La premiere semaine

La fin de notre semaine premiere en Lavelanet, le temps est chaud, le ciel est bleu – quelquefois!.

A somewhat strange feeling to think of being here for three months – we will soon have to quit our holiday mode for a more realistic day to day living mode. We cannot just leave things till we get back home this time!

Our journey from Le Havre to Lavelanet was an experience in at least three seasons – very pleasant, fresh early morning; four hours of increasingly torrential rain followed by sunshine and spreading blue skies as we travelled south. Lulled into a false sense of security, however, the skies darkened to a very dark grey as we neared Toulouse. If we thought the rain in the morning was heavy then the skies really opened this time. Cars slowed to a stop, could see only a few yards in front – and the roof of the car was being bombarded by the machine gun fire of huge hailstones (grands greles!).

Arriving in Lavelanet, however, there had been no recent rain – and we were welcomed by a pleasant evening – including a Cuckoo loudly singing nearby, which he/she has been doing everyday since.

Other birds seen this week include: Dipper (with young), Grey Wagtail (with young), Black Redstart, Starlings (nesting under our eaves), Goldfinches (continually singing), Buzzard (circling overhead), House Martins – and, of course, the ever-present screeching, whirling Swifts.

A trip to Pamiers yesterday coincided with a march through the town in support of Workers and Jobs – a current familiar theme. Listened to some speeches before the march (photos to come) – and felt quite at home. Not a massive march – but quite a small town – and replicated in many towns across France.