18. 07. 08. Friday. Today was the day that the Tour came to Clermont. The town was quite animated this morning as there was also a flea market which started around 8 – I looked at some stalls en route to buying my Midi-Libre but managed to easily resist buying anything. I had an early lunch and walked over to the route at around 1. The caravane came by between about 1. 15 and 2 with all the usual hooplah of the circus. Hats, sweets, coffee, cheese and various other products being flung at the eager crowd. The leaders flashed by just after 3 and then the peloton flashed by 6 minutes later. That was it! As a guy next to me said “le seul problème est qu’on attends deux heures pour un minute!” But it was worth it, there was a great festive atmosphere with people from all over chatting to each other. A surprising number of Australian flags in evidence too.
Journal
Bordeaux
15. 07. 08. Tuesday. Just got back from a wonderful weekend with my “French” family. I took the train to Bordeaux last Thursday afternoon to spend the holiday weekend with Marie-Pierre, Olivier and their two children Baptiste and Agathe. Arrived an hour late on Thursday (French trains are not as reliable as they once were) and we all went over to M-P’s friend Françoise’ apartment for aperos and then on to a Tapas bar for dinner. Friday lunch time Michele, Jean-Loup, Eliane and Julian arrived from Bayonne – more aperos and a superb lunch of fish caught and cooked by Olivier followed by a visit and tasting to the Forgotten Vegetables farm in the afternoon. Saturday market at St Medard then off to the Bassin d’Arcachon in the afternoon for a cruise on Olivier’s boat and some fishing – we didn’t catch a thing! Olivier’s sister Chrystal, her husband Bertrand and their two children came by for aperos after we had returned. Sunday was cool and grey so we went into Bordeaux after lunch to wander around and then we caught a Norwegian movie called M. Horton – interesting experience seeing a Norwegian movie with French sub-titles! In the evening went to the local Bastille day fireworks display which was very good. Monday was warm again and sunny. Had a superb roast lamb for lunch after which the Bayonne contingent left for home. 
Olivier, M-P, myself, Baptiste, Chrystal, her son Theo and Olivier’s mother Therese went to the Bassin again and once again tried our hand at fishing but with no better luck! In the evening M-P, Olivier and myself climbed up on the roof of their house and watched another firework display. Tuesday, Baptste gave me a lift to the station in Bordeaux and I caught the train back to Clermont where it all seems very quiet!
Voyage de Noces
05. 07. 08. Saturday. My nephew Andrew and his new wife Julia came by after their marriage on 21 June in Nova Scotia. They arrived on Wednesday which was market day and in the afternoon we drove around lac du Salagou where they booked a couple of bikes for Thursday afternoon. We dined at La Venezia in the evening. Thursday was Pezenas in the morning, back to Clermont for lunch with Claire and then they went and did their VTT thing around the lake in the afternoon. The ride was a great success, good bikes and well-marked trails. Friday we lunched in Sete and did the beach at Marseillan and then they left mid-morning Saturday for the Atlantic coast. They are hoping to catch the tour en route back to Paris after which they chunnel it back to the UK. They were hoping to get down to see friends in Italy but realised that it was a long way there and back but I think they were happy to explore this corner a France instead.
London Weekend
01. 07. 08. Tuesday. Flew to London for the weekend to see Julia and see some of the new exhibitions. Arrived Friday morning and was chez Julia at her new digs in West Ruislip (end of Central Line) by 12.45. Met Jules, dumped my stuff and headed back in town with her. She went to work and I went up to the RA Summer Show. Usual eclectic mix but the Tracy Emin room was a disappointment altho the video of a the lower half of a naked young woman doing the hula hoop with a circle of barbed wire was pretty hard to watch! Met Julia after work and we went to our favourite cheap fish restaurant near the Old Vic and then back to Ruislip. Saturday, out early, full English in Nottinghill Gate and then over to the Tate for the Cy Twombly show. Good show, altho more a retrospective than a showing of some of his better pieces but the audio commentary was excellent. Wandered up to the Strand for lunch and then on to the V&A where we went to the Blood on Paper show. This was a show of artist’s books ranging from early Miro to Anselm Keifer to Damien Hirst. Again interesting but unfocussed but still worth the visit. Went back home and had a wonderful homemade salad for dinner. Sunday, I spent the morning in the garden with the Sunday papers whilst Julia worked and then we went to Uxbridge to see Wanted, a film that normally would not be on my list to see and then back to Ruislip for a very good curry at the local Indian restaurant. Monday I went up to work with Julia and had my breakfast at the BBC before going on to the RA again, this time to see a show on Vilhelm Hammershoi. A late 19th century Danish painter who painted the most hauntingly, tranquil images of empty rooms, landscapes and people with their backs to the painter. Remarkable subtle colours without being at all depressing. This was the best show that I saw! Rented a deckchair in Green Park and had lunch and then caught the train to Chris at Stisted where I enjoyed wine in the garden, a very tasty dinner and then a drive to Stansted airport at 3.30 in the morning! Slept all the way to Montpellier then caught the bus and was back here by 11 this morning.
The Second Week
23. 06. 08. Monday. Virginia went back to Toronto today. It has been hot and sunny every day this week and we have driven to various local spots. The Vermillion coast was a disappointment – too much development and limited access to the coast in places. We went to the beach at Marseillan several times and had a wonderful meal with Claire at Le Galion in Pallavas les Flots. We explored Sete including a visit to the Musée de Paul Valery, and for me a wonderful lunch of grilled sardines! Yesterday we went to the Flea Market at Marseillan where I bought a great old B&W photo of a legionnaire framed with glass for €3! A real bargain! Below is painting of Marseillan plage.
Virginia’s Visit
18. 06. 08. Wednesday. Virginia has been here just over a week now and we have been zooming around locally on the scooter. Yesterday she rented a car and we drove north from Montpellier into the Cevennes and had lunch at a wonderful little restaurant recommended by Claire. It is at La Cravatte which is is just north of Le Vigan en route to the Gorges du Tarn. A beautiful spot overlooking the edge of the Cevennes. Unfortunately it was cloudy and a bit rainy but we had a sense of the view through the clouds. After lunch we drove through the Gorge du Tarn to Millau and then over the viaduct (photo by Virginia) back to Clermont. Tomorrow the Vermillion Coast south of Perpignon.
A Weekend Break
Monday 09. 06. 08. Debra and Richard have been staying with me for the weekend en route to Paris after their sojourn in Italy. They arrived Saturday morning on the night train from Turin to Montpellier. Unfortunately there was no consigne at Gare St Roch so they had to come to Clermont to dump their luggage at my place, however, we managed to get the 12.30 bus back into to Montpellier. After lunch on the Comedie we strolled through the Polygone and the Antigone and took a ride on the tramway. We then wandered through the old historic quarter. All afternoon we kept coming across the Gay Pride parade (very restrained compared to the one in TO) and the Fête des Fanfares which is a sort of brass band festival – an odd combination on the same weekend! Returned to Clermont in the evening and had a very pleasant dinner at Le Tournesol. Sunday we had a relaxed breakfast and then climbed up to the chateau. In the afternoon we explored the old town and ended up at Les Negociants for a drink and then La Venizia for dinner. This morning was an early start and they caught the 7.30 bus back to Montpellier where they were talking the TGV to Paris. It was a very convivial weekend and now they have sense of this little town in the Hérault.
Summer Show
29. 05. 08. Thursday. I am part of the summer show at the Judith Moore Gallery in Merrickville (just outside Ottawa) which runs from 4 June until 3 August. The gallery is located at 639 St Lawrence Street, Merrickville, Ontario. 613. 269. 3760 and is open every day from noon until 5.00 pm. Also showing are Stuart Beaty, John Alexander Day, Alan Daniel, Marje Fletcher, Kate Green, Martin Green, Peggy Hughes, Dirk Mietzker, Debbie Milling, Don Munz and Jim Weller. Check it out.
Odds and Ends
28. 05. 08. Wednesday. Just trying to clear a few things up now that I have my new camera. Here is the mat that I painted for my kitchen and also one of the big drawings that I have done using oil stick on foam insulation left over from the renovation. I had a great visit with Alan and Lea and despite the crappy weather we managed to do quite a lot and Alan and I even managed to do some painting. The whole visit was marred by Lea falling down the stairs this morning. She went by ambulance to Pezenas where they took x-rays and pronounced her OK, nothing broken but some bruising. The French health care system certainly lived up to its reputation and they still managed to catch their flight to Amsterdam this afternoon.
In Toronto
Toronto 9/20. 05. 08. I had a great 10 days in TO catching up with friends and family. I went to the ROM with Poppy and saw the new extension – good idea but I didn’t think it came off that well – I found the crystalline effects compromised by too much drywall in the wrong places. Also went to a number of galleries, out for lunches, dinners etc. Had forgotten about the added taxes to the price of things, services etc which I found irritating – much prefer the European system of everything included. Am now back here after a long journey with a 4 hour delay on the tarmac in Montreal. It is warm and sunny and market day today so have to stock up as Alan and Lea arrive tomorrow from Barcelona.