The motorway , usually quiet at this time of the morning, already busy. The peak weekend of the year on the roads. Homeward bound holiday makers passing those just venturing off to the coast. The last week has been wet. The coming week will hopefully be brighter and drier. I find myself thinking that the farmers will have been glad of the rain. This is a 100% sure sign that the transition into my father is complete.
After our morning croissant Angus and Sophie head off through the sunflower fields. It's rained overnight and the clay is thick and sticky. Too thick and sticky for furry paws. We opt to complete our walk on the tarmac. This isn't as exciting as ploughing through the sunflower canyons but is infinitely easier.
The old mayor stops for a lengthy chat. He'd like to update the village history. Would I be interested in coming to a meeting in the village hall ? He's asked six of the other surrounding mayors to join him in trying to record the changes of the last seventy years before they're forgotten. Seems that as late as the 1950's the lane was compacted red clay and the main crop of the region was wine. ' The ground is pebbly so drainage was ideal ' says the old mayor . Electricity came in the mid 50's together with widespread use of tractors. The biggest change of all was the supply of year round water when the government bought the land to build a dam and create a 3 hectare lake. This removed the threat of drought which used to occur, with devastating effects, once every six or seven years.
Back in the village the German billionaires chauffeur and odd job men are working on the vintage car collection. Sophie is harnessed up to stop her disappearing under an old Peugeot truck. She is very keen to explore inside the garages but is ' encouraged' along.
What were they thinking ? That London tourist attraction lasted all of two days before being shut :https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/widely-mocked-london-tourist-attraction-closes-two-days-after-opening-180978330/
5 comments:
Will any Δ£eneration of humans have seen as much change in their lifetime as has that of the Old Mayor?
What a complete waste of money that latest attraction has proved to be. It reminds me of an unfinished house with a collapsed grass roof! The whole concept of the design must be entirely lost on most people. The money would have been better spent on helping the homeless, or some other worthy cause.
What hidden delights has Sophie found to sniff on those tyres on the billionaires old truck?
What a beautiful truck - it almost, but not quite, enough to make me think a bit better of the German billionaire. The old mayor's story of the area is fascinating. I wonder what he thinks about the flags still being up on the monument?
Hari OM
I got lost in the sunflowers - all alse in the world was forgotten for those moments... YAM xx
Easy to see how van Gogh got captivated by sunflowers. As for the truck, F learned to drive in a very similar styled vehicle. Both she and her brother have a soft spot for those, and he has one part way through restoration.
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