friendship – Page 2 – Widow plus woofs

There’s not a lot in common between France and my former homeland that is the U.K, except the current weather situation. By now, I would have artfully (my words) decorated the front corner wall with lashings of Christmas paraphernalia but the incessant rain and woe some wind has stopped play. Driving back from the hospital yesterday (yes, Mumo’s managed to put herself back in there with an infection), I had to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel lest I got blown into the oncoming traffic and narrowly escaped a broken window as a branch decided to give way and hit the side of my car. Even the usual crack-pot antics of Arry and Sherman across the gardens has been curbed and both are snuggled up on the sofa.

Up until Friday, we had a fairly decent week – cold but gloriously sunny. My sister Bong, flew in for a few days to help look after our Mumo and with little brother Moth in situ as well, I managed to get quite a few chores ticked off the list. The second draft of the Second Book is ready to be sent off to Sally editor and I made a start on the traditional tableau for the village signboard. I also managed to make the Christmas pudding, wishes stirred in by siblings – these might be secret but I think I know what everyone hoped for. And it wasn’t just the inside jobs that kept me busy, Denis and I took an afternoon off to head over to Mirepoix to see a man about a drill-pipe. Actually the same man as we’ve been trying to get a date out of since May but as he doesn’t seem to realise he has a phone, we decided to save him the trouble of finding it and Moth said Mirepoix was a lovely place to visit anyway. Well, I’m sure it is but the only bits I saw were the one-way minute cul-de-sacs my GPS insisted I risked my car’s paintwork in. With my temper at full tantrum and expletives exploding, D made me pull into a supermarket car park so I could calm down whilst he asked for directions. A very nice man in a van then kindly told us to follow him as he showed us the way, ignoring the ‘no entry’ signs and near pings with other motorists which didn’t do any favours for my stress levels or Denis’ anxiety for my health. I did explain to him later that I’d spent 22 years in London traffic swearing like a trooper and Callum reckons his first word started with the ‘F’ thanks to the school run. Oh, and the bloke what bores holes wasn’t there but I left a polite note with his wife with my phone number and email should he prefer an alternative method of communication. Jury’s out on that one.

Still, it’s not as though we need water at the moment. Or a filled pool. And the wet stuff has been doing wonders for our potager – I have 2 Brussel Sprouts! Okay, not enough for a dinner party but where’s there’s two there will be more. And speaking of soirées , I finally got back to hosting one last night. With all the worry over Mumo, being with close friends and having a chance to let my hair down was just what I needed. Naturally, far too much of the grape was imbibed but the laughs and cat-scaring karaoke was worth the over-indulgence. Thankfully our guests live within a few minutes of chez nous so any weaving across the road is par for the course which is very well-lit due to the bright neon blue Joyeux Nöel panels now blinding the entire village. It needs more though, like a few reindeers, Santa Claus, elves, fake snow, fairy lights…

“Don’t knock the weather, nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while” (Kin Hubbard)

If there was ever a week needed to lift the mood, it’s been the past one. There’s nothing better than being amongst friends to clear the blues and lift the soul. Any traces of self-pity were washed away with the arrival of my old friend Phil and his gal pal Rosie who’ve popped over from the U.K to spend a week sight-seeing and Sophi-seeing. I admit the late nights and buckets of wine did catch up with me last night but all the hugging and catching up was worth the bleary eyes.

And it’s not just me who is profiting from the company – Mumo who is still recovering from a bout of something unknown, has brightened up considerably having these two around and Alice Border Terrier has turned into Rosie’s stalker. Whilst this was the first time of meeting Rosie, Phil has been part of my life for 30 years or even though I haven’t seen him in almost 4 of them. I wasn’t sure if the woofers remembered him but Arry certainly did, screeching at top volume and delightedly placing his favourite rocks at his old buddy’s feet. Actually that’s normal behaviour for my over-sized delinquent of a German Shepherd but the reunion was quite tear-jerking. And since their arrival, the two have been out exploring the wonders of our little part of France under the glorious August sunshine before relaxing over a bottle or two with myself, Denis and Mumo in the evening. And I even threw in a little tour of my own, taking Rosie and Phil up to our local vineyard for a tasting and a guide around the workings of Laetitia’s small but exclusive enterprise. I got Phil a bit tiddly too.

I say glorious August sunshine because unlike the usual last month of the summer, the temperature has stayed mostly in the lower thirties making getting out and about a pleasure rather than the normal 40 degrees burn the back of your throat that we have come to expect. The pool, although having the need to be topped up every once in a while, is perfectly swimmable – it would be nicer if the man with the drill pipe would turn up so we could refill for free but as I’m enjoying this feeling of serenity, I’ll leave that problem until my guests have departed. If there was anything that could put the icing on the cake so to speak, it would be a nice rainstorm to soak the poor garden – we almost got one on the one night I didn’t want one but thankfully it passed through.

For that Denis and I were very grateful as Friday night was all about barbecues and petanque and a chance for me to introduce Phil and Rosie to mes amis, those who have become an integral part of my new life here in Rouffiac. And if you’re wondering, Phil highly approves of Denis. And Denis likes him too. Special coming from Tony’s best friend and one of the very few of my T’s inner circle that has stayed in touch. Anyway, back to the petanque party. Well, everyone had a blast with the locals teaching the newbies how to play their favourite game before the night drew in and energies turned to a right good boogie into the wee hours. Phil told me the other morning how relaxed I was, no longer the stressed out city girl that once was. No wonder, being around friends both old and new – there’s nothing more soothing for the soul. Even if, apparently and according to my dear friend, I still can’t stop talking. Or moving…

“There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family.” ( Unknown)