You will be thrilled to read that we finally had a few hours of decent rain this week. Who knew this Englishwoman would be so excited to see the heavens open? As I drove along the road to Carcassonne in my now re-tyred Josy, I passed the vines swaying in delight and the Oleanders lifting their leaves towards the sky. Laetitia, one of the owners of the Closteisseire (our local vineyard) told me that this has been a very difficult summer for all the producers as the grapes are being reduced to raisins in the heat. Like me, she relished the all but too short downfall.
My older brother Simon, arrived at the beginning of the week. He and his wife, Alba, are busy moving their belongings into their new apartment in Narbonne (about an hour from us to the South-East) from their former life in Shetland. Of course, it was wonderful to catch up with them both, not least because they had their first dip in the pool and Simon got to experience one of the house’s ‘headaches’. The drains again. This time a man arrived with a camera and specialist cleaning equipment which frankly, he needed himself after the first push of water backed up and erupted out of the manhole he was standing next to. The camera has given us a result finally; one part of the drain has dipped causing sediment to build up and the other one outside our gate has a crack in it meaning the waste can’t flow properly. Hopefully the latter, as it is off our property, will be the responsibility of the Mayor and his minions.
Speaking of cameras, darling Denis brought me a couple of visitors on Wednesday – Daniel, his son and their drone. I have to admit, I have never seen a drone up close or watched it being manoeuvred above the property and around the pool. Daniel is a professional but his 12 year old son was obviously the specialist, dropping hints and advice to his father. Being so impressed with this young man, I asked him if he could show me how to work the new underwater camera I bought but naturally couldn’t figure out. I think it took him five minutes to show me what all the knobs do and hey presto, I can actually work the thing. I’ve told him I am keeping him on standby for future technological conundrums and if the drone footage, including the night shots of the pool, was anything to go by, we shall have some great videos and photos.
Sadly the Festival de Carcassonne has finished its summer run but I did get to see one more concert along with friends on Friday night, James Blunt. And what a show it was. The singer is obviously hugely popular in this part of the world and he was as entertaining bantering with the crowd as he was singing. In all my years living in London, I probably only went to a handful of concerts yet here, I’ve boogied through two in as many weeks. Must be something in the water.
And the pool is almost complete with the barrier now sitting proudly at the top of its stairs. A little piece of L’Horte, and Pop, now keeping everyone safe from toppling over into the bushes below. Lionel asked me if Pop had made the balcony railings from which I had cut the length of barrier. “Yes he did”, I replied and Lionel stroked the wood. “He built it beautifully” he said. There is so much of L’Horte and my father here; from doors to beams, from apple trees to rose bushes but this final installation has been the most special for me. Over the last year and a bit, I’ve stressed, sweated, pulled muscles and pushed my patience to get the bloody pool finished and now it’s done. I think Pop would be proud of me …….
“The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.” (Antoine Francois Prevost)
Widow plus woofs 