Thursday, March 2, 2017

Maverick.


A  wonderful time of the year. The days longer, the air softer, the nights balmier.

The mayor shows up at the gate. He's pruning the roses in the churchyard and has mislaid his secateurs. Could he borrow a pair ? There's no need for the mayor to ring the bell. The family diva's howls of greeting alert us to his presence. The mayor is sporting an overly large pair of pin striped trousers of the type that upmarket Edinburgh bank managers used to wear in the 1960's. They are held up by a length of blue twine tied at the front into an enormous bow.The formal impression is lessened by his white short sleeved shirt, red plaid hat and open toed sandals. Angus inwardly wonders whether we'll start to dress this bizarrely if we stay here long enough.


The Belgian lady drives up in her multi-coloured Citroen. She is wearing what at first glance one might take as a full length grey ball gown, a black three quarter length coat, royal blue sandals and a rather rakish red straw hat decorated with either small oranges or kumquats. It takes her some time to get out of the drivers seat as the hat brim keeps on hitting the door.  In her arms she is carrying a tiny Yorkie puppy. '' This is Maverick Two " she informs me holding out the tiny thing in front of her. '' It's an American name " she adds .' What happened to Maverick one ?  I inquire. She looks at me blankly. 

The Old Farmer is due back next Tuesday. Will Angus be around to help him back up the stairs if he wants to go for a walk ?

Later in the morning Bob does something peculiar. He stands unmoving under a tree, sniffing the air. This takes the better part of half an hour. Clearly a dog thing that defies all attempts at analysis.


Back at The Rickety Old Farmhouse, Aude, the bipolar decaratrice, is filling in the cracks on the walls directly below where the joiners dropped a replacement roof truss. Tomorrow she will get round to filling in the cracks in the walls in the bathroom where the morose lads dropped the heavy black marble basin. Today Aude has a tee shirt with the slogan " If only you'd asked earlier " on it. Next week she will start painting.


The builders, joiners and electricians started off enthusiastically. This joie de vivre has now ebbed. They promise to be back tomorrow to 'finish off'. This is an optimistic outlook on life as they've barely started.


17 comments:

Coppa's girl said...

Can't help thinking that life at the ROF is anything but dull. There are those continuous fashion statements - Mme Bay, Aude, with her T-shirts, and now the Belgian Lady. Then there is the continuing frustration of those morose builders lads, plumbers, and the VW garage. The pleasures of those wonderful cakes, cheeses, gourmet meals prepared by 'The Font', and best of all, of seeing a healed Sophie, and Bob enjoy life to the full. It's doubtful anyone in the village will notice if you start dressing as bizarrely as the Mayor, but perhaps those red trousers would have been a start !

Emm said...

I'm enjoying the commentary for Fashion Week at the ROF. If you look around on teh Google, you can find all manner of T-shirts with interesting sayings that might be of interest to Aude, the bipolar decaratrice. One in particular that she might like says "Nevertheless she persisted."

MOPL said...

Bob seems very intent. One wonders what goes on in the minds of our canine companions. They are so much more sensitive to life and understand far more than we give them credit.

Anonymous said...

ANGUS.......what is the round shiny metal ball-like thing on BOB's front left leg, in his fur (Photo #2). I enlarged the photo and cannot for the life of me figure out what this might be. Looks like a shiny metal bell (as found on a Christmas wreath or sleigh bell). Please end the mystery, so that there will be peace here on the Westcoast of Canada. Warm regards to all - especially the PONS who look healed and happy.

Taste of France said...

Who needs Paris Fashion Week when there's the fashion parade in France Profonde? Clearly the trend is for bare toes and red head gear.
My kid also likes T-shirts with smart-alec sayings. My only rule is that they must be spelled correctly and use correct grammar, especially if they're written in English.
A tip for the Old Farmer and stairs: Up with the good, down with the bad. (Go up starting with the good leg; go down starting with the operated side). Words of wisdom from the kiné at the hospital in Toulouse.

Angus said...

You certainly had us flumoxed. On closer inspection we think he's positioned himself on a low hanging branch of the cypress tree. What you see is one of its round brown fruits poking out through his fur.

Angus said...

We had a rule that it must be something you could wear in front of your grandmother.

Angus said...

There are deer by the score around so he's probably sniffing them.

Angus said...

She 'persists' between eight and ten thirty when she returns to the Womens Cooperative . Not the most taxing of routines.

Angus said...

Someone once said to me that if you were to stop 10 random people in the Street you'd find 9 stories that would make television docudrama look tame. Bob and Sophie provide the perfect excuse for recording all those 'little' things that would otherwise be forgotten - The Belgian Lady and her dress sense being but one of them.

Heda said...

Good news that the old farmer is able to come home. Both dogs looking really good. Love that first pic of a quizical Sophie.

Kari said...

Maybe you should buy the red pants..

Unknown said...

I particularly like the blue twine securing the mayor’s trousers.
Yes, the recent red pants alarm may be a signal of things to come.
Such lovely pictures of Bob and Sophie. I’m always encouraged by their bright faces.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

I would say that asking about Maverick One was an honest question.

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Some mornings it's like slipping into a parallel universe, reading about village life.

Someone asked if the scotties were Yorkies the other day.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps a snail? It appears shiny to our eyes. Husband commented that it could be something on the grass, and we are seeing
it 'through' BOB's fur (rather than being attached right to his fur). A sprinkler head? A metal part? We are flumoxed here as
well - on the Westcoast of Canada. Any more enlightening thoughts????????????

Angus said...

Yorkies ? For some people all dogs look alike.