Over 100 degrees

Today we're expecting a thunderstorm in the afternoon and it is windy, making it feel a bit cooler.  The long-range forecast is just sun,sun,sun,  By Saturday the temperature will 39C which is 102 degrees Farenheit which is hotter than blood temperature.

Film Set

Went to Castelsagrat last night for a big supper for 18 people at Nanda & Barry's house in the square.  The whole place was hung with red & green banners and had a stage built in the middle.  It was being used for a film shoot.  The film is built round some young music group who come to play at a Strawberry Fair in a mystical village and how it changes their lives.  Or something like that.  Tthat's why they had hung strawberries everywhere!

At the party we met an American family who bought the house next to Nanda's.  They have an 8-year-old daughter who has been horse-riding every day at Lauzerte.  They must be pretty rich because they fly over to France from USA two or three times a year for holidays.  They hit a deer too, much harder than we did because they were going at 90 kph. They said it flew up in the air and landed in the sunflowers.   Also, we met a man called Jolyon who works for the British Army as a translator in Afghanistan.  He told us about how dangerous is was living in the capital, Kabul.  Sounds AWFUL.

Big Heat

Incredibly hot yesterday ... our room was at 28C at bedtime!! So we sat out in the garden and watched shooting stars while the noisy air-conditioning unit got to work and cooled the room down to 24C.  After that, we got a good night's sleep.

Heavens Above

We were sitting at the end of the garden looking at the stars round about half past ten tonight, hoping to see some shooting stars.  Suddenly there was this huge light in the sky going fast from West to East.  No planes go that way and it had no red & green lights, no flashing lights.  Also, there was no noise.  By the time it was overhead, I figured that it had to be the Space Station so I looked up the website that shows you where the space station actually is and there it was!  You can see from the image that its orbit passed a bit below us in France.  That's the first time we have ever seen it.

Dernier Jour - Dimanche

Last day in Montjoi.  And what a busy day! Thunder & lightning, pouring rain.  Visist to Castesagrat Brocante, buying Pokemon cards.  Then on up to Lauzerte where we missed the Agriculural show but explored the square and the church.  Graffiti car.  Swimming in the rain in the dark.  Setting off fireworks in l'Hospital.  Log fire.  Playing Pictionary.  Tomorrow - off to Toulouse Airport

Playing Possum

Rachel sent me this story about a really weird school fund-raising project in New Zealand.  They got the kids to dress up dead possums!

Porcupines

Remember we were talking about porcupines the other night?  Today I found this story on BBC about a fight between a bulldog and a porcupine.  Guess who wins ....