Friday, June 3, 2016

Just in case.


The PONs sit in the long grass. A day for recovering from their trauma. Bob rescues the heavily chewed starfish from its secret hiding place. Sophie dozes under an olive tree. Bob looks thin. Sophie doesn't. Methinks she's used her well honed ' Have you seen that Wolf ? ' routine to distract him and then steal his kibbles. 

The mayor stops by. He is such a nice man. The Belgian lady and the horse farm are at daggers drawn - again. The misunderstanding with the fire cracker has escalated and the gendarmes have been called. The Beautiful Bye Ways Committee have narrowed the choice of wallpapers for the church porch down to two. One looks good in sunshine. The other in shade.  A decision will be made next week. 


In the little 24/7 greengrocer ( this being France it's actually an 8/5 ) a new addition to the 'exotic' foods display. Cheddar Cheese. I buy two packs of the mature. '' Oh La La '' says the lady at the till. '' That's powerful stuff ".


For some reason there are two small pots of Clafoutis in a wicker basket by the sliding doors. They have been set up as a special display on a bed of wood shavings. Were there more of them at seven o'clock and they've all gone by ten past ? Or, as is more likely, has the supermarket owner agreed to take two and see if they'll sell ?


I ask for four croissants at the bakers. He gives me eight. It's two for one day he says with a smile. It seems he's made double his usual batch. ''What if I'd asked for two ?" ' I'd still have given you eight ' . We both laugh loudly. The PONs are delighted.


Bob sits on his stump seat watching a large group of foreign pilgrims progress along the lane towards Compostella. They wave at him and say happy, if impenetrable, Slavic things . There are a lot of pilgrims today. It must be a national holiday in some small cheerful Balkan state. Bob does his best to look ferocious.


The Air France pilots go on a four day strike next week. The air traffic controllers will join them.  Today the electricity was unilaterally cut of in St.Nazaire , a town of 200,000 people. Shops , restaurants, schools - everything had to close.  How long before the staff at our local nuclear power plant decide to follow suit ? 

10 comments:

Coppa's girl said...

Two croissants for the price of one - ooh la la ! How do you manage to keep a slender waistline when there are such temptations? Only a smidgen for Sophie if she's been eating Bob's kibble !
I have always understood that the French had a great sense of national pride, and yet they are constantly on strike - or so it seems. Such a great pity, and even the beauty of the countryside palls when you are on holiday and everywhere is closed.
We plan to visit the Languedoc Roussillon area later this month, but wonder if everywhere will still be strike bound. Hopefully, as we are coming up from Spain, we'll be able to fill up with petrol this side of the border and manage until we return.

Angus said...

Hopefully, everything will calm down in time for the football. Strikes and a football championship with France playing in it? Impossible.

Taste of France said...

Better eat that clafoutis quickly--one expires in three days.
I get such delight at your wry observations.

Unknown said...

Thank you for such a delightful post.

Kari said...

Whilst I'm somewhat sure Sophie is enjoying Bob's food as well as her own, I wonder if stalwart Bob pines for his absent a family and chooses not to eat. His missing flock may touch his sensitive soul more than
Sophie's more robust one.
Don't you have Poney Club where you live? Among the first things your taught is respect for land and landowner. People will tolerate an ill bred horse but not an ill bred owner.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

I need to go to your bakers!

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Cheddar is about the only cheese we can get. We like the new concept of a Baker's dozen.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Sounds to me like a perfect day.
Feed Bob double tonight.
xo

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

With the exception of the Belgian lady and the horse farm, it seems like a pretty good day for dogs and owner. --And I have to admit that a good aged Wisconsin sharp cheddar is one of my favorites.

Anonymous said...

Whether mom is to be preserved from deceased sons pension?
Was the mom disabled or entirely dependent or worker?
The EOP guidelines indicate this is possible.