Thursday, November 17, 2022

Worthless and priceless.

The sea still thundering away . This morning it has upped its roar to low throttle jet engine. Boy, is it noisy. Sophie wanders down to the coast, glares at the seabirds and seals and wanders home. She seems oblivious to the noise. I get a text from a friend giving a think tank speech on Ukraine. He wants to know if his closing line is OTT. It's a John Quincy Adams quote 'I am a warrior so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet '.  Doesn't seem OTT at all to me ; just pertinently real.


En route back through the long grass there is time to detour and  drink at length from a puddle that's been refilled by the overnight rain. This requires intense PONette concentration.


After a brisk toweling dry Sophie is loaded into the back of the car and we head off into town. We're going to the picture framers by the cathedral .

When we left France the mayor, the old mayor and the town councillors had a small ceremony and gave us a farewell present - the oldest plate they had in the village museum. This was handed over to us by a gaggle of village pre-schoolers. In the middle ages the small corner of paradise that was our previous home was a thriving pottery centre. The plate they gave us was from the early 15th century .


Some might see something cracked and battered . For others it radiates a well honed beauty. Against all the odds it has survived wars, plagues, revolutions and generations of sharp elbowed village  teenagers. Now it has a safe home here in the North.  The local picture framer has taken three months to get it ready. He has made calls  to museums to find the best way of displaying it -  soft plastic supports,  acid free mounts and light softening glass. Not something that we asked or expected him to do. He has understood that the plate is in one sense worthless but in an other sense priceless.

We are once again reminded of the intelligence, care and kindness of strangers.


This new hotel in Madrid looks cool :https://www.od-hotels.com/ocean-drive-madrid




13 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

The plate is such a wonderful memento of your precious time in France profonde.
It comes as no surprise this dark, wet morning on the Scotland's east coast, gales still ripping in across the North Sea, that Angus might be looking longingly at adverts for hotels in lighter, sunnier and less windy climes...

Lisa in France said...

The plate is beautiful and very well-framed. Lots of thought and care by both the givers and the framer, which adds to its already substantial intrinsic value. I was surprised to see that quote from John Quincy Adams, as I had just seen it the other day on Twitter, posted by a Commander of the Georgian National Legion. It struck a chord then and I'm sure it will do so for your friend as well.

Ruth said...

Ridiculously moved by the plate .....

Camille said...

How very valued you all were to be gifted such a thing. You've had it beautifully
framed for safe keeping, hopefully for several more centuries to come. Very touching and affirming.

Coppa's girl said...

The generous thought behind the gift of the plate brought a lump to my throat, and yes, tears to my eyes. What kind people to give away something so precious. They know that you will treasure and keep it safe for future generations to enjoy. Perhaps someone in the future will return it to that beautiful little village in deepest France profonde.
That puddle Sophie's drinking from looks more like a small lake! This morning we took a walk along by the sea and it was quite rough too - lovely to listen to and watch the waves breaking on the rocks and shore.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
I recall your mentions of the pottery history of the French village... and, like others here, am greatly impressed with the generosity of the villagers as well as the respect of your Scottish framer. YAM xx

Travel said...

May we soon be raising a generation of poets.

Melinda from Ontario said...

The plate was the perfect gift. There couldn't be a better way to mark that wonderful time you lived in a history-filled French village. I am in awe.

Jake of Florida said...

How thrilling for you and the Font to have such an ancient presence in your wee cottage now. And what the gift says about how your wee village in France profonde felt about you. I miss your friends from there and imagine you must as well.

Susan said...

What an honor for you to receive that precious plate! You meant a great deal to your fellow villagers.

Jean said...

What an amazing gift.

Kippy said...

A generous and very touching gift from the village. The picture framer sounds like an artisan and someone who appreciates the history of items. I hope you give him more framing projects.
Imperfect items given with love and appreciation mean more than a pristine item purchased new. A then eight year old neighbor kid did a drawing of my poodle years ago. He really worked hard on it and it is treasured(and in a fancy gilt frame).

Diaday said...

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full...
That heartfelt gift is a gift of love.