Life in the Malepère

Gardening

2010-10-22T12:24:00.006+02:00

Since we have been in France, the lawn in the front garden has been taken over by moss and definitely need an overhaul.

Earlier this summer I met Jackie Hamblen at a book swap and she mentioned that she designed gardens. She came to look at the project and then gave us a wide variety of ideas to select from.

This week, after 2 days of digging and moving stones, she finished the work and we are really pleased with it. I can't wait for the grasses and lavender to grow to show off the full effect.

Thank you Jackie.

Foire de la Pomme du Vin, du Riz

2010-10-17T16:02:00.004+02:00

Aigues Vives should have held their Foire de la Pomme du Vin, du Riz last week, but due to the torrential rain that fell over the weekend it was postponed to this Sunday.

We went with the intention of buying apples for mincemeat for Christmas and seeing what was happening in our neighbouring village. As usual, there were lovely displays using the apples.

Unfortunately it didn’t seem as well attended as previous years, but this might be due to the change of date.

The Mole

2010-08-27T14:53:00.005+02:00

The cats have spent the last 3 days mesmerised by the soil underneath the hedge. They would sniff it, dig with two paws even get their shoulders deep into the soil. On a closer look we could sometimes see the earth moving – it had to be a mole!

At last yesterday, Mimi managed to extract it from the ground. It was quite a large mole. Bruno, not the gentleman, managed to snatch it from her. I don’t like seeing cats playing with their prey, so we thought we could catch it and transfer it to the field opposite.

By the time Richard had got a spade to pick it up and a bucket to put the mole in, it had begun to dig into the ground.

Richard tried to dig into the ground to stop it getting away but to no avail.

How can a mole, no bigger than the size of a hand, manage to burrow into the soil when it is too hard to get a spade in?

Incroyable!

The Black Madonna

2010-08-16T16:30:00.004+02:00

On 29th September 2007, Notre-Dame-de-Marceille in Limoux near Carcassonne was broken into and the famous Black Madonna, made of hard black wood, was decapitated and the cloak that covered her was stolen.

Until recently, visitors who came to the church could only see a photograph of the 12th Century Madonna and Child. Realising that the statue could not be repaired, the Communauté des Sœurs Bethléem near Pézenas appointed a sculpture to make an identical copy.

It is now possible to see the statue in the church, though for security reasons, is behind a heavy grille. The new Black Madonna has been made out of chestnut. Possibly the statue will be dressed in a replacement cloak at a later time.

Sporting Sunday

2010-07-12T15:20:00.012+02:00

Sunday was quite a big sporting day with The Tour de France, the British Grand Prix and the World Cup Final, but that is nothing compared to a Pétanque tournament in Arzens.

The whole thing started at 9:30. Each team consisted of three players and there were four teams in each pool. We played our three matches before lunch in the searing heat and it was pleasant to get under the shade of the trees.

When all the matches were completed, the apéros were brought out. I really love the smell (and taste) of Pastis, it is so typical of French holidays but I have learnt from past experience not to drink too much of it. I stick to the wine.

Lunch consisted of a BBQ picnic of sausages, merguez, poitrine and a wide range of salads. It was lovely, but only lasted 3 hours!

L'Equipe Rouge

The finals were completed in the afternoon. Richard and his team of experts won the Plate Final. We arrived home at 19:30, hot and dusty. After a quick dip in the pool and a fast forward of the Grand Prix, we watched Spain beat Holland.

It must be easy being a World Cup footballer. They only have to play for 120 minutes in cool evening temperatures, whereas our Pétanque took 10 hours, in 35 degrees heat and we only had 3 hours for apéros and lunch!!

Bruno's Adventures

2010-06-25T15:57:00.003+02:00

On Wednesday, by the time I usually give our cats their tea, there was no sign of Bruno. We hadn’t seen him since the morning but that was nothing new. As he still hadn’t arrived by bed time, I was getting a little concerned. I thought that he might come in during the night and jump on the bed as usual. As he still wasn’t there in the morning all sorts of ideas were going through my mind. We made some “Chat Perdu” flyers and stuck them on the bins, posted them in letter boxes on our road and put them in the boulangerie and tabac. We walked, cycled and drove around the lanes looking for him, with no success.

Our neighbour, Denis, came round just before dinner and said he thought he had heard something in his house. We went round armed with torch and cat biscuits but with no luck. We really thought that Bruno’s luck had run out.

Five o’clock this morning, Denis, rang our door bell. He had definitely seen him this time. After a further search, we found him hiding between a stack of boxes.

We brought him home and he trotted round the house unaware of the problem he had caused for the last two days.

That wasn’t enough for him. About 2 hours later, he had found a snake, (which had bitten his ear) and he and Mimi were playing with it on the grass. We hope that the snake wasn’t venomous. In spite of this he seems none the worse for his adventures.

Palm Trres

2010-06-19T13:43:00.003+02:00

The winter hasn’t been very kind to our palm trees and by the beginning of May all the branches were brown and obviously dead. We had been debating whether to cut them all off but were unsure as we had heard conflicting advice. Gradually as the weather has got warmer (relatively) tell-tale signs of new grow was beginning to peep out of the top. So biting the bullet and machete in hand, Richard has cut all the unsightly growth off. After numerous trips to the déchetterie the task is complete.

They now look like enormous paint brushes with green bristles!

By the way, does anyone know when Summer is going to start?

Cherry-time

2010-05-28T18:13:00.004+02:00

It's cherry time again!

There is something very satisfying than free food and today we picked a beautiful bowl of cherries from trees on our lane.

Snow in May

2010-05-04T12:49:00.002+02:00

This time last week we were swimming and sitting by the pool with temperatures in the high 20's. Today the thermometer on the car read -1 degree and it is sleeting here and snow is sticking on the hills! We have the fire on and having a roast for dinner. Please can we have our Summer back!

And the Beginning of Another

2010-05-02T10:36:00.008+02:00

As one season ends, another begins and Friday was the first night of the 2010 Pétanque season. We had succumbed to all the persuasion and joined this year. We provided the joining fee, Medical Certificates and photographs and duly turned up at 8:30. We handed over 4€ each and were given our number for the evening. Just like Fléchettes, at 9 o’clock we were allocated our teams.

Both Richard and I were with experienced players. It is all very well being told where to place the boule, but actually placing it there is quite different with divots, sand and stones to contend with!

During the course of the evening, we played 4 games. We hadn’t realised that there is prize money! For every game that one wins, you receive 2€, so it is possible to double your money in the evening. At half past twelve I took home 2€.

In spite of having a late night on Friday, I had to be up early Saturday morning as I was joining 10 other ladies to play in a boules competition. 1st May is Fête du Travail, or Labour Day, and the Comité Aude had organised a Journée de la Femme for ladies boules players.

My partner, Dany, and I were put with 4 other pairs and we began by having a skills test which were marked accordingly. Next we were asked questions on the rules of Pétanque. There was no way I was able answer these questions, so I left that to Dany. I only just knew the basic rudiments of the game not details of the rules.

Apéros and lunch was made and served by husbands and male committee members. After lunch we played 2 matches and the day finished by the prize giving to the winners Finally, everyone was given a sprig of Muget or Lily of the Valley, a flower that is given on 1st May and a small fridge magnet as a memento of the day.

The End of a Season

2010-04-25T16:29:00.013+02:00

Saturday was the last day of the 2009-2010 season of Les Fléchettes de la Malepère and to celebrate this, there was a tournament in the afternoon and a meal in the evening. Le tournoi was open to everyone, not just club members, and 32 people with ages ranging from 10 to 90 competed!

Gradually as the games progressed, players were eliminated and a winner was found. Albane Montagné beat the othe 3 finalists with a fantastic 2 dart finish.

The evening began with the presentation of trophies. Finalists and semi-finalists of the afternoon's tournament, all received a trophy and so did the winners of the regular club-night
season.

Gérard Baidal received his trophy for winning the most points this season. Albane won the most points for the ladies this year.

The repas began with the usual apéritif with dancing to a wide range of music between the courses. It is lovely to see the older children looking after the little ones, all having a lovely time.

I would like to thank Thierry Strittmatter and his team for organgising a super day to finish the season.

Roll on the Petanque season......

Soggy Moggy

2010-04-02T08:27:00.002+02:00

Just as we were going to bed last night, a very wet cat came in (and it wan't raining). Bruno had fallen in the pool! We don't know what happened but we could trace the evidence from the pool to the house.

I do hope he won't try it again once we put the pool cover on today.

Swimming Cats!

2010-03-30T17:56:00.006+02:00

Ever since we have aquired our kittens, Bruno has been fascinated with water, dripping taps, puddles, in fact anything.

Today we have opened up the pool and this is going to create a whole new adventure for him. I wonder if he will ever become a swimming cat?

Around and About

2010-03-15T14:12:00.007+01:00

The fourth covering of snow of the winter has finally gone. Let's hope that it was the last and spring can finally begin.

For those of you who do not know Arzens (and also for those of you who do), I have included a link from Google Maps which shows you around parts of our village. Click on the A and select "Street View". By clicking, dragging and moving along the line it is possible to see different views. If you want to see other parts of the village, click and drag the yellow "pegman" in the small map insert.

I hope that you enjoy looking around Arzens.

Snow in Arzens

2010-01-13T12:53:00.005+01:00

Icicles hang from M. et Mme Gol's house.

Skiers in the vineyards

Bruno enjoying the snow

A very snowy garden

2009-12-31T15:29:00.009+01:00

It doesn’t seem two weeks ago that it was impossible to drive along our road because of the snow. It was beautiful to see the countryside covered in a white blanket but it was treacherous to walk on. Our two kittens loved it, Bruno in particular. They chased the snowflakes and ploughed the snow into snowballs.

As our cats love climbing, we had a dilemma this year whether to buy a real Christmas tree or an artificial one. We opted for the latter and it was probably a good choice as we have had to retrieve Bruno from the top many times. He has even taken a liking to chewing the fairy lights!

Christmas has been busy with the usual Christmas preparations, parties and apéros. Our daughter Sally was able to join us for a few days at Christmas as Duncan was away with his regiment.

Carcassonne has again been holding La Magie de Noël. Since we have been here we have never ventured on the Grande Roue. As Sunday was such a glorious day, we decided to give it a go. It was absolutely fantastic. We could see the snow covered Pyrenees in the distance and the castle walls of the Cité.

2009 is finally coming to an end. We have had another lovely year in France. I hope that 2010 holds as much excitement, the highlight of which will be Sally and Duncan’s wedding in the summer.

I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! May 2010 be a good one.

The Hand of Henry

2009-11-20T19:43:00.003+01:00

You may find this amusing and addictive.

One Hundred and Eighty!

2009-11-01T08:22:00.006+01:00

Friday night is Flechettes night!

Since la Rentrée, we have gathered in the bowels of the foyer at 8:30 ready for a 9 o’clock start. The evening consists of 4 games of 501. The winner gets 4 points, 2nd place gets 3 points, 3rd gets 2 points and 1 point for 4th place. (Fortunately we don’t have to finish with a double otherwise we would be there all night!) This season there have been prizes donated by members of the group. There have been a variety so far ranging from home-made sanglier pate, a pizza from the van that comes to the village on a Friday night and last night the prizes were a bottle of sparkling wine for the person who came second and a bag of escargots as first prize. The amusing thing was that we had seen the man who had given the snails, collecting them in the lanes earlier in the week. I enjoy the snails that I buy from the shops, though I am not so sure I would be quite so confident cooking and eating ones gathered from the hedgerows. Anyhow, we didn't win but I must look out for a recipe just in case.

St Bruno's Day

2009-10-06T11:46:00.005+02:00

Today is St Bruno’s day and this gives me an very good excuse to show off our new kittens Bruno and Mimi.

Unfortunately we had to have our 12 year old cat put to sleep last month as she was suffering from a liver infection. Since then, the house had not been the same, so when the Carcassonne S.P.A. had an open day on Sunday, we decided to go and see if they had any kittens. We fell in love with them as soon as we saw them.

I had really forgoten how time-consuming (and adorable) kittens can be.

Wine Tasting

2009-08-29T17:37:00.007+02:00

We have just returned from a very pleasant afternoon sampling wines at Château de Cointes - one of our local vineyards

As we tasted a wide range of wines under the large pine trees, we were entertained by Jeff’H, who played a variety of Rock, Blues and Country music. It was a lovely setting with views over the vineyards and the Malepère Hills. Needless to say, the wine we liked the best was the most expensive!

Fête Locale

2009-08-28T17:40:00.007+02:00

The lorries and trailers that were here for the Fête Locale this week have finally left Arzens. The stage has been dismantled and everyone is getting ready for the Rentrée and vendange.

The fête ran its usual course. On Saturday we went to the repas at the Arzenais, which was Paëlla. It was lovely to meet 2 Irish families who were staying in the village and were taking part in the village activities.

Over the four evenings there were a variety of groups which followed meals or tapas at the Arzenais and apéros in front of the foyer. If you didn’t feel inspired to dance, you could go on the dodgems or any of the other attractions that were on the road.

On Sunday, members of the Comité des Fête came round the houses giving out plants. We were entertained by a piano-accordionist who played a melody of tunes. As soon as he realized we were English, he played ‘God save Our Gracious Queen’!

***************

The other evening, as we were getting ready for bed, we noticed that a scorpion had walked into the dining-room. We managed to put the offending beastie in a glass and took it down the road. Our reference books told us that scorpions here are not dangerous to humans, but we weren’t going to take any chances.

Summer Storms

2009-08-06T17:02:00.001+02:00

Yesterday the weather was amazingly hot, 34 degrees! It was lovely sitting by the pool doing crosswords, Sudokus and reading my book then dipping into the water to cool off. We ate dinner outside and just before bed had a lovely refreshing swim. As we swam the most amazing full moon appeared. According to the forecast, we were to have a clear night and the same weather today – no, (we should know the France météo forecasts by now). At 3 o’clock we could hear the distant rumble of thunder over the mountains. Gradually the thunder and lightening grew closer until it was right overhead. The noise was incredible. Once the storm had blown over, the rain arrived. Fortunately it didn’t last long and we were able to get back to sleep.

Summer in the South of France

2009-07-31T10:38:00.002+02:00

This is a photograph of the field opposite our house. To me, sunflowers are synonymous with Summer in the south of France.

The Tour 2009

2009-07-09T11:23:00.007+02:00

Thézan des Corbières was our closest place to watch Stage 5 of the Tour de France. We took out friends Von (who had never seen it before) and Mark. The day ran true to form (see my blog this time last year). The caravan came through throwing the usual goodies and then an hour later came the riders. Six cyclists were ahead of the peloton who all rushed past in a large group. I was amazed how close they were to us.

Mark Cavendish in the green jersey and Fabian Cancellara in yellow

The only thing that was different this year was the troop of soldiers who had turned up. About 60 militaires with guns, stood at the side of the road watching the race. (We weren’t sure if they were there to protect Lance or take him out.) I am glad they weren’t there when the caravan came through as we wouldn’t have got anything!

Happy Birthday to the Cave La Malepère

2009-06-21T16:40:00.013+02:00

It has been very interesting living in a village where most of the inhabitants are employed in the wine industry either the growing, making or selling of wine. Years ago wine was made by individual wine growers or small domains around the village but 60 years ago this all changed and the Co-operative, La Cave la Malepère was formed.

To celebrate this anniversary, the Cave had had an open day. All during the day, amongst many other attractions, there were donkey rides for the children, cart rides around the village, wine tasting (bien sûr), a vide grenier, old and new machinery and tours around the cave and the chai or wine storage. The latter was most interesting. One of the vignerons explained the stages of the making of the wine from the arrival of the grapes all the way though to the finished product.

Waiting for customers

Having a rest before finishing the ploughing between the vines

Casks full of the Révolution Cabardès Wine produced in Arzens

Like all good French events, it wasn't complete without food. There was a lunch for those who wanted at 12 o’clock. We decided to go to the evening repas, which as all meals we have been to in Arzens, was excellent. There were aperitifs before the meal then when the tables were ready everyone sat down to eat. It was lovely being out in the evening sunshine though the wind was quite chilling. The President gave a short speech about how the Co-operative was started, then the food was served. We had six courses washed down with some superb wines. Whilst we ate, we listened to a variety of singers including Geoffrey Not.

Our Own Springwatch

2009-06-07T16:52:00.006+02:00

The hedges and trees around our garden provide homes for a variety of birds. We have found discarded egg shells on the ground which we think have been goldfinch and red-starts. For the last couple of days, as we have eaten in our dining-room, we have had the lovely spectacle of a couple of adult blue-tits feeding their five little babies. The parents bring the family to our palm trees and the fledglings sit dotted about on the tree. Mum and Dad collect the food from the fat balls or seed holders that are hanging on the tree then fly to the little ones.

The babies look so small and vulnerable.

An Exhausting Sunday

2009-05-25T14:17:00.005+02:00

Sunday was quite a day for sport lovers!

England beat the West Indies the one day cricket match. Paul Casey won the PGA at Wentworth by one stroke. Andy Murray defeated Juan Chela at Roland Garros in Paris. The football Premier League finished its season with many happy and sad football fans around the country and Jensen Button won the Monaco Grand Prix. Our television remote control was getting quite hot with all the channel hopping.

One thing that we did do live was watch the end of the final stage of the Tour de l’Aude in Limoux. The speed that they all crossed the line was amazing. The German Claudia Hausler won the overall Tour and Nicole Cooke finished fifth. All the results can be found on the Tour de LAude site.

Les Estivales de la Malepère

2009-05-23T17:53:00.003+02:00

For a small French village, Arzens is very active.

For the last 20 years, the village has held Les Estivales de la Malepère. This year it runs from 2nd until 12^th June and consists of a variety of deep, thought provoking lectures and discussions. On Sunday 7^th June there is a musical programme by the Chorale de la Malepère and a mixture of musical pieces by Henry and Marina.

Each lecture is free and begins at 21:00, except for Sunday 7^th June which starts at 16:00.

The full programme can be seen on Les Estivales web site.

Tour de L'Aude

2009-05-23T14:59:00.010+02:00

For the last 10 days Aude has been hosting “La Tour de l’Aude Cycliste Féminin”. The 114 women started last Friday in Guissan and they have been progressing through the Département. Friday’s stage started in Saint-Hilaire and after 60 kilometers came through our village, Arzens, before cycling back into the Malepère hills. According to the timetable they were due to arrive at 15:43 but they were cycling so fast they came through 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Before they arrived, numerous gendarmes on motor bikes with sirens wailing and blue lights flashing, followed by press and support vehicles drove through the village. The speed they were travelling at was amazing. There had been an intermediate sprint in Arzens and the girls were cycling as fast as they could to score bonus time points in this section. As they crossed the sprint line, the British Olympic Champion Nicole Cooke was 3^rd.

After cycling another 40 kilometers, they finished in Montréal. The winner was the Dutch girl, Marianne Vos, who was riding for the DSB team.

Nicole Cooke was 6^th. Once everyone had crossed the line, shirts of a variety of colours and bunches of flowers, were given to the winning riders.

At the moment, the German, Claudia Hausler, riding for Cervelo Test Team is just over 2 minutes ahead of next rider.

Come on Nicole!

Three Little Maids From School

2009-05-05T14:24:00.009+02:00

We have just had a lovely weekend entertaining our daughter Sally and two of her best friends, Cassie and Louisa from Aylesbury High School. It has been fun wining and dining them and tasting some of the potential local varieties that might be going to the UK for Sally and Duncan’s wedding next year. The weather on Saturday and Sunday were gorgeous and they all managed a very brief swim, even though the pool had only just reached 21 degrees.

A Change in the Weather

2009-04-14T22:41:00.004+02:00

Five weeks ago I was lying on the lounger in the warm spring sunshine, looking at the dull winter cover on the pool. The next day, we rang M. Herbert and asked him to open the pool ready for the summer. The day he arrived it started raining and since then there haven’t been many days it hasn’t rained since!

Yesterday was Lundi de Pâques and the Randonneurs celebrated it with the usual repas. This year it was held in the Village foyer. It began with the customary apéros. Everyone brought entrées which were shared around. Following that, a variety of omelettes were distributed which had been made by the ‘older ladies’ of the club. It was a very lively occasion. By the time we left at 5 o’clock the sun was beginning to shine.

Because I am a rather “fair weather” walker, today was the first walk I had been on for four weeks. The sun was shinning and there was very little wind. It was a lovely afternoon. The ballade began in Montolieu and walked past the Chapelle de St Roch and then for a further 8 kilometres around the town. As we set off I heard my first cuckoo of the season. The walk was lovely. We saw lots of spring flowers, sanglier tracks, a small herd of goats eating the garrigue. There were even black kites (merlin noir) and hen harriers (Busard Saint-Martin) soaring in the sky.

It was a lovely walk and I hope that the weather we have had today is the start of more sunny days to come but looking at the météo for the next week, I am not quite so sure.

Picnics

2009-03-22T15:29:00.014+01:00

As we are getting a bit older and having picnics sitting on the ground are not as comfortable as they used to be, so we decided to buy a collapsible picnic table. We have had nearly two weeks of beautiful blue skies with some daytime temperatures reaching 20 degrees, (which isn’t bad for the end of March) we thought we would make the most of the weather and take a picnic up to the Minervois.

We found a most fantastic spot. We sat looking at the snow-capped Pyrenees with only the sound of birds and insects and not a car engine to be heard. It was beautiful. After our lunch, we had a lovely walk around the area. There were some pretty miniature daffodils and orchids growing amongst the stones and rocks.

One thing that did amaze us was the amount of “tent caterpillars” or Les chenilles processionaires we saw in the pine trees. These web-like cocoons swinging from the tree tops are in fact caterpillar nests, constructed by the ‘chenille processionnaire’ larva which live in large "tents" and march out at night in single file (hence the name) to feed on the pine needles, leaving behind them a pheromone trail (a kind of chemical message), which enables them to find their way back to the nest after feeding.

When we first moved into our house, we had a couple of nests in our pine trees and were quite intrigued by the lines of caterpillars we saw walking across our garden. We now realize the risks that that carry. Quite apart from the damage caused to the trees, the caterpillars have fine hairs on their back containing a poison which causes severe irritation and dermatitis, and in some cases an allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) to both humans and animals. Even after the caterpillar is dead, the hairs remain toxic. Take care when walking your dog in areas where the caterpillars may be, or have been. Initial symptoms to watch out for in your pet may include vomiting and tongue swelling.

As we were heading home, we saw a signpost for Curiosité de Lauriole. As we were curious we decided to follow the directions. We drove the road looking out for a geological site or religious monument – nothing! We even passed a car driving in the opposite direction obviously looking as well. When we got home we searched on the internet and found the answer. Apparently the road is an optical illusion - balls, bottles and cars will seem to travel UPHILL!. Even water, poured onto the road surface flows the wrong way! This has got us intrigued and the next time we are in the Minervois we will have a closer look.

Spring

2009-03-05T13:52:00.003+01:00

It is a big world out there my son!

Timber.........

2009-02-18T11:09:00.007+01:00

We had 3 lovely pine trees in our garden which are typical of the French countryside but over the years we have been here have grown rather tall. With the wet winter and the tempêt 2 weeks ago, they have become unsafe so reluctantly we decided that they must be cut before they fall down and cause damage to the pool or its surrounds.

Many thanks to Jean-Yves Macron from Alairac for his professional work.

The garden is looking a little bare at the moment but once we have got the ground prepared, I think we will plant some cherry trees that will give us hopefully, blossom in the spring and fruit to eat later.

Work Completed

2009-02-06T14:52:00.005+01:00

We have finally repaired all the damage after the tempêt that hit us on 24^th January. Maurice Bes, a local builder arrived with his team last Friday afternoon to repair the roof, which was the most important work. The boys arrived bang on 2:00 pm and worked hard all afternoon. Fortunately, apart from a load of broken tiles, only a small strut of wood had been broken in the attic. It could have been an awful lot worse.

As they didn’t have time to finish the chimney, they said they would be back Monday morning at 8:00am. Although we are not used to early starts like this, it was worth the effort to get the job completed. Unfortunately, it was wet and windy and so the builders didn’t turn up (I don’t blame them). As the weather cleared up in the afternoon Fabrice arrived at 2:00pm to repair the chimney.

As the job wasn’t completed we put the alarm on for another early rise on Tuesday morning. The morning was still a bit grey and drizzly and certainly not good weather for repairing chimneys, so no sign of Maurice or Fabrice. Fortunately, we had a phone call from Dave who was going to put up our satellite dish for us. I had really missed the TV, especially last week during the Australian Open Tennis when I had to listen to Australian Radio for the commentary of the Men’s Semis and Final. (It is amazing how cheaply you can buy prawns to throw on a BBQ.) By lunch time we had TV and radio. Two o’clock, on the dot, Fabrice arrived to finish the chimney and fix the aerial for French TV.

Thanks to everyone who have helped us. It is amazing how communities pull together during time of crisis.

They Walk Among Us!

2009-02-03T09:59:00.005+01:00

These made me smile. Thanks you Viv for sending them.

*Caution... They Walk Among Us!*

*One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when someone
shouted....'Look at that dead bird!' Someone looked up at the sky and
said...'where???'*

**They Walk among us!!*

***
While looking at a house, my brother asked the estate agent which direction
was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every
morning. She asked, 'Does the sun rise in the north?' When my brother
explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook
her head and said, 'Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff.' *

**They Walk Among Us!!*

****
My colleague and I were eating our lunch in our cafeteria, when we overheard
one of the administrative assistants talking about the sunburn she got on
her weekend drive to the beach. She drove down in a convertible, but 'didn't
think she'd get sunburned because the car was moving'.*

**They Walk Among Us!!!!*

***
I told the girl at the steakhouse register that I wanted the half pound sirloin.
She informed me they only had an 8 oz sirloin. Not wanting to
make a scene, I told her I would take the 8 oz steak instead of the
half pound.*

**They walk among us! *

****
My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car it's designed to cut through a
seat belt if she gets trapped She keeps it in the trunk...*

**They Walk Among Us!!!!!*

***
My friends and I were on a Beer run and noticed that the cases were
discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier
multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.... *

**They Walk Among Us!!!!!!*

***
I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring
attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, 'Wouldn't the chain rip
out every time she turned her head?' I had to explain that a person's nose
and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is
turned...*

**They Walk Among Us!!!!!!! *

***
I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the
lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up.
She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional
and I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me, 'Has your plane arrived
yet?'...*

**They Walk Among Us!!!!!!!!*

***
While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to
go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut
into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding.
'Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6
pieces.*

**Yep, They Walk Among Us, too.!!!!!!!!*

*Sadly, not only do they walk among us, they also reproduce ! ! ! ! *

And Then There Was Light!

2009-01-27T17:25:00.010+01:00

Gosh, what a weekend! We woke up on Saturday morning to strong winds, but that isn't surprising around here. Gradually as the morning went on, the wind got stronger causing the occasional trip in the electricity which took out the computer (very annoying). By 12 noon we had no power and the winds were very strong. Whilst we were having lunch there was an almighty crash on the roof and yes, the chimney had fallen down, smashing roof tiles. From the loft hatch we could see daylight! We called the insurance help line who asked us if we needed a hotel room.Fortunately that wasn't necessary so they gave us the phone number of a company who could provide a tarpaulin to cover the hole. As no one was there we left a message and went on to Plan B.

We decided to visit Jean-Jacques, a councillor who lives on our road and can speak English for some advice. He wasn't at home but at the Mairie with all the other councillors helping the villagers who had problems, cutting up fallen trees, clearing roads, organising builders to help with repairs. They even gave Richard a bâche, a cover, to go over the hole in the roof until someone could fix it. The team work in the village was amazing! Before Richard had even arrived home, word had got to a local builder who turned up to assess the situation. he went away and returned with the necessary equipment. Within 2 hours of the chimney collapsing, the hole had been covered securely. I was very impressed.

As the power was still off on Sunday morning, Jean-Jacques turned up and asked if we needed a generator to get the fridge and freezer cold again. We could borrow it for 2 hours before passing it on to the next person who needed it. This too was provided by the Mairie.

Power was finally restored on our road after 3 days! The rest of the village were back to normal after 1 day but unfortunately we have some very large trees that had taken down the power cables. Apparently at one point, 90% of the Aude department was without power.

Things are slowly getting back to normal but until we get our satellite dish up we will have to rely on the computer for the news and radio.

Getting Up Early

2009-01-15T20:31:00.006+01:00

Would you believe that I have been asked to change my "tooth hurty" dental appointment to 9:30 tomorrow!

The Beginning of a New Year

2009-01-15T15:39:00.022+01:00

All the Christmas and New Year festivities have finished and everything is back to normal. The sales have started here but without the frenzy that seems to happen in the UK. The dates of the sales are organised by the Minister of the Economy and not the individual shops. On 7th December it was declared that the sales would start on the first Wednesday of January. Each prefect of the departments would decide whether they would last 4, 5, or 6 weeks.

The weather over the last month has been terrible. We have had snow on several days, rain, freezing fog and days when the temperature hasn’t got above -3 degrees. It was a good job we managed to get our wood supply in time!

Although Epiphany is 6th January, the French seem to celebrate with gateaux throughout the month of January. Last Friday at Fléchettes, galettes des rois and bottles of Cider and Blanquette were provided and much appreciated too.

After the Randonneurs walk on Tuesday 3 galettes des rois and bottles of cider were produced. It was very pleasant eating and drinking in the late evening sunshine.

The tradition actually dates back to the 14th century. It is an ancient festival which celebrates the 3 kings who brought gifts to Jesus, soon after he was born.

The Queens on this occasion were France, Jo and myself!

Happy New Year

2008-12-30T10:21:00.002+01:00

I would like to wish everyone who has looked at my blog over the last 12 months a
Happy New Year

Seasons Greetings from Carcassonne

2008-12-29T21:18:00.023+01:00

Carcassonne has really come up trumps with their decorations and activities in the town this year. From the beginning of December there have been a wide range of activities for all ages.

There are bouncy castles and La Grande Roue in the Place Genéral de Gaulle. The Halle aux Grains has held an exhibition of magnificent crèches, or Nativity scenes, which are traditional in France (crèche meaning manger in French). Some of the little characters were even made out of Champagne corks.

There is an ice skating area in Place Carnot which the younger children enjoyed during the day then when it was dark, came alive with youths.

The revamped Gambetta Square has an amazing array of decorations plus lighting on the surrounding buildings which constantly change colour giving a wonderful effect.

Most of the attractions close on 31^st December.

Snow on Boxing Day

2008-12-26T12:17:00.004+01:00

We woke up this morning to a white covering across the pool cover. At first I thought we had had a hard frost but on closer inspection I realized that it was snowing! It gradually began to snow harder and now the garden and countryside looks gorgeous. We had planned to nip into Carcassonne for a few bits and pieces but as we drove to pick up the bread we realized the roads wouldn’t be safe, so we decided to stick the fire on and stay at home. It was amazing how quiet everywhere is. The snow certainly seems to blanket out the noise.

Happy Christmas to everyone!

Winter Warmth

2008-12-21T15:28:00.007+01:00

The sun might be out now, but if it does turn cold again at least we have a good pile of logs to keep us warm. We got the wood this week from a chap in the village called Joseph Expert, who by the way lives up to his name and is an expert in the Fléchettes group.

Winter Sunshine

2008-12-21T15:25:00.001+01:00

After a long spell of cold, grey, grizzly “British” weather, we woke up today to a much better day. We headed off to the Med for a walk on the Plateau above Leucate and then along the beach. The sky was blue and the temperature was in double figures for the first time in 4 weeks. What the photograph doesn’t show is the Tramontane wind, which was blowing fiercely.

Congratulations!

2008-12-15T21:03:00.002+01:00

I don’t usually write about things that have happened to family members but for once I would like to make an exception. I would like to congratulate our daughter Sally and Duncan on their engagement which they announced this weekend!

Wee Furry Beasties - The Follow Up

2008-12-13T12:26:00.006+01:00

After about 10 days, our humane trap in the attic wasn’t having much success so unfortunately we decided something more drastic would be needed. We weren’t going to put poison down because if the creature left the loft and then was eaten by a cat, the cat would suffer as well. Plus we didn’t want it rotting in the attic. We bought 2 very strong rat traps, so now we had 3 traps up there. Nothing caught after a week but a couple of days ago we found a dead lérot. Richard checked again today and bingo, the humane trap had something in. When we looked closer, the beast in question was a rat. We took the cage down the road and released him in the ruisseau. I hope that he doesn’t return.

I do wish that the lérot had managed to find this trap!

No Smoking

2008-11-29T17:02:00.003+01:00

Yesterday on the way back from Castelnaudary to buy a more efficient rodent catcher, we decided to call in and order some oil for the central heating. As I walked into the office I happened to notice that there was no no-smoking sign on the door. Surely this was an oversight on their part. Probably not, as inside there was an ashtray with some cigarette ends in and the air was heavy with cigarette smoke. I personally don’t like cigarette smoke but if those people who work there are happy about it, then that’s fine by me. The reason I was surprised about allowing smoking is that the office is part of the petrol station.

No comment!

Wee Furry Beasties!

2008-11-25T12:31:00.005+01:00

We know that we have little furry creatures around the garden, the cat has brought some in and we have heard them chomping nuts in the hedges. We have even heard nuts rolling in the guttering, but in the last week or so, they have been more obvious. When the house is all quiet and especially at night, we have heard little footsteps scampering above us in the attic. As it was particularly noisy 2 nights ago Richard decided to have a closer look. He thought that he saw little piles of “poo” and what looks like a nest in the insulation so we decided that something drastic had to be done. Not too drastic. Someone suggested putting Tabby up there for a couple of days but I think that she would be more frightened than our little guest. We don’t want to kill them if possible, so we bought a humane trap. We have duly baited it and are now waiting for the results. So far nothing has been tempted. We think that the animal might be a Lérot (a garden dormouse) which are very sweet but we don’t want our wires and pipes eaten.

We will keep you posted.

What a Cracking Game!

2008-11-10T10:44:00.007+01:00

What a cracking game!

This was the first match we had been to this season as most of the home games don’t start until 7:30 and we prefer to settle down for dinner at that time. This match began at 5:00 against the local rivals, Limoux. Carcassonne finished the first half just behind 6-8. They had obviously had had a good talking to during the break because they all came out fighting (not literally). There were tries for both teams and with 2 minutes to go Limoux were ahead 32-28. Carcassonne then scored a try to tie the scores 32-32. Could Banquet convert it? It was a hard kick. The spectators stood with bated breath. IT WENT OVER!! The whistle went.

Carcassonne had won 34-32.

Grey Skies

2008-11-03T16:34:00.007+01:00

Yesterday it poured with rain for most of the day. It started in the night with a crack of thunder and continued throughout Sunday. I know that we need the rain but it really was a very dull and depressing day. When it the rain finally stopped, we went for a walk around the village to get a bit of fresh air. As Saturday was Toussaint, a jour férié in France when people remember family members who have died, we decided to visit the graveyards. In spite of the grey skies, the brightly coloured pots of chrysanthemums and cyclamen seemed to brighten the cemetery.

Some people think that I have a morbid fascination with graveyards but I find walking around them very interesting and one can learn so much history about the village and the people who live there. Many years ago, whilst we were spending a holiday in St. Tropez, we saw Brigitte Bardot placing flowers on a grave. It was beautiful seeing the colourful flowers around tombs with a backdrop of clear sky and the blue Mediterranean Sea behind.

As our boulangerie is changing hands, we are going to be without it for a week whilst the new proprietors move in. Bonne chance et au revoir to Brigitte and Alain Moles who are moving to Toulouse and welcome to Norbert and Nathalie de Nadaï.

Ronde du Malepère

2008-10-19T16:41:00.010+02:00

Every year the Malepère region celebrates the harvest of the wine with a 2 day fête. Each year the location changes and this time it was held in the neighbouring village of Alairac. The forecast for the day hadn’t been good but we woke up to blue skies and a gentle wind, it was beautiful.

Once we got to Alairac we paid €5 for our glass which entitled us to taste wines from all the producers that had come to the festival. We had bought some of the wines at the local caves or Supermarkets but this tasting session means that we can sample some of the more unusual wines of the region (and very nice they were too!) Our cave from the village has produced a very good Primeur this harvest. We tasted (and bought) a very good red wine that is produced by our doctor and his wife.

After speeches and the giving of prizes, they announced that the apéros were available. As usual, there was a rush for the bottles and charcuterie which had been spread on the table. There was no need to hurry as the wine and food kept coming. Whilst we were eating and drinking, we were entertained by bandas. Some people even danced to the music.

As well as les caveaux, there were stalls selling a variety of local fare. There was also a vide grenier all around the streets, vintage cars, bandas were playing around the town and the whole place was bustling. It was great.

A Quick Trip to England

2008-10-18T17:54:00.009+02:00

It had been a while since we had seen our children and friends in the UK, so on Tuesday we flew from Carcassonne to Stansted. It is so handy living only 10 minutes from the airport in France though it isn’t quite so convenient at the other end.

After a quick look round the Milton Keynes shopping precinct, (I think it is the only thing that we miss here in France) we drove to Nick and Julia’s who were putting us up for a couple of nights. As usual they were excellent hosts and wined and dined us well.

On Wednesday we were off to London via Tring, where we met Kate our youngest daughter. Following a pleasant lunch of tapas at La Viña, we left Kate sort out all her livestock at home whilst we carried on to London to see Sally our eldest daughter. As we had some time to spare, we decided to drive along our old road. Nothing much had changed. We decided to drop in on our old neighbour, Gaynor. (I mean old, in the sense of time, not age!) We keep in touch by e-mail but it was great to see her again and catch up with the more recent gossip.

When we arrived at the flat in London, Duncan, Sally’s boyfriend, was there. It was good to see him home, safe and sound again after his military assignment in Afghanistan. Sally had booked a table at Princess Victoria. Fortunately, her best friend Cassie was able to join us. We had a lovely dinner there and afterwards ate Sally’s birthday cake back at her and Duncan’s flat.

Another reason to come back to the UK was to see TeamGB parade through London on Thursday. Duncan’s father was able to pop over from Hereford and after a very interesting coffee with Sally, we walked to Trafalgar Square to get ourselves a prime spot to see the floats. We had watched most of the games in the summer and it was amazing to see all the athletes being cheered and applauded as they drove along.

After it was all over, we drove back to Nick and Julia’s again. Boy, I had forgotten how bad London traffic can be!

We had yet another evening of eating, this time at a very good Indian restaurant, The Grange.

On Friday we headed back to Stansted for our flight. We had had a super few days in the UK, but it is always good to get back home.

Something else the cat brought in.

2008-10-14T10:40:00.003+02:00

Whist having dinner the other evening, we realised that the cat wanted to come in after her meander around the garden. Not only did she come in, but also the little lérot in her mouth. Once inside, she duly let it go and it shot up the wall and then behind the curtains. We opened the doors hoping that it would make a quick get away, unfortunately, it didn’t take the hint. After a little light persuasion with a brush, it did disappear. We didn’t actually see it go out but there is no evidence of it in the house. We keep expecting to see its little face peep out over the top of the curtains. It was a sweet little creature with a very pretty face.

A Busy Week

2008-10-12T16:39:00.011+02:00

We have had a hectic couple of weeks. When we moved to France, we had a long list of things that needed doing so that we conformed to French system. Over the last two and a half years we have been gradually working through it. Two things that needed sorting out were our French wills and tax situation. Because of this, we have had to make a couple of trip to Toulouse to take the paper work to the appropriate offices. We usually have lunch out, making the day much more enjoyable. Last Monday we were sitting outside in the sunshine, the temperature 25°, eating a very pleasant meal – not bad for October.

The weather continued to be lovely for my weekly walk with the Randonneurs. We had a superb route over the Malepère hills. The colours of the vines and hedgerows are amazing.

I have just started helping a young French boy with English. Planning the lessons and getting work sheets for his homework has been bringing back memories. I forgot how much time it took!

In England, Richard was playing golf 2 or 3 times a week. He has finally found a group who play at Carcassonne Golf Club. It is amazing playing golf and being able to see the snow capped Pyrenees.

From one extreme to another, we have also joined Les Fléchettes de la Malepère, our village darts club. Apparently it is the only darts club in Aude. We meet every Friday evening in the bowels of the Foyer. It is very well organised. When you arrive you pay €2 each for the evening and at about 9pm those playing are divided into groups or 4 or 5. We play on an electronic board, so my metal tipped darts that I brought from the UK are useless for club night, as plastic tipped darts are used. The first to 301 wins and fortunately you don’t have to finish with a double. The first week I felt quite chuffed coming 3rd by winning two of the four games. Last week Richard came 1st as he won three of the matches.

Yesterday we watched the semi-marathon that took place in Carcassonne. It started at the gates of the Cité with the fantastic backdrop of the walls behind.

I hope next week is not so busy.

Lunch in the Sun

2008-09-29T10:13:00.006+02:00

The sun was shining and the holiday traffic had decreased, so we decided to head to the Med for lunch. The restaurants in Bouzigues, near Sète had been highly recommended on one of the forums we read, so we headed there. Peter was right. There were plenty of good places to eat. We sat down to eat at Chez Julie just after 12:00 and by 12:30 they were turning people away.

There was a good selection on the menu, I am just sorry that I don’t fancy the idea of oysters as they look so dramatic. After a lovely lunch sitting in the warm autumn sunshine, we wandered on to Mèze and walked along the étang.

Snake

2008-09-15T21:02:00.003+02:00

This snake appeared in our kitchen this evening! Is this an adder/viper? Is it dangerous? Richard picked it up (with gloves) and threw it over the hedge. Could it have brothers and sisters in the garden?

C'est La Rentrée

2008-09-02T17:05:00.005+02:00

As in the UK, most of the shops in France have been selling things ready for return to school this week. In France they don’t concentrate too much on clothing, as most children here do not to wear school uniforms. The shelves are mainly stacked with stationary, pencils cases and a range of satchels. At the end of the term in July, all students were provided with a list if things that they must buy for the next school year. These include varieties of file paper, stationary, mathematical equipment, calculators and even textbooks. During the holiday the aisles have been full of adults and children, lists in hand, buying essentials for the coming term.

Not only is it La Rentrée for the students but for French life generally. The papers are full of adverts to encourage memberships at gyms in order to begin a keep-fit regime or reminding people that it is time to get things serviced such as boilers and central heating ready for the winter. We even had a phone call from our chimney sweep organizing a time to visit.

Another sign (or sound) that the summer is coming to a close is being woken up in the early hours by tractors and wine harvesting machinery going along the road. I believe that the Chardonnay grapes are collected before the sun gets on them so that the quality isn’t spoilt. They are also picking other varieties as I can hear the apparatus which checks each tractor load of grapes for its strength. It won’t be long before the smell of the crushed grapes permeates the village. I am looking forward to sampling this year’s wine next month!

Arzens en Fête

2008-08-26T11:49:00.010+02:00

Arzens has just finished its Fête Locale. On Wednesday there was a tour de table des campagnes. The Comité des Fêtes came round the village, knocking on doors, giving the villagers a pot plant and encouraging them to participate in the fun.

The main street has been slightly chaotic for about a week as the fair has been set up - dodgems, rifle shooting (where was Duncan when we needed him), one armed bandits, test-your-strength and other stalls.

On Friday the Orchestra Calysta assembled all their equipment, lights, speakers and sound systems ready for the opening of the Fête. L’Arzenais had organised food for every night of the fête. Tonight it was seiche a la plancha. We decided to pass on that.

Saturday morning began with the dismantling of all the group’s equipment. In the afternoon there were pétanque competitions for doublettes. There were clusters of people all around the village on any dusty area that they could find to play on. The prizes were given out just before the meal, which tonight was Couscous. The music for the evening was provided by Motel, who earlier had assembled their equipment, lights, speakers and sound systems.

Sunday morning began with the dismantling of the group’s equipment. The evening consisted of the obligatory apéros which were provided by the Marie, whilst listening to the Jean Ribull Orchestra, (who earlier had assembled their equipment, lights, speakers and sound equipment). This group was very good, singing a wide range of music though it was rather difficult to talk as the music was rather loud.

Monday was the last day of the Fête, which began with the dismantling of last night’s group’s equipment. There was another pétanque competition in the afternoon. This one was for mixed triplets. Prizes again were given out before the repas which was Friginat. As we had never had this meal, we decided to go. It was a super evening. The entrée was gesiers salade followed by the Friginat. This local specialty is a pork casserole with haricot beans. Cheese and pastry followed all washed down with copious amounts of red wine. The evening was lovely. There was plenty of lively chatting. There was also an accordionist and as the wine flowed the singing got louder. . Some people even got up and danced.

When the meal was over, everyone made their way to the main street to join in the activities or listen to Orchestra Calysta who had assembled all their equipment, lights, speakers and sound equipment during the day.

As we went to get our bread the fair was being dismantled and the village is getting back to normal.

It is amazing how a small village like Arzens can put on such a magnificent event! Congratulation to the Comité des Fêtes.

Something to Amuse

2008-08-18T10:35:00.007+02:00

I would like to thank Colin for posting this in the Anglophone-Direct forum. It made me smile.

A teacher was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight while in Possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference, the Attorney General said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement. He did not identify the man, who has been charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

'Al-gebra is a problem for us,' the Attorney General said. 'They desire solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns,' but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'There are 3 sides to every triangle.'

' When asked to comment on the arrest, George Bush said, 'If God had wanted us to have better Weapons of Math Instruction, he would have given us more fingers and toes.' Democratic leaders told reporters they could not recall a more intelligent or profound statement by him.

A New Acquisition for Arzens

2008-08-07T15:47:00.005+02:00

I think that Arzens is moving into the 21st century. Today the Marie has installed an illuminated panel that will tell the villagers and visitors what is happening in the community. Until now, the information has been posted on notice boards around the village and quite often is weeks out of date. I hope that le panneau is updated regularly and they don’t have any technical problems

Fête du Melon

2008-07-27T17:51:00.008+02:00

As you can see, one of our neighbouring villages, Pezens, was holding its annual melon fête today. It was everything one would expect of a village fête. There were plenty of stalls selling melons of various sizes from all around the region. There were also other stalls selling local wines, fruit and veg, charcuterie and a wide range of bread and pastries.

The event was held on the local pétanque pitch in the welcome shade of the plantane trees. It was really well attended. Strolling around the area, listening to the Banda and soaking up the atmosphere of the event was lovely. The apéros were being prepared but unfortunately we left before they were served. For those who wanted, there was a repas for 10€. The entrée was melon, bien sûr.

Le Tour de France

2008-07-18T11:48:00.020+02:00

When we lived in the UK we always followed the fortunes of the Tour de France. Now we live here we are able to see it live. The first two years is was close to home, yesterday we had to travel a little further. We arrived at Thézan-des Corbières, 26 kilometers from the finish in Narbonne, three hours before the caravane and four and a half hours before the cyclists would come through. It wasn’t too early. Spectators had already parked their cars and campervans in strategic spots. We found a great place on the edge of a vineyard. We were armed with books, a newspaper and picnic. Time seemed to fly by. The caravane arrived first and was amazing. There were a whole range of lorries, vans and cars decorated to advertise their products. We collected loads of cadeaux this year, such as key rings, newspapers, hats, sweets and even fabric conditioner, which were thrown by the people from the vehicles. It was great fun.

About an hour later we were told that the cyclists were on their way. The first clue was the hoard of helicopters circling in the sky. Next came the cars and motorbikes ahead of the riders and finally the cyclists. Although it only took about a minute for all the riders to pass us, it was an incredible event. They flashed by so quickly it was difficult to identify anyone.

Arnaud Gérard, Juan-José Oroz, Samuel Dumoulin

The peleton with Cadel Evans in the Yellow Jersey

It amazes me how some people follow the Tour throughout July. Unless you are living in a campervan equipped with a TV, it impossible to know what is going on. There is also a limit to how many key rings etc one wants to collect.
We had recorded the Tour and when we got home watched the race. We just spotted ourselves on TV, waving as the peloton went past.

Well done Mark Cavendish. Can you do as well in Nîmes today?

Bastile Day

2008-07-15T16:34:00.006+02:00

As we had been to the last two Fête Nationionale celebrations in our village, we decided to see what happened in Carcassonne on 14th July. After the speech and placing of the gerbes. a real band played La Marseillaise rather than a recording. There were representatives of many organisations based in the town, police, gendarme, the 3rd RPIMA and youth groups amongst many others and afterwards they were acknowledged by the dignitaries. It was very impressive.

In the evening we visited friends who live in a beautiful house on the Malepère hills. They have a most wonderful view of the Montages Noire and Carcassonne and the plan was to watch the fireworks from the Cité. We went last year and unfortunately the wind was blowing in the wrong direction and after the initial burst all we could see was smoke! Last night was superb. It was lovely wining and dining on the terrace whilst watching an amazing display.

Thank you Kate and Jim for a fantastic evening.

Paëlla and Fireworks

2008-07-14T16:18:00.012+02:00

After a hot and sunny week, the weather has changed over the last few days. Following a thunderstorm overnight on Friday, it kept raining for most of the day on Saturday so we spent a lot of time watching the Test Match from a sunny Lords.

Fortunately, the weather was better on Sunday, as we went to a Paëlla Dinner in the village square followed by fireworks. It was a very simple but lovely meal with plenty of wine flowing.

Just before 11 o’clock everyone started to walk to the site where the fireworks were be lit. All the children carried Chinese lanterns with a lit candle inside. The whole procession was very impressive.

The fireworks were quite a spectacle. They shot into the sky and cascaded over the field. It is amazing that a relatively small village can put on such a superb show.

Sunflowers

2008-07-01T20:28:00.003+02:00

Today is 1st July, so obviously the Sunflowers have come out. The temperature is 31 degrees and there is a beautiful warm Marin wind blowing. We must be living in the South of France.

Portes Ouvertes - Day Two

2008-06-30T09:06:00.002+02:00

In my last blog I half jested that I hoped the troops weren’t using live bullets. Unfortunately yesterday someone made a terrible mistake with awful consequences

Portes Ouvertes

2008-06-28T16:00:00.015+02:00

If you are into young men in uniform, you will enjoy the Open Days at the 3rd RPIMA Barracks this weekend. The event started with the signing of a twinning charter between the 3rd RPIMA and the town of Carcassonne. This was supposed to start at 11:00am, and in true military precision, it did, on the dot. The ceremonial ribbon was cut by the Maire, Gérard Larrat and Colonel Merveilleux du Vignaux,

After that, the soldiers gave demonstrations of battle techniques. The display began with the Haka which made the men look quite menacing.

Next was a “battle” between soldiers who had arrived in an armoured personnel carrier and an “enemy outpost”. Even though they were firing blanks (I hope) the noise of the gun fire was amazing and quite made the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end. They demonstrated how the soldiers dealt with the prisoners and any wounded soldiers.

The final display was how a team of soldiers approached a building which contained a man who was being held captive. The whole presentation was very well performed.

We walked around the barrack courtyard which had a wide range of military vehicles and equipment. It was possible to go up in a helicopter, have a parachute jump or even be driven around the town in an armoured vehicle. There was an opportunity to shoot at a firing range and there were lots of fun things for the children to do.

There were many other displays programmed for the afternoon and Sunday which also looked exciting.

It was a very interesting event.

Summer has started

2008-06-21T17:07:00.003+02:00

For all of May and most of June, the weather has been awful. Finally on Wednesday the skies cleared to beautiful blue and summer started. Places and people take on a cheerier aspect and body language. Both the air and the pool have reached over 30 degrees and the forecast looks good for the next 10 days at least.

Richard has tried to continue with the painting but when it is this warm, either the paint or he is in the sun, and it not good for either. (We shouldn’t complain I suppose)

This morning we went to Carcassonne market and had a little more luck parking than last week. It was lovely walking round Place Carnot with all the stalls selling colourful fruit, vegetables and flowers. The smells from the herb and spice stalls were also quite intoxicating.

May the weather continue!

Sally's Visit

2008-06-17T15:36:00.010+02:00

On Wednesday afternoon, I popped down to Carcassonne Airport to pick up our daughter, Sally, who was coming to stay with us for a few days. I went on my own as Richard was up to his elbows in paint. (He has begun to paint the outside of the house, a task which will be a bit like the Forth Bridge) Sally was a little disappointed that 4:30 was too early for a G. and T.! She would have to wait.

On Thursday, after the statutory paper and baguette buying, we had a coffee at our café in the village, meeting and greeting the regular customers. The afternoon was spent sitting by the pool, finishing the crossword and reading. At 23 degrees, the pool was still a little cool for Sally to test the water.

We decided that we needed to do a little exercise before dinner, so we drove to Villarzel du Razès, where there is a sanglier and deer reserve. It was amazing to see both the boar and the deer walking up to the fence to meet us. Photos had to be taken and sent to Duncan, Sally’s partner, who is serving in Afghanistan at the moment until October.

Friday’s forecast was good so we headed to Gruissan which is on the Med for a lovely lunch. Our intention was to spend the afternoon on the beach, but after being sand-blasted for a while, we decided to come home.

Saturday was another sunny day and as the pool reached 25 degrees, Sally went in the water the quick way.

On Sunday, there was another vide-grenier in the village, so before we set off to the airport, we walked around to see what was there. We resisted the 2 month old kitten which was being given away. We didn’t think that our 12 year old cat would be very impressed if we brought him home.

I hope that Matt Beake and Sally’s other colleagues, will still follow our adventures after she leaves the BBC on Friday. Good luck with the new job.

A Day of Two Halves

2008-06-09T13:46:00.015+02:00

Apart from my birthday on Thursday, (when I had a lovely lunch at La Redorte on the Canal du Midi) we haven’t done a lot for the last few days, so when we noticed that one of our neighboring villages, Alairac, was holding their “fête de la chasse” on Sunday we decided to go. We had been to this fête in 2006, the first year we were here, and the weather then was amazingly hot. This year couldn’t have been more different. The sky was overcast and the temperature was more like a day in March, rather than June. We watched the local hunt, with a pack of hounds, playing a fanfare at the corners of the village. They all looked very smart in their black riding jackets and red waistcoats.

There were also cages around the village with packs of hunting dogs, such as bassets, and dachshunds. Some were lively little things, others were cowering in the corner, which we found rather saddening. I am not sure if it was the weather that had kept people away, but the fête was not as exciting or bustling as 2 years ago. We were quite disappointed.

In contrast, after lunch, we went to Caunes-Minervois, where there was a festival of sculpture and marble. The sun was out. The beautiful village was alive with visitors and there were numerous artists displaying their work. They had really brought the village to life. The artists were either out on the streets or had borrowed/ rented garages in the village. There was an incredible range of artwork. As there is a marble quarry nearby, marble was predominant theme, but there was a wide variety of other mediums. There were sculptors working in marble, iron, bronze, wood, glass, clay and paper.

Especially for Jan, a panda made out of wood

There were also mosaic workshops, plaster moldings, talc sculptures, marbled painting, marbled paper, marbling, forged iron and medieval arms. It was possible to visit the quarries by horse-drawn carriage, but we passed on that. There was a gourmand market, selling the usual local products. We had a lovely afternoon.

After watching England’s victory over New Zealand, it was quite scary to see this mask at Caunes. It reminded me of Ryan Sidebottom! (This will probably mean nothing to my French readers.)

Viva España

2008-05-29T16:01:00.008+02:00

One of the advantages of living here in the South of France is that we can get to the Spanish border in an hour. We took advantage of this and have just spent a few days away in Spain. Several villagers have recommended a resort called Platja d’Aro so we booked a couple of nights at the San Jorge Hotel. The hotel was lovely, with lots of facilities, which we unfortunately didn’t have time for. After checking in, we headed to the beach bar below, where we had a very pleasant lunch sitting in the sunshine.

We spent the next day walking around the town. We were very impressed with the variety and quality of shops. Yes, there were some that sold the tat that is usually found at resorts but there were also some very up-market stores. One thing that was a luxury was to buy today’s paper. In Carcassonne we are always a day behind. There was also a wide range of lively restaurants. We ate outside, watching Spaniards of all ages, promenading up and down the High Street.

One reason to go to Spain was to meet my brother and his wife who were over from England to visit the Dali museum in Figueres and Dali’s house near Cadaqués. We all stayed at Hotel Rocamar which I would definitely recommend. We had a lovely room, facing the sea where we could see the lightning flashing over the water.

We returned home via the coastal road which was very beautiful. We were quite surprised that there was no evidence of custom police at the border – mind you it was lunch-time!

Life is just a bowl of ...............

2008-05-19T08:26:00.011+02:00

It is cherry season here in Languedoc and after much publicity in the local papers, we decided to see what happened at Fête de la Cerise in Trausse Minervois.

We arrived to the sound of a Banda playing in the village square. This was followed by speeches given by the local dignitaries. At the end of the acknowledgements, everyone was invited to the apéros, as usual, which had been donated by the local vignerons. After easing our way through the crowd, we managed to find a glass of wine, ate a selection of saucisson sec, hams and pork scratchings, all of which went very well with the variety of wines that we sampled.

The colours and smells of the fête were lovely.

There are some beautiful, little villages in the region and the fêtes that are held in them gives us an opportunity to see some some of them that we wouldn’t normally have known about.

Les Pavots

2008-05-13T12:29:00.002+02:00

Amazing!!

Cérémonies du 8 mai

2008-05-09T15:30:00.015+02:00

Thursday was the second of three holidays in May. This one was to commemorate VE Day. After a mass in the church, there was a procession from the Mairie to the war memorial on La Promenade. Leading the parade were the Majorettes de Montréal. Behind them came the flag-bearing dignitaries and councilors. Bringing up the rear were some children from the village school and representatives from various associations.

After the laying of the gerbe and roses, there was a fanfare followed by the National anthem. The Maire, M. Jean-Claude Pistre, then read a message from the Ministre des anciens combattants, Jean-Marie Bocquel. He finished by thanking everyone for attending and invited all to apéros (bien sûr) after watching a display by the Majorettes.

There must have been over 300 people at the ceremony. It was amazing how many people of all ages turned out for the occasion.

Fête du Travail

2008-05-02T10:17:00.003+02:00

After a couple of days in the UK to see our daughters Sally (thanks for the B+B and suitcase) and Kate, I landed back in Carcassonne to sunshine.

We woke this morning to clear blue skies and no wind and it was amazing how many families were using their Fête du Travail to cut their grass and potter round their gardens. Richard, not wanting to be out done, cut our lawn.

After lunch we decided that we needed a bit of exercise so we searched on the web for some walks in our area and found a good site that had some in the area. We selected one and drove to Pomas, a small village near Limoux.

We went through vineyards and small copses with the most fantastic smells of gorse, pine trees and thyme. In one direction we could see the snow topped Pyrenees in the distance and the Montagne Noire the other. We could hear the sounds of bees and bells around animals’ necks. It was beautiful. I think that the countryside is probably the best at this time of year, still fresh and not dried and parched from the summer heat.

Spring time in the Aude

2008-04-25T12:40:00.006+02:00

The countryside is looking beautiful at the moment with a fantastic range of colours. Here are a few photographs taken this week whilst walking around the footpaths and lanes.

Another Repas

2008-04-21T08:34:00.012+02:00

This weekend, the Randonneurs’ Club organized yet another lunch. This meal was based on cassoulet. As we have learned by experience, we took plates, glasses, and cutlery. We arrived at 12 o’clock for apéros (bien sûr), which consisted of the usual wine, pastis, cassis and nibbles. The wine had been specially labeled for the group. (Note the screwy top – rather unusual here).

Whilst we were having the apéros there was a “pop”. At first we thought that it was a bottle that had exploded, but on closer examination it proved to be a rifle shot that had come through the window. (Fortunately no-one was hurt). André Gol, the former Marie, was at the meal and immediately rang the appropriate people. Within 20 minutes, whilst we were eating our salad, the local Gendarme had arrived to assess the situation. We were very impressed considering it was Sunday lunchtime.

By the time the cassoulet was served, the SOCO had arrived. It was quite interesting watching them at work. Even Jean Claude Pistre, the new Marie arrived to see what had happened.

Cheese was next, either camembert or chèvre with honey. Finally, a variety of gateaux were served with the local Blanquette. We had a lovely meal and met even more people from the village.

Opening the Pool

2008-04-15T10:00:00.018+02:00

As summer is on its way we are opening the pool ready for the warmer weather. It also makes the garden more attractive.

The winter cover

Yuk - dirty green water

M. Herbet at work

Amazing - after 1 hour

The end result! However, with the temperature of the water at a dizzy 11.5 degrees, I don't think that we will be rushing in to the pool in the near future.

Vide Grenier

2008-04-13T12:18:00.008+02:00

It seems compulsory for all French villages large or small to have at least one vide grenier (which is similar to a car boot sale) a year. It was ours today.

Some stalls have a theme.

Others sell "tat" obviously clearing out things that have been in their attics for years. If they don't go today, they will come out again at the next vide grenier.

It is lovely seeing the village come to life and meeting friends and neighbours.

A Few Days Away

2008-04-13T10:35:00.009+02:00

We had planned to visit friends who had moved to Spain a year ago. Unfortunately the cattery, Chateau Miaou, was busy and could only fit Tabby in for a couple of nights, so our ideas had to change. Tina and Kevin, we will see you later in the year.

We decided to visit Sommières, a town that we had heard much about. We booked a couple of nights at Hôtel de l’Orange which we had found by looking at recommendations on Alastair Sawday’s web page. We have stayed at several of his suggestions and haven’t been disappointed yet.

We had a lovely journey over the Montagne Noire. The weather wasn’t the best but we spent the time traveling around the area, visiting places that had been mentioned in a variety of Languedoc blogs.

We went to Uzès which was a delightful town. We were amazed at the choice of restaurants and bars. Before we left on Saturday morning, we wandered down to Sommières market looking at the wide variety of stalls. We didn’t see anyone famous!

On the way home we headed down to the coast and had a lovely meal in Sète in the sunshine. It is a lively, bustling port, great for people watching and well worth a visit.

By the way, when we got home there was a letter from CPAM informing that we were now back in the French Health system, bravo!

It's amazing what you see in Carcassonne!

2008-04-06T14:52:00.007+02:00

We went for a peaceful walk this morning along the banks of the River Aude in Carcassonne. As well as numerous joggers and children on bikes we saw an enclosure with llamas, alpacas and donkeys. This wasn't the sort of thing we were expecting to see, but they were lovely.

April Showers

2008-04-02T15:06:00.003+02:00

We have been having April showers or as they are called here, giboulées de mars. We have had our hedge cut, so now we can see the Malpère hills and " the end of the rainbow"

Lundi de Pâques

2008-03-25T14:32:00.007+01:00

As I have mentioned earlier, I am a member of the village Randonneurs. We usually walk on Sunday mornings but Easter is slightly different. The Sunday walk is moved to Lundi de Pâques and the members of the club meet for an apéritif (naturally) and omelette (a traditional Easter custom). As this was the first time that we had been to this event, we were unsure of the procedure. On the programme, we were told to meet at the Place at 11 o’clock. We duly turned up and there was no sign of anyone. We had been warned that if it was raining, it would be in the foyer. We walked round the village, looking at the most likely places, still no sign walkers. Fortunately, we met René, an 88 year old member of the group who told us that the group was meeting at a cottage outside the village. Error number 1. We drove to the rendezvous point to find error number 2. The meeting was at midday. We went home to do a few jobs and returned at the appropriate time. This was better. The Randonneurs had arrived, wine, pastis and Suze were being served with nibbles. We started being a little concerned when more people arrive with baskets containing wine, things in tin foil and baguettes. They must be the committee bringing a few extra things! Once we sat down we realized error number 3. We should have brought plates, knives and forks, wine and something to eat before the omelette! The typical things being eaten were saucisson, a wide variety of pâtes and salads. With the generosity of the group, this wasn’t a problem. Everyone was sharing everything even the wine.

After the entrée the omelettes were served. There were several each with a different flavouring. They were lovely.

That wasn’t the end. After, tarte aux pomme, traditional gateaux, cheese and pieces of chocolate were passed around. Once the eating had finished, they started singing songs which were obviously well known by the group.

Our New Maire and Council

2008-03-22T14:17:00.005+01:00

Those who don’t live in France might be surprised to know that although it is a Catholic country, Good Friday is not a holiday here. Children go to school as usual, shops are open and everyone goes to work. The only holiday is Easter Monday. As a result, there was no problem holding the first meeting of the new council that was elected last week, yesterday. We were impressed how many villagers came to watch the proceedings. The first thing on the agenda was to elect the Maire. The 15 councilors each took it in turn to get up and write a name on a piece of paper. When everyone had chosen, the votes were counted. Jean Claude Pistre was elected as Maire! This procedure continued to select the adjoints or deputies.

Once all the positions had been appointed, the retiring Maire, André Gol, presented his successor with the écharpe or sash of office and the official photograph was taken.

The new Maire thanked everyone for coming and the statutory apéros appeared.

Facebook - The New Generation

2008-03-20T12:07:00.001+01:00

I thought this was rather amusing. Either it is my age, or I have an odd sense of humour.

We have a new Maire

2008-03-17T16:35:00.011+01:00

As only 4 people were elected in the first round of voting last Sunday, we had to have a second round yesterday to elect the remaining 11 councilors. The liste with the green affiliation didn’t have many votes last week, so they decided that they might do better by combining with one of the other teams. Because of that, it has been a busy 7 days in “local politics” in the village. We have members of both listes drumming up support, ringing the bell and explaining why we should vote for them.

At 6 o’clock, the polling finished and the counting started. We were amazed how many of the villagers turned up for this. It was quite difficult to work out who was winning. At 7:30pm the count was finished and retiring Maire read out the results. I was impressed that 89% of those eligible to vote did so. When everything was finalised, the statutory apéros appeared. When we voted in local elections in UK, it was usually less than half that. I think this is because the Maire has a more crucial role in village life here.

***

We have had another unusual feathered visitor this week - an albino magpie.

Voting

2008-03-09T13:51:00.010+01:00

Today we voted in the Elections Municipales and selected our new mayor and council. This is the first election that we have taken part in and it is quite an interesting exercise. The process is very different to that in the UK. We were presented with three listes each containing 15 names. We went into the voting booth to make up our selection. We could either put one of the lists unchanged into the voting box, or make any changes as desired. We could put more than one list into the ballot box, crossing off any candidates that we didn’t want to win. We could even add names to the list of anyone we think would represent our community well. The maximum that we could vote for in our village is 15. Other villages vary according to their size of population. The listes are generally non- party political - just groups of like minded individuals seeking to serve for the benefit of the community. We had received the manifestoes from 2 of the listes but not that of the Green group – are they saving paper?

We thought that we also had to vote for a representative for the Canton, but unfortunately as we are étrangères, we were not allowed to. This is a political election with candidates representing the usual range of parties from Green to National Front. It has been quite cut and thrust in Carcassonne. The candidates have been taking over empty shops in the town and adorning them with flags and posters. In the usual French tradition, aperitifs have also been served here to encourage passers-by to come in and give their support.

Winds

2008-03-06T08:17:00.009+01:00

Gosh, we have had two days and nights of very strong winds, 45 kilometres an hour with gusts over 100 Km/h. It was amazing that there has been was no damage in the garden. That was probably due to our high hedge, the height of which would not be allowed in the UK. We seem quite prone to winds in this part of France. The only time that there isn’t any wind is when it is changing from one direction to another!

Some You Win, Some You Lose

2008-03-02T17:49:00.010+01:00

Since we moved to France,we have been following the fortunes of ASC XIII, our local Carcassonne Rugby League team and in the last 2 weeks they have had 2 local derbies. The first match, was at Limoux which, as you can see from the scoreboard, was a win for ASC. Unfortunately, the second match against Lezignan who are top of the league, was not as successful. The final score was 14 - 28. To be honest, the better team won. They created more opportunities and capitalised on Carcassonne's mistakes. ASC are still third in the league and if they continue to play well and keep this place, they will be in next year's English Cup. There were large crowds at both matches and the atmosphere was great.

***

We went for a walk across The Razes this afternoon and saw this snake. I am sure it is a viper. It was just crossing the footpath and not interested in us at all, fortunately.

Health Cover - Progress?

2008-02-26T12:19:00.008+01:00

Yesterday we thought that we would have another go at getting our Carte Vitale reinstated. Armed with all our paper work, passports, birth and marriage certificates, and “impôt sur les revenus”, we headed back to CPAM in Carcassonne. Realising that one of the ladies at the accueil was the same that we had seen last time, we were expecting the worst. When it was our turn, she couldn’t have been more different. She smiled, even tried a little English and as the queue was so long, arranged an appointment for us today. We shall see what the rendezvous brings.

***

We have had our rendezvous with CPAM. They accepted all our paperwork and taken our completed form. All we have to do is to wait for our new attestations confirming that we now back in the system. How long that will be, I don’t know, but the process has started!

People Watching

2008-02-24T18:28:00.012+01:00

The weather was looking a little dull at home, so rather than go stir crazy indoors here, we decided to go to Toulouse and walk around the town. Although it is only takes about an hour to get there, we haven't been there many times. We always seem to get lost on the way back. I think we made a wise decision. The sun was out and apart from a rather fresh breeze - it was lovely. I love sitting in cafes, drinking a coffee and watching the world go past, and the world in Toulouse is a very mixed one.

****

Since we moved here, we have enjoyed watching the birds in our garden. Usually about June, we have had Hoopoes on our lawn ( that is probably too grand a name for it) pecking through the soil for grubs. Anyway, one arrived today. It has spent most of the day eating, probably building up energy after its long flight from Africa.

Sunshine and Snow

2008-02-16T15:45:00.004+01:00

We looked at the mountain webcams and as the sun was shining we decided to head up to Monts d’Olmes, which is near Lavelanet and about an hour and a quarter for us. We were amazed how little snow there was; much less than our last visit on Christmas Eve. The last fall had been on 4th February. The resort was fairly busy with groups of all ages having their skiing lessons and families enjoying the winter sunshine. About a third of the runs were open but the snow must have come from the snow cannons. Unfortunately there was no snow at all on the little toboggan run, which is probably about my level. Instead we sat outside watching everyone else skiing down the mountainside whilst having a very enjoyable lunch in the warm sunshine.

Health Cover Encore!

2008-02-14T17:24:00.003+01:00

OK, I thought it was too good to be true. It was announced last month that “inactive, early retirees” like Richard and I could join the French Health Service, rather than having to take out very expensive private insurance cover. We waited a few weeks to allow the information to be passed down to the staff and, armed with all our documentation (even a copy of the French Minister of Health’s letter) went to the CPAM in Carcassonne. We weren’t expected to be welcomed with open arms but we did hope that they may help us. The lady we spoke to was less than helpful and wouldn’t even acknowledge that there going to be changes. I am sure that it will all be sorted out in the end, but it is very frustrating in the meantime. I suppose that is French bureaucracy for you!

What a Boar!

2008-02-13T18:00:00.001+01:00

Spring?

2008-01-27T15:48:00.000+01:00

It is exactly 2 years since we left the UK, and it is weekends like this that confirm that our decision to move was a good one. The weather has been fantastic. It has been more like spring rather than the end of January.

Yesterday Richard and I decided to walk on the plateau at Leucate. We have a book of local walks and have tried this particular one several times. In spite of following the signs carefully, we never seem to complete the route as planned. I think we have cracked it now, with a few deviations. The sun was warm, sky was blue and it was lovely to see the almond blossom beginning to flower. Bees and butterflies were flying everywhere. We even found a flock of sheep with lambs.

Today we went to a truffle fair. Again as usual, it is based around food and drink.
There were stalls in the village selling baguettes. There was a choice of foie gras, magret or truffle omelette. I decided to have the magret and Richard the omelette. They were lovely. One could also sample a variety of wines from local vineyards. One of the highlights of this fair is the Banda, Les Bestioles de la Garrigue. Their music certainly put a smile on everyone’s faces and made the feet tap.

Health Cover

2008-01-25T08:22:00.002+01:00

After coming home from shopping, I put the computer on checking for e-mails, checked the next Scrabulous challenge that my daughter, Sally, might have set me and checked the latest forum updates. There it was on the Anglophone-direct forum. Someone had written that there had been an update on the latest health issues for Ex-pats. As "early-retired inactives", we knew that our health cover would run out this month, so since the news was announced last year that our health cover would cease, we have been looking for a good assurance policy. We finally made our decision and received our acceptance from the company last week. Fortunately we were given a 14 day cooling off period which runs out tomorrow, so we quickly sent the appropriate paper work, cancelling the policy.

I guess we will have to wait at least another couple of weeks for the message about the new rules to get to our local CPAM. It is then going to be a matter of filling in CMU application forms and getting our Cartes Vitale re-issued. Remembering how long it took to get them first time round I am not going to be holding my breath. After that, we will have to re-start our Complementary Insurance. In the meantime, I assume, we will just have to pay for any medical treatment and keep all our receipts.

Our route home from the post office took us past the local bergerie. The herd somehow had got out and were blocking the road. They decided that they would return home, slowly, in front of our car. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at their field. It was amazing that we didn't see any cars during this time. As it was at 12:30, I suspect most of the usual people using the road were probably sitting down for lunch.

Sunday Lunch

2008-01-20T20:46:00.000+01:00

The forecast was right. The sun is shining and after the last few days of grey skies we decided to head to the Med. When we decided to move to France, one of my criteria of places to live, was to be able to have Sunday lunch overlooking at the sea. We did that today, outside and in shirtsleeves. After our lunch at Cap d'Agde we drove to Marseillan Plage. The sun was so warm, it even encouraged me to paddle. It was lovely seeing people on the beach making the most of the winter sunshine.

Fresh Air and Fun

2008-01-13T13:41:00.000+01:00

This week, we had read in the local papers, "If you walk around Puichéric on the 2nd Sunday in January, you risk being surprised by the noises that you hear". As the sun was shining, we decided to visit la Foire du Cochon and find out what was going on.

We walked around the village looking at the variety of stalls. To be honest, we have seen most of them at the various fairs that we visited in the last 2 years, but somehow they always look a little different. This fair was based on 'porc' products, with samples of sausages and other foods.

The highlight was the pig racing. There were 2 races at 11:30 and more at 3 o'clock. The piglets were released from their pens and had to run around a small ring, encouraged by a number of children. The piglets ran everywhere with no idea of the urgency of the occasion. One little pig even managed to get into the area in the centre where the smaller children stood. There was more squealling coming from the children than the pigs. Here are a few photos as well as a video of the event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38gMzHwfgOQ

After the races there were the customary apéros donated by the Mairie.

*****

As we have joined a gym which is staffed by Carcassonne Rugby League players we have been to quite a few league matches. We hadn't seen a live Rugby Union match since we left the UK, so after lunch we decided to rectify this and went to see Carcassonne versus Villefranche. The match was good and Carcassonne won, but boy, was the wind cold! It is quite exciting watching the match with a backdrop of the Carcassonne Cité.

Garden Visitors

2008-01-10T10:39:00.002+01:00

We have just seen a red squirrel running around the garden. It went off the pool-house roof, down the BBQ, up the palm trees then into the hedge. We have known it was about because of the tell-tale eaten walnuts and scrunching sounds coming from the hedge but haven’t seen it for over 2 years since the cat chased it. They are so much sweeter than the common grey one sees in the UK.

We’re off to Ikea to buy a mirror. It seems to be a common thing to do at the moment.

A Walk in the Malepère

2008-01-09T14:00:00.000+01:00

Every Tuesday, weather permitting, Les Randonneurs de la Malepère, walk around the countryside. As it takes about 10 minutes to greet everyone with a traditional “2 kiss” or hand shake, one always has to turn up early. Yesterday there were 24 on the walk! We drove to Montclar and set off. It began with a steep climb into the Malepère hills. Once we got to the top, the view was worth the climb. Looking towards the Pyrenees, we could see the mountains of Pic de St-Bartélemy, Pic de Soularac and les Monts d’Olmes.

Once we arrived back at the cars, 2 galettes des rois and bottles of Blanquette were produced. The gateaux are usually eaten around the 6th January. The tradition actually dates back to the 14th century. It is an ancient festival which celebrates the 3 kings who brought gifts to Jesus, soon after he was born.

A ’fève’ (*originally a bean but now tends to be a plastic trinket) is baked inside the cake and the cake is shared around the table. Whoever receives the fève is then crowned king or queen for the day. The Queens on this occasion were Bernadette and Christianne. The refreshment was much appreciated.

*********************
For the last few weeks we have been having major problems with our computer. There have been pop-ups and horrible blue screens warning us that we had serious viruses and needed to download software. Richard wrote to a local forum, based in the Languedoc area and they suggested contacting “Security Cadets”. After much communication between the two, I think that the problem has been solved (touch wood).