Monday, June 17, 2013

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.







The early morning air already heavy with the scent of lilac and rosemary. A hot day in store . The bakers children barge through the queue for baguettes and rush squabbling out of their front door onto the pavement. The little girl turns and runs back to greet Bob and Sophie. Her elder brother tells her to hurry up. She scampers after him pulling on her satchel as she goes. 

At the newsagents the young sapeur pompier who plays fly half in the local rugby club stops to greet the two pups. He calls them Wilf and Digby. I don't bother correcting him. Sophie rewards him with a lick. There's time for a quick coffee at the cafe under the arcades. Bob and Sophie get fussed over by the waitress. Both of them have already perfected their '' I'm an orphan dog that's never been fed " routine. They share a half croissant. Bob smacks his lips. Sophie devours her portion in demur silence.

Home to find a black van parked outside the house. From a distance it looks like a hearse. Barely seven o'clock and the builders are unloading shower trays . '' We'll break the back of it this week " says the foreman. So much for them being finished by June 20th. This thought is not voiced.

Later today I'll speak to the company that manufactured the solar powered pool cover about spare parts . I'll also ask the foreman to take a look at the leak that's developed over the weekend in the washing machine. Why is it that machinery always miraculously breaks down after three years ? Bob and Sophie will hunt for windfalls in the cherry orchard . Just another Monday in deepest France profonde.

14 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Will be interesting to see how long the plumber takes.

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

WFT Nobby said...

Well I'm not yet convinced that demure is the right adjective for Sophie.

Those cakes in the top photo - that's my kind of religion!

Cheers, Gail.

Anonymous said...

It's about 10.30 here. Just the right time for one of those cakes!
I heard somewhere recently that these machines are built that way. To go cronky not before but a little after the warranty has expired usually!
I have to admit to slipping a couple of times and typing Wilf when I mean Bob. They do both seem to have the same gentle nature.
I wish you success with your various conversations today.
x

Kittypup said...

Munch... Munch... Nibble

Angus, you're such a tease putting up those delicious cake photos -
I feel like a pound or two has been added just by looking at them :(

Bon courage with your repairs.

Have fun X

VirginiaC said...

I agree with Kitty Puppy above....teasing us with those delicious-tasting pastries is not good for our hearts Angus.
Apparently most electrical items seem to have a 3 year worn-out chip implanted in them these days.
I wish you luck in getting the washing machine and pool cover problems resolved.
Hope the builders stick to their plan to finish this week. They can install the bathroom light last when it arrives.

Whispering Walls said...

Lucky you to have le soleil!

Poppy Q said...

Yum - I want to come to the cafe and have some fancy french pasties with you and bob and sophie.

Julie and Poppy Q
xxx

tammy j said...

still... if i were m'ongoose i'd be happier with the bumbling clouseau-like repairmen of france profonde than going off talking with the men in black suits... at least these problems are not insurmountable! well... depending on ones point of view i guess! LOL.
and little furry babies to make one laugh and remember the important things in life. the best job in the world. yes.

Robin Larkspur said...

The scent of lilacs and rosemary, and two furry angels. Plus tantalizing pastries. These should make dealing with life's irritations a little easier to bear.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Sounds like a perfect Monday to me!

Louise said...

The scent of rosemary and lilac, flaky pastry and fruit tarts, a little child, a fireman and a waitress who are all taken with two adorable fluffy companions and take the time to greet them. So obvious how much you appreciate all this. Broken down machinery and workmen with lackadaisical attitudes just slight annoyances.

Or at least slight for me as I don't have to deal with them, and only read with amusement (sorry) how nothing is ever, ever done in a timely or efficient manner. It all only adds to the charm of the community you live in. Good thing you are obviosly extremely patient people, however, as there are some who would focus more on the annoyances than the rosemary and the lilac, that is for sure!

Emm said...

"Both of them have already perfected their '' I'm an orphan dog that's never been fed " routine." -- I suspect they're all born with it. And agreement that lilac and rosemary, plus neighbors who take the time to greet small dogs, are excellent antidotes to a world of men in black suits, who are getting scarier by the day.

Unknown said...

One reason Beagles and my first horse get fat so easily - "I'm starving!" Works often - I'm almost immune. My parents' had a refrigerator last 20+ years; not today, though. Good luck with the repairs. Hope the men bring treats for the pups.

Whispering Walls said...

The sun is shining so the solar power should be revving up!