The final chapter - eventful departure

The night before we left the English class was followed by a knees-up at Tom (the English prof) and Dominique's. We gave Tom and Nicky a lift in our car to Tom's house which is situated just below the remparts of the old town.

Scene from Tom's garden

It's an idyllic situation with a lovely courtyard overhung by the illuminated walls and towers.

Dominique, Cecile, Tom, Nicky

So we had a great evening, but on returning to our car found a back window smashed and glass everywhere. Fortunately there was nothing of value in the back - evidently our coats were not worth stealing, nor our empty shopping bags.  However, it was still very inconvenient as, having to be at the airport at 9am, we clearly had no time to report it to the insurers and the next people hoping to use the car are non-French-speaking friends coming out on honeymoon.

So next morning we made sure our neighbours had a garage key in hope that we could arrange a repair at the house, and checked in for our flight. Shortly before boarding we were summoned to the information desk as there was someone wishing to speak to us.  It was Tom, asking if we had found the briefcase he had accidentally left in our car. He looked shocked when I said I hadn't and that the car had been broken into. His briefcase contained valuable items, so I only hope he is insured. We hadn't time to talk as the airline staff were anxious that Ryanair might not be able to play its fanfare (when you land on time, they play a rousing trumpet fanfare) so I hope he's OK.

We took off at 10.10am and arrived home at 3pm having achieved the whole journey from the airport by public transport, and free because we're that old! Bus to Leicester, Leicester to M Harborough, M Harborough to Rothwell and we walked up to Orton.


So there we are, closing the diary for now. See you all soon.

Last few days. Choir concert, Mad bands day, and a curious cake

The citizens' choir is committed to at least 2 more concerts but somehow they're going to have to manage without me because I'll be back in England. On Saturday we were part of a concert in Le Viguier.
After the rehearsal there was a meal provided.  Sylvie, who is always full of amusing stories (if I could only follow them) was once more the centre of attention when she realised, part way through her meal, that her plastic fork had two missing tines. Lengthy searching only revealed one of them so she thinks she must have swallowed the other!

The group La Grande Bouche who have been coaching us, once again started off the evening.  There were reported to be 2,500 people there and
The main act was Idir who sings Algerian songs, which most people seemed to know, as the area is a largely immigrant quarter.

Yesterday we went to Montreal which plays host to 9 brass bands over this weekend.  Its another high-energy event with bands marching round everywhere playing and dancing.

Elderly (deaf?) resident enjoying deafening rhythm band outside her window.

Pig playing saxophone

Pigs can smoke pipes and drink beer at the same time

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The curious cake.
We went to say goodbye to the lovely old couple in Alzonne who sold us a car and now give us home-made jam and eggs and lessons on local traditions.  There always seems to be something new and this time it was Étriér, a strange thin crisp cake about 8 inches across and embossed with a picture of a local village church on one side and a church tower on the other. It's made from a batter of eggs and flour poured on to a hinged cast-iron double griddle, which is closed and then put on the fire till it's cooked. I loved it for the rustic look of the design. And the cake itself, which tastes faintly of aniseed.

Isn't it great?

One week to go - what have we been doing?

Well.............

We went to look at Lastours and have a delicious home-made ice-cream (the choice includes a citrus fruit and Prickly pear fruit sorbet!)

Part of the Lastours châteaux complex looking threatening

Part of a huge field of solar panels near Villanière

We've had visitors from the Lot. They have a house there where they spend the whole summer. They have had a small vineyard,, from which they made wine for their own use, and have therefore had to be there at critical times during the season.  This year they decided that it was not worth the trouble and have dug them out. This meant they were free to visit for my birthday. So we had lunch out by the canal in Trebes, in the first sunshine we've had for several days.

But first we went round the vide-grenier (like a car boot sale without the cars) in our own village. Jon and I don't really do birthday presents any more, so I was told I could spend €5 at the VG if I could find anything I liked. And I did!   €3 got me a razor-sharp long-handled secateur which is great.

Then €2 found a ball-hitch to go on the van to carry my bike easily. Yipee! Job done.

Apart from that, we have had a pleasant evening with Tom (the English conversation group leader) and Dominique, at their house just below the ramparts of the cité. The group is still working on English language songs to perform at the end of term. Cockles and Mussels, Cleaning Windows, and the Wild Rover are favourites and there's talk of dressing one of the men up as Molly Malone and offering cooked mussels from a barrow. On verra!  We shall see!

And our second meeting with our French friends, who came to us this time for a couple of hours of English conversation (our last meeting was conducted in French). This scheme is working out well and will continue next time we're out here.

After all the trauma with the "new" car we went last week to have the headlights and tyres changed, as well as brake pads and discs and a leaking oil seal. In France, if you fail the MOT you have two months to have the repairs done and, within this period, you can have a "resit" for free.  So we went back yesterday, only to be told that the tyres were still (or rather, again) the wrong size. Fortunately the chaps at the garage who fitted them were very helpful, but it seems it is a rare size and there are none available in that cheap brand for about 2 months. So we're another €160 down for the Michelins we had to have.

Right now Jon is working on the 1924 Renault, hoping to finish the job of improving the brakes so we can return the puller to old Mr Salvetat before we go back.

Our new musical link, Nicky, the banjo-playing Irishman, has told us of a Cajun evening on Saturday by a lake near Limoux, so we'll definitely go there. But before that there's the citizens' choir concert in Carcassonne, so we'll have to go late. Then on Tuesday, the last evening of the English group is finishing off with a party at Tom's, and it seems we just have to go, although we're leaving Wednesday morning and weren't even going to go to that class.

All in all it seems that, after a couple of fairly quiet weeks, we'll be coming home for a rest!

For Adults only - what happened to our little man

I'm sure that you are all worrying about our little terracotta man, so here's a couple of pictures. I've fixed him myself! He's very grateful though he finds it hard to admit as he still harbours some resentment about the carelessness which led to his predicament.
It was modelling plasticine which came to his rescue.