Adieu, Liz and Frank -

I'm too miserable to talk about this; but much cheered when Liz
gave me her magnificent non-electric Singer sewing machine.

Weds night visitor

My old friend Richard came to visit en route to London from
his home in Italy - Annie and Pete gave us dinner and I forgot
my camera. They are off tomorrow but I will not talk about that.
So no photo of them but here's Richard ...

and here is Richard photographing me photographing him...
nice view of the Wall of Marquetry, class collection of wooden
pictures done by men in sheds.

the vultures are circling

Egyptian white headed vultures seen circling over Tilling last
week - photo by Ian who says they were enormous. Surprised
one at a kill in the mountains one morning, frightened the life
out of me.

vote for Mike

This from Mike;

I’ve entered an image in the new Saatchi Showdown. It’s called
“The Learning” and it’s from my new “There and Then” series
where I am digitally reworking my mum’s sixties holiday snaps.
You might very well like it. You might even feel inclined to vote
for me. Please do so with gusto – 10 stars please and messing…..
PLEASE VOTE HERE:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=239716


All quiet in Tilling - except for the wind, startlingly frisky.

Saturday night fixture

This from Eddie; pass it on....

 Groove Club   
Unplugged Session at Café de Fa 7 Nov 2009
with Stan Adler, Deb Swallow, Serge Ducamin,  Rida
and others...singers welcome.
No electric guitars - starts at 9.00pm

Ring
04 98 20 19 35 to reserve a table -Plat du jour 8.50 euros 

And here is Lizette, Pete and Clares neighbour, getting the
flowers out for the Feast of the Dead on Sunday. Here it is
customary to put flowers on your ancestral grave; people
drive in from the towns to their family villages to do it,
though not as much as they used to according to the oldies.
Saw a fair few trotting about on Sunday nonetheless.

Sunday lunch

- oysters at Peters, delicious!
Masses for me as hardly
anyone else there would
eat them.
Ashley swallowed two
and is still not convinced
that they are a Good
Thing. Peter cut himself
opening them but managed
not to get blood everywhere.

Fortunately there were
salads and other goodies.





It was lovely, sitting in the sun enjoying good food in
wonderful company: Ian, Leo, Joan, Nel and Peter, Peter and
Annie, Ashley -witty and engaging. And I was sober.
Poor Nel was in pain with poisoned foot but was brave and
looked after us all without complaining.

Afterwards walked up the mountain and planted some blackberries.

They have their exits and their entrances...

Last night was the farewell dinner for Liz and Frank; Jill and
Tony, Andrée and me at Le Cantou. I can't believe I forgot to
take a camera -! but they are not going till Friday. Once the
packing starts in earnest they are moving to Roy and Jo's so
I plan to catch them there, or perhaps at this mornings market.

It was a very good night, finishing at Andrées for a glass too
many. Great fun for me because today I stop the booze for
the whole of November - to get fit for the Christmas abuse -
and now I have enough in my system to get me through the
first few days.

There are so many movements going on here - what is the
matter with everyone? Restless spirits all...

Bieke has gone but will be back soon with her husband on the
16th for a couple of days.

Aileen and Ulla B are back from Normandy. She writes:

...Very ragged in the edges by now. And still I
have to drive to Tour and back on monday &
tuesday to recuperate a broken down trailer.
Hoping there will be some windows in by the
time I get back. 

Biz and Mick have gone to New Zealand, will be back in spring.
They write...

See you next year m'dear. We look forward to it
greatly. Do NOT want to go.

Leo goes next week as does Nelike.
Pete and Annie I refuse to talk about.
Adrian and Maggie are gone.
Stephen is in Zurich.

Kat gets back with the Captain on the 11th...

A few words from darkest London. Its grey and
drizzly today but it has been sunny most of
the time and not too cold.
Only one week to go!!!!! Last week was hard
did a bad teaching on Monday but thank goodness
Fridays class went well. Its hard to feel
positive when that happens but it all worked
better later.Loads of work for the weekend just
taking a break now between projects. 
Then its revision for the exams. 
Yuk!!to both.
Bob makes a mean apple crumble.
In fact he made 2 from apples Helen had
picked from the garden. Lucky for me he 
doesn't like waste and I didn't eat them
quick enough and they were going off.
I hardly have time to cook so have been living
off salads.
See you next Wednesday, Bob and I are on the
same flight.Hope there are some wild parties
due I feel in need of one or at least seeing
everyone. Miss you all.

And Iain gets in on the 8th, staying at mine till the 12th;

I am currently in very sunny Mallorca where
I have been for about a month. I am thinking of
popping over to pay you a visit on my way home.
I am going to Barcelona for a concert and am
going to stay a few days. I thought I might drive
up on sunday 8th. I fly back to Edinburgh on 12th
from Gerona. Hope you will all be there and not 
swanning off to wherever on a whatever. 

Swann? Moi? Engaged in honest, sober toil more like.