Together we are invincible !

Epiphany. A time when all French families get together. Or, in this part of deepest,deepest France profonde, a time when the local teenagers return to the village hall for a 'rave' that starts at nine on Saturday night and is still going strong when Bob ventures out at seven the next morning. Sophie has slept through the noise. Bob has been unsettled by the bass guitar and the 'thump thump' of the drums and has spent his night on guard.

In the small 24 hour store  ( actually a twelve hour store and three on Sundays ) a small army of chocolate Santas being offered at 25% off.

Fresh carrots for the PONs from the greengrocers. They now get a slice of chilled carrot as their treat. Wheat free kibbles and lots of cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts ( enlivened with traces of human food ) seem to be the recipe for keeping allergies at bay.

Sophie has been digging again.

She is encouraged into my den to dry out.

At the rugby ground a beer tent has been put up. The beer tent doesn't have sides but it does have a canvas roof, two tables and a hand painted sign that says '' Together we are invincible " or as the French would have it " Ensemble, nous sommes invincibles ! ". Another, smaller, sign informs me this is the '' Nouvel espace VIP ! ". Angus wonders what VIP might find themselves standing in the depths of a small French market town in January surrounded by unshaven farmers and their male offspring watching a 'leisurely' game of rugby. 

Bob and Angus leave just before the final whistle. Little is happening on the pitch and the combination of torrential rain and a bitterly cold wind that blows straight onto the spectators is reminding Angus of a lifetime of overzealous rugby and broken bones. The espace VIP ! remains empty. Bob gazes longingly at the little catering caravan from which the tantalizing odour of hot dog wafts on the breeze. '' Maybe next week " I find myself saying to him aloud.