Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Enlivening.


The storm that's been loitering in the Bay of Biscay finally drifts ashore.  It threatens to rain but doesn't . Chilly by human standards but enlivening weather for PONs. The wheat showing the first signs of turning from green to gold.


Bob comes with me to the barbers. It's early. The four old farmers who usually put the world to rights on the faded leather sofa by the front door haven't arrived yet. The barber puts on his white three quarter length coat with its high, Mao style, collar. Bob moves to his usual position under the sickly aspidistra and is soon asleep. From time to time he passes wind.


The row of 13th century houses facing the church continue to deteriorate. The shutters hanging half open, half closed. French towns are becoming like doughnuts. The centre hollowed out ( who wants the hassle of an old historic house ? ) to be surrounded by a ring of identikit bungalows and shopping malls.


Sophie has stayed at home with 'The Font' . Sophie prefers a more leisurely start to her day. She can drink from buckets , sniff inside the builders dustbins and roll in brick dust without having to bother with her oaf of a brother. Nine builders here yesterday. The same number and a crane expected today. The PONs think this is wonderful.


11 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Hmmm. I wonder where folk might have picked up the idea that historic houses are a hassle?!
Cheers, Gail.
PS It sounds (or smells?) like Bob is comfortable with masculine environment at the barbers.

Duke and Petite-Chose at 2G said...

No, Sophie stays at home so that she has sole "rights" to any sausages or other goodies the builders may have about their person. There again, maybe Bob considers the all male atmosphere at the barber's the place where passing wind is accepted as the norm?

Anonymous said...

Daft foreigners with shed loads of energy and money are helping solve the doughnut situation. Could be it is difficult to sell on after the restoration unless to another incomer? The big supermarkets are killing the town/village shop. I guess that this is not just France.
Lesley

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Suppose one day, the town centres will be bulldozed and multistory buildings put up......

Angus said...

Or in deepest France they'll let everything gently crumble into dust....

Angus said...

Foreigners with shed loads of money are sadly few and far apart....

Angus said...

Sophie is the clever one ...

Angus said...

The barber is now part of the accepted routine.

Julie said...

Has furry fox returned?

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

A crane!!!! What a fantastic day! So sad to hear that everywhere it seems no one seems to care about historic buildings. Shame.

Anonymous said...

What a glorious picture – all that golden wheat and imminent storm.
Vancouver Barbara