In the depths of the countryside nothing much happens. That being the case how come it’s so difficult to find a date when we can all get together for a meeting? As co-president of the Syndicat d’Initiative I’m involved in fixing the date for the annual general meeting, but here we are in April and we’ve been trying to sort a date since January, can’t be done. Apéro concert, hunters meal, late shifts, a funeral, library functions, elections, school meetings/functions and of course the perennial “we’re killing a pig” or more acruetly “one kills a pig that day”. This involves, these days,  someone qualified to kill the pig, and the extended family plus some neighbours to cut and process it followed by a meal. In north Aveyron many tradtions are alive and well, another one coming up thisyear on the 18th April is the great money spinner that is the school fundraising breakfast. Starting at 8 am and not for the faint hearted, it involves tête de veau (calves head) and tripoux (local stuffed trip dish) washed down with wine, and it is always packed. The rest of the day large numbers of red faced men stagger around the village kissing everyone! These days as a sop to the sensitivities of the “incomers” you can get “Parisienne” breakfast with croissants etc., but this has to be specially ordered in advance and you still have to eat it elbow to elbow with the chaps enjoying the more traditional eating experience! Can’t wait!