Pascal rang on Friday evening to say he'd be round on Saturday.

Wow, we might get a full day's work done!

His 8 o'clock arrival was more like 25 past and he has come to expect a coffee laced with whisky before embarking on his labours.

By lunchtime he was saying he hoped to finish by the evening.

But - during the afternoon there were sounds of swearing.  He came to find me, looking a bit sheepish.

"You have got more of those pink tiles in the attic haven't you?"

Now the pink tiles were left over from a previous job (by the original owner) and Pascal had calculated that there were enough to do the top part of the walls. As it was no longer possible to buy more I had chosen blue for the lower half and 'shelves'  with a pink and blue freize in between - also left overs found in the attic.

I distinctly remember suggesting to Pascal that if there was a danger of running out of pink tiles, maybe he could do a second row of freize and finish with blue again at the top.

"No, I've counted them. There will be enough." he said, dismissively.

Now it was a different story. He was three short. And he had used up all the frieze to decorate the shelves.

We searched the attic in vain for matching pink tiles.

"I thought you had counted them." I ventured.

Yes, but he hadn't taken into account the fact that the understairs cupboard  new loo is not symmetrical and therefore the left side is longer than the right side.

"Well, we'll just have to finish off with blue". I said.

Pascal was all for ripping off the top row from the other side as well but as that would involve lots of cutting minute fragments to fit I couldn't bear the thought of all that extra time and mess (and money).

"Non!" I protested. "We'll live with it. People won't notice."

Pascal gave an exhasperated shrug and muttered something about "Vous anglais...."

At least, by 5.30 the tiling was finished and he graciously gave me the opportunity to clean all the mess off the walls and floor while he washed his tools in the garage.

(Bear is, at this moment, trying to unblock the sink which is solid with a kind of concrete resulting from that little operation).

Pascal then spent quite a long time repairing the flush mechanism when he put the toilet back. (I'm convinced it stopped working as a result of his constant removing it to the garage).

It was then time for an 'apero' of beer and whisky before he wandered off home.

"I'll be back to do the grouting." were his parting words.

Pity he didn't say when that might be.

A few days ago we were walking round town, minding our own business when a young lady approached us, stuck a microphone on my face and asked,

"Do you live locally? Have you heard about the Fourniret trial?"

I told her we lived near and, yes, we knew about the trial. The local paper has been full of it. Two notorious serial murderers moved to the prison  to be tried in Mezieres from tomorrow: the resultant disruption to parking has already been well broadcast and they estimate the total cost could be over a billion euros.

She held the microphone closer to my face.

"Can you tell me what you think about it then?"

I wanted to let rip with my feelings about a lifelong rapist and murderer whose first conviction dates back to when he was 25 (he's now in his 60's) and how he could be allowed to get away with it for so long - and how, if he's proved guilty, they should lock him up in a deep dark cellar and throw away the key. . . . . .

But my French deserted me and I could only babble about how terrible it must be for the victim's parents to have to sit through this all over again, listening to such a monster going over his crimes.

Hopefully, it was not a live programme and no-one will actually hear what I said.

But, tomorrow, Michel Founiret starts his trial for the kidnap, rape and murder of about seven of his victims.

His wife, Monique Olivier, in an attempt to make things easier for herself, has accused him of twelve murders but, since she was a party to 'befriending' and enticing some of the victims into their trap, she is also on trial.

Fourniret himself has already 'helped' the police by explaining where certain remains were hidden but, so far, he has been a difficult, slippery and crafty customer.

In some of his previous convictions he actually had suspended sentences (!!!) but, if French justice is to retain any credibility I should think they will have to keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.

The people of Charleville can't be too happy about this high profile case unfolding on their doorstep but they'll have to put up with it for the next few months.

It is mentioned on the BBC website here.

After the recent municipal elections it's a case of out with the old and in with the new.

On March 9th three lists* were put to the village electorate. The results came out very close with the 'maire sortant' (outgoing mayor) just a little bit ahead.

People from the two opposing lists who gained the most votes then combined forces to produce an opposing team of fifteen names to go forward to the vote on March 16th - and they won by a small majority.

It's amazing how many runours went flying round the village during these elections. I don't consider myself to be in the thick of things, and there's a language problem as well, but I heard whispers of  mistresses, ladies of easy virtue, fraud, family feuds and vengeance.

Some people received poison pen letters and some pretty nasty circulars went around saying negative things about the outgoing mayor.

So, you could say feelings were running high.

The winning list voted for the mayor and four deputies last Friday and we now have a lady maire with two men and two women as her adjoints.

Some people are pleased to see the back of the old regime while others are very worried about what the new council will get up to.

Only time will tell.

* Every town and village in France voted for a new Maire this month. The candidates put forward a list of names to serve as counsellors. In Charleville there were 45 people on each list but in our village there were only 15. In communes of less than 1500 inhabitants it is permitted to cross out names on the list you are voting for and substitute others. It then seems that everyone's individual votes are counted. Those who get enough votes can go through to the second round as part of a list of 15 - but the second round is usually between just two lists.

This post also appears on the new blog - here.