Calm.

'The Font' is invited to the village council meeting. 24 of the villages 80 inhabitants show up . The village hall - constructed for the Coronation of Edward VII - is unheated. Topics are wide and varied . Will the fresh coat of varnish on the two village benches outside the church last five years or will they need to be revarnished every year ? If so what is the likely cost ? Will the construction work at the golf course upset the newts in the Site of Special Scientific Interest on the sand dunes ? The man with the caravan in his back garden is suspected of letting it out to visitors. A letter will be sent to remind him that permission for non-approved caravan occupancy is required from the tax and planning authorities. A local farmer complains about people driving through the village at excessive speed. ' These towns folk don't have leaf springs on their rear axles and can't handle the corners or the bumps' . 

This morning all is quiet. The migrating birds are long gone. We pass five swans paddling happily on the salt lake. A group of herons look at them with, what appears to be, avian irritation. Out on the bay two lobster boats are progressing slowly along the coast from creel to creel. We stop and wave to the fisherman who sells us his surplus langoustine. He waves back.

It's 9 degrees here. Back in the wee village in France it's only 3. A few hardy souls are still up and about after the winter graduation parties. The boys wear white ties, the girls evening dresses. Small hallmarks of this rite of passage. The innocence of their happiness makes me smile.

While Sophie sits patiently in the cloisters I wander -briefly-  into the chapel. The morning sunshine through the stained glass speckles the wall with colour. A visit to the church was part of our morning routine in France to see the sun through the stained glass . Plus ca change .

After a coffee and a shared pain au raisin Angus and his shaggy companion make their way to the harbour. A dozen fresh langoustine await. Sophie finds the scents of the quayside to be 'riveting'. A few parents are up and about - stretching their legs and passing the time before their taxis come and take them to Edinburgh airport for the noon flights to Chicago and New York and Berlin or the Qatar Air connections to all places East.

All, it seems. is well with the world.