Why Tilling?

EF Benson is a favorite author and some of his work is set in Tilling, an English town of gossip and little scandals. Here is what the Guardian says of Mapp and Lucia, a particular delight;

"Mapp and Lucia" is the centrepiece of E.F. Benson's series of Lucia novels - bringing together for the first time the eponymous middle-aged doyennes of polite 1930s society Miss Elizabeth Mapp and Emmeline Luca (Lucas to her friends). Lucia, recently widowed, is the newcomer to the village of Tilling and eager to wrest the reins of social supremacy from the incumbent Miss Mapp and install herself as its benevolent dictator. In their polite acts of sabotage and ruthless jockeying for the position of cultural arbiter Mapp and Lucia tear up the conventions of drawing-room bridge evenings as their deadly weapons.

-Which doesnt quite explain why we called the blog Tilling-sur-Aude - better read the books:)

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All far from quiet here.

Claer has been visiting with Captain Bob; yesterday we drove up up into the mountains and had an extraordinary day in bright sunshine, with glittering snow and views that were breathtaking; air so pure it made your body feel capable of any (minor) feat.
Lunch in a daft cafe in a village by a stream... this isn't the cafe, this is the stop to inspect the especially despoiled church. Shudder.
Here is the Captain at lunch in the garden today, trying to pass as The Green Man -
This next photo is for Pam and Janie especially, showing that the road to their house is getting there - rebuilt though not yet resurfaced. There are large boulders in place to stop persons driving, presumably until the surface is fit for use. This has the advantage of stopping the hunt from racing up and down the hill:) Happy boar skip about in the sunshine, tra la
Bob and Claer have left for London, poor things. Bieke has gone back to Ghent. For those that remain in Tilling the thrilling news is that Annie and Pete arrive tomorrow, yaaaaho!!

Anyone coming to draw tomorrow morning should sharpen their pencils good - there are TWO models booked.

Anyone fancy a conference at the Maison des Memoire next weekend? Called La poesie des troubadours, quelle resonance dans le temps? Interesting programme covering female troubadours, Ezra Pound, Dante, Simone Weil, the role of the troubadours in the invention of the sonnet - hmm, that'll be a challenge- looks great, in short. Its free but you have to reserve a place, its limited to the first 80 people.
Ring them on 0468 72 50 83 or email centrejoebousquet@wanadoo.fr

Last but never, never least; here Ole-Bendik takes breakfast in the market this morning. Oysters and a dry white wine.