekends.

Margaret and John had invited us to dinner in the evening where Peter and Nel were also being feted. Voila, Nel invoking some absent deity :)

 Here's Peter, shot from the hip at the table and below him our fine hosts.

John has developed a halo. Mysteriously.


Today he is installing his new shed on the ashes of the old.

Here's hoping that Margaret will paint a phoenix on it.

And the Captain in Rasputin mode.

winter barricades

Here are Kelly and Bob putting in the winter windows yesterday. In the summer it really doesn't matter that the old ones don't close properly and allow for efficient movement of air; in the winter, we change the plan and seal them off. Works a treat.