Influx.

A clear , cloud free sky last night so it's decidedly nippy when we head out  this morning. Sophie sees a ginger C-A-T in the barn and gives chase. Ginger C-A-T clambers on top of a pile of logs. Sophie stands at the bottom of the pile and gives vocal expression to her displeasure. What the villagers feel about having their Sunday morning slumbers interrupted by a howling PONette doesn't bear thinking about. The family diva is encouraged, hastily, indoors.

When it's light we venture out again. Thankfully, ginger C-A-T has headed off so there are no repeats of the PON chorus. 

To the bakers. The bakers wife is up and about early. A gaggle of boisterous little ones surround her.  She's setting up a new window display but smiles, waves and opens the door.  Her husband has been busy making chocolate Christmas trees. 

I order a Buche de Noel. This will be ready on Christmas morning. I am told to come and collect it at 9:25 am exactly. The bakers wife tells me her order book is nearly twice last years levels and she has had to institute 'delivery slots' so that the Buche  can be boxed up and ready in time. This increase in demand  can be put down to the recent influx of work from home Parisians who, despite finding themselves in the sticks, are determined to celebrate in style. 'They know how to spend' she adds in a tone of voice that is both accusatory and delighted.

Advent song #14 from a masked and socially distanced Manhattan. This church has the most amazing architecture :https://youtu.be/E07AWEFptAE?t=2523

A halt.

It's wet...... again. We wait for a break in the rain before heading off into the valley for our morning walk. Sophie is keen to get out. Much of yesterday was spent waiting at home for delivery drivers who never showed up. The shippers websites show that the parcels were processed and en route, a flurry of e-mails told us to expect them at specific times .... but nothing. Perhaps they'll all show up on Monday ? There again, it's quite possible that a combination of the pre-Christmas rush and the explosive  emergence of the new variant have brought the sorting centre to a halt.

The little stream continues to swell in size. The waterfall now hidden under a good two feet of fast flowing water. Sophie demonstrates great caution as she heads off  for a drink. This is the prudent PON approach to all things water related.

She is toweled dry before being loaded into the back of the car. I'm not sure this mornings look makes her the poster girl for long haired dog ownership.

 To Brussels for Advent song # 13 :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI3DTcJRwMU

Late working.

We're a bit late heading off on our tour of the village. Angus has to talk to some super clever ( and nice )  folks in LA.

Sophie has developed a way of dealing with Angus when he's on the phone. She knows 'screaming' is not allowed. Instead she has perfected a concentrated stare that could shred concrete while making it clear that there are better things to do in life than talk about reconciliation or cloture. She can look at me for a full five minutes without blinking which is a mildly unnerving trait in a dog.

The sun a little higher in the sky this morning and it looks as if we might be spared rain .... for an hour or two at least.

A serious young woman shows up at seven thirty to check on the septic tanks. She is completely humourless which may be a prerequisite for being a septic tank inspector.  It seems that the German billionaire has complained about unsavoury odours from the smaller of the two village ponds. This smaller pond is on the other side of the village so I don't see why we should have anything to do with it particularly as we have invested in a super expensive water filtration system. The young lady is not impressed with this view and gives me a lengthy lecture about water tables. She heads off to see the Anger Management Man. He fishes for pike in that pond so presumably he will be more 'invested' in the outcome of her inspections than I am.

Advent music #12 . Very Finnish and 'folkloric'. All Scandinavian families seem to have a relation like this ready to supply hours of wholesome 'reindeer herding ' entertainment  :https://vimeo.com/649983548

And then this which is even more Finnish. A reminder that small humans have a limited attention span . We've gone from 3 teddy bears on the altar to just one. I wonder why ? :https://vimeo.com/649962027

Chinks and cracks

A day for staying close to home. Sophie and Angus have an early morning walk across country . We return to The Rickety Old Farmhouse through the hazelnut grove and the garden. It's one of those days when it's dry for three minutes, then rains for five. It does this over and over. Sometimes, for variety, there's a hint of sleet. Sophie, it goes without saying, loves it.

In Scotland you knew if it was going to be a harsh winter by the density of berries on the Cotoneaster. Natures way of providing food for the birds. Here, the bushes by the village church are thick with them. If this is anything to go by it's going to be a cold Christmas.  Angus returns home and orders some insulating tape to block up the chinks around the front door where the wind manages to find its way in. The Rickety Old Farmhouse is a haven for wind channeling chinks and cracks which hide until it gets cold and then open up. I would usually pop into the hardware store for the insulating tape but the incidence of Covid has suddenly shot up and is now much higher than the numbers for London. Thankfully it will be delivered here , by post, tomorrow.

Half an hour after being toweled dry the family diva is still looking a little 'unkempt'.

Sometimes this song can be saccharine but here's a very adult version from Sweden that has echoes of endless pine forests. The string backing is very atmospheric :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VccYMDTSgYY&list=RDMM&start_radio=1

Astonishment.

It dawns brightly enough but there's a strong, piercing , moisture laden wind blowing in from the Atlantic. Pity anyone out on the Bay of Biscay in this. 

Down by the stream the banks have been churned up by the deer and wild boar that congregate there at night. Sophie is transfixed by the scents so I guess the nocturnal visitors have only recently gone. Angus tells his shaggy companion to get a move on. His shaggy companion develops clinical hearing loss. She is completely lost in 'life is so exciting'  astonishment . Angus quietly wonders how other PON owners deal with early onset hypothermia.

'The Font' joins us for a trip to the good bakers. The woman who runs the nail clinic next door is trying to blow up an inflatable Santa using a foot pump. The bigger the Santa gets the more the wind catches it. Finally, a particularly evil gust separates it from the foot pump and sends it careering across the car park. The woman rushes after it emitting some decidedly unseasonal sentiments. She retrieves the eight foot tall festive figure and drags it inside the nail salon where, presumably, it is deflated - possibly violently.

Back at The Rickety Old Farmhouse we have the same debate we have every year. Is it worthwhile putting up the Christmas decorations for just the two of us ? How many times is this pandemic inspired 'empty nesters' conversation being repeated around the world ?

We decide we won't do anything but then Angus finds the Czech nativity scene and opts to set it up. He also finds the Italian glass Christmas tree which is placed on a table at the end of the hall. The collection of  Christmas tree lights which were put in a safe place in the wine cellar five years ago suddenly reappear. A full hour is spent unravelling them. Having unravelled them Angus is now thinking of putting them up in the dining room. 'If you're going to do that you might as well put up the tree' says 'The Font'.

A windswept and bedraggled Sophie observes this activity and is unimpressed. She wonders if there's anything to eat.

Off to Scotland for Advent music # 11 :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G0FIn7nB2E

Ferreting.

By the time we've made it to the storm drain my shaggy companion is looking rather the worse for wear. This is what ferreting around in the long wet grass in search of  owl kill will do to a girl. 

Sophie wonders whether we're going to sit on the storm drain and put the world to rights. It's decidedly wet so instead we stand and watch the next squall blow in from the Atlantic.

On the village pond we catch sight of two moorhens making haste into the safety of the shrubs. Sophie thinks of giving chase but, thankfully, doesn't. 'The Font' saw seven of the moorhens yesterday which puts paid to the notion that the young ones have flown the nest in search of a pond of their own.

An Advent surprise. Back to Pennsylvania one last time. A carol, presumably American, that I'd never heard before. The singing pleasant but when the soprano kicks in the whole thing changes. What a voice :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyEjH7YDmMM

Element.

Bright when we set off on our first walk of the morning. A pleasant change after the rain of the last week. Down by the stream ( swollen after yesterdays downpour ) the sky starts to cloud over. Sophie sees something on the river bank which she stares at. Resolving this standoff with something invisible takes longer than might be expected. PONettes cannot be rushed.

By the time we make it to the bakers in the shopping centre it's clouding over and decidedly nippy.

Grey and nippy are climatic conditions that are the PONettes element. Sane individuals are indoors in the warmth. This is not an option with Sophie who is intent on chasing the long suffering - but completely safe - mallards .

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Here in deepest France profonde Tamarind can be added to the list. Quite what local demographic is so keen on Tamarind is  a mystery but there are boxes of it on the 'exotic' fruit counter and another mountain of it where, until recently, the Halloween altar used to stand.

 

Advent song #9 a classic, or to be more precise, an absolute classic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANmgEFa5QvU

A crawl.

 

Robert Caro, the Pulitzer winning author, had a rule. Whatever happened he would write a thousand words a day. How I envy his diligence. It's difficult finding things to write about in  the second year of a pandemic that has slowed village life to a crawl.

At is at this point that fate intervenes and the village becomes the centre of activity. Three workmen in a white van  start work on the lane. It's  late on a Saturday afternoon so they must be getting double time. They are installing a second telephone cable . One man goes up on a hydraulic arm to drill a hole in the pole, a second one directs traffic ( the traffic is non-existent so he smokes and looks bored ) while a third man passes up the end of the cable to the first man . 

It goes without saying that Sophie is intrigued by all this activity. She sooo wants to join in. The family diva stands at the near gate and welcomes the workmen with a chorus of excitement. From the looks she gets in return I'd bet the workmen aren't dog people.

If that wasn't excitement enough we discover that the piebald horse in the field by the storm drain has got a coat wearing companion. Sophie is altogether less keen to meet the horses.

So passes another day in a village of 67 souls.

Hens: https://www.legbarsofbroadway.co.uk/index.php/our-hens/cotswold-legbar/

Advent song #8 from Pennsylvania. As traditional as it gets. Also provides an interesting end of 2021 Covid insight - No masks but lots of bonnets :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2qD_lMx-Tw

The knife sharpener returns.

 

The knife sharpener, who hasn't been to the village in two years, returns. He parks his van outside the church. 'The Font' wanders across to see him with a variety of  Japanese kitchen knives.  The Anger Management Mans wife and the German Billionaire Builders wife are already ahead in the queue. They stand there in a way that exaggeratedly ignores the others presence. Village politics don't get any easier. Knives and disputes could so easily 'escalate'.

The electrician shows up at The Rickety Old Farmhouse. A new doorbell is needed. The old one gave up the ghost a year ago and a replacement has been requested, every week, since. Installing a doorbell  is not as easy as it sounds. Downstairs the old stone walls are a metre and a half thick so wiring is needed. The electricians start off wearing masks but soon dispense with them . 'The Font' opens all the windows to improve the ventilation. It's clear the electricians think this is an unusual thing to do. They have no idea why they should wear their masks..

With travel becoming more and more difficult Angus speaks to the dentist in London about replacing the interim crown with the permanent one. It's seven weeks since he had the temporary crown fitted. 'Don't worry these things can last for weeks' the dentist says. I take this to mean that the filling will survive Christmas and that we can revisit travel plans after the holidays. In the meantime Brazil nuts are off the menu.

After a busy morning Sophie is completely worn out. She settles at the front door- head out, rump in. She stays there until the electricians go. At this point concerns about ventilation give way to concerns about the cold wind that's blowing in and she is 'encouraged' indoors.

. 

Advent song #7 : Strange harmonies to northern ears but very beautiful. You can't get a video that is much more Southern European than this :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DGPA64hmXY

Shrug of the shoulders.

There's a strong wind today. It's blowing at about 50 km/h as we head down the lane.  By the end of our village tour Sophie is experiencing an 'extreme fur' moment. Gusts will do that. I decide not to tell her .

It seems the US is now thinking that all 'alien' visitors ( this term always makes Angus laugh ) should quarantine for seven days on arrival. That's going to make a lot of family reunions fun and stress free this Christmas.  Not surprisingly there has been a tsunami of cancellations on flights across the Atlantic.

This mornings croissant on the stale side. 7/10. Once again Angus and Sophie are the only customers who dare to venture onto the outside terrace. A police car with three gendarmes drives by. All the gendarmes look at us but decide we must be harmless. Mad but harmless.

A quick visit to the frozen food store for some peas. The cabinets have become even more exotic. Turkey and Capon roasts appear. Turkey stuffed with foie gras has cholesterol overdose written all over it.

I ask one of the young ladies if anyone has tried the Beef in Pastry. She shrugs her shoulders which I guess is a 'No'.

Advent music #6. This ( fully masked )  Lithuanian choir are rather adventurous in their Advent programme :https://youtu.be/V1dJQ2jy0yI?t=3923

Reassurance

Much warmer today. Yesterdays frigid temperatures thankfully gone. We're up and about while it's still dark to talk to men in dark suits about Ukraine and Omicron and other cheerful things. Sophie has her first tour of the garden while its still dark. Her companion follows her with a torch. Walking around the garden, in the dark, with a torch is another of those things that make the locals every so slightly unsure about the inhabitants of The Rickety Old Farmhouse.

Later, when it's light, we head off along the lane. Sophie is aware of a presence behind her. 

The presence is large and makes neighing noises. What is a girl to do ?

A word of reassurance, an ear chook and some curly croissant ends put the day firmly back on the right track.

I liked this Christmas ornament until I saw the price :https://choosingkeeping.com/collections/christmas-2021/products/christmas-ornament-pink-parrot-in-glass-dome

This did not appeal - at any price :https://choosingkeeping.com/collections/christmas-2021/products/christmas-ornament-rat

Advent song #5 . Someone was very tech savvy at the 22:50 mark : https://youtu.be/Ko3n3AJn22o?t=1267

Right up there.

Thin wisps of freezing fog drift across the fields as we head out of the gate on our first walk of the day. Winter has arrived. Sophie is rather surprised by how cold the ground is . The electrifying shock to her paw pads means we head off  at a surprisingly brisk pace. 

We're  early and the street lights are still blazing away. To cut costs they come on at six thirty and go off an hour later. For a village of 67 souls we have a lot of street lights. The old mayor was a great believer in electrification. He started with three lights on the village green in 1983 and then every year after he would add another one. After 38 years of street light investment we resemble a provincial Coney Island. It's quite probable that on a ratio of street lights to population we are right up there. The new mayor doesn't seem to have the same passion for public works. In fact we're hard pressed to think what the village might be spending money on other than neutering C-A-T-S.

On our way back up the hill Sophie has one of her panic ! panic !! panic !!! moments. She's been sniffing something delectable in the grass verges and has looked up only to find that Angus is two hundred yards down the lane. She chases after me with great determination. I get given the ' How could you leave such a poor maiden so ?' look.

 A French take - with perfect diction - on an English carol:https://youtu.be/s1BPxZombgw?list=RD2fmAIQSUkgQ&t=86