Smashing

Someone is really determined to get rid of this bit of graffiti. Last time I passed, it was in relatively good condition, but now someone has driven a coach and horses (or more likely a tractor) through it; apparently crossing it out wasn't enough.

I haven't blipped for two days because I've been preoccupied by our friend Michel's funeral. I am sure he is the only person ever in the village to be accompanied to the cemetery by a jazz band playing New Orleans funeral marches, plus La Javanaise (Gainsbourg) and, essentially for the unconditional Brassens fan that Michel was, Brassens' Les copains d'abord. Our friend G, who has known him for 35 years, gave a lovely speech, and then we raised a glass to Michel.

Yesterday evening we invited his closest friends to eat chez nous (which was formerly chez Michel). There were 17 of us at the table -- we had to move all the furniture to fit everyone in -- and it worked as well as we might have hoped, not just a dinner party but a time to recall happy moments and look at old photos (many of them taken in the room we were sitting in). In all, I think it was just the send-off that Michel would have wanted. It just felt odd not having him at the table with us.

So, today is blip 730. It has taken me just over 25 months to get to this point, as after the first 365 I started missing the odd day. Yet again I scratched my head over what to do, and in the end decided I'd just get it over with :) The real anniversary (by date) blip is here. I won't waffle on about how much blip means to me (see my 365 blip for that), but just thank all those lovely blippers who subscribe, visit and comment even when I am so bad at reciprocating, and the people at BlipCentral who keep the whole thing running.

PS G is for graffiti.