Friday, January 29, 2021

Walk briskly by.


The end of another week. Is it my imagination or are these lockdown days running seamlessly into one another ? Sophie discovers  a tree trunk in the stream, This is a cause for some uncertainty.

The pool men have gone and we don't have a date for when they will return. This uncertainty is down to the need to order the grey liner. 

The matron of Loics home phones to say that the weather is going to be good  - bright and sunny. Could Loic and some of his friends come over and work in the garden ?

We've heard nothing from Volvo. They aren't replying to the lawyers letters. This is after sales service of the ' ignore them ' variety. We are somewhat at a loss as what to do next. Costs are mounting, we've been without a dog care for 9 weeks and there seems to be zero progress. What do you do when a company ignores you ?  


Angus and Sophie head off to the drive through bakers. The young lady behind the window gives us two croissants. Sophie's tail bangs against the metal dog grille.


We sit in the carpark with the tailgate up. Sophie has her curly croissant ends then drinks from a puddle on the tarmac. Early morning staff arriving at the retail park look at a foreigner and his shaggy companion deep in conversation and walk briskly by. 


The ups and downs of pandemic life in deepest , deepest France profonde. For Sophie the biggest 'down' is that the yogurt carton still refuses to refill itself.


13 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Well done Angus for helping allow the matron some quiet time. I hope the arrival of two croissants and the tailgate chat with Sophie went some way to alleviating the ongoing frustrations about Volvo.
Cheer, Gail.

Coppa's girl said...

Fun and games today if Loic and his friends are let loose in the garden!
How frustrating about the dog car. Could it be the fact that as you have another car, there is deemed to be no urgency about a decision, and/or a replacement car? The after sales have probably filed all the letters in pending, with a note there is no hurry - you have a car!
Those croissants look good, though you didn't give us a rating. I have recently learned that my favourite breakfast café has become another victim of the pandemic and closed for good, so no more tasty croissants. Local supermarkets sell packs of croissant pastry - all you need to do is cut and roll them up (instructions included), pop them in the oven and hey presto! - perfect croissants, but it's just not the same somehow.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
She gave two...or Angus inadvertantly ordered two??? Either way, yum! I might skip the puddle-supping though. Yeah. Never mind the days, the weeks have become a large lump and now the months are about to colide as well. YAM xx

Jean said...

Whenever we were faced with awkward situations like yours with Volvo we found it very useful that we were in a motorcycle club. Turning up on big noisy bikes with a few big, noisy and scary looking mates to inquire how things were going, politely of course, often got attention that other, more traditional means of communication never did. Even though most of those mates were normal people who baked cakes and tended the allotment on other weekends!

Jean said...

A point about puddle drinking. Our standard poodle, Hugo, became very ill last winter with awful diarrhea, which turned out to be the result of an organism which flourishes in puddle water, especially water which has been there for a few days. He was poorly for weeks, not helped by period re-infection, and it took some very expensive treatment and a long time to get rid of.

Taste of France said...

How hard it must be to have energetic young people who can't understand the risks of the virus. Glad they can get outside while it's nice.
At the same time, I see more and more young people who CAN understand the risks of the virus and who are blatantly parading around without masks. It's one thing while running, but these are groups of teens and 20-somethings in the center of town. The paper today said that 7% of French in a survey promised to disobey any new lockdown.

Sheila said...

Such frustration with Volvo. Just out of curiosity the other day, I did a search on the company, and it sounds to me like one in turmoil. Selling off divisions, then buying them back and several mergers. So confusing I couldn't keep track. Wonder if they are in financial trouble. Sophie looks like she's growing pantaloons.

sillygirl said...

I think Volvo owes you a new car tout suite! Is that correct French? I noah speecha de langweej.

Swan said...

Ask the men in the dark suits to handle Volvo

GaynorB said...

How frustrating about the car problems. Do you or the Font have Facebook and/or Twitter accounts? If you do you could try leaving some messages on the Volvo page on FB or @volvocars on Twitter. Good luck!

Sharon said...

Have you tried here? https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/france/lifestyle/shopping/consumer-rights

Sharon said...

And here. https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/the-consumer-act

Pam in NH said...

In the States, many people would use Yelp to spread complaints, letters to the Editor in the dealership's city "commenting upon good service at some companies vs the horrendous product and service at Volvo." Let the world know how bad their product and service is.
Is there a consumer reporter in a Paris TV station or newspaper? There used to be one in Boston that was a pit bull: I LOVED her :-). Let the world know Angus, hit them in their bottom line! (Kisses to Sophie! XXX)