Saturday, July 6, 2013

Everything worth doing is exhausting.







An article in the local paper describes the test firing of the pottery kiln. ' The results have matched expectations '. No mention of the structural damage or the warping in the chimney. The piece presumably written before last weeks liquid lunch and subsequent fire. A timely reminder that not everything you read in  the papers is true.

Bob makes new friends. The joiners return with the elm and walnut doors. Original to the house, they'd been varnished and painted umpteen times over 300 years. The original builders wanted to get rid of them. Now cleaned and repaired they look as good as new. Or at least newish.

Sophie is on the mend. Mischief back in full flow. She bounds to the top of the stairs and helps Bob herd the  joiners and builders up and down the hallway. Brother is soon in his pen, sister in her cage. Both have been lured into captivity with a biscuit. They complain, loudly, about the unfairness of being imprisoned.

Six thirty. The village already a hive of activity ahead of the arrival of the judges for the Floral Village competition. Edges strimmed, dahlias straightened, the mayor's lawn tractor beavering away .The hectic pace of life in deepest, deepest France profonde.

13 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Doors look great. Hopefully, you'll get other work completed before no-work August.

Glad Sophie is back to her old self.

XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

Anonymous said...

"She bounds to the top of the stairs" sent chills down our spine. For what it is worth - here in North America - the recovery time for spaying is two to three weeks. With absolutely no stairs or running or jumping, which could tear all the intricate inner stitches (as well as the outer stitches). Dangers of all kinds of problems up the road, and infections to boot. Sorry to be a spoil sport, but our concern for Sophie is utmost. It is evident that the howling of yesterday made way for her freedom. She does not know best.
Your Vet was clear. Sorry to be harsh, but this is not the way to allow her to heal.

WFT Nobby said...

The doors look fantastic. I'm sure Bob is appreciating them from the confines of his pen

VirginiaC said...

It's good that you decided to keep the old doors....they add to the rustic charm of the ROF.
Whatever I read in the news and online, I tend to take with a grain of salt. You are right where the news is happening so you've got the true story.
Sophie is just like us...she feels a bit better, so she wants to do it all, and go up the stairs "in a single bound." She'll be okay, she is a real trooper that one.

Anonymous said...

Did you have the doors dipped? They look great, lovely colour.
Happy to hear that Sophie is improving by the day. I can imagine the grumbling. Pons are so dramatic!
x

Robin Larkspur said...

Beautiful door!!!!
Both my female dogs did not have to stay penned for two or three weeks after their spay surgeries. About ten days or a bit less. They were fine when the stitches came out too. Just wanted to say that (I live in US, in New York state).
The newspaper article: "results have matched expectations"......perhaps the expectations included explosion and destruction!!!
The photos of Sophie are priceless.

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

The door looks just lovely! Glad to hear Sophie is gaining back her mischieviousness day by day!

Kari said...

Poor little Sophie. She doesn't understand, although she is feeling better, healing that will affect her for a lifetime is still in progress. But then we humans are noncompliant with post surgical bed rest and we supposedly know better. Supposedly being the operative word here.
The doors are marvelous, Angus. By the way, what ever happened with the lovely blue silk brought home from India?

Anonymous said...

Our pup flew (really) over three stairs leading to our deck one week after the procedure. Scared me to bits, but she was all right. As you know, when a puppy is determined to do something, it is nearly impossible to dissuade them.
The doors are gorgeous! Glad you had them restored.

tammy j said...

'mischief back in full flow' ... what wonderful words! xo

houndstooth said...

I bet they are complaining!

I wonder if the judging will lead to more town gossip or scandal....

Louise said...

The doors are way better than new, they are beautiful.

Sophie looks so small and pretty leaning against the wall like that.

Perhaps expectatons were indeed met, maybe the local journalist know knows the thirsty farmers very well (decided to be nice and modify my name for them).

Emm said...

So glad Sophie is progressing well. Those doors (well, door) are beautiful things, glad you kept them. Modern, mass-produced doors wouldn't seem right in a place like the ROF.