La Gloire de Mon Père chez nous

We have arranged a showing in French with English subtitles of the marvellous film " La Gloire de mon Père" Friday 6th of February at Mas del Sol. I am hoping we will have French and English here so as well as talking and practising our French we will then have our French heads on for the simple to understand film. All are welcome

Bonjour a tous
nous avons arrangé chez nous une soirée du film " La Gloire de Mon Père"  vendredi, le six fevrier à dix huit heures
Je viendrai chercher Maurice et si li y a des autres en Varen, dites a moi.
Passe une bonne journée
Val
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La Cathédrale Ste Cecile at Albi

This old post card suggests that the Cathedral of St Cecile is a "musée", but is actually confusing it with the palace of La Berbie, which now houses the Toulouse Lautrec collection.  La Berbie is occitan for "bishop" and it once housed the archbishop. Both unmissable in your trip to Albi.
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SAFER invaded in Cahors

SAFER has nothing to do with health and safety as anglophones might guess, but is a departmental body designed to ensure that agricultural land is made available to young farmers, mainly by "preemption" of land offered for sale. When we bought the field adjoining our garden we were obliged to wait 3 months whilst it was offered via a notice published by SAFER to any young farmer wishing to buy at the price agreed.
Yesterday the meeting of the committee of the SAFER in Cahors was invaded by representatives of the Confederation Paysanne, an association of agricultural workers. The activists claimed that the body was acting in the interests of landowners and speculators and indeed a degree of corruption in preferring their own "friends" instead of young farmers.
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9 out of 10 taxis refuse to take a pet.

If you are planning a journey in a taxi check that they will take your pet. 9 out of 10 refuse saying there would be extra cost in cleaning. This includes cats and dogs even in carrying boxes and small cages.
On that basis how do they feel about small children?
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Did your sous sol look like this?

Ours certainly did, we sorted out useful decorative objects then needed a skip for the rest.
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Large 4x4s,Twingos, and Smart cars the most stolen

Published in a motor magazine and making the TV news the cars mentioned above are the most stolen. New ones are sold on but do not be complacent if you have an older model.These are stolen by repairers for parts as they are also the cars most knocked or crashed into when parked in towns.
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French cocks under threat

Rugby fans have become used to seeing beautiful cocks invading the pitch at Twickenham and Parc des Princes over the last 30 years or so to give support to the French XV, especially against the traditional enemy, England. Many of these birds were produced by 85 year old Madeleine "Mado" Delpech from Gaillac. But in the last few weeks Mado has lost 35 cocks, many decapitated, to an unknown predator. English supporters have denied responsibility and suggest a fox or pine marten.
Val says adding to Malc's report. We saw this on the local news last night but it made National news this morning. What a character the old lady was who bred the cocks. She had unruly hair, seemed to have one eye, kept all these cocks in a chaotic barn, knowing cocks together there must be loads of fights. It was the most fascinating insight to a rural bizarre French life. Did anyone else see the interview?
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Rain, wind, snow, floods in five department

Fortunately our department just caught the edge of it. We had rain all day and last night strong winds brought down branches from nearby trees. Malc on his way home from bridge at Caylus dodged branches along the road. The wind around midnight was whistling down the chimney and locked doors rattled in their frames. We have still to inspect the grounds. Departments further south have many more problems and there are avalanche and flood warnings.

Pluie, vent, neige, crues : cinq départements du Grand Sud en alerte orange

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Nous sommes vendredi, le trente,

​(ce ne sont pas tes oignons​​that’s none of your business)
Betty says 
That is funny,because when I had my bunions operated on the doctor called them oignons!! Betty

Val says onions or bunions, I think in this case "onions", but whatever it means "that's none of your business"
Thanks Betty
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Travel by rail

As part of its tenth birthday celebrations, iDTGV - a subsidiary of French national rail company SNCF - is selling 10,000 passes allowing unlimited travel to the 50 cities in its network.

The annual pass, available from €59.99 a month, will enable frequent travellers the option to reserve four different journeys at the same time.

Train bookings will be available from two months up to 45 minutes before the train leaves the station.
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Lots happening in the Gaillac area

Look on the website for details of things happening around Gaillac
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Book swap Monday

First Monday of the month 2nd of February will be the book swap. If you have any old christmas cards to bring for Chats du Quercy I will pass them on. Come and swap DVds and books and  have a coffee and a chat.
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Get about in a van

Hi Val,

Got the van, now we are going to kit out the inside with a raised platform bed, cabinets, table, etc...all ready for camping.  And it's a Renault Master, so you can stand up in it.  Nice and big for Bruce and I and the three dogs.

Here's a photo.

Glad you had a nice time here in Catalunya.  

Ali

Val says  some readers may know Ali and Bruce who have just moved from St. Antonin to Gerona. They are originally from sunny climes in the USA so like the sun. They have only been in Spain for about 6 weeks but they are loving the blue skies

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Anyone know the name of a good dentist, four so far

We were given the name of a dentist at Villefranche   Dominic Fabée  tel 0565450124. A lady dentist who is supposed to be very good.
As there is no dentist in St. Antonin now if anyone has the name and location of dentists in the area let me know to go in a label. Easy then to look one up.

Ali has suggestion this one at Caussade
Dear Val,
Not sure if Caussade would be too far for you, but Dr. Jean-Michel Galliot is fantastic.  I was referred to him by my doctor in Caylus.  tel 0563 931385
Ali

Hi Val

There's a really good practice - modern, clean, considerate, gentle - on the outskirts of Montauban.  On the 3rd roundabout after the one with the helicopter (by Leclerc and Brico Depot) where the D958 comes in from Nègrepellisse.  It's address is n° 60 Avenue de Negrepellisse - a low building on the left of that roundabout, with a very prominent number " 60 " on the wall.  Chief there is Dr Linda Smith (Fr) who seems not to be taking new patients at present, but her very pleasant assistants are.  Fees are conventioné.  Tel.: 05 63 03 00 78.  Open 9-6 weekdays except Weds.  Recommended  

xC 
Nadette says
Hello Val
nouveau dentiste à Parisot (expérimenté): Mr Aslanian , au cabinet multi-mèdecins.
Nadette  

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Who can do a good turn

A reader who lives at Caylus has a poorly child and the child has to be taken to hospital at Paris. The family will be away 6 days from Thurs 5th Feb to the following Tuesday. They have a 6 month old labrador puppy who they need somone to look after just for that short period.
We would have done it but Bonny does not like young dogs and puppies, one of her few failings.
Is there anyone who could look after this dog for a short period if there is please contact
Miranda   mmschorren@gmail.com
Thanks to TAG readers - two at least came forward and it is now one less worry for the family who can concentrate on their poorly son.
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Dog boarding

Hi Val & Malcolm
Could you put me in touch with anyone who minds dogs while their owners are on holiday?  Our dogs are quite old now and kennels are not suitable.
We have a 14 year old cross Jack Russell and a 12 year old fox terrier. They are not used to children!  But house trained and loving........ We are looking for the first 10 days in march.
I would appreciate your help.
Thank you
Regards
Marian & Digby Gunnis ( St Antonin )     mariangunnis@gmail.com
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Fancy joining in?

Good morning Val,

Tomorrow, 30/1, ECLAT holds its annual meeting at 14.30 in the old mairie (in the same street as the market.

Maybe it is of interest to some of your readers who'd like to join this organisation. 

ECLAT stands for ​Expostion Culture Loisiers Art et Traditions.

Every year they organise the exposition in the 'Echoppe' under the castle in Varen, a meal in its courtyard and a vide grenier on the river bank of the Aveyron.

 For more information, you can contact Marie-Claude GRIALET at 05-63-65-47-74.

Love, Marcia

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Concert in the church at Montbazens

Damp and grey this morning

Should we throw the dice to see who goes out in the rain to feed the donkeys, I laughed as the cats went to the door, held out a paw to test conditions and then decided to stay in, Bonny did a quick dash out and back and Malc and I are sitting deciding who is the worthy one who will brave the damp to let the hen out and feed the bawling donkeys, bawling from well inside the confines of their hut!
I have just volunteered as I missed them whilst away... hope they appreciate my sacrifice.
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Action against road deaths

Road deaths in 2014 were up by 120 over 2013, the first time in 12 years that there has been an increase. Bernard Cazeneuve, interior minister, announced a series of measures to be introduced gradually in an effort to halt this.
-Using a telephone at the wheel is already banned, but using headphones of any type will also be forbidden - including Bluetooth headpieces.
-The level of alcohol tolerated in inexperienced drivers (less than 2 years) will be halved.
-Parking near pedestrian crossings will be outlawed as one third of pedestrians killed are on such passages.
-Local authorities are to be encouraged to remove or protect obstacles which pose a danger - maybe even plane trees?
-Tinted windows are to be phased out as they prevent the police identifying drivers.
-Speed cameras are to be replaced with "front and back" directional versions.
The full list of 26 measures to be implemented over the next few years includes better collection of statistics to understand better the causes of accidents as well as concrete measures and can be consulted on the Ministry's web site.
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