Lingering clouds this morning after some overnight rain. The cafe owner tells me it's been thirty three days since it last rained. His wife, with an ear for precision, interrupts to say 'thirty six'. We all agree that this is not the way things used to be. I end the conversation by saying ' the garden needed it '. There is no doubting that I've turned into my father and am rapidly on the way to morphing into my grandfather.
A group of six Citroen 2CV's with French registration plates come chugging round the corner by the cathedral. Four of them find parallel parking next to each other by the chapel - the others have to head further down the road. The owner of a jaunty yellow and black number asks me where to go for coffee. He's surprised to find a French speaker. The retired owners set off from Belfort ten days ago to avoid the heat . They intend to head to the far North before starting the return journey home. They have no fixed timetable other than being back in France 'sometime in the next month or so '. To make their money go further they stay in youth hostels. This is undoubtedly French 'particularity' at its best.
The hotels in the direction of the golf courses are streaming the US Open on tv. This attracts in a steady stream of high spending golfers. Stars and Stripes bunting flutters in the breeze.
A large group of Australian theologians are gathering for four days discussion on the role of 'the other' . You can recognize them wandering around town - they're the ones with an 'earnest' air about them. A piece of aboriginal installation art is going up on the lawn outside chapel. Museum staff are standing around wondering where to place the descriptive signage. I hear one of them saying ' The artist believes there's scope for self interpretation '. Time to leave them alone and wander off to read about dog psychology.
On the coast 'The Font' is overseeing the removal of one skip and the delivery of a another. The painter, who is extremely talkative, has a strong ( ie impenetrable ) Glasgow accent and has forgotten to put in his teeth, has shown up unexpectedly. Angus is 'summoned' back to translate.
Choirs on European tours continue to roll on through. Tomorrow night it's the turn of some youngsters from Madison, Wisconsin. Angus wonders if they might be the group of American girls we saw at Kings Cross station. They had a staggeringly huge amount of luggage with them which they had arranged in a defensive circle on the concourse. This was presumably to keep at bay the sort of 'characters' who tend to inhabit main line train termini. At the time we commented on what sort of saint would want to be in charge of the logistics needed to shepherd a large group of teenage girls on a trip through Europe.
15 comments:
Catfish noodling is a strange sport.
I hope the Madison choir attracts a large audience. I was impressed by their voices and discipline.
I have a friend doing precisely that shepherding of teenage choir and other groups round France this summer. She is shattered already.
Glad you had a safe trip and home sharing your interesting town with us today. Always so colorful. ☕️☕️
I never heard of catfish noodling, but reading the article, I realize we did a bit of that ourselves in getting ready to leave Japan. Many years ago, we bought a very small (maybe 5 cm) catfish who grew over time to the point where he was almost 50 cm long by the time we were ready to leave. We were able to find him a good new home, but getting him out of his tank and into a travel box was terrifying - catfish are all muscle, and they have both teeth and spines. I hope he is doing well.
My son will be leaving for a year in Glasgow in September. He seemed to be able to deal with the accent when he visited there recently, but your post made me wonder whether he is going to pick any of it up while he is there. At the moment, although raised entirely in Japan, he speaks perfect New Jersey English (some people might deny that such a thing exists?) with a slight Midwest overlay.
Lisa in France - I was born in Glasgow but believe me when I tell you there are some accents that defeat even me. Tam the painter might have been more understandable if he hadn't forgotten his dentures.
We once saw a 2CV at a campground whose insides converted into a 2 person sleeping space (we bet that was 'friendly').
The author of the catfish noodling article was entertaining. I found myself reading on despite my puzzlement as to why anyone would find this an appealing sport. I was relieved to read that most "noodlers" return their captured catfish to the water, (unharmed).
I have always loved the 2CV, traveling aimlessly in a classic car sounds like my idea of the next chapter in this adventure.
Well I suppose it's a question of each to his own hobby. I can say with all conviction that catfish noodling wouldn't be mine - they aren't even pretty to look at!
After 33 days without rain I think congratulations are in order.
I been reading and enjoying your wonderful blog for a couple of years now but never commented. My 14 year old granddaughter is a member of the Madison Youth Choir touring Scotland. They've spent 3 days in Aberdeen and are now in St. Andrews. The organizers have been taking the choir to Scotland every other year but have had a five year hiatus so this is a new experience for nearly all the girls. They put on a wonderful performance and are well worth listening to. I love that my granddaughter is able to have this adventure.
I smiled at your noting the cafe owner's wife has "an ear for precision" as she interrupted and corrected him. A graceful turn of phrase.
Kathy from Illinois - What a small world.
What an interesting place you and the Font have chosen!
Smiling at the US flag artwork on the Dunvegan Hotel Bar and Restaurant sign...appreciate the effort!
Sorry. Still laughing at the thought of Angus having to translate the toothless Glaswegian...
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