Le Healthy Life

 Here's our Kat! Last night at Le Healthy...

She ate roasted camembert with complications whilst Bob and I braved the burgers - mine featured duck and other delights -  we were well fed :) 

Max is still trapped in Georgia where it isn't cold and there are lots of interesting things to see. Suggested to him that we should visit as he's stuck for at least another week but he sounds curiously glum at the prospect.

Cepes season

 ...That big one is the size of my hand - actually a bit bigger - and will need some serious attention, tomorrow :) Big thanks to the foraging neighbours xxx

Empty chair

 Matt has returned to York, alas - missing him - and pleased to see that 'Chez Nous' have a waiting chair in their forecourt.

'Chez Nous' was the hip café in the day.  It was kept on for the retired mother to pass to her children - then grandchildren - then she surrendered to the inevitable and sold her liquor licence. It never functioned as a café since I've lived here BUT in the protect-the-licence times she was obliged to annually open the doors. This was done with great secrecy. However... Therese (of blessed memory) came running to me one day when she'd caught it open and she dragged me in. Fantastic! Juke box fully stocked, bar and glasses in place; classic.

Arm chair something of a mystery though.

Sundays market impressed Matt...

He liked the bar too, we went there a couple of nights for apero and enjoyed it hugely. Tres francais; quite different from english pubs where there are comfortable chairs :)

Updates...

 ...continuing tourism and gormandising! 

Yesterday, wild boar at the Pont;

Today at Carcassonne:  Wokland! Delighted that my brother enjoys it as much as l do. We ate mightily.

And the basilica at the old city:

Here is our mothers patron saint, St Anthony of Padua, with an Elastoplast on his finger - and below, St Roche playing the air guitar.

Chief update though is a report from Max saying that he has a flight booked for home on the 14th. Too slow for him but not something that can be rushed. 

New House

Phil and Siggi were sweet enough to feed me and Mat last night, in their new home. 

Despite the wallpaper they are getting it firmly under control. 

Kitchen works!! Chicken and cashews, raspberry tart. 

Lots and lots of music.

Lovely evening.

 

Esperaza boy racers

Its raining!! Earth, river and snails rejoice!

Yesterday was cloudy but dry so Mat and I set off downriver to collect parrot perches from the banks of the Aude. En route; behold! Olle-Bendik on new and majestic throne.

Parrot perches

 

In the evening we went to le Pont where many friends were amassed to (successfully) clarify world affairs. 

Today is raining quite a lot so walking is inhibited.

Some good news: Max continues to recover and has a vision of working out in a gym when he gets home - in around 10 days -

and the central heating engineer came when he said he would and fixed the central heating. Just in time :)

Tuesdays travels

Limoux continues to charm

 .... so it all made sense at the time. Mat and I thought we'd go to Carcassonne - he hasn't been to La cite since the kids were little so a mature view was called for. Rather then hanging around waiting for the bus, we started a stroll. Then saw that there was a bus in the opposite direction, to Axat. Change of plan.

The Axat bus only goes as far as Quillan in the school holidays (we're in half term) but since we were there we splashed out the euro apiece and went to Quillan. Where everything was shut, including their interesting little church. We breakfasted at the Terminus and caught the bus to Carcassonne.

Which went to Limoux. There were no trains to Carcassonne and the bus was cancelled as the driver had gone on holiday. The next was a few hours away so we decided to explore Limoux.

Church fab, lunch fab; we wandered about and in the course of wandering found ourselves back at the station - just as a previously unknown bus (unknown to us and the internet) arrived to Quillan. So back to Esperaza in time for tea...

Masonic presence in the church at Limoux

Knight in chain mail

Happy Saint with knife through throat

Lunch at the Grand Cafe (very good, as ever)

In the evening we ad some scary visitors.... (and Robin)

It is a national holiday so folk can put flowers on the family grave, so Mat and I will not attempt another odyssey - though the weather continues bright and sunny and we might risk a walk.