Bright morning sunshine makes this our first jacket free day of the year. Bob gives his sister a good morning kiss. She suffers this indignity in practised silence.
On our tour of the village we pass the new garage that's being built behind the chateau. The roof is 'extra' high so the German billionaire can install an inspection pit and ramp for his motorcycle collection. ' Nearly finished with this then we'll get cracking on the new yoga centre " the builder tells me. He also informs me that tomorrow is the day for his hernia operation. '' In at seven. Out that night. They were going to give me an epidural but the nerves in my spine are too close together . Never seen anything like it the doctor said ". 'Goodness !' replies Angus in what he hopes is a suitable response to this unexpected news. I wish him well. So much detail from a taciturn man tells me how nervous he is .
Last week we saw municipal workmen taking down the crosses that the yellow vest protesters had set up on the roundabout. This morning they're back. The crosses are carefully made. Not as you might expect a couple of pieces of hardboard nailed together. They're lacquered and with a small black line painted diagonally across the top. We'd thought there had been two deaths as a result of the unrest. Seems there have been 10. Will the Police leave them up or remove them ?
At the supermarket a new recycling machine has been installed. You get a coupon worth a cent for every plastic bottle or tin can you put in the crusher. A mild mannered couple are carefully slotting plastic water bottles into the device. Behind them a line of street people with shopping carts holding a motley collection of bottles. Being paid to recycle is a brilliant old idea rejuvenated.
So starts another day in a little French village where nothing ever happens.
7 comments:
In some US locales, you can get a refund on plastic bottles because you paid a deposit at purchase. Is there a similar deposit on French ones, and what about wine bottles?
The cake with the swirlies, lower right corner, looks good. And that flan, if that's what it is, on the cake stand.
I always smile at seeing Bob giving Sophie her morning kiss. I laughed out loud imagining Angus saying "Goodness!" to the German billionaire.
But I hope all goes well with the latter's operation.
I was just thinking about recycling and how precious Coke bottles were when I lived in Africa. You had to bring an empty in order to buy a new one, or else you had to pay an exorbitant deposit. And I also remember my mother washing the milk bottles, which also came with a deposit, in order to buy more milk. And the supermarket had a (human-run) recycling station that weighed aluminum cans and gave refunds. Collecting cans is a common moneymaker for homeless people in the U.S.
Separately, it's amazing anything gets done in your village, what with you and Bob chatting up the artisans left and right.
Looks like nice weather for your walk. Tinned fruit on cake is a bit of a horrible choice.
I echo Gail's comment on smiling at the "morning kiss." One of those photos would surely be a good choice for a cover on one of your self-published books. Today's shot is especially good.
Best leave those somber crosses standing I think.
Hari OM
In South Australia there is the refundable deposit on glass bottles and cans, think this is an idea that definitely ought to be universal!
No such thing as coatlessness happening up this end yet.
I really fancy a slice of the custard tart... but Angus, I truly do not think that is canned fruit on the flan; the mandarins clearly have their pith still present from peeling and the kiwi fruit is just uneven enough to have been hand carved. Not that any of this fresh-over-preserved observation makes it more appealing! YAM xx
We can $ for recycling our tin pop cans. I admit it does encourage it (not that we drink much pop here since the Man went on keto diet).
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