Harmonica

I was the first up today after the party, so made coffee and scavenged some left-over dessert and champagne for breakfast, before putting in a shift of clearing up. The other two house guests joined in after an hour so, by the time D got up, we'd broken the back of the job. G was last up, but he'd done so much yesterday, and he and D had stayed up until the last guests left at 04:30.

I don't do large social events, but this party is special because of the music. G&D have a number of professional musicians as friends, for whom playing at this event is appealing. It also means that the amateurs have a good sound set-up. Listening to an engaging solo funk artist, and then this trio - photo taken 01:15 - it was hard to believe I was sitting at the bottom of the garden of two friends. Céline's sublime harmonica solo will remain with me for a long time.

As for the turn-out, in the end there must have been at least 60 people, possibly because other events and parties had been cancelled, so only the folk living across the city bailed. Thankfully Montreuil and the rest of the rioting hotspots (except Marseille) seem to have calmed.

I'll chill for the rest of the afternoon, then take the flight back to Edinburgh. It's been a great five days of work and play, and next week is another busy one of work and travelling. I love my life.