Monsieur Bay, the retired gendarme, is down with a summer cold. 'The Font' has agreed to take Madame Bay and her friend Yvonne from Angouleme into the departmental capital for the Wednesday morning market. Our octogenarian neighbour likes the Volvo. It's high enough off the ground for her to slide down from the front passenger seat with relative ease. Getting her up and into the car is less easy. Madame Bay and Yvonne from Angouleme are very taken with beige car seats although they are deemed impractical. Yvonne from Angouleme is wearing a broad brimmed straw hat which has to be taken off before she gets into the back. It takes some time for her to understand this. Madame Bay is wearing her trademark paisley patterned turban held together at the front by the Kohinoor diamond. 'The Font' has a look that tells me that even the abstemious may require a restorative/calming glass of wine for lunch.
A bright sunny start to the day for the two PONs and their master. The roofers return to finish off the work. Monsieur Noddie informs me that he starts work at six and finishes at one. '' To escape the afternoon heat ? " I inquire. ' No ! The wasps come out in the afternoon and we don't like being stung ' he replies with gusto. Sophie gives wide berth to the friendly pony that has escaped from the enclosure by the churchyard and is eating the primulas in a basket at the front door of the town hall. We lead it back into its field. No sooner is it safely back than it tries to get out again. The pony makes it quite plain that eating the primulas was much more fun.
The regional authorities have built a new site for the rubbish bins on the edge of the village. This started off well but it has now been discovered by fly tippers. The bins are always full. This morning someone has carefully arranged a variety of containers full of engine oil and aerosols of used wasp killer around the bins. The PONs take great interest in the bins but are ' encouraged ' along.
At the greengrocers a variety of round aubergine I've never seen before.
The shelves brimming with local peaches.
So starts a quiet Wednesday morning in deepest, deepest France profonde
9 comments:
Did just one glass of wine do the trick?
Ok, a bottle !
I would agree that beige upholstery would show the dirt. Do you know the Citroën Mehari? It's made of plastic, has a drain in the floor and you can clean the interior with a hose.
I'd love to have one for nipping down to the bakers with the PONs but not quite the ideal vehicle for Madame Bay and Yvonne from Angouleme.
hari OM
I am inclined to this the eggplants have been cavorting with the tomatoes and these are their spawn... the green fruit beside is Choko (sometimes called 'chow-chow'). I had a vine in my garden. You can eat the leaves and stalks too. Bland, but when dressed with a herb sauce, makes a wonderful accompaniment to most dishes. Or a simple lunch dish with crusty bread and a restorative slug of wine! YAM xx
How kind of the Font to take the senior ladies out to the market. One hopes they all got to have a pleasant day out with plenty of fresh food and treats.
The peaches look delicious. In the past few years I have been buying peacharines - a nectarine/peach mash up that I prefer to either fruit - they and firm and not too juicy and very refreshing.
Is this the third blooming of your Wisteria for this year? The pony does have a determined look on its face. The Font was very brave to escort Madame Bay and Yvonne to market. Based on their reputations, these two ladies can become lively when presented with a shopping opportunity!
Yes the third blooming and the way things are going we may get another after this. Madame Bau and her friend Yvonne from Angouleme are also in a vigorous state !
I read "Yvonne from Angouleme" and the band that lives in my head starts singing "Mademoiselle from Armentières". We would give much for a picture of the lovely ladies in full market regalia.
What is a fly tipper?
Post a Comment