Vanilla Beer Get-out-of-Jail-Free card

We had been told that the police here have to meet quotas and so on the last day of the month can be expected to be out and hunting wrongdoers.
Accordingly, after driving to Arques for Katherine's quiz night, Steve didn't drink any alcohol. When we left - admittedly in the early hours of March - I had drunk his share and he was as sober as a judgmental person.

When we got pulled outside Tilling it was jolly exciting - the pleasure in righteousness, knowing that you are safe when in the hands of authority -we had forgotten that it is illegal to drive here without a driving license to hand.

All was well, however. When I heard Steve explain in Swiss/German that it was at home, I skipped out of the car and told them in French that his permit was up the hill and he was a gentleman and driving me home. They waved us on - simple. Steve called me the Vanilla Beer Get Out of Jail Free card. Sweet.

Here is Catherine reading the quiz results. I was third. Some mistake?

I am terribly aware that Andrée Bonnets 80th birthday party has yet
to be blogged, ditto Kats 50ermum.
When I have a spare and sober night, this will be accomplished.

Police action on drug-dealing rapist

At last, the police are acting in the case of the woman
who claimed she was raped after being drugged by her
dealer (see entry dated 06 02 09)

The police are charging her with wasting police time.

shrive that pancake

Tuesday was the day before lent and as ever we religiously prepare by eating the last of the eggs, flour and milk in the house, ready for the 40 days fast.

Thérese is staying and she knew how to make pancakes. And toss them.

And today we changed our mind and went back to eating and drinking as ever. Just not sinned sufficiently to atone for.

Suffered in other ways; Quillan market with Kat, dreadful: le Parchement, ooh ghastly: coffee with the returned Pete and Annie, quelle suffering: then the planting of potatoes which really was quite hard in the hot sunshine, having to talk to the friends who passed my potaoebed of pain. Dinner dosn't bear mentioning nor the evenings entertainment, where will it end? Woe woe and etc. Alas. Lets hope tomorrow will be easier on the agony.
Ahem.

airport run

Anyone meeting the Stanstead plane on Sunday 1st? Two
visiting American academics could use a lift...

those party snaps

Great Party Sunday Kate! Heres
to many more years of good health and happiness

hail and farewell

Here we see Philippe and Babette saying goodbye with an extra
cheery wave from neighbour Andre, as they pack up their house
to leave it to me and Bob who have bought it for enough money to
keep them smiling into long their retirement and old age.
They are going to Narbonne Plage; alors, chacon à son gout as
we often remark hereabouts.

It is a lovely little palace and its courtyard is adjacent to our very
own art house, so it all makes sense.

Bob has legged it to Engerland to earn enough to pay for it so I
trotted off to Kates birthday and survival party - she has been 2
years with someone elses liver being happy inside her. It was a
party of the first order - cake and blanquette, bliss on Sunday
afternoons - with a select bunch of dear hearts, some rarely
spotted nowadays. Saveria and John, glowingly well; Shoona and
Roland, ditto; Kat, excellent new haircut, without Peter not that
they would be together but anyway hes gone to Almeria or at
any rate the south of Spain; Dermot, of course (in my portable
listed as Katendermot or Kat tender mot, sweet) Tim and Yvonne,
as ever fun and Kerry, just back from a spell of Blighty and looking
good despite it. Oh Karrin too, on holiday for a spell - gorgeous as
ever - and Vivienne, whom I knew had been rendered unconcious
while skiing recently. What I didn't know was that this happened in
the car park. And that the blankett the Pompiers swaddled her in
was bought in Primark.

I took some photos but not on my camera.

Will whoever finds some snaps of the party on their camera please
send them over? Cheers.

rambling update

The Captain has been here all week so hand-holding
rather than partying has been going on; he goes on Sunday
when normal duties will resume.

The new house should be exciting but the previous owners
are still there in and we haven't got the keys - all we've got
so far is a large debt.

The only gossip I have to report is about one of my paintings.
I had email from a stranger with a photo of it, saying could
I tell him anything about it. He had been left it by his father.

It was clearly one of mine probably from the early 1990's.
Thing was that I could find no photo of it - normally I'm
quite good at records. And bizarrely there was no date or title
on the back - again, something that is fetishistic with me.

After much too-ing and fro-ing of correspondence, we established
that the painting was cut from its stretchers and mounted on wood.
The information I had doubtless written on the back was concealed.

This told me that it was one of a series that I had taken to exhibit
in Manila. They were rolled and carried in my suitcase and mounted
when I got there as part of a workshop; then shown at the Madrigal
centre. How had that got to this chaps father??

Further investigation revealed that said chap was the son of the
Landlord at the Windmill Inn on Clapham Common. This rang bells -
I remember meeting clients there for lunch. (What I remember
especially was that I was a vegan and one of the party ate frogs legs.
I kept the bones and worked them into some small altarpieces that I
still have, inexplicably)

The painting, it eventually transpires, came back unsold from Manila
and was bought from me at an open studio event in 1995 by Dr
Gordon Sturrock acting on behalf of a group, who subsequently made
the presentation to the landlord.

Not sure where it is now. Will ask. Alarming that ones pictures may
be having a more interesting time than me.

mixed celebrations

Yesterday we celebrated the life of Serge, partner
of Jacqueline. He died suddenly and unexpectedly
on Friday night of a heart that gave out.
I knew them both through the early days of the Chemin
des Artists; they were unfailingly supportive and fun with it.

Much love to Jacqueline. May his memory sustain you.

Then that night, back with the living, Kat hosted a dinner
to celebrate Andy and Louise's safe return from Florida and
a tropical island and Steve's presence and Vivienne's return
from working in England. Me and PeterG were the other guests.
Kat's cooking is inspiring. Middle age and its spread is fab.

Garths vernisage

Jim is driving to Carcassonne to go to Garth's
vernsiage on Weds - anyone wanting a lift contact him.
And whilst on the subject of lifts, anyone arriving on the
Gatwick/Toulouse Saturday morning flight? The Captain
needs a ride -

The Captain has made it to 60...

The Captain was 60 on Sunday... we celebrated in style
at the Moderne et Pigeon












The plate was the gift of Kat and the moon
was the gift of god

PeterG apero report

Remembered the camera last night but
was having too much fun at PeterG's party
to take it out of my pocket - duh. Sorry.
But it was a smashing evening! Bisoux to
Pete, our gracious host xxxxxxx

attention drug users

A woman of these parts who is stupid enough to take drugs
made another mistake when she had a meal alone with her dealer.
He drugged her and when she came to, he was raping her.

The gendarmes know him but said it was her word against his.

She has no redress at all but wants to warn other women.

So, if you persist in your folly, at least take someone with you when
you buy drugs and never share any food, drink or drug with him.

*note that if I named him I would be in deeper
trouble with the law than this drug dealing rapist.

Let joy be unconfined...

Steve is visiting, hurrah! And Annie and Pete are back from a foray,
prior to going off again. They gave me and Kat and Steve dinner last
night and we did a late celebration for Steve's birthday.



Annie is becoming recognisable as Wonderwoman.
I can't cook like that if I work on it for days; she can
knock up a banquet in 15 mins., whilst doing everything
else at the same time.

February already

the night sky looks promising for February - take an advance peek at
what we can expect -

http://www.oneminuteastronomer.com/2009/02/01/february-2009/