The Road Goes on Forever But the Party Never Ends

On Sunday we picked up Mathilde at the airport in Toulouse and headed back to Leran. We had been invited to a birthday party for several notable Leranites. Amongst the party-goers were these folks pictured here. I'll try to explain a little of the shenanigans. The party was a pot-luck and a barbecue done up by the hosts. There were several tables like the one pictured full of people eating and drinking wine and beer. Amongst the guests were Alan Simmons, from whom we rented the house in Leran last winter, and Barry, a visitor staying with Billy and Sally Jaye.

They said Barry's nickname was "Barryoke" and he lived up to his name. Alan, who is a composer, plays a mean guitar. Both gentlemen seemed to have a love of same late 50's and 60's British and American music. So Alan played his git-tar and sang and Barry sung up a storm. Some Chuck Berry, Beatles songs, some Stones, Searchers, you name it. Needless to say, the entire performance turned into a rather raucous sing-a-long.

The first picture gives a derriere introduction to our host, Thierry, (in the white flowing pants) and others you'll get to know. In the next picture, Barry is singing "And the band played Waltzing Matilda" a fine Australian folksong about Gallipoli, a WWI battle in Turkey. Alan and Eileen are in the background. In the far right of the photo are the family that owns the bar in Leran; Nelly, the otherThierry and either Laura or Virgina, I can't tell. The third picture is Barry, Billy Jaye and Alan. The fourth picture is of Alan and Barry playing air guitar to the music playing on the box. This was before they discovered each other's musical talents. The two had never met before but I'm thinking they should be forming a band.

The fourth photo of course is some of the barbecue offerings. Sardines, big sardines......sausages, prawns, etc. etc. And the last two are of Barry doin' his thing. All photos are courtesy of Mathilde.

We came home from the party around dinner time, tired from the wine and sun. The party was scheduled to go on into the night, I suppose with the party goers getting younger as the hours got later. They said the would have fireworks at 10:00 and as I lay in bed, sure enough, I heard booms and bangs right on schedule.