Reggie was back in town

Hi Val

We spent last week in Tarn and Garonne so Reggie (and our two other dogs)

could visit Cary and Sue Morgan and Terry and Frankie Tippett whom initially

extricated Reggie from his sad circumstances (helped by T&G on-line) and
helped him on his way to us in the UK. We stayed in Ginals near Verfeil and
went to see Terry, Frankie, Cary and Sue at the Lac de Parisot and for cream
teas at Fleurs de Terry during our visit. Reggie also visited his very kind
Parisot Vet: Huguette De Mey in Parisot. Sadly the weather was a little
chilly for a few days but we all loved your beautiful region and people. As
you can see from the attached photos, the dogs found the River Seye near
Verfeil irresistible (Reggie is the larger one at the “other side” of the
Seye and our grandson Luke enjoyed a bit of Dog Training with Reggie in St
Antonin Noble Val. I found the poppies in a cornfield near Ginals pretty
enchanting so I send a photo of them too!
With best wishes 
Douglas
Val says, I  love the bottom photo with Luke and Reggie. This is one of those really happy dog stories, happy for Reggie and Douglas and his family... just lovely, makes my day and I suspect other readers as well
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Help and advice with the pool

Hi Val

Could you put and a post on TAG for me? Our pool pump has suddenly gone on the blink, it seems to be working well but is making a distressing whining noise so I've had to shut it down, not good news at this time of year. A knowledgeable friend tells us it's probably the bearings (whatever that mean).  I've tried without success to contact our usual man, so does anyone near St Antonin know of a good pump repair man? English speaking would be useful but not essential. Contact Jennifer Sopwith,   jen@sopwithfrance.com

Thanks.

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800 years of Dominicans

picture Butterflyartnews

To mark the foundation of the religious order  800 years ago in Toulouse  by St Dominic, the monks asked local artist Nicolas Giraud known as 100Taur (centaur) to paint a 100 square metre mural on one of their buildings in Rangueil in Toulouse. With the help of the brothers armed with rollers and brushes, the artist, whose work is far from the conventional "graffiste" style, designed a striking image for the monastery.

A step in the right direction

Anti-bullfighting campaigners in France were cheering on Friday after a French court ruled that the tradition of "La Corrida" should indeed be taken off the national list of cultural heritage. Although it's unlikely to be banned anytime soon.
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Cheaper to change your name by deed poll

and get a new passport than to get Ryanair to change the name on your ticket.
A young man's ticket was inadvertently booked in his Facebook alias by his girl friend's father and when he asked the airline to put his real name on the tickets it wanted to charge 150 euros, each way. So he decided to change his name by deed poll and apply for a new passport, total cost 142 euros. Correcting small administrative errors should not cost the airline a great deal and most airlines will change the name on a ticket free if done straight away.
Last time we flew to the UK the sub inadvertently booked himself in twice and the editor not at all (was there a hint?). A call to BA a couple of weeks later and the reservation was corrected and new e-ticket issued within hours at no charge. The reservations clerk and her supervisor recognised the genuine nature of the error and applied common sense. For Ryanair it often makes sense to them to charge customers rather than offer to help.
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Quality chairs for sale

Dear Val,

Due to recent changes in colour schemes we now, reluctantly, have a wing chair and ladies bedroom chair for sale, please see attached photographs.  I wondered whether you could post them in your next TAG newsletter please?  We are asking 325 GBP for the wing chair and 225 GBP  for the bedroom chair.  Both high quality and in very good condition.  Could interested parties plese contact me via e-mail for further details of dimensions etc.

With many thanks and kind regards.
Andrea
   Andreacam@wanadoo.fr

Two down, two at least to go.

Two  young kestrels out in the tree, two more waiting to go, building up their strength being front of the queue now,  being fed by mum and dad. A busy time for the adults keeping everyone fed and happy. 
For us our concern is getting the birds flying before cats and dogs pounce.  A damaged wing would mean the young kestrels life is over before it starts. We saw this one year when two young kestrels fought over a mouse in the garden, and in the fight one became injured. Without being able to fly and forage the young bird had no chance of survival.
Bonny and Eldo are into lizard chasing at the moment and are enjoying working together in the hunt. We do not think they have ever caught one but there may be a few without tails. They lose their tails when captured to make an  escape and tails can grow again.
The vet was here yesterday to treat Lucy's warty ear and the young assistant with him, a girl on her "stage" from school enjoyed brushing the donkeys whilst the vet worked on a very patient Lucy. 
This morning we have an early appointment again with the vet to get Eldo vaccinated.
One accepts with pets one spends hours on their care and Malc adds ... and money.
Another hot sunny day in prospect, 28 degrees.
Go to it, Andy Murray - on clay at Roland Garros.
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Music at Sautou

Fete de la musique at the Domaine de Sautou, with repas and open mike concert from 7pm and concert from Nigel Shamaz and friends from 9.30pm - sounds like a great night to welcome in the summer and contribute to the building of a school in Mali by Via Sahel. 12 euros, book your meal on the number below, or via Taglines if you prefer.

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Nous sommes le samedi, six juin

"Harder", she cried, gripping the workbench tightly, " harder!"
"Alright,"  I said.
" What's the gross national product of Nicaragua?"
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Steak please says Bonny

Hi Val,

 you ask why dog pooh smells so disgusting and the short answer

is - it the food they are fed on. Barty and Jet are fed on raw meat and
we get small, firm and completely non smelly (unless they have a stomach
bug) poohs.
All supermarket dog foods are made with cheap, rubbish that is rejected
from the human food chain and all dry dog food no matter how expensive
it is is difficult for dogs to digest. Therefore a combination of cheap
rubbish and poor digestion results in VERY smelly pooh.
There's your answer
Anne
Val says so do you buy meat from the butchers for them?
Anne replies  

Hi Val, Some meats I get from the supermarket (chicken wings, pork). I

also get the dechets from the butchers counters and I supplement this
with a regular frozen meat delivery from a company in Germany
(DasTierHotel) which specialises in meat for companion animals. My bill
for feeding both of my two dogs (one weighing 28kg and the other 21kg)
is approximately €77 per month.
Anne
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Une amende à 68 € / a fine of 68 euros in Montauban

Malc tells me the biggest source of pollution on beaches are "fag ends"/ mégots. Montauban is suffering mégots and déjections canines/ dog pooh  in all its streets, even in " le visuer de la mairie" - even in sight of the mairie.
I think readers know that it also drives me mad. If you smoke or keep dogs you have no right to degrade the lives of others who may not smoke or want dog pooh on shoes. Quite why dog pooh smells so disgusting I will never know? Maybe you should carry a sack for your fag ends till you find a bin and you should  ALWAYS carry one if out with dogs.
A list of other people who feel like me in the Depeche

Danièle Dutech, 64 ans, retraitée Montauban

«Je trouve que le centre-ville est plutôt propre mais ce n'est pas forcément le cas en périphérie… On peut souvent voir des choses abandonnées comme des matelas ou de petites décharges sauvages. Peut-être que l'on se concentre un peu trop sur la propreté du cœur de ville et pas assez sur le reste».

Michel Viguié, 70 ans, retraité, Saint-Sernin (Lot)

«Je n'habite pas ici mais je viens régulièrement passer un peu de temps en centre-ville et je suis assez surpris par l'état de propreté. Contrairement à Cahors, Montauban est une ville beaucoup mieux entretenue ! Je ne sais pas d'où vient cette différence par contre mais c'est plutôt agréable lorsque l'on se balade».

Jean-Claude Friquet, 64 ans, cordonnier, Montauban

«C'est dommage à dire mais la ville n'est pas toujours propre… Quand je viens au boulot le matin je trouve régulièrement des canettes de bières devant mon magasin et des crottes de chien dans la rue. Il y a beaucoup de gens qui sont sans-gêne et ils dégradent l'état de propreté de la ville et compliquent le travail des agents».

Maximilien Belfort, 25 ans, médiateur Région parisienne

«C'est la deuxième fois que je viens à Montauban et j'ai l'impression que le ramassage des déchets et le tri sélectif sont plutôt bien faits dans le centre-ville. Les rues sont agréables mais je n'ai pas été voir dans les quartiers périphériques non plus... Par rapport à la région parisienne c'est beaucoup plus propre !»

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Surely no harm in that?

"I am a very naughty girl," she said, biting her lip. "I need to be punished"
So I invited my mother to stay for the weekend.
Quote 50 sheds of grey
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Nous sommes le vendredi cinq juin

Funny night last night whilst Malc was out at bridge, our young French neighbours came to borrow ""allumettes"/ matches and then a few minutes later our Dutch neighbours came to borrow a car.
The matches were no problem, the car they tried to drive away still with the disabled setting Malc needs. My fault entirely for not checking and it necessitated me running up the road after them at a very slow speed. The poor things had one car broken down and then thought there was something wrong with ours.
Help your neighbours our motto, you never know when we will need help.
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Le Jardin de la Mothe

Concert 27 June Figeac

Bonjour à tous,

Les choristes du Chœur de Figeac
Les choristes du Chœur de Montbazens - Euphonie
Les musiciens de Camérata de Figeac et
Leur chef Mr Peter Nowfel
seraient honorés de votre présence lors du concert
Samedi 27 juin à 20h30 Église Notre Dame du Puy FigeacCordialement,
Peter Nowfel
www.peternowfel.com

You are not sure about adopting a dog, how about a sheep?

I think I could adopt one without upsetting Malc and I am sure I could find good homes for the others.
They are wonderful, now that is art I understand. sadly I could not figure out who the artist was so if Elly, who shared it knows,  tell us please.
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Parasol for sale

Brand new, unused 3 metres by 4 metres parasol for sale. Only selling as it does not fit where intended. Cream polyester, suspended type, swivels and tilts. Will accept 140€ but cost much more.
0563 65 55 67 or dvdwallen@yahoo.co.uk

Cheese and wine at the market

The Moulin de Varen is organising, in the context of "local restaurants, local cheeses, local wines" being staged by various local restaurants, a wine and cheese tasting on Saturday week (13th June) at 10am. Why not try some local delicacies under the lovely terrace at the Moulin as you do your market shopping. Contact Martine or us if you would like to go (not a reservation, just an idea of numbers).


Martine Vorelle

Bonjour, nous organisons au Moulin de Varen sur la terrasse une matinée dégustation fromages de la région et vins de Gaillac samedi 13 juin de 10 h à 11h30. Pouvez-vous faire circuler l'invitation auprès de nos anglais varennois et nous communiquer le nombre de personnes (environ) ou passer nous voir pour en parler. Merci

Everything happens at once

Malc went off to buy the bread and walk the dogs by the river in Varen whilst I went for a leisurely swim. No sooner was I in the pool than I heard voices and then Laetitia our angel who had just arrived started shouting for me. " Val tu as des visiteurs et il y a un petit faucon dans le cour" 
I quickly had to wrap myself in towels and came rushing round to check on the faucon; sod the visitors we know our priorities.
The faucon as normal had dropped from the nest but was in a perilous position, never having flown. Fortunately the dogs were out and the four cats were laid  soporific in the heat, which gave me chance to coax the young bird up from the ground. We managed to get him to fly onto the cabane for the piscine and there he hid amongst the leaves of the wisteria... phew!  One safe, probably four to go.
Malc and I then went off to Verfeil to Charley's for lunch, asking Laetitia to leave the dogs in the garden. This is the first time we have left Eldo in the garden on his own and wondered if he would find ways to escape. It was a relief to get back and find him with Bonny still in the courtyard.
We met at lunch lots of French friends but also Marion and Harty who have the beautiful garden La Mothe, which they open to the public to raise funds for Via Sahel Enfants d' Afrique. Marion reminded me that they are also in the scheme for Rendez Vous  aux jardins and were hoping to see lots of visitors. 
The heat is overwhelming today and as I finish this post the piscine is calling for me.
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Feu de la Saint Jean at Verfeil sur Seye

Concert at St. Antonin tomorrow

Concert de fin de résidence

Vendredi 05 juin – 21 heures

Salle des thermes – Saint Antonin Noble Val

Tarif unique 5 euros

Formé à l’initiative du producteur et multi-instrumentiste français « El Guicharo », le groupe RecoReco propose une musique à la fois futuriste et traditionnelle, en constante évolution, ou se rencontrent les rythmes sud-américains et les infrabasses les plus profondes de dancefloors européens.

Le quartet (machines, guitare, percussions, batterie) développe un son puissant et dansant, savant mélange de cumbia, moombahton, trap et merengue.

Une recette infaillible et redoutable en live, pour faire bouger les corps comme s’il s’agissait d’un rituel vaudou urbain dans une free-party pré-colombienne.

Rendez vous aux jardins with Terry and a cream tea

Hi Val,
Please can you post on tag that we are participating in the 'Rendez-vous-vous Aux Jardin' this weekend and will be open for 'Cream Teas' also on Saturday and Sunday.
Many thanks,
Terry x
Val says Terri is now famous for her wonderful plants and wonderful cream teas. Find her in the side panel of TAG which will direct you to her market garden near Parisot
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What a difference a week makes

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Toulouse teenagers to be honoured

Nina, age 17 and her 15 year old brother Marius are to be honoured by the prefect of Haute Garonne for their cool heads and quick thinking when a fire took light in the building where they live in Toulouse a couple of weeks ago.


Picture: MaxPPP

From the balcony of their apartment they raised a ladder to the floor above to allow residents to climb down and then via a climbing rope to the ground below. Two people died in the fire, asphyxiated in the stairwell and pompiers said the toll could have been much higher if not for the swift action of the teenagers.
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A sunny day for new lives

Woke with the sun which arrives early up here, dashed to the salon window to check if the two biggest kestrels were still there. They are; but they must pick up courage and leave today, we think. One is hanging on the edge with his already great talons clutching the stone, surrounded by a mound of baby feathers. He now stands regally with smart new plumage, great big eyes and dangerous looking curved beak.
Malc laughs at me talking to them.I stand beneath the nest and they look down at me as I tell them to be careful in their new life, so many dangers for young birds. Of the 5 or 6  young chicks, the chance of a couple surviving and the rest meeting accidents etc. is high. As with all youngsters of course they do not listen, an exciting life is waiting for them out in the sky.
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Locks out - Gouzous in

The lovers' padlocks have been removed from the famous Paris Pont des Arts and replaced by "Gouzous". These creatures are drawn by French artist Jace.
From La Reunion, Jace has used his little figures in typical Parisian situations such as the Metro, skateboards, scooters or dancing at the Moulin Rouge.
We are not sure if this is an improvement - it is surely a challenge to "taggeurs", graffiti artists. it is, after all, le Pont des Arts .
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Becky's exhibition opens today

My Art Exhibition  opens today and runs until mid July.

Venue:

 @ les Atelliers Occitans (opposite the new Tourist Office) St Antonin.

I look forward to seeing you at the vernisage 18h,00

There will be food and music too!!

However if you are busy tonight pop in whilst shopping at the market on a Sunday.

(runs until mid  July)

Rebecca / Becky

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Sign to stop the dog meat trade

The Humane society International are trying to stop the trade of dogs for meat and you can sign to try and stop the dog meat festival in Yulin China, where dogs are caught, trapped, and lorried great distances to be inhumanely killed and served at the festival
https://action.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=38221&ea.tracking.id=windowshade

Val says needless to say we have signed and Eldo and Bonny say " can you believe it?"

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Cavalcade at Septfonds 1930

Posted by Jean Marc Labarta
Looks great fun for the children
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Nous sommes le jeudi quatre juin

"I am your master, I commanded, you will obey my rules." She rolled her her eyes and walked out of the shed.
That was definitely it - I needed to get a new cat!
Quote from 50 sheds
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If you closed your eyes for a minute.. you would miss it.

Village preferé en France 2
Well how disappointing, how quickly a minute goes. St. Antonin Noble Val did look interesting and as beautiful as we know it is, but it was only a quick flash. A good shot of Alan and Val's place down by the river and of course the halle and the old hotel de ville.
I think we are in with a chance although I have heard someone saying we could be third ( not sure where that came from)
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Diego just over two years needs a foster family or a real home

Thrown out on your ear for not liking the chasse, Diego needs a home or failing a forever home a foster one. There must be second homers who have arrived like walking and would be happy to take Diego until a home can be found. It is much easier to rehome a dog from a home situation. He will need a fenced garden as do all the dogs Katy rehomes or fosters.  He is big, he is calm, he is friendly, he is a dog mentally lost.
Two and a half years old, is fine with dogs and children, would chase cats apparently, likes walks and the car.
Contact Val taglines82@gmail.com  if you speak English or Maeva  maeva82@gmx.fr if you are confident with your French.

Pool steps for sale

Dear Val,

Sue Cutter recommended me to your site.  I would like to sell this swimming pool ladder for €80...I would be grateful if you could add it to your for sale items. Anyone interested can contact me by email anaparvati@yahoo.com or on 0565814461.

Thank you

Ana Jackson

Marco Jean plumber speaks English and is just the best.

Hi Val,

Just wanted to let you know how pleased we were with Marco-Jean, the plumber who advertises on TAG.  He was able to fit us in quickly, worked efficiently and neatly, fixed the problem and charged a very reasonable amount.  Please remind your readers!

Thanks,
Maggie
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Couvent des Jacobins modernised



After 4 years of work and 4.8 million euros the jewel of Toulouse's historic monuments is to celebrate the completion of the works. The Dominican convent is today home to various exhibitions and concerts and as well as new ticket office and boutique, the various chapels have been restored, damp marks eliminated, new lighting installed, painted decor restored, as well as better disabled access created.

Photos by P. Nin, Ville de Toulouse

New multi media guides are on hand, incorporating in various languages introductions to the various architectural features, such as the 28 metre high "palm tree" vaults supporting the church roof.
A series of events such as concerts will be held to inaugurate the new works.
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Gascony wines on the up

Many of us will have made the trips into the Gers and tasted the various speciality wines of the region, notably such as Floc de Gascogne (similar to sherry) or Pousse Rapier, a sparkling wine, but the everyday wines of the appellation are les well known. Locally here we are bombarded with Gaillac wines, many of pretty ordinary quality but Gascony is now pushing its sales up the league. Last year more than 10 million bottles were sold, the result of work by vintners to standardise the taste and colour of appellation wines and a marketing effort based on making the bottles have shelf appeal.
But "harmonisation" is not the only route. Some bio (organic) growers have found that abandoning the demands of the appellation and making wines without chemicals gives their production a variety of taste according to the seasons, but with careful controls gives a more interesting wine which can often sell at a premium price.
Either way Gascon wine is becoming more à la mode.
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Musée de la Résistance, Montauban

A Museum worth a visit and with the chance of a guided visit with a group.

Au programme :

- Visite libre : Du mardi au vendredi de 9h à 12h et de 14h à 17h.- Visites guidées (pour les groupes et scolaires sur réservation) :

 

http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2015/05/05/2098935-musee-de-la-resistance-des-lyceens-de-bourdelle-exposent.html

Finally he throws in the towel and is shown the door

Joseph Blatter finit par lâcher la barre says The Depeche, which is a bit like throws in the towel, but translates as lets go of the bar.

The world now wants to see some transparency in FIFA and its transactions and controlling the huge amounts of money passed around from sponsors and possible bribe money. Blatter at 79 has been in the post since 1998 and hearts sank around the world when he gained a 4th mandate, voted for by amongst others Asian and African nations.  We now hear Blatter is being investigated, How could he be head of FIFA and not know what deals were going on around him, he in my mind is responsible for the present state of the organisation and I love the photo which is going around the world of him being shown the door.  
Malc tells me the French representative admits to voting for Blatter!
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Life and death in the country

Dear Val and Malcolm,
It is that time of year when the farmers are out cutting in the fields to provide winter food for their animals.  The fascinating thing is that birds know what advantages it can bring, typically you will see Buzzards or Kestrels on the fringes of the field waiting for a tasty morsel but today it was the turn of the Cattle Egret.

As the cutting equipment travelled down the field, it was followed by a flock of Egrets ready to pounce on anything thrown up by the cut grass.  Here is a picture of an Egret that is flying after just catching a mouse, the Egret below hoping that it will fall from its beak.  Then a picture of the mouse firmly held, and finally just the tail is left.
Nev
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Nous sommes le mercredi trois juin

As she manually adjusted my sprinkler, my inner gardener did a Morris dance of delight.
Fifty sheds quote
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Farzana's Curry Night - Bar de Pescheur Septfonds 15 June

Hi All,The menu for this months curry Night 
Cutlass to start (another new dish I remembered my mum used to make) I think she meant Cutlets.  However they are not lamb cutlets like you might think but I hope you like them.  Served with a tamarind sauce.
Lamb curry served with rice
Mung dhal and Puri (little fried flat breads)All served with the usual accompaniments.  The price as usual is 20 € per head
If you would like to come please email me.  Pass the word to your friends and if they would like to come and be on my mailing list they can contact me on my email address.
Thank you very much to those that have already booked.  
If anyone wants a takeaway for 2 persons of the above starter and main course on the night please let me know in advance.  
Date for your calendar 
JULY CURRY NIGHT IS ON THE 20THBisous
Farzana
Farzana Tubby
Website www.perard.co.uk
Tel 0563245206
Mob 0604030708

Lost one Grand Duc

We have lost an eagle owl ?
Having just read the story of the eagle owl and the vet at Laguepie, some neighbours who have a  rocky cliff down to the road below, phoned to say they may be missing a baby Grand Duc. They thought the owl nesting in their grounds had two chicks but one seems to have disappeared. The bird taken to the vets by a concerned passer by is now with the regional member of the LPO, being fed ready for release into the wild again. The poor thing was never in trouble but newly fledged and just learning to fly. I hope that the owl can be released in to the area it was taken from.
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France 2, St Antonin sur France 2 demain mercredi à 20h40 et dans le magazine Fémina (supplément de la Dépeche) dimanche prochain !

 St. Antonin will be the village tomorrow on France 2, I am interested to see the others also.
It is a one minute "teaser" just after the news at 8.40pm - one village per day.
Je tenais à vous informer qu’à partir de ce soir, lundi 1^er juin, juste après le JT de 20H de France 2, la chaîne, Morgane production et le magazine Version Femina, se sont associés pour diffuser un programme court de 1 minute, présentant chaque soir un village différent. On appelle cela dans le jargon télé, un « teaser ». Un avant-goût de ce que les téléspectateurs découvriront lors de l’émission.

Ce programme court est diffusé à 20H40. Il s’agit d’une présentation d’un village avec des images extraites de ce que nous avons tourné dans vos villages en avril dernier. Stéphane Bern en assure le commentaire.

D’autre part, dimanche 7 juin, dans le magazine Version Femina, partenaire de l’émission, vous trouverez 7 premiers villages présentés (qui correspondent aux 7 premiers villages diffusés cette semaine). 7 autres villages le dimanche 14 juin, puis 8 villages le dimanche 21 juin dans ce magazine, qui est vendu avec le Journal du Dimanche et d’autres quotidiens régionaux.

Vous trouverez en pièce jointe l’ordre de passage des 22 villages. Donc, un par jour.

Je vous communique à tous la date de diffusion dès mercredi.

Je vous remercie tous une nouvelle fois pour votre formidable mobilisation.

Très cordialement

Margaret & John’s Open Garden

14h00 to 18h00, Sunday 14 June 2015

As our granddaughter Charlotte will be with us during June, we are taking the opportunity to open our garden to raise funds for the orphanage, Bethany Home, where she worked last year in South Africa.  Some of you have already generously supported this cause, but the need is ongoing so we are hoping to raise a significant amount to support these children whose parents have died with Aids.  The home does a fantastic job, offering not only a safe place in a very dangerous part of the world, but an education as well.

We would be very grateful for any offers of help on the day and especially any donations of cakes.  (Advance notice would be very helpful please!)

There will be teas, plants and some bric-a- brac for sale.  Admission 2 euros.

Unfortunately there will be no parking at the house but there will be parking in the road down to the decheterie (100m approx. and signed) and at Intermarché.

Directions to Tuc de St Paul.  At the roundabout with Intermarché take the D54, signed St Cyprien.  On your right you will pass Jardins D’Aulery and then the new grey Ambulance Station.  Now look to your left and Tuc de St Paul is the first house on the left.

Although our garden is not completely finished (is it ever?) we have made a lot of progress this year and we hope that you will be able to visit and enjoy it.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Margaret and John Brown,
 Tuc de St Paul

82110 Lauzerte

Why no French restaurants in top 10?

The "influential" British publication "Restaurant Magazine" published its annual Top 50 establishments yesterday, to a chorus of boos here as only 5 French restaurants figure in the list, and none in the top 10. Maybe they have a point as the top choices regularly include Can Celler in Gerona (no.1), Noma in Copenhagen, The Fat Duck in England, where the chefs have made their innovative style of cooking and presentation ostensibly more important than actual quality and taste. One French chef said the method of selection lent weight to the "cool and tattooed" celebrity chefs.
Indeed there is an on-line petition calling for the magazine to open up its "opaque" selection methods, ending what it claims to be "cronyism".
A French magazine "Le Chef" polled 500+ Michelin starred chefs to rate not restaurants, but their colleagues and unsurprisingly 6 of the top 10 chefs are French. One leading Paris chef did concede that the restaurants rated in the Top 50 had "something to teach us about innovation and presentation", because at a restaurant we are not just interested in eating well.
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Rendez vous aux jardins

 Chers clients, chers amis, chers passionés de jardins,

 « Rendez-vous aux jardins » est un événement national organisé par le ministère de la Culture et de la Communication-qui met à l’honneur des parcs et jardins publics et privés.

  

Cette année encore les Jardins des Bastides à Milhars participe à cette manifestation qui se déroulera 

samedi 6 et dimanche  7 juin de 10h à midi et de 14h à 18h

et aura pour thème

« La promenade au jardin »

Vous aurez l'occasion de vous promener librement dans le Jardin privé de Sylvie Gravier, inaugurer le nouveau carré de lavandes, et aussi découvrir les sculptures en fer forgé de Willfried disposé au long de la promenade.

Milan Gravier (Le Marteau et l'Enclume) vous fera une démonstration de forge dans la cour et vous pourrez découvrir sa gamme de tuteurs et ornement de jardins le long de la visite.

La pépinière vous propose également une large gamme de Rosiers anciens et paysagers et une grande collection de vivaces et graminées en fleurs à cette époque de l'année. 

Venez en famille ou entre amis découvrir un jardin de campagne vivant,en mouvement, naturel, simple et attachant ....

Nous vous attendons pour ce moment d'échange et de partage.

A bientot,

Sylvie Gravier et son équipe : Cathy, Mathilde et Thibaut

Sylvie Gravier   

Jardins des Bastides

​​

81170 MILHARS   +33 (0)5 63 56 36 61   +33 (0)6 75 20 25 57

Love locks had to go.

Yellow-vested officials were out early Monday morning on the city's iconic Pont des Arts, wielding cutting equipment to free the padlocks while a handful of curious tourists looked on.

   

Loved-up visitors from around the world have for years written their name on padlocks to symbolise their passion, then tossed the key into the River Seine so that nothing could ever break the bond.

Val says I wonder where and when the first love lock was placed? Just read it began in 2008

 I have have covered the story for Ginny.

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An objective for our photographers

Passionate about photography? Why not enter your favourite shots of the area in the competition, open to all, of the Villefranche de Rouergue cultural association Paroles-Vives? The subject is "Causses! Toujours tu m'interesses" - photos must have been taken on one of the local causses, though not necessarily a landscape. The composition could be anything seen in the causses: architectural; nature; wildlife; portrait etc.
The pictures (up to 5) should be mounted onto a rigid support, with a hanging system, 20x30 or A4 for inkjet impression. Entry is free, but you must provide suitable packaging for return. The best 40 as judged by the jury will be displayed at the Bienniale Internationale de la Photographie Echiquier, with the winner there being displayed abroad. There will be public prizes for colour and black and white entries. Entries must be submitted by 22 June.
Full details on http://www.paroles-vives.fr/47.html
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Big brother arrives in Toulouse

This year the streets of Toulouse will be bristling with cameras, 73 being installed this year.
 Do you feel safer with " big brother" watching? I think I do.

Big Brother is of course from George Orwell's 1984
An archive of George Orwell letters is on sale at Olympia on the stall of Jonkers Rare Books, our daughter and son in law, the price £250,000 or was it £350,000.
What is 100,000 if you have that sort of money ... and many have.
 Something I would buy if I was a multi millionaire, and after reading and enjoying would donate to the Bodleian Library in Oxford.
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Depends where you live

If you live in the leafy suburbs of Toulouse you are likely after impots etc to net around 23,000 euros a year. If you live in other areas much less. 

Toulouse is the opposite of Paris where the centre is the richest and many of the suburbs are the slums.

Le niveau de vie est plus élevé en banlieue qu'à Toulouse

http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2015/06/02/2116151-niveau-vie-est-plus-eleve-banlieue-toulouse.html

Nous sommes le mardi deux juin

The pressure of opinion comes from M, he has done the research.
Do I take his opinion over French friends?
 I really do not know, but anyone who bombards me with so many facts has got to believe it is right, and the written facts are convincing.
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15,000 euros to go and we can help educate a nation.

Jean Marie Nosal has just popped in to keep us up to date with his projects, this year building the new school in Bamako, Mali.  The building is going well and so far funds have been found by generous benefactors, including you and me.
They still need to raise another 15,000 euros to finish the project, but Jean Marie is working hard on thinking of new ways of raising the money. He did say that this might be his last  big project as he nears his 77 th year, he finds it harder going. What a man, at 77;  when many are curling up their toes, he is still out there planning on how he can help the lives of children.
He has organised on the 20th of June a Fete de Musique at Sautou, details coming up.
We are planning on our Picnic in the Park, jazz event on  Wed. July 22nd with Martins Jazz Band
Marion Wilson has just had her garden opening raising money for Jean Marie's association Via Sahel enfants d' Afrique. We hear it went well Marion and was a very successful day, well done.

One hears of all the troubles in Africa and people like us and  Jean Marie think educating the children is the way we can help that country to give it a better future. We may not be here to see it but we know we will have done a little to help, the we being all of us.
Thank you so far  and please keep on supporting for just a little longer.
http://www.viasahel-enfantsdafrique.fr/anglais/index.htm
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The radio announces a good crop of cherries

We may have mentioned before that our elderly neighbour across the valley has a fine orchard of fruit trees and when he has a good crop to protect he turns on his radio loud to keep the birds away.
So when Eldo started to worry about the voices floating across the valley, we knew the cherries are good this year. We often speculate about which station works best. Judging from the amount of speech it may be France Info, so perhaps the birds are hungry but well informed. Any other bird scaring ideas?
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Livres à goûter

A fetish for 50 shades of, well everything

This morning at the book swap there was a plethora of books, spin off of 50 shades of grey, someone was obviously a fan and had a robust sex life ( there was also a book, how to spice up your sex life and it went early on in the swap) So some TAG readers in for fun.
 I got my hands to " Fifty sheds of Grey" much more my cup of tea and thought over the coming weeks I could give you gems, along with gardening tips!! There is a warning with the book " This book contains graphic shed based images"

" I emptied the small water butt for the 15th time that day and collapsed, exhausted, into my shed. I like big butts and I cannot lie."
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You did not put the book swap on TAG !

A friend said this morning but you did not tell us about the book swap, I looked surprised till I realised she was a facebook reader.
I explained facebook taglines82 only got a limited number of posts that the REAL TAG gets. It is simply a sample to get people to know about TAG the blogspot.
The answer is simple if you want to keep abreast read " this one ' ere"
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Any other opinions before decisions are made?

Hi Val

It's a tiny point, but it bugs me slightly because it's a bit of French

which you repeatedly put on your wonderful site, and, to educated eyes, it
looks amateurish, which is a shame.
Remember to leave out the comma - I was cross with myself for including it.
Yesterday was dimanche 31 mai.
I wouldn't have thought of correcting you if I hadn't researched 
M
Val says again.  I think it is a wonderful site M because  Malc and I try so hard in between having a busy life with animals and friends and it never dawned on me we did not have educated eyes! It is NOT perfect by any means as regular readers are aware.
Today at the book swap we met a French friend who used to teach languages and asked his advice. He immediately said the " le" was fine and it was how the French might say it, correct or not. I think it must be one of the things that happens with language where the official line is one way and the way the French actually say it could sometimes be another.  The bit about being " not authorised" he wanted to take to the tribunal!!
I do not want to upset M who may have right on his side in a perfect world, but in the same way I am happy to speak French with a southern accent, even though friends from Paris despair, on the " le" I remain open for further discussion. On commas heaven forbid anyone picks me up. 
 TAG is just my way of diffusing news in the area, making some money for local charities, rehoming pets and making people smile and be happy.
 It is not an exercise in French or English grammar or grammatical correctness, God forbid, life is too short.
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Hot moggies

Il faut maintenant réserver vos places pour le soirée!
Que 15€ pour un soirée superbe!!
Repas de style TAPAS et animé par u-Funk, groupe de Rock et Blues magnifiques!! https://www.facebook.com/UfunkAgen

If you see someone leaving their dog, just be brave enough to tell them.

Get set for some tennis

French men's tennis is amongst the strongest in the world with several top  players. Today three men will test their prowess against the top three men's players in the world rankings at the French Open taking place at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Gael Monfils faces Roger Federer, Richard Gasquet has the daunting task of facing Novak Djokovic and unseeded Jeremy Chardy confronts world no. 3 Andy Murray.
These three are looking to join Jo Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter finals, making more than one French contender for the first time in many years. No Frenchman has won Roland Garros since Yannick Noah in 1983.
Tennis fans are in for a treat on either ITV4 or France 2 television if you haven't got a Paris ticket.
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Beware "particulier à particulier"

Many of us make use of private sales sites and newspapers to sell things (including Taglines) but it pays either to know your buyer (or seller), or to take reasonable precautions before parting with your goods or money.
A man advertised his car for sale in Cannes and agreed to meet the buyers in Nice. There he was threatened with a firearm, tied up and bundled into the boot. He was released later near Genoa (Italy) and luckily the police were able to find the car in the port of Genoa and arrest the perpetrators.
Val says how scary is that, the stuff of novels not non fiction/ real life stories.
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Book and DVD swop

So much to do with pets before going out. I will check the news on our return.
See you all at the swap, or is it swop?
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Cavalcade in Septfonds 1930

Quel est le " fuss" a "le"in the wrong place

Fine, Val.

 I never cease to be surprised at some of the things the French say about their own language.  I write in a French Grammar forum and we discuss this from time to time.

Here's quite a reliable website on the issue (I've underlined the moments when she uses the form you want) - http://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/how-to-say-the-date-in-french-le-or-no-le

1 – When you use the day of the week

DAY + NUMBER + MONTH + YEAR (not le)

J’ai un rendez-vous chez le dentiste mardi 3 octobre.

Samedi, j’ai dîné avec Henri.

 Aujourd’hui, nous sommes jeudi 15 mai  2010 (Deux Mille Dix).

Of course without the day of the week, French demands the le - nous sommes le premier juin.

The BBC seem to have got it right, in their lessons for schools, as you can see -http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/french/my_calendar/dates/

Best wishes,

M

Another example Val

Here's quite interesting support for the view I was presenting:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=samedi+deux%2Csamedi+le+deux&a
mp;c
_insensitive=on&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=19&smoothing=3&share

=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Csamedi%20deux%3B%2Cc0

It's the ngram for Google Books over the last two hundred years for samedi
deux against samedi le deux. You'll see that there are plenty of examples
of samedi deux and none at all of samedi le deux. You can play around with
the days and numbers, but I don't think you'll get a different result.

Val says more research with the French needed, my French is pretty basic, but I want to get it right. 
Malc says it could make an "l"of a difference, just like an apostrophe.
Where will the "le" be tomorrow, watch this space.
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Nous sommes lundi, le premier juin

45 riders and 26 walkers enjoying the route around Laguepie yesterday, lovely day for them all and we passed many along our lanes.
On another subject which has been raised before Michael says

Dear Val,

 I hope you don't mind if I point out that it's dimanche, trente-et-un mai.

You're still putting in an unauthorised le.  It shouldn't be there.

 I only mention it because we Brits make enough mistakes in French, and if people see it in print, they may think it's right.

 Best wishes,

 M

Val says I did check with French friends who said the " le" was OK and blow me one morning as I was writing it William on France 2 said exactly that when saying the date. So a bit of a dilemma, perhaps sometimes it is used, sometimes is not.

M obviously feels strongly to write twice and tell me it is " unauthorised" so I better check with more knowledgeable French friends!!

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