Many hands make light work

We went to Promaude today, the local show for agriculture, food, drink, artisanal skills and more. We don't go every year, as it can be a bit samey, but there were new features this year, probably due to new management in the form of Karine, who was programmer for the Centre Culturel when we first met her years ago.

It takes place over the whole Whitsun weekend (Friday to Monday) on a vast showground just outside Lézignan. On a sunny Sunday, it was crowded. The ironworkers are a regular feature; they always make some large object over the course of the show, I believe it's a giant Olympic torch this year. A wider view in extra 1.

You may remember that we went to a circus day in Coustouge last September, which was brilliant. We met Karine there; she was checking it out. Result, Promaude now has a "circus village" and they had different shows periodically through the day. We enjoyed a chilled jazz band, and later on the two acrobatic guys we saw in Coustouge last year, still funny. Alongside, they were running goes on the trapeze for anyone who wanted to try; I think the little girl in extra 2 had done it before, as she did some impressive somersaults to hang upside down. Some of the others had to be pushed off the platform.

We also had a copious lunch, buying a single helping of roast pork ribs with a big dollop of aligot, which was definitely enough for two of us. Other extras: some unusual curly piglets, and the handsome pair of horses doing tours of the grounds.

Overall, the show seemed bigger than usual, organised into separate "villages" with a lot of stands we hadn't seen before. A good (half) day out. I might do a Flickr album later.

In the evening, book group at Irene's to talk about Sebastian Barry's Old God's Time. There were only five of us, and K, who had chosen it, couldn't come, but we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening talking about all sorts of topics as well as the book. I'd never read anything by him before; he's a wonderful writer, but it took a very dark and graphic turn which I didn't expect. I will definitely read more by him.