The morning croissant run with Bob and Sophie. We pass a new age travellers caravan on our way into town. A horse pulling, two mules tethered behind. A curmudgeonly old dog slowly leading the way. The new age traveller is sitting with his feet dangling over the side of the wagon happily talking to the horse. Life at two miles an hour.
Clouds over the sunflower fields. The local paper says that during Tuesday nights storms there were 2883 lightning strikes in the departement. How do they know ?
We haven't seen much of Madame Bay since the builders arrived on May 23rd. The house too dusty for her to clean . From time to time she would make a brief appearance to tell the workmen to wipe their shoes or update us on the complicated love life of the woman who runs the horse farm. This morning she appears in the gold metallic 'Wild Child' voiturette with her hairdresser daughter Sandrine tightly squeezed into the passenger seat.
Madame Bay is to retire. '' Sad I know but it can't be helped. I'm needed in the salon ". Sandrine rolls here eyes as if to say the last thing she needs is her mother spending any more time in the salon. '' Don't you go worrying. I'll teach the new girl how to do things properly ". Girl in this sense means someone under the age of seventy five.
' The font ' sighs. The interaction of a new cleaning lady with Madame Bay likely to be a diplomatic challenge.
16 comments:
Can a new cleaning lady with a dress sense to rival Madame Bay be found?
Highly unlikely that another turban wearing, chiffon smothered , individual exists !
I'm applying.... I think I would rock that chiffon :-) x
Maybe you should leave while the lessons are on.
Oh, we thought the mule and horse were PUSHING the caravan....
XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & roxy
If there is a retirement party for Madame Bay, I'd like to come--But I know that she has no idea that she has a worldwide fan club. It's not going to be the same at the Rickety Old Farmhouse without her, that's for sure.
Oh dear.
New cleaning ladies can be very trying. It always makes you appreciate the old one more!
(I also wondered why the donkeys were pushing the caravan.)
I am definitely going to miss Madame Bay at the ROF with her sense of style and dramatic flair.
No more village gossip or Radio Nostalgie in the future...sad.
I hope you find the "right" cleaning lady since she needs to be a dog lover, honest, and be able to clean properly as well.
As for the lightning strikes tally, I think they have the most sophisticated equipment these days....I'm sure they could hear footsteps on the moon if they wanted to.
Kinda makes you wonder how much spying the government does carry out on its citizens, unknown to us all.
Dreaming of walking with my dogs accompanied by a caravan and a horse across Ireland... or the South of France?
Any champagne for us when we come across your gate and see Sophie and Bob???? (LOL)Maybe I will have to come with the mayor in tow...
Greetings from Ischia Susanne, Daisy and Kiri
Yes, we should have a virtual retirement party!
The end of an era.
x
How sad for all of us who have so enjoyed your colorful descriptions of your inimitable housecleaner! Madame Bay is irreplaceable in her uniqueness; I'm sure you will find someone as competent, but never as entertaining... But we beg you, Angus: can you not "sneak" just one picture of her beturbaned and chiffoned magnificence -- even if it is just from behind, for privacy's sake -- for her (and your) loyal fans?? One last time, as she is hoovering to Radio Nostalgie?
Poor Sandrine. ;)
Purple Magpie, Mitzie the Chiweenie, and Emmy the Bouncing Pogo Puppy
There are days when life at two miles an hour sounds very attractive. Happy to see he has a modern traffic-warning flag attached to the side of his caravan.
I, too, will miss Madame Bay and wish her a joyous retirement "helping" Sandrine. A virtual party could be just the thing, with at least a picture of the amazing voiture.
I'll miss her!
I have been missing Madame Bay already, as we have not heard so much about her of late. Now I know why. Hopefully she can be pursuaded to pop into the ROF on a somewhat regular basis. To check on the work practices of the new girl, of course.
Madame Bay is retiring?! Nooooooo! Please, just once, we need a photo, if not of her, of one of her fabulous ensembles! I'm begging!
The pastoral photo of sunflowers and clouds is breathtaking! If you don't paint, Angus, someone should put it in oils for you. Poor Sandrine - a retired mom in the salon and training a new cleaning lady - oh, my!
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