Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms -- you’ll be able to use them better when you’re older.


Bob wanders into the bedroom at 5:50 am. He's ( supposedly ) not allowed in the bedroom. He sticks a cold wet nose in my ear and then satisfied I'm awake, quickly exits. This silent routine plays to something deep in the canine psyche. 1) He's doing something he shouldn't ( always fun ) and 2) he's rounding up his flock to get the day started. When I come out of the bedroom door he feigns complete surprise. Complete surprise in this sense means turning on his back and having a leisurely pre-breakfast tickle while his tail thwacks noisily and rapidly on the tiled floor. No doubting that somewhere along the line Bob had an extra dose of 'happy' added to his DNA.


This morning is the day to go and see the accountant in Toulouse to fill in the tax forms. The accountant agrees to be in 'early'. Bob can't understand why he's not coming with me. Angus is there by seven thirty. There's lots of space in the underground car park and lots of space in the cafe on the square. The only other clients student couples sharing croissants and whispering intimately. That age where penury and passion coexist quite happily. 


The streets empty. The restaurant umbrellas tightly furled.


In France most shops and offices don't open until ten so at this hour there's little traffic. In fact there's no traffic. In the road by the cathedral a solitary dog owner can be seen walking his companion.


Another cup of coffee at a cafe on a side street. All the locals seem to know each other. There is much kissing of cheeks. The waiter brings me copies of Le Monde and Le Figaro to read. The topic of conversation at the neighbouring tables how hot it'll be today. '' It's going to get above thirty " says a woman next to me to no one in particular. She then returns to filling out her crossword puzzle.


Back at The Rickety Old Farmhouse Sophie and Bob take 'The Font' on a lengthy tour of the village.





9 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Surely Bob knows that meetings with accountants and filling in tax forms do not add up to extra doses of 'happy'.

WFT Nobby said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MOPL said...

They really are lovely those PONs of yours. They bring such delight to their many followers. If they only knew they would probably demand more than slivers of croissants.

Unknown said...

A very enjoyable glimpse of Toulouse beneath bright skies.
It’s raining this morning on our coast of Northern California; it’s said that 140 inches of rain have fallen.

Unknown said...

The pictures are so enchanting, I sigh with pleasure and also envy that you live in such a beautiful place. We live just outside of Vancouver BC and it is still raining and our furnace is still running. Nuts!

Coppa's girl said...

How I wish everyone had Bob's extra dose of happy in their DNA !

Beau and Mom said...

I have nothing to complain about, except my poor golf score. 102. LOVE TO ALL

Emm said...

After the hard edges of the Toulouse cityscape, the lush green of your village is so soft and welcoming.
And I see that the traffic "calmers" are on full display. Hope they're working.

Angus said...

The traffic 'calmers' cause people to brake suddenly then accelerate away rapidly. The net effect is that the traffic is not calmed merely 'hiccuped'.