The Old Farmer is recovering from his hip operation. The hospital doesn't know when he'll be allowed home but he is apparently in good spirits despite the pain.
In the afternoon The Very Old Farmer has a birthday gathering. It is literally a gathering. He sits in his wheel chair in the porch of his house. A few villagers gather on his driveway. The little lady in the purple hat sings 'Bon anniversaire a toi'. Madame Bay has made a cake which is largely whipped cream. '' It's easier for him to eat ". The wind blows at 60 mph which makes conversation difficult and eating whipped cream off a paper plate even more so. The Very Old Farmer tells Sophie she's beautiful. She wanders into the hallway and re-emerges with a slipper. The two tikes provide an atonal birthday fanfare on their trombones which The Very Old Farmer seems to enjoy.
The mayor and his grand daughter spend the rest of their afternoon weeding the centre of the roundabout. I am silently thankful for the mayor who does so much without thanks.
The German billionaire has returned - or is about to return. A fleet of Mercedes vans with side curtains can be seen in the chateau car park. Workmen can be seen busily making the driveway pristine.
En route to the greengrocers our progress is delayed by a farmer in a tractor who is completely oblivious to our presence. The idea that there may be a car behind him something that never enters his head. After 5 miles at 16 mph he turns off.
A sign on the motorway saying that because of the rail strike people should consider car sharing. Or, it would say that if only the pixels on the screen were working. Instead there are a puzzling collection of letters which hint at this solution. This week the railways, Air France and the local supermarket are continuing their walkouts.
Processionary Caterpillar time. Dangerous for dogs. The hardware store now selling pheromone traps to attract the critters.
The little things about French village life too unimportant for a diary but too important to go completely unrecorded.
Little is known about Agnes Richter but she ( unintentionally ) made great art : https://ridiculouslyinteresting.com/2011/09/06/agnes-richters-embroidered-straightjacket/
Sunday morning beauty :
14 comments:
Just wishing the Very Old Farmer a belated happy birthday, and the Old Farmer a good recovery, before switching back to listen to the Schubert over breakfast.
Thanks! Gail.
So far this year, I've not seen any processionary caterpillars, though the pine tree on the hill below the house had two or three unreachable nests hanging from it. Having once had a puppy who was stung, I'm ever vigilant at this time of year. The vet told us at the time that it's mostly inquisitive young dogs who succumb. Older dogs have more sense than to go near.
Hate to say this, maybe it's the sound on my computer, but I found the Schubert discordant.
How is Bob's face today?
What a wonderful village. Such nice people. Happy Birthday to VOF and best wishes to OF. Gosh Bertie sounds like he is having a very pleasant morning
The whipped cream cake was very thoughtful! What age has the Very Old Farmer attained?
It can be frustrating to be stuck behind a tractor, but farmers must do their work, which feeds us, after all. Worse is to be stuck behind a peleton of bikes, especially those whose riders lack the muscles to get up hills. Traffic must stop because Messieurs want to exercise. There are plenty of back roads; I don't know why they insist on using the main arteries. Do vehicle fumes improve performance?
The Very Old Farmer informs us that he arrived from Italy as a boy in 1921 and that it's his 92 birthday. Sometimes with the very old it's best not to do the math.
We had it happen in Italy to a mature PON. Our German vet said the best way to save the tongue was to turn a hosepipe on full and wash out the dogs mouth and not be put off by the complaints ! It worked but a lot of the local dogs who were not so fortunate had lost half of their tongues.
Schubert and breakfast - and Bertie - sounds like a pretty good start to the day.
The OF has just called to say that they are going to start his walking exercises this am !
If I remember correctly, the last time you asked the Very Old Farmer about specific dates, he would have to be 116. So he's getting younger by the day!
The Old Farmer is obviously so encouraged by the news that he'll be up walking that he had to phone to let you know.
I hope Macron stands his ground against the strikers.
Hari OM
Sublime music t read your post by... and read the article in which it bothered me greatly that in an apparently quite scholarly piece a clearly non-straight jacket was named as such. Thankfully the first commenter corrected this. You do present us with some 'out there' things to add to our days, Angus &*>... Adding my wishes to the pair of older than us farmers. YAM xx
Thank you for the beautiful music. A lovely way to start my day. It seems living in rural France is a study in patience..
The thought of a whipped-cream cake in 60 mph winds gave me a good chuckle! :) Happy Birthday Old Farmer!
this is great news!
In the BBC production of "Victoria," the romance between Victoria and Albert was synched by a Shubert duet :-)
Happy Birthday to the VOFm whatever his age!
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