Les souches/las socas

What could have been an hour's work this morning collecting the vine stocks for the fire for our party next week and delivering it to the friends' garden where the party will be held turned into a very enjoyable all-day event. We unloaded the wood and then were invited to apéritifs on the shady terrace, which turned into a tasting of the wine we helped pick the grapes for last year and then into a barbecued late lunch.... all with the usual mix of serious discussion in French and Occitan, jokes and laughter which always accompanies any meal with these friends. As we often say, life's hard in the Midi!