The builder shows up at 8:30 . He greets me with a slightly distant air which hints at the fact that he'd prefer to be doing almost anything else other than fitting M'Ongoose's new garage doors. I tell him the doors are 'magnifique' which seems to cheer him up a little. The morose lads stand in the flower beds and smoke. Bob monitors them for signs of trouble. Under his withering gaze they remain resolutely morose.
A phone call as Sophie is heading across the village green for her post breakfast promenade. It's the matron of the home where Loic, the heavily bifocaled gardener, stays. His mother has died. The funeral is tomorrow. Loic would like us to be there. We're not sure how much of what is going on Loic understands. The matron says he's been told and is coping well. This probably means he's been given the standard saccharine lines ' Mummy's with the angels. She'd want you to be brave '. Although well intentioned this may or may not be the conversation best suited to one of Gods happy ones.
By the time we get home the garage doors are in place and the old ones taken away. The builders lads have ripped the hinges out of the wall. This has done nothing for the brickwork but it is - in a sense - progress.
The Old Farmer has spent an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon with the hospital physiotherapist learning to walk with his new hip. He is champing at the bit to get home. The Belgian lady, who has been in Liege for Easter, returns. We know she's returned because she spends her day scurrying round The Old Farmers house in what appears to be a tiger skin leotard. '' Just letting some air in " she says contentedly ( and unselfconsciously ) as she flings wide a balcony window. She also Spring Cleans the venerable Ford Transit motor home.
Just another day in a small French village when 'nothing' happens.
Never eat a Carolina Reaper Pepper :http://www.tampabay.com/news/nation/He-ate-the-world-s-hottest-pepper-and-landed-in-the-hospital-with-thunderclap-headaches_167175509
11 comments:
Hari OM
Up past the Scotch Bonnet then. Duly warned. Sorry to hear of Loic's maman's passing. He has so many folk looking out for him, that he may well indeed get through quite well - though at some point it will hit, I'm sure. Then all the villagers will do their thing... can't help feeling we'll be getting familiar with those garage doors ... YAM xx
My heart goes out to Loic.
Please pass on condolences to Loic. I don't know if you are able to explain to him that there are many people out here in blogland who are so very sorry to hear the sad news about his mother. May he have many happy memories to comfort him.
Those garage doors do look very smart - more like what we, in the UK, call French windows !
Condolences to Loic. Fortunately, it's seems that he has an excellent support network.
The garage doors are promising to look fabulous once installed.
Have a great day.
x
Poor Lo ïc. I also imagine his mother's distress as she realized she wasn't going to be around to look after him.
Re the stories/lies we tell about tough situations, check out the podcast "Hidden Brain," and the recent episode "Liar, Liar." It features the behavioral economist Dan Ariely. Very insightful.
My condolences to Loic, fully understood or not, losing a parent is a loss like no other. At those sad times, I've been grateful for the antics of a canine friend.
And as far as that man eating the pepper, I cannot help but think my pepper-loving brother would have probably tried it too.
Dear Sweet Loic, he will miss his maman. Fortunately he has all of these wonderful caring people around him.
I was just thinking about Loic's mother the other day for some reason. There will probably be many villagers at the funeral which will be a comfort to him. So glad to hear that the Belgian is back on the scene so that "mon pauvre" will be thoroughly fussed over.
God bless Loic..he’s blessed to have you as a friend
How much brighter it must be with your new garage doors! Very grateful for the OF progress, and that his Lady has returned. May Loic feel the love that surrounds him by the community, in the days to come.
How sad and worrisome that dear innocent Loic will not have his mom to look after him. But it sounds as though there are many in your community wiho will take him under their wings. And of course he has this far-flung network of those of us who have grown to care so deeply about ROF's owners, furry ones, and villagers.
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