Wednesday, September 22, 2021

The return of the pilgrims.

Two busloads of pilgrims arrive at first light. A total of sixty or so cheerful visitors. All are wearing identical bright red waterproofs. They disappear down the ox track to the Holy Oak. The village hasn't had this many visitors in at least two years. Sophie and her companion stand outside the church and watch them go. The bus drivers snatch a quick cigarette in the church porch. Angus notes that the buses are owned by the Bla Bla Bus Company.

The weather changeable. In fact highly changeable. At the cafe there have been showers and the bakers wife has been busy trying to dry the chairs. The French all sit inside. Sophie and her master brave the 16 degree temperatures outside. Angus leaves the door ever so slightly ajar. An inch max.  One of the interior patrons comes and slams it shut . The word  ' Idiot !' is used.  This mornings croissant an acceptable, if lacklustre, 7.6/10.

The summer wine that was ordered six weeks ago is delivered. Apparently Europe has a delivery driver problem.  It's getting a bit late in the year to be drinking rose but it will be gone ere long and certainly by Christmas. A dozen pink ceramic bottles are an unexpected part of the shipment. Apart from being a truly dreadful colour Angus wonders why so few wines come in non-glass bottles. Is it cost or fragility ?

Half an hour after the wine merchant has delivered the rose the Amazon courier shows up at the gate. Sophie alerts us to his arrival. Red Roulette is among the books. This months must read .


 A French company opens a new Italian restaurant in London. OTT or what ? :https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/ave-mario



8 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

The flesh coloured rosé bottles are distinctly off-putting. I hope the taste is better than the external appearance!

Lisa in France said...

Yes, those bottles are kind of disturbing! On the other hand, I just wasted (invested?) at least twenty minutes wandering through Big Mamma's website - little surprises everywhere.

Angus said...

The bar crew at 19:14 are very lively

Angus said...

I am prepared for the worst

Coppa's girl said...

Your weather has finally caught up with us, and yesterday was truly dreadful, just like an English summer's day. It reminded me, yet again, why we came to live here. This morning is dry, but with a ferocious wind and we were nearly blown over on our walk beside the sea.
Ugh...we once looked at a house which had a bathroom suite in that shade of pink....
As to the new bar - wouldn't you love to go in there and order the only drink they don't stock!

Travel said...

Ah, tourists are back, and they haven't changed. Glass bottles would be cheaper and more reliable than ceramic, esp in that shade of pink, perhaps there was a glass bottle shortage last year, a lot of food packaging was in short supply. Fun Color Blocks on the wall of the cellar

Fay said...

Those pinkish bottles look like they should be filed with calamine lotion. A lovely photo and portrait of Sophie (first photo).

rottrover said...

Pleas do tell us about your tasting of the calamine-wine. I hope it didn't come from the Bla Bla Winery!