Tuesday, May 17, 2016

It begins.


Despite the nature of their work the drainage engineers are an enthusiastic lot.

Twenty to seven and three teenage boys in red overalls arrive. They stand in the flower beds for their first cigarette of the day. At ten to seven Monsieur Bozo and his son-in-law arrive. Monsieur Bozo barks out commands. The teenage boys stub out their cigarettes. Son-in-law clambers into the cab of the mechanical digger. The morose lads move from the flower beds to the relative safety of the driveway. They have another cigarette. '' These plants will need to go " says Monsieur Bozo gesturing towards a line of standard roses.


Bob and Sophie observe this early morning activity with great interest. Sophie finds the smells released from the ground by the mechanical digger to be intriguing.


Bob is torn between joining Sophie in excavating and reminding the morose lads that this is his territory. He barks at them with just enough ferocity to make them turn and look at him. They laugh. A frayed starfish is dropped at their feet. A gentle hint that it may be a good idea to pick it up and throw it.  


'The Font' emerges to find the PONs alarmingly close to the mechanical digger. They are told to go inside. They settle for sitting on the front door step from where they can monitor events.


So begins the installation of the new plumbing system. By the time the German billionaires guests have sat down for breakfast we've transplanted four ceanothus and three standard roses. There is also an unmistakeable 'odour'. 


12 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

How many weeks was it going to take again?

Coppa's girl said...

Angus, when I saw your header, I thought "oh dear"!
Bertie, this is Franc. If Angus even asks, or worse - reminds them, they will all down tools and start their summer holiday there and then.....
Never mind, we do have the stalwart Bob to keep and eye on proceedings. Sophie will be in seventh heaven with all those odours !

Coppa's girl said...

I should have said this is France, but you knew that anyway !

Taste of France said...

They aren't going to join the strike today, are they?

Kari said...

Which way is the wind blowing? Will there be a mass decampment at the billionaire's place with the "odor" in the air?

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Let's hope the wind shifts and picks up just a wee bit.

Unknown said...

We're all holding our breath (one way or another) as the work gets underway.

Jake of Florida said...

I too am imagining the German billionaires reaction to any shifting winds!

Emm said...

I am wondering if the roses will bloom so lavishly once one source of fertilizer has been, er, corrected.
Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what the conversation was this morning over breakfast?

(Kim - Life at Golden Pines)

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

An activity-filled morning. PON bliss.

Poppy Q said...

Oh the pons on the front step, what a wonderful photo and how I wish I had such a beautiful front door.