Goosey 2

Finally I have procured a picture of the bishop with the goose in Castres cathedral (see my post from last December). The poor beast has suffered some damage around the head but the bodywork is sound. It's really very odd.

Thirty minutes of fame

I finally managed to see my episode of University Challenge this evening, courtesy of a kind friend who recorded last week's programme and sent me the DVD from England (thank you, Sarah!). Wow, it was close! I don't think I realised at the time that the opposition came within five points of us before we pulled away at the end. Phew.

It was nice to see our little film at the beginning too, with the four of us playing a lute quartet in a wood-panelled room in Sutton House. Came over very well, I thought.

Those of you who have been following the series will now know that we didn't get through to the semi-finals, despite winning our first round match. There were five first-round matches but only four places in the semi-finals, and we were unfortunately number five. Still, it means we retired undefeated from the contest. Well done, Lute Society!

Boot

I'm not normally an active football supporter, but I thought last weekend that I should go and support Herne in his match playing away for Castres Football Club Poussins against Blan. CFC played a fine match but in the end went down by three goals to two. Better luck next Saturday.

On the way back the car overheated and clouds of steam came out from under the bonnet. It's working again now after shelling out €192 for a new relai de ventilateur (more unwanted vocabulary).

Fish glue

The Chuckerbutty Ocarina Quartet is in conclave at the moment for three days of intensive rehearsal prior to our concerts in Madrid this weekend.

Our set of rubber fish (as seen in Schubert's Trout) is suffering from years of enthusiastic overuse, so master fish repairer Yuzuru Yamashiro has set to with glue, scissors, cutter, sticky tape, and a packet of ham (on far right of picture) to repair them. When the clothes pegs come off we will find out whether the repairs have worked.