Talk of the Town

After a week of rest and super-strength antibiotics, my hand is almost back to its usual size and colour and I am back pottering around the garden albeit with rubber gloves and a healthy respect for arachnids. The latter not only because I got bitten but the same thing happened to my dentist and she still bears a scar on her forehead. Such creatures are not to be ignored it seems. Nevertheless, the heart has been lifted with sunny weather and Spring plantings pushing up to the sky.

The peacefulness of such a rural life has been shattered over the last few days by the arrival of the builders. The 8 man team appeared en masse loaded with hammer drills, jack hammers, a couple of trucks and an abundance of expertise. Within a day, most of the ground floor had been stripped bare and piles of concrete were being ferried out in relays to the dechetterie. And they certainly put the hours in; 8 a.m to 6 p.m. with lunch break of course (this is France) every day, any chance of me having a lie-in fading into the dust. The rooms are directly below my bedroom. Despite the dust and demolition, seeing original features being uncovered is quite something. Now that the shoddy plaster and fake ceilings have been removed, stone walls and massive wooden beams finally see the light again – the place will look incredible once it’s finished. We have already had lots of locals pop by to have a peek, village gossip spreads fast.

All the banging and crashing hasn’t bothered the woofers at all, most of them love having the extra attention from the workmen. About half the team are Romanian which I had thought might trigger some interest from Simi, Neo, Mo and Coco but apparently they don’t recognise fellow countryfolk. They do love the lunch leftovers though, I have had to clear up a few piles of vomit this week.

Once again we are the talk of the village and such gossip is not limited to the beaucoup de bruits or septicaemia spider bites either. Denis and I cleared the verge running alongside our front garden, for the first time in its life we are told. I shall take a picture next week when we have planted in a bit of colour. We’ve certainly made our mark on this little bit of French heaven….

“If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; if you would know, and not be known, live in a city.” (Charles Caleb Colton)