Auberging

Here's Jim Hankinson, finally back in France after adventures rivalling Odysseus' voyages... we ate at  Rouvenac in the Auberge du Faby and enjoyed it no end. Slightly miffed that the Tour de France wasn't coming through Esperaza this year so didn't go to Quillan to watch them arrive - too hot, for one thing. Poor cyclists, poor mad cyclists...

 Enjoyed Friday nights incursion to Jean-Luc's tapas bar so much that we did it again last night. Today is market day - and it seems there is another vide grenier, can this be true? Will report back.

Friday calm

 After a  long and boring office day, Bob delighted me by agreeing to come to the tapas bar in Rue Gambetta. Apart from the obligatory TV screen and the accompanying noise, its marvellous to sit inside away from the smokers and have a chat; bit of tapas, bit of wine. C'est la vie.

Return of the old days

Apero in Toby and Leos garden last night... then as the gentle drops of rain became more enthusiastic, we moved into their astonishing house.

Our friends fed us and Clare and Pete  with their traditional panache :) and a great time was had by all.

Can it really be that life is returning to normal??
 

July 4th

Sundays' market... still fun, and rain intermittent. It was my birthday, marred by one of our little birds dying in the night (sniff) but enlivened by Bobs inviting a handful of neighbours round for a drink.  Here's my birthday portrait :) Happy Independence Day to all our transatlantic friends -

 ***Anyone in London? The late great Eileen Agar is on show at the Whitechapel gallery, at last a decent exhibition of her work - but also, and remarkably, there is a 1/12 scale model of the 1936 International Surrealists Exhibition on show - which has been made by Corella!!! We all remember Corella and Marcus and their gallery in Rennes les Bains with huge affection. Many congratulations to Corella.

Life eh

Our bin's back!! It got taken away to facilitate voting access at the MJC and me and the other elderly residents of this quarter had to walk some distance to elsewhere to dump the household rubbish - do we get 2 weeks off our rubbish collection tax bill, I hear you cry?- but its back and being feted with balloons. I feel it should be garlanded with flowers.

Here are old chums Richard and Alison Samuel, among the oldest friends I still have on planet. They took us to lunch yesterday at Bacchus which retains its charm, despite changes made in lockdown. Food still hearty and delicious. (gazpacho, chacuterie, gambas, banoffee) New terrace, big sunshade net.

 Sad news; found our littlest parrot Gabriel had died in the night. He'd been ailing for a while, never very strong. Will miss him though.

comings and goings...

 As restrictions get easier to manage, people are moving - and Margaret is with us again, unchanged and in good spirits. Only for 10 days so make the most... I got both breakfast and apero with her yesterday AND have fixed to sprint her away to paint in the hills.

Jutta, however, has gone to Germany for a month. Bah. Rumours abound about our other friends, Max? Gert? Fran?? Will we all recognise each other???

Bugs and sea

Anyone know what this little critter is? Seen several in the house and not sure if I should be alarmed... it looks like it should fly but it doesn't, just potters about. Perhaps its a metaphor.

Below is St Pierre la Mer where me, Peter Dunn, Claire Millar and Captain Harris passed a very agreeable day on Wednesday. 

After breakfasting at Mouthamet* where the little bakery has reopened with a new owner, after a couple of years darkness - the new owner BTW has lived in Bristol and when asked if he liked it replied mais oui, c'est pres Cardiff!! (Rugger, you get it) - drove happily on over the mountains to the favorite fish resturant. This below is the view from the restro.

Perhaps I should box clever and not tell you the name but actually I can't remember it... it's already well enough known, you must book, it is the best fish resturant on the coast. Those that had smoked salmon had a pave (=a lump), not slices - served with fennel ice cream. The swordfish was just perfect, a few impeccable vedg and potatoes boiled, halved and grilled. The crème caramel was a bowl of cream mixed with a few chopped pistachios, frozen and then grilled and burnt with the traditional caramel topping. Only complaint was that it was too big and of course we had to finish it-

   -There's more but I'm trying to avoid food porn.

Then we lay on the sand or paddled in  the sea, according to disposition. Lathered with anti-burn slap.

Slow journey home back over the mountains, pausing for tea at Gruissan village.

Esperaza didn't seem to notice we'd left.

*Opposite the bakery is the shrine to St Anne which features the statue of the saint hitting the virgin. It is now closed. It's dangerous and is being repaired. The statue is missing, presumed in church.