Six thirty. Bob and Sophie slurp noisily from their bowl while I go to get the car. On the morning walk we spy clouds of smoke. The local farmers burning off the wheat in the fields. This is illegal but the older farmers get up early, set light to the stubble and claim the fire was caused by lightning.
The cafe in the little market town still closed. We go to a neighbouring village. Home to a wonderful restaurant, a perfect ( if over restored) 12th century Cluniac church and one of those cafes run by a slightly eccentric woman who today is wearing a floral ballgown and wild flowers in her hair. "Dedans ou dehors" she demands. 'Dehors' I reply. She snorts. My freshly brewed coffee is brought out in a white bone china cup and saucer. The PONs, unbidden, get given a bowl of water . The coffee costs me 80 cents.
Loud peels of thunder interrupt our tour of the village. Bob is oblivious to the thunder. Sophie isn't. As the hail cascades down she puts on her best PON princess act. '' I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship ". She gets her hair tousled and settles down in the back of the car under her brother.
13 comments:
80 cents? Must be the cheapest coffee in France.
Eccentric folks always tickle my fancy somewhat....I can see the lady now, a left over wild child from back in the older days all dressed in her flower power dress and her snorting at your reply...what's wrong with wanting to sit outside? Or is it only the "foreigners" who sit outside in this village too?
Here we have some folks who burn the sugar canes and claim various reasons for the fires as well.
Hope the weather has settled down and Sophie is okay again....thunder upsets my Brownie too.
Hope the car wasn't damaged by the hail.
80 cents? Our coffee is usually around the $5 mark.
Sophie snuggling under her brother, just like as a little pup, so cute
Wonderful street scene photo of the auberge. The cat arrived at
the perfect moment.
Why have your own water bowl when you can share one?
Thank you for making me smile first thing in the morning! I love the pictures and the PONS
Very enjoyable post today, Angus. Love these fine, old style eccentrics. You know, where it accually is eccentricity and not psychosis, drug induced or not. I wonder if you'll be charged the same the next time you
visit or is price based on the proprietress' current reality -maybe this morning it's 1956.
Beautiful, beautiful church.
Our Bob. always on the job as the family protector. And thank you for the delightful cat in the photo of the lovely village; you've made a cat lady very happy.
Have you tried a thundershirt for Sophie? Those do work well, although perhaps she considers Bob a good substitute.
Like the old buildings there!
Shame you didn't photo the ballgown!
Wow, 80¢?
I'm kind of sorry you didn't get a picture of that gown! It sounds like quite the get up!
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