Fiddles and flies

Christian and Sue Urbita came round for dinner yesterday, and Christian brought four of his new violins with him for Malcolm to try out.

Here's Malcolm taking one of the instruments through the Sibelius concerto ....


... while Christian listens intently on the sofa. Lovely instruments, very special.

Today we went out fishing for trout with Malcolm on the Agout between Burlats and Roquecourbe, only about ten minutes drive from home but a beautiful setting, with a clear fast-flowing stream and impressive wooded cliffs above us. He'd brought along his second rod so we all learned how to cast a fly over the water. Like a super-long whip with a high-speed hook on the end - to be treated with respect. No fish were harmed during the day. Here's a fishing map of the Tarn.

Johnny English on the TV this evening. A little surreal to hear Pascal Sauvage, John Malkovich's camp French villain, speaking real French, but great fun nonetheless.

I have bought a 50-metre roll of bubble wrap for my theorbo.