Moulin du Clout - 15th October (but written 30th October)

The weather has changed from warm and sunny to decidedly cold and sunny. A fierce frost this morning and no heating in the bedroom as the wall heater has stopped working. We have a winter-weight duvet and I am wearing a thick nightie so I am warm and cosy.

We collected Peter and Jennifer from Rodez airport last Friday. As we can't leave Rufus alone anywhere he had to make the return journey perched on the suitcases in the back.

On Saturday we made our usual trip to Figeac market. The market is the same as that in Maurs (Thursday) but Figeac is a lovely town to wander around.

We were able to get a new toaster to replace the broken one and have lunch in Bagnac on the way back. Peter likes this as you get about five courses plus a bottle of wine for about €11 each.

On Tuesday Peter and Jennifer said they would like to see the area with the volcanoes (extinct) which are a distance away so we set off early. We had a good lunch in Murat and toured the area.

In the evening, after an interesting casserole prepared by Peter and left cooking in a low oven during our trip we watched the film Tea with Mussolini. A great film.

Jim and Peter have been working hard cutting down saplings and general undergrowth along the leat. The roots are undermining the bank here and destabilising it. This is the sort of maintenance work that should be done regularly but because no one is here often enough it is getting neglected. Jennifer and I sit and sew, outside in the sun if possible, but we have had frost for several days this week and at this time of the year the sun goes off the terrace in the middle of the afternoon.

Maurs market today and lunch at La Bascule - another favourite, but €12 this time and we were not sure about the braised cabbage.

When I went outside to get the washing in at dusk I saw this little chap:
- a salamander. He was about eight inches long. The photo (taken with flash) doesn't do his colours justice - the yellow patches were bright yellow.
Tonight we watched On Golden Pond.

Tomorrow Peter and Jennifer return to the UK via Rodez and Stanstead. Where has the week gone?