Today was the day that rendez-vous became available at the sous-prefecture d’Aix.

I need to get an appointment so I can change my titre de sejour to allow me to work as an auto entrepreneur.

The appointments go online at 17h00 on Thursday for the following week.

I didn’t get one as I’m not here next week so will have to try again next week – although this time at 18h00(?)

I also tried contacting them on X in the hope of finding a resolution.

*Un mouton à cinq pattes.

After buying some dolls, we went to the Pierre Bonnard exhibition in Aix. It was the last day so it was quite busy.

I wasn’t familiar with Bonnard’s work – a post-impressionist – but liked a lot of the paintings on display.

He was influenced by Japanese artists.

Bonnard loved to paint nature – particularly once he moved to Le Cannet en Provence.

This is the almond tree in his garden in Le Cannet – the tree is still there apparently

Afterwards we went for a stroll around the gardens of le Caumont Centre D’Art.

A lovely day out in Aix.

We saw another vide grenier advertised – this time in nearby Meyrargues.

It was on a different level to the one in Venelles and this time we came armed with cash.

Cath wanted to get some dolls and games for Alma and Iris when they come to visit.

This vide grenier had a distinctly Provençal feel to it.

We found some toys and dolls and a little pushchair.

Welcome to our family.

On an afternoon out in L’Estaque with Hanna and Alma and Iris, I potentially found a new job.

Don’t know if you need previous experience.

C’est une mante religieuse je crois.

This morning we had about 10 pinsons in our back garden, on the grass.

There were also a couple of mésanges. charbonnières

Now when you have a flock of pinsons it is always worth checking there are no pinson du Nord among them.

Malheureusement il n’y en a aucune.

And if you are really lucky there might be une cenelle.

Mais non, pas de cenelle non plus.

Bird glossary

Un Pinson – chaffinch

Un Pinson du nord – brambling

Une Cenelle – hawfinch

Une mésange charbonnière – great tit

Les voilà.

Elles sont toutes petites et dures.

On verra comme elles goûtent.

Chez nous is the water potable?

That is the question that we are suddenly asking ourselves.

As the nights are getting colder, I was looking at an email the propriétaire had sent us back in May about how to get them to work.

And then I saw something that had completely escaped my attention.

Our water has a filtration system and those filters need to be changed every three months.

The landlord said he did it just before we moved in……five months ago.

We made a trip pretty sharpish to SCP – Société du Canal de Provence – to buy some new ones.

The vendeur explained how to replace them and, after a few false starts, I got the system working again.

The old cartouches looked a bit grotty.

The man at SCP said there is also a lightbulb that needs to be changed once a year.

Have emailed the landlord to see how quickly a return trip is needed.

Ce matin je suis allé à France Travail encore une fois pour un atelier sur l’offre de service de la modalité suivi – the follow-up service workshop.

Une conseillère nous a expliqué les service que France Travail nous offre.

Il y a l’emploi store, le sphère emploi et beaucoup d’autres outils pour nous aider

Et j’ai appris un nouveau mot en anglais que se utilise en français.

Relooking. Comme – on peut faire un petit relooking à votre CV.