Fox.

Sophie is asleep when I come downstairs. It's colder in the mornings now and she's more than happy to remain snuggled up on her blanket. She wakes ( or to be more precise is woken ) and has a tour of the garden. This morning the large brown fox that lives in the wild orchid field is trudging home through the orchard. There is a PONette 'moment' . Sophie hurtles, head back and howling towards the intruder. The intruder wisely makes off at high speed. The donkeys in the new mayors barn hear the commotion and make their own contribution to the pre-dawn noise.

After this adrenalin rush the family diva naps by the front door in the early morning sunshine. Her inner karma is soon restored.

Her nap is followed by a trip to the river. This morning the local Lycee's first XV are out on the rugby pitch. Sophie wanders over to see them, gets some ear scrunches, then wanders back. No one has brought biscuits which for a PONette is an unconscionable social failing.

Finally, her morning tour of the village. This morning we pass the pregnant cows. They are placid beasts and aren't nearly as frightening as the young ones we saw on yesterdays walk. Sophie strides by them with a purposeful air.

After that two delivery men drop off parcels and the garden company comes to quote on replacing lavenders, putting down new bark and laying some new turf under the palm tree. It goes without saying that the family diva shows a keen interest in everything.

So starts a new day with a Polish Lowland Sheepdog in deepest, deepest France profonde.

The 70's were a different universe :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1EpaboCERg