Anne 'n' Dan

Anne and Dan are here for the weekend with Captain Harris - here they are taking tea at Rennes-les Bains (we are doing the tourist rounds) and below just before dinner at the mad Poulet Bicyclette, who are very recommended - see www.chez-Pierro.com for lots of photos. They built their own lake.
Annie and Pete were there. They are getting ready to go back to the frozen north, its heartbreaking.

Paradise?? Perhaps...

Yesterday I thought Tilling might be paradise. Beautiful day, friends abounding; Mary and Vic turned up to take me to lunch, still missed after 4 years back in Blighty (call of the grandchildren -:) Then dinner at the mill with Pete and Annie, Kat and Dave and Toni - a marvelous, fulfilling, cossetting, delicious day. With distractions to keep me from work, continuously.
Dave and Tony above - below, Annie -and Kat and Pete. Very successful post apocalyptic decoration, dont you think? Frightfully trendy.


Today I went to the dentist, waited in for the EDF and generally felt less ecstatic.

voyage to the centre of the world

Perpignan have got their corporate ass into gear and latched onto Dali's dictum, that the station there is the centre of the world; naturally they have built a multistory car-park and shopping centre on it. What else?
Took the 7.50 bus from Quillan, the best 1 euro value anywhere, and spent the day trawling the galleries and churches. Will spare you photos of dark 14th century virgins and daft 19 century faux erotic paintings. Below is a view of the mountains snapped from the bus, I just love the way you get repeated sunrises in the morning as the bus moves from valley to valley - and sunsets on the way home.

Toulouse airport anyone?

Diana would like a lift from Toulouse airport - shes arriving Monday 24 October at 4.45- is anyone else? She needs to know before she leaves on Thursday - get in touch if you can help.

brung and bought

Big thanks to all for coming this morning, bring, buying, eating cake and drinking coffee - we raised a respectable 240-odd euros for Cancer Support in France and had a deal of fun doing it

Captains new hat

Perfect Sunday

A Tilling vide grenier in hot sun by the river....

followed by convivial dinner at Ole-Bendik and Aileens, to welcome O-B's daughter Victoria and her sons, Erlend and Gaute.


Here is Ole-Bendik dancing his love; his grandchildren are fascinated (I think thats the word-) with their Grandpapa, as well they might be...




Erlend is charmingly sanguine about it all - neither of the boys speak English though Erlend came back from the vide grenier able to say bonjour madame




Here is Gaute demonstrating that his appetite hasn't failed him.