Dinner Parties

Over the past week, we’ve had several dinner parties. Last Saturday, we had Christine and Maurice, Katrin and Andreas. They all live south of Lectoure, 20 minutes away for Christine and Maurice, and an hour for Katrin and Andreas. It was a hot evening, so we ate in our garden room and talked for hours. Earlier in the day on Saturday, I went to an artisans exhibition at Saint Joseph’s School, and in the afternoon we went to Bastion Park to see the soapbox cars that were competing in Carriolades. 

The next day, we were guests of Rachel and Sid for lunch, along with their friend Natasha, and their son, Alexander. Rachel prepared a delicious meal. On Sunday evening, we hosted a dinner party at our house for Deirdre, Anma, Sylvie, Ria, and Kate. Anma and Ria are new to Lectoure this summer, and we all enjoyed getting to know each other better. After dinner, we sat on our balcony and enjoyed watching the moon rise and the changing sky just after sunset. 

On Monday morning, Deirdre and I went to Jean Francois property to look at his fruit trees. Deirdre agreed to assist him over the coming winter to trim his orchard. That evening, we went to Rue Nationale for Lundi Nuit and a walkabout to hear the band. On Tuesday morning Papa had coffee with Nelson. I went to Fleurance to the Tuesday market and to my friend Claire’s brocante shop. She gifted me a beautiful leather bag that I admired the last time I visited her shop. I love it! Papa and I met Jean Francois, Marianne, and Emmanuelle (Jean Francois sister) for lunch on Tuesday, at O Badiu. Lunch was delicious as usual, and I enjoyed meeting Emmanuelle, who has been active in Garden Associations in France for 50 years. After lunch, Papa and I visited the Archive office at the Mairie to ask for historic information about our house.

On Wednesday evening, we hosted dinner for Lesley and Andy, Susan and Chip, Rachel and Sid, and Jay and Dominique. It was a nice evening and we ate on our terrace.

We drove to Pujaudran for lunch with Rebecca on Thursday at Le Puits Saint Jacques, a Michelin recommended restaurant. We enjoyed a multicourse lunch and conversation. We don’t see Rebecca often, so there is always lots to catch up on. In the evening, Romain and Dominique came over to play many games of rummy. We are all competitive and always have fun. 

I went to Friday market but it started to rain, so I cut my shopping short. We had lunch at O Badiu again on Friday, with Deirdre and Abby. We love going there not only because the food is good, but also the chef and his assistant are so happy.

On Saturday morning, we did some repairs and clean up at home. Papa repaired the door to the summer kitchen and the awning on our breakfast room window. I washed and ironed the guest room sheets and remade the bed for guests expected in a few days. In the afternoon, I picked figs with friends Susan and Anling. In the evening, we went to a piano concert at Chateau Lacassagne. Dating to the 15th century, the chateau’s Salle des Chevaliers de Malta. The painted room was done between 1620 and 1640 as a replica of the grand council hall of the Knights of St. John of Malta. Among the pictures are copies of paintings representing the attack on Valletta by the Turks in 1565. The originals were in the council chamber of the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta, Malta and were destroyed by Napoleon in 1798. Chateau Lacassagne has been listed as a monument historique since 1980. We had several friends attending the piano concert, and we enjoyed a glass of wine together afterward.

Throughout the week, I went on my daily walks around the village. The views are so beautiful, I can’t believe we live here!

Smoke in the Air

Just before falling asleep on Thursday evening, I smelled smoke. Papa closed all the windows in the house. We got up Friday morning with smoke in the air, and there is still smoke in the air today, Saturday. We have our windows closed, but I’m wearing a mask in the house today. There is a wildfire about 80 miles west of Lectoure.

Last evening, we went to a Terropera event, One Nuit à Broadway, performed in the Chateau de Terraube courtyard. There was a breeze with no smoke in the air in Terraube. We sat with friends and saw more friends after the concert. It was a beautiful evening!

The Eclipse

We invited friends to watch the eclipse with us. We had four eclipse glasses for five people, so we constantly shared. We experienced the best eclipse of our lives! The view through the eclipse glasses was of a dark black background with the sun as a ball of orange. As the sun and moon slowly aligned, the covered part of the sun blackened. Our cameras were not up to the task of photographing eclipses. We did our best! The eclipse continued as the sun set. Magnificent!

Week of Music, Art and Friends

On Tuesday afternoon, we invited Monique et Luc for a cold beverage and a chat. We met them recently at a friend’s dinner. They have a summer house near Lectoure and live most of the time in Bordeaux. Luc is a retired doctor and did a fellowship at the beginning of his career in Tampa, Florida. We know many of the same places in various parts of the world. Later that afternoon, I picked figs with friends Susan and Anling, in their garden. 

On Wednesday, we had lunch with Jay and Dominique in Castet-Arrouy, at La Plancha, where our across the street neighbor is the chef. We dropped in Eglise Sainte Blandine, built in the 1500’s, with beautiful mural wall paintings. In the evening, we went to a Latin Jazz concert in Marronniers Park, with the stage situated with the rolling hills of the Gers behind it. 

On Thursday morning, we visited our friends Jean Francoise and Marianne. Jean Francoise lives on the property where he grew up, in his family many generations. He and Marianne had a beautiful addition built above one of the farm buildings, with a wall of windows facing south. The big house is currently surrounded by scaffolding, ready for a new roof to be installed. Jean Francoise gave us a tour of the house, the orchard, and a centuries old water basin. We had lunch after our tour, with friends Judy and her son, Richard, at our favorite restaurant in Lectoure, O Badiu. 

Friday morning is market day in Lectoure. I went up to Rue Nationale by 9:30 to buy fruits and vegetables. At 11:00 there was a Blues Band parading down the street. It was such a happy moment, with people in the street shopping, stopping to listen to the band, clapping, and smiling. I cried tears of joy. I love living in Lectoure! I stopped by my friend, Agnes house to pick up figs and plum from her garden before coming home. We attended a concert on Friday evening, the first day of Lectoure’s Bleu au Blues Festival weekend. We got home at midnight.

On Saturday evening, we attended a Rotary Club reception for the Ukrainian children that have been in Lectoure for a two week holiday, away from the war. The children were generous with kisses and thank yous. They sang songs and the Rotary Club thanked donors. The children are growing up surrounded by war, with the constant noise of bombs and sirens, having lost one or both parents, friends, and extended family. Their time in Lectoure was a short recovery period for them. After the reception, we went for dinner at Manufacture Royale, six courses prepared by the Parisian daughter of the owners, for 30 guests. We sat in the garden. It was a beautiful evening.

Today, Sunday, we woke up to hot air balloons over the Gers and then over Lectoure. I saw a deer on my walk this morning. We went to the Roques Art Festival in the morning. Roques is a tiny village, about 45 minutes from Lectoure, that we drove to via country lanes, with planted plane trees, and rolling hills of vineyards, corn, and sunflowers. It was a bucolic drive and we enjoyed seeing the art of 18 artists. I’m picking more plums with friends this afternoon. Always fun!