Some Come, Some Go and Some Stay Put!

Hard to believe but I'm on a roll . . . 4th day running that I've sat in front of the computer to catch up with Chitchat. Too hot to be outside has maybe something to do with it.

16th - 22nd August 2021:

Sadly, our Colombian friends have left the village to make their way back home but another week with something different to enjoy helped fill the gap. This time there was a overnight with Rowena way up in the back of beyond! Met up in Céret so the stress of wondering if bus connections would work was removed.

Lunch, chat, bird watching (robins, nut hatches, blue tits, great tits and a hawk) on the patio, reading and relaxing until time for an apéro of G & T. Drove to the village for dinner and saw a hare sitting by the side of the road. Food was copious and tasty; much better rapport/qualité prix than here. Ro is an early bedder so was upstairs by 10h30 though read until I nodded off sitting up. The next morning I read the papers in bed before a leisurely breakfast and more chat on the terrace. Light lunch and then off to the photo exhibition that Rowena had organised and was having to watch over 2 afternoons a week. Caught the 3 buses back, all of which connected! Homecoming was not that joyous as I could hear water running downstairs in the toilet. Plumber on holiday but recorded message said he'd come out if it was an emergency. Apparently, this was such and he'd be out, first thing in the morning. In the meantime, had to shut the water off (Dominique helped as the tap was too stiff for me) and make do. True to his word , the plumber arrived at 8am along with his apprentice. They managed to locate the problem in the cave and isolated it so that I can continue with day to day life until he can come and put it right after the holidays or whenever.

Outwith the usual activities of my daily life that you are now well and truly familiar with, I managed to deal with Orange, my internet provider, and things are a bit better. Amid all this techie stuff there was a cultural pause at Romer Kitchen's vernissage in Céret that I attended with Linde and her daughter, Eve who's here on a flying visit from the States. Really good paintings. Portraits of live models and scenes done in situ.

There were a couple of early evening apéritifs with Jean and Françoise, the second one being before an evening of Sardane dancing on the village square. Bought three raffle tickets and won some biscuits that are a local speciality, a bottle of rosé, a bottle of white and a bottle of sweet Muscat wine.

Ended the weekend with dinner at Katie's with Linde, Eve and Christine. A good evening with tasty things to eat, good wine and some wide ranging conversation mixed in with plenty of chat. 

Weather: 29° - 32°, sunny