The hot,
sunny weather persisted until Wednesday and the fields around us look quite
spectacular. The grass has been mowed and baled and in some places the grass
has started to grow again around the bales, which makes it look rather
attractive, but I prefer the fields that have just been cut, and baled. Then
the stubble left in the field is a wonderful luminous gold with more round
bales standing around than one would think possible for that size field. Every
corner brings another ‘Kodak’ moment!
Tilly
arrived back from the south coast at some unearthly time of the morning on
Monday. It really scares the daylights out of me to have her driving around the
countryside, at night, on her own but she has no worries about it and seems to
love driving. Most of the rest of the day was spent unpacking her car and getting
herself organised. However, at about five o’clock we all decided that it was
such a beautiful evening that we should really not waste it so took a drive to
Cajarc down near the Lot River. Our favourite restaurant had tables empty so we
thought a glass of rosé would slide down our throats very nicely and coolly.
There was a small band playing some rather weird but not unpleasant music, off
to one side and it was completely relaxing to sit and ‘people watch’.
Our
neighbours had invited us to a meal on Wednesday evening which was a real
honour as it was really a family reunion. Their daughter from near Bordeaux was
there with her young son; one son from Canada was there with his wife and two
boys; another son from America was also there but they have no children. Also
invited was the host, Laurent’s sister and her partner, an uncle from down the
road, who brought more family with him, a couple of Laurent’s brothers and
their wives, but around then, I lost count and really could no longer work out
the relationships. Tilly was with us of course, and she and I tried to do a
head count and came to about 30 people. I asked Ann, our hostess, at one time,
how many people there were and she just shook her head and said ‘I don’t know’.
The parts of the family that were staying in the house with Ann and Laurent had
all made the food for the evening and although there were not enough chairs to
go around, somehow everyone seemed to have been adequately fed and watered. It
was an amazing experience.
It also took
a bit of recovery time so we were pleased not to have any plans for Thursday
although Tilly worked hard on her computer and the phone most of the day. Apart
from all else, she was busy organising her sister’s wedding on Saturday. Oh,
did I forget to say? She is also qualified to marry people. Since the wedding
was due to take place near Paris, she went off on Friday afternoon, by which
time Neels and I had already left for Rodez to collect our new Titres de
Sejour. All legal for another year!
Saturday was
Ols Day. I have a feeling that it was instituted to commemorate something to do
with the Resistance during the war, but it is now a fun day and an evening
disco for the youth. We heard the public address system blaring out just after
lunch so ambled down to see what was going on. It was a sports day with a
difference. When we got there they were busy with a blind-fold relay race. Not
as simple as it sounds. To start with, a number of hay bales had been formed
into a square, covered with a sheet of black plastic and about half-filled with
water. This make-shift swimming pool was in the line of the relay race. So we
had four blindfold runners, each with a ‘mate’ to lead them in the right
direction. They started off, and had to climb over the ’wall’ of hay, splash through
the water to the other end about 12 metres away, climb over the wall again and
then the mate released the runner and had to direct him/her to a baton lying in
the grass by shouting ‘left’, ‘right’ or ‘straight on’ and then directing back
to the mate. Then, with baton in hand,
they made the return trip by which time they were all thoroughly wet and
giggling helplessly. A few were so weak with laughing that their mate had to
literally drag them through the water on the return trip. A great time was had
by all – especially the spectators who didn’t have to get wet! We left shortly
after this event and as we walked up past the community hall (Salle de Fetes)
we noticed feverish activity as preparations were being made for the disco that
evening. We didn’t go a watch later that evening but could hear some of the
music and thought we were perhaps a bit old for disco.
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