Fete Du Vin at Arnac

Saturday 4 June a fun packed day at Arnac starting with a vide grenier in the streets at 9h . A petanque competition 'concours amical en doublettes' at 14.30 at 15h30 degustation and sale of wines. Apero concert at 19h followed by a Buffet Campagnard 13 euros [put your name down at the time] Along with music by 'FLY MUSIC'

Moulin Druilhet Yard Sale

If you want to sell at this sale a space or table will be 5 euros. Arrive on the day, it starts 10am and leave when you are ready or sold out!! In a beautiful location with plenty of parking along the lane.

Book exchange

The book exchange is now arranged for Tuesday 7th June  at 11a.m. meeting at the Gazpacho. Hope to see a few of you there with a couple or more books. I will give a reminder the night before [ if I remember ! ]

Help with change over days

American-Puerto Rican lady requests someone to do the change-overs for her small house in Les Cabannes, available June. 
Contact Camille Carrion. Tel: 0563490976
email: psmcamille@gmail.com

Points of Law

Two new laws which may be worth noting. If you are a gite owner or run B+B it is now against the law to refuse domestic animals e.g.  dogs, cats, parrots, ferrets snakes etc. It is one of those laws which to my mind is not possible to enforce. Our way round it with the gite is to say 'it is not suitable for animals'. So saying we have a couple staying in Sept. with a dog who were impossible to put off even after saying we had 2 dogs ,4 cats, 2 free ranging hens, two [adorable] donkeys, none of which must be chased by a dog. They've booked 2 weeks and as both houses are on the same site we hope that the dogs get along or...
The second law is that is now essential to have a smoke alarm fitted in your house or gite and we have found they are slightly less expensive in England but it is a MUST do (or you may invalidate your insurance in case of a claim). Also if you have a house in England you may be able to get them free and fitted by the Fire Service and it may be possible to wangle an extra one.

Festival des Chateaux de Bruniquel

Frank T'Hezan is this year producing 'La Belle Helene' by Jacques Offenbach at the Chateaux of Bruniquel 22 July to 9 th Aug. For those who have never been it is worth going and it always end up a memorable evening. The Offenbach operettas, humorous with some famous tunes, each year are held high in the castle's forecourt starting around 9.30 and going on late in to the night. The operetta is followed by an optional buffet during which  all the artistes perform their special party pieces and can end up being great fun, quite hilarious with the singers' children enjoying the evening wandering all over the stage.The Maire of Bruniquel throws himself in to it all lugging chairs and tables about and generally being very nice and helpful. The repas tends to be pretty much the same every year but the evening is not really about the food. Another tip is take a cushion as the benches over a long period are not that comfortable and a drink if it is hot.
Bookings only by telephone or at the Office de Tourisme. Book early to avoid being disappointed.
Tel 0563672984 or see http://www.bruniqueloff.com/festivals/2011/2011.htm

Congratulations to David and Joyce Clench celebrating 60years together

Well known artists from Verfeil,  David and Joyce Clench celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in style. After family parties they invited their friends of all nationalities to a party which was kindly held in the grounds of Jeremy and Iga Rewse Davies at La Vigerie, St. Vincent. Upwards of 80 people enjoyed fabulous food and heard the Maire of Verfeil give an amusing but heartfelt tribute to the amazing couple, after which there was hardly a dry eye in the house. The love and respect David and Joyce have in that community and the area show how with the right attitude one can be accepted here in France.Congratulations to you both and keep on "bouling".
If anyone has a suitable photo please email to the above address.

Swimming Pool death at Laguepie

Once more making us aware how important pool security is we hear of a sad accident at Laguepie last week. An elderly English resident was found dead in his pool possibly caused by  falling after a stroke. It brings to our mind the need for extreme caution around our pools for us all not just our children.

Open house, Yard Sale and Expo d'Art

Everyone welcome to come along  to sell your unwanted items or to browse and buy.
House open with art exhibition by Jeni McMillan.
Beautiful location. See the following poster

Book Swap

Do you get fed up of spending a fortune on books and still run out of things to read? TAGlines is proposing a bi-monthly meeting at a bar in St. Antonin [ bar to be announced] starting  Tuesday morning June 7th at 11 a.m. The idea is to take two or more books which you do not mind  swapping and never perhaps to see again. I am quite happy to drive passengers from Varen.
Contact me to express your interest or turn up on the day and I will post a reminder and give the meeting place.
I can be contacted by emailing    mail@bromlea. com
Val Johnstone

Lady needs help

Single lady Jo Stephens has had a fall and broken her leg and will be incapacitated for a couple of months. She is offering bed and full board for help with keeping the garden under control. She has a lovely farm house and pool.
So if any one knows of a student who wants summer work or needs more information  please contact Jo via the email address below.

Jo Stephens <StephensJoanne@gmail.com>

To bourée or not to bourée

Sue Carter,  a recent arrival, writes "Autre fois" (or before we moved here) our social life centred on our folk music and dance friends.  Trevor is a musician and played with a celidh band as well writing and singing his own songs. We  helped to run a folk club and I was a member of a clog dancing side. We always knew that it would  be this side of life in England we would miss most and were very keen to get involved in what appeared  to be the thriving traditional music scene in Quercy. Cake and apple juice Soon we spotted a banner advertising a "Cours des dances traditionelles". The course had started  but we were not too late to join and it was that very evening. So after just a few days we were welcomed  into the class alongside about 50 French and three other English people. Throughout the winter Tuesday evenings have been a highlight of the week. We danced for two hours  stopping at 11pm for cake and apple juice! I can't help contrasting this with our weekly clog practice  in England - barely an hour dancing then off to the pub. (Mind you we do miss the chance to sit with  friends for an hour in the pub). Many of the dances we have been learning use figures that are very familiar from English dances and  are easy to pick up besides which, as in an English celidh, no one cares much if you get it wrong  although they do take it very seriously. Easy that is until we tried the Mazurka - it looks easy and indeed I could do it when dancing with the teacher but let loose it was hopeless! We did feel  encouraged when one of the old club members said it took him two years to learn it! With a bit of  perseverance we finally cracked it. The breakthrough for Trevor was getting a written breakdown  of the steps from the internet - he always needs to analyse what he needs to do before his feet will cooperate. The French love to dance Getting involved with traditional music and dancing has been a vital part of our building our new  lifestyle here. Not only were we able to learn some French traditional dances and meet many  French people, we had lots of "bals" to go to over the winter months. The French love to dance and unlike in England the dance floor is always quickly filled. Music and dance is a great way to eliminate the language barrier and the French people in the class have been very welcoming and  friendly and seemed especially pleased when we joined in extra events and turned up at the "bals". Recently the tutor at the Caylus classes has introduced us to another class she runs in her own village. This is, as she says, " des kilometres" away, but is brilliant as there are musicians there who welcome  Trevor and he has been able to join in when they are playing as well as dancing. He has met up with a  fiddle player in Albi who also has time to play (ie is retired from the wage game) and on has been back  on stage playing bourées while I looked for another partner to dance with! Everyone seemed to have fun After my retirement I had fancied the idea of calling at celidhs (maybe a way of not getting left behind  every weekend when the band was playing?) . Little did I know that my first try would be calling a  "strip the willow" dance in French. Three out of four sets managed which did not seem too bad (I have  seen some disasters at English celidhs!) and everyone seemed to have fun.  So as Spring arrives in all its glory - are we glad we moved here? Silly question - vive la bourée!

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Water colour course in Parisot

Ann Herdman Smith is offering a day course in water colour painting to be held in Parisot on May 10th.or 24th
Médiathèque de Parisot—05 63 27 75 79

Cours d’Art de Dessin et d’Aquarelle  10 mai et \ ou 24 mai - 9h à 17h
Ann HERDMAN-SMITH (BA Hons.)
Ayant fait les Beaux-Arts à Londres et travaillé toute sa vie dans la créativité, Ann aimerait vous faire
 bénéficier de toute son expérience.
Avec ou sans expérience vous serez les bienvenus. Une attention sera portée sur chaque élève afin
qu’il progresse plus rapidement.
40 euros par personne pour la journée.  Vous auriez besoin d’apporter:
· des crayons, (hb, b, 2b, 3b), un caoutchouc, des brosses
· des aquarelles, une planche à dessin et le papier aquarelle
· un petit pique-nique pour le partager à midi
On vous remercie de bien vouloir avertir une semaine à l’avance lorsque votre décision
sera prise d’intégrer le groupe de travail.
Contact: Médiathèque: 05 63 27 75 79
ou: e mail. aecm2010@live.fr
C’est avec un grand plaisir qu'elle fera votre connaissance.

Art expo at Najac

Ellie Wright and Alan Humphries are to hold an expo called Entre Réalité et Invention  in la Maison de la Fontaine, Najac. Vernissage on Friday 13 May 2011 at 18.00 hours. Expo on until  until May 30th.

Nikon camera for sale

Nikon Coolpix 880 camera for sale. 3.3 mega pixel; many shooting modes. 512 mb card. Spare battery + charger. Software disc etc. Nikon quality ideal  for "point and shoot" or that bit more.
30 euros
Tel
Malcolm on
 05 63 64 06 73

Oak table with drawer for sale

Oak table with drawer for knives and forks. 140 x 70 cms. Bought in antique shop in  England for £400 but does not fit the space. Now for sale at  offers of 120 euros or over.
tel Carol Lomax on 05 63 56 60 54 or 05 63 64 06 73    SOLD

Large Evier For Sale

Large stone evier in lovely condition for sale. 140 cms wide, 70-75 deep. Great for adding character to your house or as a garden ornament. Very heavy, can be seen on site at Bournazel near Cordes, 150 euros -  strong buyer to collect. tel. Carol Lomax on 0563566054 or tel. 0563640673

This is a picture of the back as it was too heavy to turn over! But it is fine on the good side.
NOW SOLD