New and old

This is the Lycée in Lavaur - the school the kids will probably go to when they're 16. I love the jarring neighbourliness of new and old. TallGirl said they could have done a better job of blending it in, but I love the boldness of this space age addition wrapping around such an old building. At the top of the square is the old Mairie (to the left in this shot), and to its left the Cathedral of St Alain. The centre of the square is a beautiful garden, formal in layout with hedges and fountains, but wild in its planting style with exuberant flowers in every season.

I was lining up a shot of the whole square, but the sun in my face made that hard. Unexpectedly a woman stopped and started chatting about a friend of hers who had a beautiful shot of the gardens as the screen saver on her phone. She agreed about the sun and started recommending other vantage points which was sweet. Of course everyone hearing me speak to the kids in English presumes I'm a tourist - which I don't really mind as it seems to result in more interesting conversations than if they think I'm a local.

We were on our way back from the parish vide grenier, though none of us made many purchases. CarbBoy remains confused by the concept of haggling, treating the stalls like shops and the price quoted as final. I tried doing a master class with TallGirl to show him how it should work, but turns out she's rubbish at it too. I need to take them both to Thailand, or show them that scene from the Monty Python movie that is used in every training session on negotiation.

A discussion with the kids about what to have for lunch was resolved when I took the radical decision to go to a restaurant. We don't really do that much, but in the new world order of doing stuff for ME ME ME, it seemed like a good idea. The kids tucked into duck and (not on the menu but offered just for the kids) chips, while I had the most delicious prawn, fig and avocado salad. And chocolate pud.

Once home, some team tidying, a return of electronic devices, and tackling Roman numerals for CarbBoy's history test tomorrow. In the tidying I found our 'aerobie' - a doughnut shaped frisbee - and CarbBoy decided to have a go. His first throw had it hanging off the crane fenced in by security barriers. Happily I could reach it. "Go further away" I suggested. He did. And hurled it into the top of the ten metre high thuya hedge...

Now, with the news that Mr B is sensibly not trying to drive 1,000km the day after a stag do and therefore won't be home until tomorrow, I have time to surround myself with cookery books and decide what to cook next week. Currently two kilos of quinces are claiming my attention.... Membrillo, quince and star anise jelly, apple and quince pies....

Autumn days are great.

Especially when they come with hot sunny days.