Behold a star !

Another warm, cloudless , start to the day .We always ask for four breakfast croissants but this morning we get given five . When I point out the mistake the lady behind the bakers cash till holds her forefinger to her lips and whispers " It's for Wilf ". Yours truly doesn't have the heart to tell her that the last thing Wilf needs after eating a vole is a full butter croissant .

The builders have found the foundations of another house under the gravel of the forecourt . '' What do you want us to do with it ? " asks the jovial foreman . Angus bites his tongue .

Saturday night. The village is holding an impromptu party to celebrate the French rugby teams victory over Wales. The total population of the commune is 67 but there must be at least three times that number spilling out of the village hall. All the components of a memorable night are in place . On the petanque court Monsieur Bay can be seen dancing with Madame Bay. He is waltzing, she appears to be doing something that requires a lot of arm movements. Around them the village pre-schoolers are creating havoc.

At one end of the salle des fetes the mayors wife is singing '' the answer my friend is blowing in the wind '' on the karaoke machine . At the other end a disco ball has been suspended from the ceiling and two heavy duty speakers are pulsing out hits from the 80's. Kelly the hover dog is settled in a corner by the kitchen as is Hugo the bad tempered Maltese. The Jack Russells, hurling themselves relentlessly out of the village hall windows, ignore them . Around the barbecue the farmers and their offspring are flipping burgers. Novelty rooster hats are much in evidence.

As we turn in for the night ' the font ' notices that it's as bright as day outside . The old farmer has switched on his 10,000 lightbulb Christmas star. Pilots on night flights into Toulouse airport will now have a much easier job .