Every morning at first light Bob and Angus walk along the ridge. Most days ( if it's dry ) dog and master sit on the concrete storm drain cover and chat. The PON is happy to discuss anything. Venezuelan politics, China and land reclamation in the South China Sea, Brexit. Angus talks, his companion listens. A perfect relationship. Today, we look down into the valley and watch three deer bound through the long corn. To our left a hare, going who knows where, stops - nose high, long ears back - and sniffs the air. Above us a kestrel hovers, playing the breeze, for an impossibly long time. Important things.
The silence is broken by the early rising builder in his lilac metallic Mitsubishi pick-up. He passes and waves. The builder's followed by a farmer going the other way in his little white Renault van. He also waves. We know it's time to turn and head home when the mechanic at the Peugeot garage races by on his motorbike. He nods at us. A troubled teenager, he got a job doing what he wanted to do, working with cars, and is now the first in to work. Untroubled and happy and with his very own motorbike and the responsibility of opening up and of dealing with the first customers. A run of small victories in each 'and'.
As the rasp of the motor bikes exhaust drifts away I scratch Bobs head. He's told, as he's told every morning, that this is Bob's Country. Routine completed, we head off along the lane at the double. While Angus thinks about the implications of todays referendum his companions thoughts have already turned to breakfast and the fun to be had savaging his sister.
Those little dog owner routines too unimportant to be written in a diary but too important to go completely unrecorded.
17 comments:
Bob seems to be displaying his "Brexit before breakfast!" look. What will it be tomorrow morning?
A lovely scene on the ridge.Dogs are such good listeners. Bertie will have a short extension to his morning walk today, as we swing by the church hall, me to vote and him to wait outside the polling station trying to score treats from random passers by.
Cheers, Gail.
Relief ?
Bertie - Good luck with the random kindness of treat dispensing strangers.
Such weighty topics for Bob to ponder before breakfast, no wonder the thought of savaging his sister brings such pleasure !
By tomorrow morning will all we ex-pats be re-labelled aliens, after living happily within Europe?
Fingers firmly crossed for dog and man. Through Toulouse twice last week. Every time, my husband and I look for the PONs as the doors swoosh open
Oops, sorry, that should read PONder !
I love what you said about the mechanic.
Best of luck on Brexit. Did you ever see the movie "Rien à Déclarer" with Benoît Poelvoorde and Dany Boon? Just to remember the joy of borders.
The next nail-biter will be over Trump.
Been and done our civic duty this morning before work but I think you've summed it up in one word Angus...RELIEF
Relief its just about over and I'm about past caring one way or another!
Having been out of the UK permanently for more than 15 years, we haven't even had the chance to vote for our future. So much for the much vaunted British democracy !
I've been wondering, from the other side of the pond, how a Leave vote would affect the Brits in France, and other places in the EU.
Thanks for including us in your early morning encounters -- the mechanic's story sounds like a win for everyone.
We wondered that too. How would expats remain in the EU countries?
You'd need a Carte de Sejour - a right to stay - like a Swiss or US citizen living in France. Instead of being treated like a local a non-EU expat has no medical insurance, automatic right of entry or immunity from deportation. These really don't hit us too hard. The big variable for many could be a fall in the value of the British pound which would make everything more expensive. Not an impossible situation just more bureucratic and expensive.
In Spain you need a Residencia,- (the equivalent of a Carte de Sejour), to pay your taxes locally, and have your principal residence in Spain. We have no idea what will happen if Britain leaves the EU, but the main concern for retirees in most EU countries, is the loss of free Health care, and of course a very weak pound.
A lovely day and such reassuring routines, which help us to observe and appreciate the extraordinary moments.
Bob's country!! YES!
Yes Bob's country it is indeed. Where ever beauty and nature and open spaces abound, it is Bob's country.
The health insurance part is a bit ugly for some older folks.
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