Saturday, June 27, 2020

Growling hail.


We were supposed to go out to celebrate 'The Fonts' recent birthday al fresco at a local restaurant. Our first excursion in four months. Mid afternoon the sky clouds over. A check of the weather forecast shows a mountain storm and winds of 120 kilometres an hour are expected at eight. So is hail. We reschedule dinner for next week.

The storm when it arrives does not disappoint. The garden looks quite magical, lit by lightning and blanketed in white. A touch of winter in June. Sophie seems oblivious to the deep growls of the thunder. Perhaps all she can hear is the hail ricocheting off the gutters.  I wander down to check on her but she's sound asleep and snoring.

Four thirty in the morning. The noise of the storm has gone to be replaced by the sound of scattering gravel and the slamming of car doors. This tells us The Old Farmer has returned. A peal of high pitched laughter indicate he's there with his 'lady friend'.

At five thirty , when Angus and Sophie head off on their morning walk, the 'lady friend' can be seen on the balcony washing the roof of the venerable motorhome with a hose and a mop. Her beau is doing something under the bonnet and muttering to himself. PONette and master slip silently by.

On our return we're spotted. 'Bonjour M'Ongoose' says The Old Farmer.  'Best to be up early in this humidity if you want to get anything done'. M'Ongoose agrees.  The Old Farmer adds that he and his lady friend feel that they  deserve a break after being cooped up for three months. ' We thought we  might drive down to the Cote d'Azur. The ladies always enjoy a bit of luxury '.  Angus makes a diplomatic throat noise that might be taken for agreement.  The motorhome with its fibreglass repairs and mouldy window frames is not everyones idea of luxury. The thought that it might make it to the Cote d'Azur is a sign of positive thinking befitting Mike Pence. ' We won't touch the motorway. Better to stick to the back roads ' observes our neighbour. Angus can agree with this wholeheartedly. The Old Farmer will soon be eighty eight. His companion eighty five.


Not sure I'm any closer to understanding what this kitchen appliance is : https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/hfd6qh/what_is_this_appliance_built_into_this_kitchen/

Be choosy when picking an airline : https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/25/business/pakistan-fake-pilot-intl-hnk/index.html

For mathematicians : https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-geometric-perspective-cracks-old-problem-about-rectangles-20200625/

Some folks block off chairs, others put up plastic barriers. This is a very Parisian way of maintaining social distancing :

Image


And finally Twitter philosophy : https://twitter.com/PDLComics/status/1276171569128062976



10 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

I love the Parisian bears.
We woke up to a thunderstorm here in Aberdeen at 5:30 this morning. Well I did. Bertie still sound asleep.
Cheers, Gail.
PS Happy travels to the Old Farmer and his Lady Friend.

Angus said...

Happy dogs sleep through thunder.

Lisa in France said...

I read the heading and was just wondering what sort of stylish method the Parisians might have come up with - and then I scrolled down and saw the picture - that was a real LOL!

Poppy Q said...

Our city was in the news tonight. We got 6 minutes of sunshine in the past week! A great winter!!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
I do hope the octogenarians travel well - or, indeed, their 'luxury' van!

Of the first in your list today, I think that may be an integrated steamer... and, oh, I so want to have tea with a teddy!!! YAM xx

liparifam said...

And an American take on restaurant social distancing: https://www.wxyz.com/news/coronavirus/royal-oak-restaurant-keeping-spirits-up-with-ghost-tables-in-dining-room#:~:text=After%20enduring%20nearly%20three%20months,%22%20and%20%22ghost%20seating.%22

Angus said...

Goodness !

Sheila said...

Very late comment (being 7 hours behind you doesn't help). I'm sure you will enjoy Roger Cohen's op-ed piece in the NYTimes today...The last Testament of Maurice the Rooster.

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Kudos to the Old Farmer and his Lady. Just keep going--not that I'd want to be driving behind them.

liparifam said...

Yes, a bit morbid, especially considering the reason for them!! I definitely prefer the bears, lol.