Monday, January 11, 2021

Backwards.

3 degrees this morning. Sophie races ahead of me along the side of the canal, past the deserted play area and up the path that leads to the levee on the rivers edge. There, she pauses long enough to let me catch up. There's some sort of weather front passing through. Blue sky above and a solid blanket of cloud off to the East. The threatened snow still hasn't arrived although Madrid has been blanketed in the stuff. A state of emergency has been declared.

We're out for an hour. We discuss impeachment, again, and the good news that the UK has done more than 2 million vaccinations. Sophie would gladly stay out longer  but a group of dog walkers - without masks - start to congregate in the car park. We cut our outing short.  In these anti-social times I do everything possible  to stay well distanced from groups of people. So does Sophie who makes it quite plain to an amorous Spaniel that she doesn't want to be bothered. On the other side of the river the early morning TGV hurtles along. The first train of the day from Toulouse to Bordeaux. A flock of geese are startled by the sound of the engine and launch themselves. squawking, from the water.

Back at home I tell Sophie she looks as if she's been dragged through a hedge backwards. She ignores this lack of gallantry. Perhaps this week we'll hear from Volvo about the dog car ? The corporate silence is now verging on the bizarre.



  The Corgi doesn't seem too upset :https://twitter.com/MeanAnimals/status/1345840328130105346

7 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

I'm curious to know how many passengers were aboard the TGV. Every train I see travelling (no-one would say trains on this line 'hurtle') between Aberdeen and Edinburgh is at least 90% empty.

Coppa's girl said...

No, Angus, Sophie merely looks windswept!
+7ยบ and dry this morning so out for a quick walk, before the rain sets in for yet another day - the 5th in a row. Not pleasant, but the fresh air is welcome after four housebound days.
I admire your optimism about the dog car, and wonder what excuses they will have dreamed up to prolong the need to contact you. Now that Christmas and New Year are out of the way - always deemed a valid excuse - will they cite Easter on the horizon!

Lisa in France said...

I think that seeing the TGV hurtling by on its way to Bordeaux would drive me completely insane, in a way that planes flying overhead don't. The reality of our second state of emergency is starting to sink in here, although our local supermarket was far too crowded for comfort today. There was even a huge line at the ice cream stand next door to the market. Today was "Coming of Age Day" in Japan, when 20-year olds usually dress up in kimonos and enjoy a very festive day. I feel sorry for them, as it's the kind of thing that is simply gone and can't be recaptured later.

Angus said...

They have 15 working days under French law to reply, The lawyers wrote to them on December 23rd, so allowing for holidays , they still have another five or so days to come up with a replacement before the legal process kicks off.
Have to admit this isn't what I'd expected from a Swedish company.

Angus said...

I'd guess 40-50%. The impact of the next wave hasn't sunk in here. 2m vaccinations in the UK and south of 100k here iondicates the lack of urgency. I'll give it 3 weeks before there's a sudden panic.

Angus said...

For those countries in Asia that escaped the first wave this new surge must come as a shock.

Bailey Bob Southern Dog said...

I very much enjoyed your pictures from today, thank you. Look how clean Sophie’s paws are!