Two Visits for the Price of One

21.6.15:

In order to profit from cooler temperatures, we set off early for the cemetery with Jean-Jacques to see how Christian and Michelle were getting along together. Inevitably there were a few tears. JJ suggested that if we wanted we could put a souvenir for Christian on the grave (what a generous man he is). To move on from the tears, I said that Christian was a squatter and we'd could think of something else! Talked about a small seat (there's just enough space between two sentinel trees) that he and I could use to linger a while should we go up there on significant dates with champagne to toast them. Not sure that it will be allowed though. Failing that, unless anyone has any brighter ideas, a wind chime. To be followed up .....
Back to the café where Armand (a colleague from the Mairie) picked up my visitors to drive them to the airport.
Next stop was Nany and André's to celebrate Nany's birthday. Glad to say that she was genuinely pleased with her present. André made the birthday toast with champagne over apéritifs and remembered Christian as well. My eyes were wet again. 13 of us sat down to lunch in the garden but it was too hot for me to linger so I came back for a bit of a rest before the fête de la musique.
The samba school was first up, arriving in the square swaying, shaking and enjoying the moment.
Click the link to get a feel of the event 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjmmUhikS8&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
Not that I saw it all. I'd decided not to eat there so didn't stay much more than an hour and a half. It had been a tiring day, weekend even and I wanted a bit of time to myself.
Weather:
31° Sunny

20.6.15:

Rendez-vous with my charming Bank Manager first of all, then coffee with Françoise followed by an apéritif with Michèle and Henri. Michèle was wearing what Henri called a "Scarlet O'Hara" hat which she'd just bought for the princely sum of 5€. With half an hour to go before I was due to come back to the village with my neighbour, Nicole, I whizzed off to buy one of the same. Well, not quite; Michèle's was straw coloured, mine red. It's perfect for these hot sunny days.
Samba practice in the afternoon for tomorrow's  appearance. Frank and Valérie arrived home a bit later having found their brother tired but positive. Dinner, eventually at Jean-Jacques'.
Weather:
25° sunny
                                                                                                                                                                 19.6.15:

Stared a slow paced morning with a visit to the lawyers then met p with Michèle and Henri for a coffee. While Valérie and Frank went off to have a look around the town, Michèle and I went shopping for a birthday present for Nany. Bought a floaty scarf (that I would have liked myself!) and a necklace from an African shop. Came back to the bar for lunch after which my two visitors set off to see Stéphane, 4 hours drive away.
Had intended to make a cake for this evening's "fête des voisins" after a wee nap but remembered with 40 minutes to spare that I was going out with Anne J for a cup of tea and change of scene. There was therefore, neither snooze nor cake. The theme of the evening was to wear a hat and bring related food/drink. Looked out the leprechaun hat and the green wig that Christian and I wore to the last St Pat's night and topped new potato halves with herby cream cheese and smoked salmon.
Was feeling pretty tired and missed Christian being there, so left early and wandered over to the bar where a polyphonic group was having it's end of year dinner. Hung around long enough to hear them break into song before the dessert.