Seven am. Bob is at the front door ready for the off. He leaps enthusiastically into the back of the car. Sophie is still a little weak so has to be lifted in. Convalescence doesn't prevent her from wolfing down the illicit half croissant at the cafe under the arcades. One gulp and it's gone. She looks back at the waitress's empty hand as if to say 'did you forget to bring my portion ? '.
At the supermarket the Christmas displays are up. At least in America they have the decency to wait until after Thanksgiving . Is there anything as off putting as the first sight of a tinsel clad Santa ? While 'the font' shops, Angus goes in search of wine. Roses in every shade from near red to almost white. The secret is to find the wine with the palest salmon flesh tone.
Outside in the car park the grey of a squally morning is lifted by a display of thousands of chrysanthemums ready for All Saints Day. It seems everyone buys at least one to put on the grave of a loved one. Bob looks at them with that boy PON ' I'd like to go and do some christening ' type stare. French chrysanthemum buyers can relax safe in the knowledge that Bob was kept in the car.
18 comments:
This non-expert wine drinker appreciates simple buying tips like the one in this post!
Lets hope Sophie is up to jumping in the car again before too long.
Cheers, Gail.
Some Christmas displays are out here as well, and we still have to get through Halloween and our Independence. Most folks know that the early bird catches the worm so they shop early. It can be a bit unsettling to see Christmas displays so early in October.
Bob and Sophie and the illicit croissants.....makes my day every time.
It must be a GOOD thing to live in wine country.
Retailers here in the US are already getting Christmas displays out--The membership warehouse, Costco had Christmas items out by Labor day in September, and this past week I noticed that the holiday cards outnumbered the Halloween and Thanksgiving ones at the Hallmark card store.
And our local news is reporting this morning that the global supply for wine barely exceeds the demand and there may be a shortage on the horizon--you may want to stock up on every 'color!'
A shortage of wine ! That is serious news.
Here in the US the Christmas displays have been sprouting like poison mushrooms for weeks!
I wish I could say that American Christmas displays aren't out until after Thanksgiving, but that's not true anymore. There are plenty of place where they're already out, and once Halloween is over, they'll be even worse. On top of that is the disturbing new tradition of some stores to open on Thanksgiving evening. Because, you know, nothing should be sacred.
Well, I don't know about the rest of America, but California is terrible about too-early Christmas displays. We saw the first pre-lit artificial Christmas trees for sale on July 26th. "If that don't beat all." <:(
Mitzi and Emmy think that as long as Sophie is underweight and still recovering from the mushroom ordeal, she needs a whole croissant, s''il vous plaît.
Purple Magpie, Mitzi and Emmy
Harrod's Food Halls were well-stocked with Christmas treats in the middle of September. Made me wonder how fresh they'd taste on Christmas Eve.
And sad to say, American children now think Santa has a role to play in Halloween. He's been spotted in several stores here already.
Wish I could "like" the comments about too-early - and so annoying --Christmas displays in the US.
I saw the stories about a supposed wine shortage and wondered (cynical? moi?) if someone was trying to boost sales via artificial shortage. But all is well as long as there's no shortage of morning croissants for pups.
America does not wait until Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas decorations and merchandise. It is now up before Halloween!
Candy, flowers, wine & the dogs this is a good day!
I do think the crysanthemums are so much nicer than the hideously vibrant plastic flowers that are on sale in the market just across the road from us. I enjoy watching the cemetary become full of flowers during 1st November (I can see it from my study window!) - I go to visit the grave of a scientist/geologist friend of ours: I don't leave flowers. I leave a different stone each year. This year's stone was picked up from beside a beautiful waterfall in the Alps.
Here in Canada the Christmas decorations are right next to the Halloween ones. Talk about ridiculousness....
Christmas has been gathering speed here in the UK for a few weeks. At Sainsbury's this morning there were several aisles already dedicated to it, chocolates, toys, biscuits and imported ornaments of various kinds, mostly of the "shabby chic" variety.
The huge area dedicated to Halloween will no doubt undergo an overnight make-over to become Christmas cards and decorations by Friday morning.
That's why we had to get a dog window. No more 2AM "let me outs'.
I like this idea very much of leaving different stones from different places at the graves of loved ones....I may just adopt it, hope you don't mind.
Glad to see Bob smiling. Assume he's happy about Sophie's recovery.
She looks a little frail
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