Monday, December 16, 2013

It always seems impossible until it's done.






The knife sharpeners annual visit. He's set up shop in the garlic warehouse car park. His six and eight year olds happy to be spending the day 'helping' their father. Mother at home with the four year old, the two year old and the new born. Most children are told to avoid sharp objects. Here, it's positively encouraged.

Bob and Sophie harnessed up and taken off  to the local  Christmas market. A good chance for them to deal with crowds and noise. Sophie takes an immediate dislike to  Father Christmas ( the newsagent ) and barks loudly at him from behind the safety of  'the fonts' legs. After ten minutes we leave. Father Christmas seems relieved to see us go.

Loic, the leaf blowing gardener, shows up. He blows the leaves into two enormous piles. Bob and Sophie take the opportunity to leap, head first, into them. Loic displays his characteristic good humour as his handiwork is unraveled .

On our morning walk we bump into the Very Old Farmer coming back from his daily visit to his wife's grave. He's been in hospital for two days having a new stent fitted. '' Ten goes it took them but they finally found a spot in my groin " he says with a candour and lack of embarassment only the very old and the very young can display.


7 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Just walking around those ancient buildings, looking at stalls, would be exciting for us Mall shoppers.

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

WFT Nobby said...

I guess it is Sophie's first Christmas and she may not yet have grasped the concept of behaving nicely in front of the guy who brings the gifts!

VirginiaC said...

I love your quaint little town...I think I would love the Christmas market shopping in those lovely surroundings.
I think too I would have barked at Father Christmas if I were Sophie.....he doesn't look too merry.
The knife sharpener must be doing a good business especially with so many little ones to look after.

Anonymous said...

Bob and Sophie seem to be outgrowing the back of your car! Time to stop feeding them organic fertilizer and switch to regular dog chow! When I die I want to come back as a beloved pet of yours, I promise to be on my best behavior always and give you lots to blog about!
Karen & Kelly Rathje
(More snow in Iowa USA)

Jake of Florida said...

For the first time, in the photo of Bob and Sophie in the back of your car, I'm seeing them as leaving puppyhood behind! Almost grown and ready to ponder and be true companions.

Emm said...

The Christmas market looks quite festive. Perhaps Sophie's reaction was because she knew he was in disguise, that there was something "wrong". Dogs sense that, they'll bark at people in Halloween costumes as well.

Kari said...

As Jake said, puppyhood seems as if it is drawing to a close for Sophie and Bob. Bob especially looks terribly grown.
Sophie's barking brings to mind a small sign I saw in the grocers:
" It's all fun and games until Santa starts making his list".