A moments hesitation and then Sophie hurtles out of the front door into the garden. She emits a high pitched shriek of delight to let the world know how happy she is. The PONs day has started.
On our morning walk the builder stops his car to provide a detailed and graphic description of his hernia operation. He speaks very quickly so much of what he says passes me by. What is understandable is quite intimate enough. The French have a less buttoned up approach to personal medical matters than Anglo-Saxons.
Loic shows up at the gate to say that he won't be here tomorrow morning but would like to come along tomorrow afternoon. I tell him that's fine. '' I'm going to a funeral " he says with a broad smile on his face. '' It's one of the nurses at the home . She won't be coming back to work ". Loic may, or may not, have understood what a funeral means. He heads off, swaying slightly, on his bike. One of Gods happy ones.
We go to the greengrocers in the little market town. The cafe under the arcades, which was part of our morning ritual for seven years, is quiet. The Vietnamese couple who bought it made it absolutely clear that the PONs weren't welcome so we no longer go. This ban applied not just to the PONs but to all dogs. A blanket dog ban. Not a recipe for success in the French countryside.
In the corner shop wine in plastic bags. Closer inspection shows it to be rose wine and grapefruit juice. Angus can't even begin to imagine what that must taste like.
Imagine checking into a hotel for a medical conference and find that they're singing this in the lobby : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y49Omj1onuI
The North Pole is moving to Siberia : https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/world-magnetic-model-out-cycle-release
7 comments:
I hope Angus wil oblige his readers by purchasing one of those plastic bags and reporting back...
I kind of like the idea of everyone coming out on the balcony to sing the anthem, maybe help paste the country back together again a little. I'm looking forward to being back in the States for a couple of weeks next month - it's always reassuring the find that things generally feel OK notwithstanding all the daily drama.
I'm surprised the Vietnamese couple haven't figured things out yet. It's really disturbing that an important part of the PONs' daily routine (not to mention yours) was taken away for no good reason. I guess there may still be another chapter, though, judging from the empty tables.
Somethings are above an beyond the call of duty - Grapefruit and rose wine in a plastic bag being an example of things to be avoided.
I live the Sophie racing out the door photo. Such a nice way to start the day.
I've had rose and grapefruit...it's actually a reasonably refreshing apero drink, but I can't say if mine came out of a plastic bag.
I like your second picture, Sophie patrolling her village.
Maybe you could mix the rose and grapefruit wine, that would be a novel apero.
I can't believe you've lived in France all this time and never tried rosé pamplemousse! Surely you've been offered it at some event?! The one to watch out for is when it's been spiked with vodka. Anyway, it's often dire but common to the point of unavoidable here in the Touraine.
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