Angus is getting ready to head off to have dinner with men in dark suits. Last time he met them he was introduced to a take no prisoners lady in a black cocktail dress, a diamond brooch and a pair of grey running shoes. If that wasn't statement enough the shoes had extra thick yellow soles. This I guess is power dressing Manhattan style. The lady , who was the CFO, introduced herself with the words " I started in accounts and worked my way up from nowhere - a.k.a Brooklyn ". This is a difficult opening line to reply to. I thought of saying 'I'd never have known it from your accent ' but this would have been both untruthful and quite possibly rude. Sometimes silence and a smile is the best answer.
The PONs have noted that Angus is wearing black brogues. A sure sign part of the flock is about to wander. Can dogs look reproachful ?
The Coots are still safe on the village green. 'The Font' has only seen one of the little ones and we were coming round to the view that the local cats had got the two others. But no. This morning mother and three little ones paddle line astern across the pond. They move remarkably quickly into the safety of the rushes. Sophie glares at them.
A detour to the supermarket. Fare be it for me to criticize their inventory management but there are still Chocolate Christmas trees on the bio shelf. Angus is at that stage of self denial where his eyes are drawn automatically to anything chocolatey .
In the absence of chocolate Angus has been snacking on nuts and raising. You'd think that this most basic of all snacks would be easy to find. Far from it. The local supermarkets sell nuts and raisins that are either 1) salted ( an acquired taste ) or 2) are padded out with candied fruit that is towards the super sweet end of the taste spectrum. The big supermarket sells nuts and raisins but Angus is surprised to see that they're $3 a pack. 'The Font' suggests, delphically, that Angus should do the shopping more often.
This mornings croissant looks the part but fails to follow through. More bread than croissant. 5.5/10. The PONs think this score is churlishly low.
The rain has decided to take a day off. After three days of solid downpour the poor peonies are looking battered.
Too wet to sit on the storm drain so we wave at the passing school bus and head off to the local cafe for a croissant, a coffee and a bowl of water. The old farmers stop putting the world to rights just long enough to greet the PONs. Bob ignores them. Sophie settles under the table and peers out.
On our way back to the car a detour to the young lady with the fancy cake store. Angus makes the executive decision that lemon meringue tarts are not covered by the Lent exclusionary notice. Nothing chocolatey or alcoholic about them. The angelic duo get some choux pastry.
An Easter Egg is ordered. The young lady will make it in readiness for collection on Easter Saturday.
Presumably the wording on these Beijing policemens overalls has gained something in translation.
So starts another April Monday morning in a little French village where nothing ever happens.
Listened to this in the car. The best take on the US 2020 elections I've heard. Serious in tone and content but well worth committing 40 minutes to. Helen Thompson at Cambridge is well informed .
https://play.acast.com/s/talkingpolitics/trumpaftermueller?autoplay
Cold and wet this morning as a front sweeps in from the Bay of Biscay. The sky leaden. The frigid conditions don't bother the PONs who are up and out early to check the garden for c-a-t-s.
Goats, horses, donkeys and the old widows chickens are all greeted. The village and its inhabitants are found to be in order. Sophie discovers a dessicated vole which she carries proudly in her jaws. Due to the rain the roadside verges are suddenly dotted with clover. We pause at the storm drain and wonder if the mayor of South Bend pronounces his surname Boot Edge Edge.
The baker has been busy but all the offerings are unappealing. The baker is on his own. His wife is in hospital and has given birth to yet another little baker. This explains the recent deterioration in output, presentation and quality.
At the American style hamburger outlet the months special is Teriyaki burger. This appears to be a pretty standard burger with Teriyaki sauce added. Bob and Sophie cast wistful glances back towards the outlets front door as Angus steers them back towards the car. What could be better than a Teriyaki Burger for breakfast ?
This is very balladic and French ( in modern way ) - https://youtu.be/_UgsqtaXiwI
And a philosophical tweet from the French Ambassador in DC : https://twitter.com/GerardAraud/status/1085177143896797184
Our usual Saturday morning pandemonium. There are collar doves on the lawn which must be chased with a whoop and a holler of excitement. A large hedgehog, curled up in a ball, pricks sensitive noses and occasions howls. It is picked up and carefully placed on the other side of the fence. The little wrens have started nesting in the wisteria. Their backwards and forwards activity infuriates Sophie who shrieks. There are Coots on the village pond. Three tiny little black things follow their mother into the safety of the water lily's. Tomorrow I'll try to catch them on the i-Phone.
Upmarket Easter Eggs appear by the greengrocers check out till. Angus is finding doing without wine ( bar half a glass of Burgundy with dinner ) remarkably easy. Doing without chocolate is altogether more difficult.
The first of the local melons.
A hugely disappointing display at the bakers.
A 6.7/10 for the croissant which looks good but doesn't taste like croissant. Bob and Sophie think it's wonderful. There again Bob and Sophie remain consistent in their view that almost all human food is wonderful.
The young farmer comes by on his tractor to talk to The Old Farmer. They spend half an hour discussing the price of barley. Bob observes the conversation, closely, from his stump seat.
The mayor shows up in his battered old Renault without hubcaps. He is wearing dungarees and his red plaid pork pie hat. '' M'Ongoose. I have something secret to discuss ". He sits at the kitchen table and shows me a letter threatening legal action against the Belgian lady. She and her neighbours at the horse farm are arguing again. It happens every year at this time. They are claiming she's chopped down a tree which is blocking access to their field. The mayor wonders if there is an amicable solution. Angus promises to let him know if he can think of one.
Over coffee at the cafe a chance to read the morning paper while the PONs watch the world from underneath the table and savour their croissant ends.
A local village has acquired a defibrillator at the cost of 2440 euros. It has been installed on the wall of the village hall. Local officials are being given sessions in how to use it. The village has a population of 1300.
A local farmer has been gored by a bull he was loading on to a truck to take to the abattoir. A picture of the offending bull is shown.
In the departmental capital there has been a naturalization ceremony for new citizens. 25 of those naturalized out of the 148 were British. Angus has nothing against people changing nationalities he just can't imagine becoming French. Scots of course have three concepts of identity 1) Scots 2) British and 3) European. The way things are going the resurgence of English nationalism means we shall retain 1) & 3) and lose 2).
This is a 'full on' rendition : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQGTFXQiaJU
There's been some rain overnight. The lyrical, gentle sort that can't decide whether it wants to be mist or drizzle.The garden has enjoyed it. The grass holding onto its lush greenness before Mays summer sun parches it brown.
The PONs are out of the door and into the distant recesses of the garden as the first light paints the clouds. They don't so much run as skip in pursuit of a collar dove that has the audacity to walk across their lawn. Sophie shrieks.
It's good to see the dogs like this. Lost in their own world of unbridled adventure. Excitement worth sniffing on every tree stump or flowering shrub. Angus thinks of talking to Bob about the strategic implications of the VP's criticisms of Turkey and Germany but why ruin a good day ? We wave at the school bus as it drives by. The tikes elder sister stares at the screen on her phone and refuses to acknowledge the presence of her two annoying brothers.
What a gift to have companions who are willing to share natures greatest secret - today is simply the best day ever.
Bob has had a muzzle trim. He's also had the hair around his ears thinned out.
This morning his sister looks a '' sight ". As in '' what a sight ''. I feel like saying ' It will grow " but she's oblivious to her masters grooming skills - or lack thereof.
The weeds on the stoop are of the variety that are pulled out in the evening and have reappeared by first light the following day. The Old Farmer says spraying on white vinegar is the only way to deal with them.
Five old folks have died from food poisoning in a private nursing home near Toulouse. What in heavens name could have happened in the kitchen to cause that ?
Easter bunnies already being discounted. Is something happening to sever the French and their love of chocolate ? First remaindered Santas and now slow selling rabbits.
The elusive 'hit and run'' virus which leaves no causative trace in the spinal fluid : https://www.cdc.gov/acute-flaccid-myelitis/index.html
Sophie has a new toy. She spends some quality time amid the daisies disembowelling it.
Ten minutes of noisy interaction pass as brother and sister dispute ownership of the new toy. They then chase each other round the peonies.
Bob wanders over to tell me he has a sister who doesn't understand the word 'share'. The burden of brotherhood.
Its wine fair time in the supermarket. Burgundy 40% off. Angus is still teetotal ( although Brexit idiocy is trying his resolve ) but that doesn't stop him buying in readiness for the end of Lent. By the wine counter a display of weird and wonderful fibreglass garden animals has appeared. The French ( if the villagers are anything to go by ) love garden ornaments - gnomes with fishing rods being a particular favourite.
Sophie jumps out of her skin when a horse wanders over and neighs next to her. She's found something magical in the grass along the lane and is oblivious to the equine presence. The horse gets glared at.
This mornings croissant a decidedly poor affair. 4.5/10. Tastes like white sliced loaf. Bob and Sophie think it's marvellous.
Mickey Mouse never says ' I don't know ' : https://mentalfloss.com/article/524185/one-phrase-disney-theme-park-characters-arent-allowed-say
Sophie seems happier now she's lost that heavy winter coat.
That at least is her owners take on yesterdays 'severe' coat trim and he's sticking to it.
If drinking green water from a zinc bath is any indication of her state of mind then Sophie is not in the slightest bit phased by her 'svelte' look. While she drinks Bob and Angus discuss Brexit, closing the Mexican border and the possible appointment of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
After a trip to the greengrocers for strawberries it's off to the cafe for a croissant. Choux pastry slivers for the angelic duo. There is much tail waving. The girl behind the counter at the cafe comments on Sophie's new look.
The bakers Monday morning display is lacklustre. Tinned mandarin oranges have reappeared.
Loved this article in The New Yorker : https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-day-the-dinosaurs-died
