Loic , the heavily bifocaled gardener, arrives on his bicycle. He's been to the dentists for an x-ray , an adventure that he thought was great fun. What the dentist thought is unknown. Another x-ray of the whole jaw has been scheduled on August 12th. Loic seems to be unaware where this might lead. I do nothing to educate him or dent his enthusiasm.
Loic is allowed to drive the lawn tractor. The PONs are encouraged indoors while he does so. Loic gets so excited that he is prone to inputting wild movements of the steering wheel.
We return from an hours walk down to the cow field. The air force is out and about early from their large base at Mont de Marsan practising low flying. They presumably choose this part of deepest deepest France profonde because no one lives here so there can be few complaints. Neither the PONs nor the cows seem bothered by a trio of Rafales flying at tree top height overhead.
The Old Farmer arrives at the gate. He wants to speak to 'The Font'. Seems he's temporarily moving into an apartment in the large market town forty five minutes away. It's near where he was brought up and where he lived with his wife.
The story takes an interesting turn when he lets on that he's moving in with a female friend. "She's rather younger than I am so we'll see how it goes". He quietly informs me, mano a mano, that he'll keep the house here until he thinks his relationship with his eighty two year old lady is on a solid footing. Details are scarce but we have been invited over next Tuesday to see his new flat and meet the lady in question. No one else in the village has been told. His daughter apparently thinks it is a very good idea - ie there is someone to keep an eye on her father. He also announces that he is going to drive to Lithuania next month. After the news about the lady friend this journey of 2500 kilometres seems quite mundane.
Weird and wonderful things in the greengrocers today. As usual there is no label to educate us.
16 comments:
I do hope I’m that positive and vigorous at 82! I wonder if those ready white vegetables are aubergine? Perhaps they ought to be called egg plant, they’re definitely not aubergine colour, are they!
I've no idea what the greengrocers is showing off today. But my best dental guess for Loic, since they want to take an x-ray of his entire jaw, it may perhaps be an issue with his wisdom teeth. And enthusiasm is good - We don't get much of that at the office where I work.
I'm hoping that it can all be done in one session. Something hints that he might not be keen to see the dentist after his first experience of the drill .
They certainly live up to the rubric of egg plant.
For his sake, I do hope the Old Farmer's move goes well. But I fear it means we'll hear less of him on this blog!
I wonder what happened to the Old Farmer's relationship with the Belgian Lady. Surely she will be upset upon hearing the news.
Hari OM
They are, indeed, white eggplant (or aubergine, if you prefer); less bitter and more creamy texture. The long green things are part of the family too. ... and look at the range of chillis - yum! Angus, others may get drooly over your bakery pics, but for me, its the greengrocery!!! As for low-flying jets in 'unpopulated' areas; that happens around here too, though a little less frequently. When the chaps from Lossiemouth fancy a change of scenery. How long before the village realises TOF is absent, I wonder? YAM xx
This is an as yet unknown aspect of the recent development.
I wonder how the Old Farmer is going to manage his on-going work on the venerable Mercedes, and even more venerable motor home? Will he also be taking his Christmas Star with him, if he's still in the apartment over the Festive Season?
One has to admire the 82 year old lady friend - the Old Farmer could prove quite a challenge ! Good luck to them both - I hope it works out well.
The Mercedes will go with him but the Peugeot estate and the motor home would seem difficult to maintain in the middle of a small town.
He is moving to a house near the greengrocers so we'll probably still see him 3 or 4 days a week. Of course the overriding issue of whether the new arrangement 'works out' still remains to be determined.
Being at the wheel of the lawn tractor must surely have been a best day ever for Loic. I'll certainly be interested to learn how things develop for the Old Farmer's romance and hope all is for the best.
Why that sly old fox, the Old Farmer, he's two-timing the Belgian Lady. What with driving her all across Europe, I'm wondering where he found time to meet and greet another ladyfriend. I hope the new arrangement works well for all concerned.
Beautiful colors at your greengrocer's, and lots of lovely eggplants.
So many questions. How did the Old Farmer meet his younger Lady, and when? Will he take his cats with him? Does he realize he will be moving away from Bob and Sophie? Will he be closer to where his daughter lives? Does he plan to tell the Belgian Lady or just leave? Wow, hope you will learn more after meeting his new Lady.
The information provided to us so far is skilfully short of detail.
I hope the Old Farmer's joy doesn't cause the Belgian Lady pain. The image of the two of them taking off on trips, laughing, has been so heart-warming.
A book you might enjoy (or the Old Farmer. Or, the soon-to-be-heartbroken Belgian Lady): "Le Coeur n'a pas de rides," by Marina Rozenman. It's a collection of true stories of French couples who found love after age 70. In French only. I read it in one sitting and laughed and cried. Excellent book.
FYI, white aubergines are less bitter than purple ones.
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