April arrived howling down the Chimney

April? Feels more like Winter than Spring!

1.4.22: Local Musicians swing into Action

 A concert in aid of Ukraine raised 1,500€. That's Jacques on stage strumming away at his guitar.

2.4.22: Braving the Elements

A banda from Toulouse joined the village one to play at the market in the morning. It was bitt-er-ly cold so their audience was a bit meager. In the evening they played again but this time they had a more sheltered position and the terrace and the bar was packed. A couple of small whiskys by the fire inside was worth the covid risk.

Weather: 9°! 

3.4.22: Variety is . . .

Lunch of a veritable couscous at Dali's in tribute to her Algerian origins, accompanied by foie gras and champagne in tribute to her French upbringing. I'm all for having the best of both worlds!

Weather: 10°, sunny, wind much lighter

4.4.22: Chez Suzette near Toulouse

Had a walk around the village after lunch. Bigger and lots more new build than I had expected from Jacques' reminiscences. Only sites of note were:

• the house of the Resistant, Blanche Lavalade Robène that had been used as a staging post for those fleeing theVichy regime
  

• the old outdoor public "lavoire" that could do with a little tlc

• a canon that was buried during  the 2WW 

Weather: 13°, sunshine and cloud

5.4.22: On the Tourist Trail

The Capitol was not open to the public due to renovation work so we had to content ourselves with admiring it from the outside, searching our star signs embedded in the square and looking up at the painted ceiling panels of the arcade depicting the history and achievements of Toulouse.

 Went for coffee at Le Florida as recommended by Françoise and popped into the Tourist Office, housed in the 16th century donjon.

Then followed a day of ecliesiastical visits:

* First off: Notre Dame du Taur started in the 14th century on the spot where the body of St Saturnin ended up after being dragged through the streets by a bull: straight sided wall tower built into the church 

* St Saturnin, started in 11th century

* Church of the Jacobins, dominican monestary founded in the 13th century, Palm ceiling vault, luckily out of the way of Napoleon's soldiers and their horses that were garrisoned there and cloister

* Notre Dame de la Daurade which went from a 5th century basilica, to a church, Benedictine monestary, a tobacco factory after the Revolution, was destroyed and rebuilt in 19th century. Unusually, a black Virgin

*Various timbered, Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings and several squares.

*Walk along the Promenade Henri Martin (artist born 1860) on the banks of the Garonne.

* Lunch at "Au Gascon". Bon rapport qualité/prix

*Tea and views at the roof top café in the Galleries Lafayette.

All the while, Jacques pointed out landmarks pertinent to his and his family's history as did Suzette!

Weather: Sunny after a chilly start

6.4.22: More Sights, no Churches

 Drove into Toulouse and started with a good coffee at "le Bibent", a splendid Art Nouveau brasserie. Enjoyed lingering and ruled out any more churches. 

Wandered the streets instead, had lunch in one of the restaurants over the fabulous indoor Victor Hugo food market. Cassolet was on the menu; needless to say that it was very filling though I was the only one to give dessert a miss.

Walked along the Canal du Midi but the chilly weather and light rain drove us to "Midica" a modern home & gardens store where we made our way to the 5th floor café.

Jacques sister-in-law’s sister who's also Suzette's friend, Danielle came for an apéritif and joined us for supper.

Weather: Chilly, overcast and damp

7.4.22:

While Jacques was at an unexpected funeral, we visited Launaguet with it's impressive Mairie. Vive la Révolution! Drove home after lunch without stopping, glad to find sunshine and warmth.

Weather: 20° and warmer sunshine

8.4.22: Straight back into socialising

A vernissage of paintings and sculptures followed by a "pot d'amité" and this time the Maire actually indicated that we were all invited downstairs to have a drink and this time I had time to stay for a while before moving on to the next event. More exasperating, he once again said that he knew nothing about art which wasn't his field of expertise! How can a politician not even waffle to make himself look a bit more competent by expressing a few thoughts about what appealed to him? Still, he gave me something to sound off about over supper at Jean and Françoise's.

Weather: 17°, a little drizzlz later

9.4.22: La Cocinelle

 Couldn't be bothered to turn out for the village carnival though if truth be told I was feeling guilty about not having made any of the thousands of flowers need to create the Cocinelle (Ladybird) which is the nickname of a VW Beetle

Weather: 16° sunny

10.4.22: A Gloomy Day

 

So election day dawned and with it the much talked about (even by the BBC) first round of the Presidential elections. I went over to the Mairie to watch the count which took over 2 1/2 hours. Not the most efficient I've seen. Ashamed to say, the commune voted for Marine Le Pen, followed by Macron, then Melenchon. The national tendance is said to be for Macron in the 2nd round (25th April) but it will be tight as people are fed up of having to vote for someone they don't support in order to keep out the extreme right wing and are talking of not voting at all.

Weather: 19°, sunshine and blue sky

13.4.22: Food with Friends

The elections provided plenty of material for discussion over lunch at Michlle and Henri's (Sunday), JJ's (Tuesday), Jacques (Wednesday) and supper at mine. (Monday)

Weather: 14°, heavy drizzle

15.4.22: That's more like it!

Something to get a move for this morning as a walk with Linde and Françoise was planned.
 

A good 3½ hours up through ground plants, broom and wild flowers 

then down to Cosporons where there's a craft vinegar maker (their vinegar graces many a Parisian restaurant) and a monument to Vietnamese workers who died in an explosion at the then local dynamite factory owned by Nobel. In the field next to the cemetary was this cute Catalan donkey with the "trademark" dark cross on his back. 

 Had a picnic lunch in the shade over looking the sea after which we had a very warm walk back to the car up through the vineyards sympathising with workers having to pick grapes on these slopes.

Weather: 27°, sunny

17.4.22: Joyeuses Pâques

 A quiet day; friends are either away, confined to their own 4 walls or playing safe. Hence, I've managed to get Chitchat up to date and am now off to plunder my stock of chocolate in the cupboard which is not far enough out of reach!

Weather: 22°, sunshine and blue sky

18.4.22: Highlight of the day . . . A trip to Lidl with Nick; chore of the day: cleaned the patio; pleasure of the day: chocolate and phone calls to friends; stupidity of the day: bed at 3am.

Weather: 19°, sunny, overcast later

19.4.22: End of a 110 Streak. Yes, failed to get today's Wordle

23.4.22: The last few days were more intesresting that those of late. Jacques came for lunch, I was invited back the next day and the day after I went with Françoise and Jean to Perpignan. 

St Jordi's (patron saint of Catalunya) day and I didn't think to wear "sang et or" or hand out the Catalan flag . . . . and to think it was actually me who started off the Fête de la Sant Jordi in 2009. The "festivities" were a sad affair; a couple of sardanes, the Association's bookstall was uninviting and that was it. No medieval costumes or music, no market stalls, no reading of the legend, no street decoration. Well, the banda played yet again though their sound is hardly of the epoch. Started off by meeting Martine for a coffee where we were joined by Michelle and Henri. Ended up having lunch with them, Nany and André who had been playing. so, the day was rescued.

Weather: 17°, feeling colder, spells of sunshine and rain

24.4.22: Out to See the Sea

 Started the day wondering what this evening would bring? Although Macron is far from ideal, he's got to be better than Le Pen. Until such time as the results came in, the day was passed pleasantly enough. A trip down to Argelès with Jean & Françoise to meet their daughter and her lads for coffee. Walked along the promenade for a while enjoying the countryside and the sea air. Françoise fancied having stuffed mussels for lunch so we gave her her wish and headed for "L'Asmourzade". I even joined her and wasn't disappointed. The other two courses were just as good.

 Couldn't face going to watch the count at the Mairie after my previous experience.

Result: Macron kept the Presidency but in the village it was Le Pen who came out in front. She polled 863 to Macron's 687. Abstention rate of 26.7%. Doesn't make for easy thoughts living among people with such convictions. Let's see what the Legislatives bring in June.

Weather:

21°, overcast start, sunny later with cloud in evening

 

24.5.22:

 

Not only did I do an hour on the treadmill first thing but also went walking with Françoise in the afternoon. Another result: 18,000+ steps!

Weather: 21°, overcast start, sunny later

 

26.4.22:

New research shows that the optimum amount of sleep is 7 hours. Will give it a go!

Weather: 21°, sunny

30.4.22:

Who'd believe that the first four months have gone and life ticks over much the same as usual apart that it's warmer sitting out for a cuppa at the café. The fountain is still not functioning though. There have been other meals not mentioned above, mostly at Jacques' though I did get to see James and Beverly for an apéro at their place during a week's stopover between the States, Denmark and UK.

My home based activities rermain the same: daily Wordle, other puzzles and reading. I've yet to finish the latest "Outlander" but have been watching the latest series on Netflix. Also watched the last "Ozark" series over the space of two days and laughed my way through Miriam Margoles's interview by Alan Yentl.

And amazingly for a procrastinator like myself, I've made a start on my tax return which isn't due until 7th June. That's got to be a first!

The wider world is still desparing about the situation in Ukraine and shoppers are being rationed on the sunflower oil front, there's never ending talk about the rising cost of living and for some reason articles on dust mites are appearing in magazines??!! Boris is still Boris and frustratingly still there having laughed off his fixed penalty notice for breaking lockdown restrictions.

 

Weatherwise after a miserable start, temperatures are picking up and swallows and house martins can be seen in the sky. What's the betting that we'll soon be complaining that it's too hot!