The first fortnight.

I arrived in France on Monday Sept 5^th, met as usual at the airport by my kind neighbours, full of talk of the terrific storm of Saturday night/ Sunday. It rained so hard that the street drains couldn't cope and the water poured off our courtyard and down the steps into the cellar. There was 10 cms of water in the basement suite and garage. They had mopped up but everywhere was still very wet. Fortunately, the weather since has been hot and dry so everywhere is now aired. These are a couple of pictures from the local paper.

Several of you have inquired after Tom, whose briefcase was stolen from our car the night before we left in June. I spoke to him recently and he feels he got off lightly because he was in time to stop his cards and cheques. What he mourns most is the briefcase itself, which was his constant companion for more than 30 years.

I've had two lots of visitors from the U3A French group. One couple only spent a day with me

but the others have just gone on their way today after spending a week at the camp-site in the next village. We've done lots together and it seems quiet without them now.

One victory and one “work in progress” to report. I have finally got the van on French plates. Actually remembered to take not only the whole of the English log book (only brought the export slip last time) but also the mandatory ID and proof of domicile. Easy really – I don't know what all the fuss was about! And the total cost was €60 MOT, €250 registration charge and €32 for the plates.

But the other task is the carpet-fitting saga. And that is proving as difficult as ever. When we left in June, we had paid for the carpet and the suppliers had agreed to keep it for us till we got back. We had signed and put a deposit against the quote for fitting the carpet, and all we need now is a definite date for the fitting. But it's the usual story of the receptionist saying she's asked the fitter to ring us - “Oh, hasn't he rung you yet?” but no follow-up call. We've already lost 2 weeks so I'm going to bang on the desk on Monday morning. I could do with a whole new French vocabulary – how to get what you want in French.

I've been doing quite a lot of cycling, comme d'hab, as usual. Had to laugh at myself on one occasion. Last time he was out here, Jon managed to fall off his bike while stationary. He was astride it, turning round to go back and caught his foot somehow. He fell heavily and banged his head on the road. Hearing the story later, it was only the large bloody lump on his head that kept my sense of humour under control. So here's my own version. I had been shopping and had the panniers well stuffed when I needed to dismount to get over some rough ground. The bike has a cross-bar and I forgot I'd bought a broom handle which was sticking up out of the pannier behind me like an antenna. I only just managed not to fall off when my leg encountered the handle, and then nearly completed it by falling about laughing.

Other notable events have been two wonderful concerts near Quillan, part of the traditional music festival which takes place there every year. It's a long way though for an evening concert on my own. Because they always start late and insist on encores, I don't get back till half past midnight.

And I went out with Marie and Michel on a walk up on the Col de Sallettes on Wednesday. I was a little concerned as they said it would be 13km and I hardly ever go walking any distance, and they are younger and fitter than me. We drove up to the start, watching the temperature dropping as we went, from 25 to 16, so I was glad of my jacket to begin with. But the sun came out after an hour or so and it was a beautiful day. The countryside was very open, with patches of heather rather then trees, and the views simply magnificent. Michel is a great cook so the picnic was superb too.

And on top of that, we talked all day in both French and English, each of us learning a lot.

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

.

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.

Kalashnikovs, drug rings and songs

I'm only here for one more concert with the community choir and that, true to its ideals, will be in Le Viguier, one of the deprived suburbs of Carcassonne.
Yesterday's paper describes the arrest of 12 people said to be part of a drug ring, and the seizing of a Kalashnikov, a first for the Carcassonne police apparently. And this was in Le Viguier.

One of the pieces we will be performing is a rap composed in one of the Chapeau Rouge workshops and sung/spoken (very rapidly) by a young man, with references to the deprived quarters of the town. Some of the lines go "From Viguier to Grazailles, from La Conte to Ozanam. There aren't only criminals, there are poets too.  Pass me a pen, I will beautify my town."  Sorry about the translation - it scans in French.

I'm still going to the choir in the next village, where I took some Dundee cake for the break this week. It's different from anything you see round here, where the cakes are all very light and not heavily fruited like that. Felt slightly embarassed though that I couldn't give the recipe as it was just a supermarket buy.

Other singing is going on in the English class where Tom has decided to get the class singing songs in English to work towards a performance at the end of term, which, unfortunately, we will miss. Tom has enlisted the help of an Irish singer/banjo-player and we're working our way through When I'm cleaning Windows, Molly Malone, My Way, Beyond the Sea (La mer) and Just a Gigolo.  There are (over-)ambitious plans to produce mussels and chips from the barrow when we they do Molly Malone at the end-of-term party. OMG!

Great cheese discovery

I just have to share this but I'm not sure how useful it's going to be in England.

While travelling down we were offered Chaource as one of the cheeses at dinner, and it's lovely. A soft cow's milk cheese with a slightly firmer, chalky centre (when young, I just read) and a lovely nutty flavour, from the Champagne/Ardennes region.

Just couldn't keep it to myself.