On the terrace today

I've always wanted a municipal bench for the garden of the iron and wood variety.  In Pézenas there's a showroom that displays outdoor furniture for mairies, various seating, climbing frames for kids, etc. We once called in to price a new bench of this type. The price was a cool 'are you kidding me' even before tax and delivery. I hoped one day we'd find one second hand, and I'd search from time to time. Forward 4 years. This week we found it! Bought from an ex-gendarme who used to protect a government minister. The gentleman put us through our paces before agreeing to the sale. Seems he didn't like my surname, and when he spoke to Henny and detected a foreign accent, we had to go overboard to convince him we were honourable folk! He did apologise when we came to collect, and the deal went without a hitch. Beauty and the bench.

Also on the terrace today sweet little Lily who's finding herself more at home each day.

And a cat who's decided, for now, it may be safest behind the poubelles from which his name was derived. The relationship between Pou and Lily Blue is easing slowly. Pou actually allowed his head to be licked by hound tongue. He looked disgusted, but he didn't run away!