A windy start to this Thursday morning. Not that this bothers Sophie who is up and out early to continue her grudge match with the two collar doves.
It goes without saying the collar doves are quite untroubled by a howling diva charging towards them. Stealth is clearly not a sheepdog trait or at least not one inherited by Sophie. Bob, being the essence of happy dog, is quite oblivious to his sisters early morning 'moments' and sits on his stump seat watching the children board the buses to school.
On our way out of the gate we wave at The Old Farmer who has ventured down his balcony stairs, opened up the garage and is reversing the venerable Mercedes out onto the road in readiness for a run round the village green. '' Got to take it for a spin every day to stop the engine seizing up " he says - optimistically.
Madame Bay tootles by in the gold metallic 'Wild Child' voiturette. It has lost another hub cap and the rear drivers side panel sports a fresh indentation. She stops, winds down the window and tells Bob he's handsome. Bob looks at her noncommittally. Sophie is told she's beautiful. An unlikely description of a dog with a chin covered in wet grass and pigeon guano.
In the greengrocers peak strawberry season. We buy four punnets for ourselves and a punnet for The Old Farmer. On our return Bob joins me as we cross the road and place them on the plastic deck chair outside his kitchen. Bob barks at a cat that is enjoying the early morning sun on the old mans terrace. Later today we'll take across our copies of Le Monde and Figaro which our neighbour will read from cover to cover. In a French village nothing goes to waste. One hand washes the other.
Peaches , the first of the year, also make an appearance in the greengrocers. They look good but are hard as a cricket ball. We'll wait a couple of weeks.
Things that surprise. The ability to recite dialogue from a 17th century playwright - in this case Moliere - is a skill set the French President elect has. Recitation of early comedic verse is presumably not an interest he will share with the British Prime Minister ... or American President.
France, it has to be said, is very different.
13 comments:
Let us hope that Macron sets a new standard of temperate intelligent governance - sorely needed
Bertie and Madame Bay evidently have a shared aesthetic sensibility. What could be more beautiful than a coat covered in grass and guano?
The mind boggles at the Villages' colourful characters. At some point you must make a book of your blog writings and I am sure that it would make a great TV Series, something like To the Manor Born". The question is who would play each role.
I agree. My village has a few eccentrics but most people are incredibly ordinary. Or maybe they are weird but I think they're normal because I'm weird too?
Anyway if your village were a TV show, I would make an exception to my no-time-for-TV rule and watch it.
I once heard an very well known author say - in response to a question about the convoluted plot of her books - ' If you were to walk down any street in Edinburgh and really , really got to know the stories of the first ten people you passed they'd appear to be so outlandish and improbable that no one would ever believe them and the critics would have a field day '. Guess that's a fancy way of saying life is stranger than fiction.
Your little piece of the world is a magical place we all like to visit each day! The colorful characters, beautiful pictures and perfect amount of humanity you share with your neighbors makes it all feel like a book we look forward to reading each morning. Thank You , Angus. (and thanks for the update on Bob.)
I am so happy to hear that Mme Bay & the Old Farmer are well and tootling about along with our ROF friends. Loved hearing that Bob has bounced back from "the sidewalk incident".
Angus, your posts are one of my daily pleasures. Count me among those who would buy any book you wrote on living with dogs and other wild and wooly characters. Pam in NH
I absolutely agree. The picture of Sophie with the church in the distance is a prize.
Yes I agree too. Peter Mayle's Year in Province is like Bob and Sophies blog. It is the perfect start to my day.
Cheers and please say hello to the old farmer, tell him his has fans from all over the world.
Oh dear, Sophie really has got a grudge against those collared doves - but no prizes for guessing which will win the battle ! No slivers of croissant for our boy this morning? Not the makings of a best day ever then.
It is the keen observer who sees the beauty in day to day life. Love your observations.
Was surprised at the French subtitles in Macron's speech, but realised it must have been similar to Canterbury Tales in Middle English...something SHE can recite. Long-term memory is amazing!
As a humiliated American, I can only say, Vive la différence.
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