Festival

We are in the middle of the Bastille weekend and it is full-on festival time in France. St George's may pass by with a whimper in England - it has done so for every single year that I have been there to see it - but in France, Bastille Day is celebrated with much ceremony.

But I get ahead of myself, because the big day isn't until tomorrow. Even so there has been a carnival atmosphere on the streets and an almost shameless 'laissez-faire' attempt to sell goods by putting up stalls outside shops with stuff on offer at ridiculously low prices. It's all complete tat of course and you wouldn't buy one for 5 euros let alone two of them, but at least it's a bit more pro-active than the usuaul French retail experience.

Cynics would say that they are just trying to offload their rubbish on a holiday weekend during the sales. Well, it's the first time I've seen them recognise a marketing opportunity and try to capitalise on it - maybe it needs a bit of a more sophisticated approach but 'bravo' for effort.

We have two sets of new guests who seem to be enjoying the festival atmosphere whilst dodging the showers and we had a lovely dinner with them tonight and tomorrow we will take them all to see the fabulous firework display at and above the Cité, courtesy of Patrick's terrace which has a grandstand panoramic view.

Chris and Patrick are talking again, although it is a rather uneasy truce - I gather that Patrick laid into Chris a bit and Chris refused to give him an apology and a sort of stand-off now exists. I am trying very hard to keep out of it. Both say things to me that contradict what the other one has said and I don't want to get involved - so please just get a grip, the both of you.

Meanwhile, we still haven't finished Denis' apartment and we won't get paid our final instalment until we do. So, that means more weekend and evening working this week.

On a positive note, Debrah arrived yesterday and is here for two weeks - hurrah. We also have our lovely friend, Sandra, from Stockholm, staying with us for the week. She arrived today via London and it was so good to see her - I haven't seen her in two years - and it's the first chance she has had to visit us in the South of France - I guess I will have to find the time to go to Sweden sometime with Debrah but I can't see that happening any time soon.

Not to worry - Carcassonne is 'en fete' and I'm loving every bit of my new life in the Languedoc - what more can I say?