Tuesday, March 9, 2021

The tidy tree man.


The tree man shows up. He phones to let us know he's on his way when he's already en route and only five minutes away from the front gate.  Guess no one ever assumes we might be out. He arrives with a surprisingly large truck and an evil looking wood chipper. A variety of ladders are unloaded and propped up against trees. Sophie feels the need to sniff and observe the truck tyres and the ladders. She gives the chipper a wide berth. 


The low lying branches on the sycamore by the pool are soon lopped off. Watching the tree man swinging in mid-air reminds Angus to check the house insurance.


The tree that started to lean at an alarming angle is more of a challenge . The tree man clambers up it with remarkable ease. Sophie is brought indoors. Falling branches, power tools and an inquisitive PON are not a relaxing combination .


The family princess is allowed outside again once the tree is down. She positions herself on the grooming table from where events can be carefully monitored. Amazingly, the tree man cuts up the wood, stacks it and then hoovers up the sawdust with an oversized vacuum cleaner. 

Within two hours the tree work is done and he's away. The cost ? E400 , which isn't bad considering he's taken down one tree and given another a large 'haircut'. He works at a 'rapid' pace. 


 Driving down a Florida turnpike will never be the same again :https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/lzume2/i_just_moved_to_florida_and_ived_notice_that/

The local frozen food company is having an American month. Don't think I've ever rhought of chocolate pull apart bread, puff pastry brioche as as a favourite in the US :https://www.picard.fr/rayons/hello-america

A Moslem UK ambassador in what must be the most difficult posting anywhere ? :https://blogs.fcdo.gov.uk/hmairfansiddiq/2021/01/26/farewell-sudan/


15 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Best to steer clear of evil looking wood chippers, right enough Sophie-cher... don't want to risk an early fur cutting! Glad there was a positive experience of a 'jobber' though. YAM xx

Lisa in France said...

I guess it makes sense that the tree man works at a more reliable pace than some of your other workman - if he were to delay like some of the others and there were another storm, there could be consequences. Not good for business if the tree falls on the building while the customer is waiting? I enjoyed the billboards. My parents used to live in Florida, and the drive from the airport in Orlando down to Vero Beach was the most boring imaginable - perfectly straight, perfectly flat, nothing to see. We became intimately familiar with the fireworks billboards, and it's nice to think they are now breaking up the monotony with protruding bald pates. Picard's takes on regional cuisines is a delight. I have enjoyed your occasional posts of their Japanese selection, and now their American items are just as exciting, although I am also not sure about the pull apart bread. Picard seems to be taking off in Japan. We have a stand-alone Picard store down the street, and now the international supermarket has also added a Picard corner. Frozen food is absolutely not a thing in Japan, so this is interesting.

Coppa's girl said...

What is it about the aroma from tyres? Inca, too, always stops to sniff the wheels of every vehicle she passes. At times she needs to be "encouraged" on - especially when she goes round for a second or third sniff! I wonder what images these illusive smells conjure up in their doggy minds?

WFT Nobby said...

Pull apart bread! What one earth is that? And which country, if not the USA, did invent it?

Tigger's Mum said...

The Sudanese ambassador sounds inspirational. I hope his successor shares his approach and attitude to contributions.

Linda said...

That's a bargain for the tree work! We've just paid the best part of £500 for hedge cutting and reduction of two overgrown conifers...
Picard frozen food was briefly available in UK M&S from last summer, including Perth. When I searched again just now the only results are for Ireland. Another Brexit casualty.

Taste of France said...

Did you get to keep the wood chips? So good as mulch. Also, they restore to the soil what the trees have consumed--a circle of life.
I also was amazed by our tree man. He hopped around the branches like a bird, but one with a chainsaw in one hand. I kept the windows open in order to hear if he had an accident, to call an ambulance, but otherwise stayed inside where I couldn't actually witness it. He finished without incident.
Pull apart bread, aka monkey bread, is a sacred American tradition. Not unlike the brioche chinois sold in French supermarkets, but more gooey. Hadn't heard of chocolate; I've always had cinnamon.

Angus said...

Sophie is canny enough to recognize that anything that makes that ' rotating knives ' sound should be avoided.

Angus said...

We are worried that Picards Indian Naan bread - made in the UK and restaurant quality - may not survive the acrimonious Brexit severance.

Angus said...

I fear that male dogs the world over sprinkle some magic on the nearest available tyre.

Angus said...

Good question.

Angus said...

Not an easy place to do business or be a diplomat.

Angus said...

Picards petit pois come from the same UK supplier that also sells to M&S. I fear Brexit may have put paid to that relationship.

Angus said...

Yes. The mulch has been saved and will be put on the rose beds when Angus gets round to it.

rottrover said...

In the first photo Sophie looks like she's doing her interpretation of Michael Jackson's Moon Walk!! Those Picard products look like some sort of campaign to discourage anyone from visiting the US who might bring an appetite! Do you suppose your tree man makes international calls? Such a deal!!