Into the car to buy our morning croissants . Outside the garlic processing plant a demonstration. A dozen or so local farmers throwing garlic cloves onto the dual carriageway. Two large banners. The larger says " We have come here today to claim a fair price for this years harvest " . The smaller " Stop cheap Spanish imports ! French quality the best !! ". By the time we return the farmers have disappeared. The smell of crushed garlic lingers.
Bob and Sophie are groomed. Bob's hair lightly trimmed. We can see his eyes and he can see us. Sophie adores being groomed. Bob suffers the indignity, largely but not entirely, in silence. Ten minutes after being groomed they both look like they've never been brushed in their lives.
Aude the decaratrice is painting the dark wooden ceiling beams. '' Should they be white or grey ? ". Angus has no opinion on this. After ten minutes of having the differences pointed out to him he still has no opinion. Aude decides to wait for ' the font ' to return from shopping. The shaven headed lady from the womens cooperative sighs. I can almost hear the word '' men '' being muttered under her breath.
Bob and Sophie are being kept apart until the stitches come out. How easy it sounds. When Bob goes into the garden Sophie howls. When Sophie goes into the garden Bob howls. When Bob gets fed Sophie howls... The traumas of sibling separation . Yesterday was a nerve stretching day for howling.
The solar powered swimming pool makers finally answer the phone. A lady who claims to be head of exports ( she won't give her name ) asks me " Are you foreign ? You should know that in France you speak only to the agent never to the manufacturer " . With that and a very audible tut of annoyance she slams the phone down. When I phone back - guess what ? The answer machine message telling me they're out at lunch has been switched back on. Angus has decidedly ungentlemanly thoughts.
Ahead of the nationwide floral village competition the mayor ( resplendent in red tartan pork pie hat ) and the ladies of the Village Fleuri committee are hard at work planting out flowers. A rather regular arrangement of brightly coloured dahlias appears opposite the Rickety Old Farmhouse . '' A good chance of getting a prize this year " says the mayor before pausing and repeating what he's just said. The regional judging takes place on Saturday. Let's hope the judges like dahlias.
Here's a Friday morning video brimming full of very happy people. The couple are adorable and the the woman's cardigan ( a cameo appearance at 4:06 ) should become a registered historic landmark.
