What More Could You Want?

[Atheist]

Just went out into the garden. Sky full of whistling swallows swooping around for their insect supper. Vapour trails everywhere, planes heading for Limoges, Bordeaux or Spain. Poor dead pigeon which broke its neck on our patio door yesterday still lying intact on the gravel parking area next door (why haven't the night scavengers taken it?). 18 day radish seeds not sprouting yet? (only sowed yesterday, so not surprised).
Last year's wine got a white mould cap, but perfectly drinkable underneath. Had half an hour of solo petanque practise earlier, but looking forward to 90 degree temp on Wednesay evening when the lads will all gather with their chilled rose.

[tiggerblue10]

I've just taken my bins out and seen a slug.

[Atheist]

Oh,God, Tigger! I wish I could be there for you! I got a slug trying to get into my beer can when I went down to the cellar for a 'slug' yesterday while Mrs A was snoozing. Fortunately I managed to snort it out through my right nostril before I screamed and vomited!

[douglas9401]

Aye, but are you happy? :-)

[royfromaus]

Sounds like you're living the dream.

[Etch]

You've made it then - was wondering when you were due to arrive. I hope the place hadn't suffered too much in your absence. I'm not looking forward to finding out what's happened to the garden at my own 'home from home' at the end of this month, hopefully.

[Atheist]

Not quite, Roy. Tomorrow all the village shops are closed apart from the two boulangeries (so we have a choice of cheap artisanal bread and pastries). The weather has been rotten and we've not been here early enough to grow tomatoes and all the rest in our 'potager'. But we can't complain. The vine this year won't produce much and we will have to leave before the grapes are sweet enough to make decent wine. There's been two deaths in the vlllage since last autumn, and over the years we've lost a few friends since we first arrived; fortunately, I managed to produce a couple of portraits while they were still with us. And new ones arrive each year (Ambre, Alice, Arthur, Kieran, are the new fashionable names!)

[Atheist]

Etch, fortunately the house seems to be fine (better than 8 years ago when we arrived to find it flooded because I forgot to turn off the water over winter and the pipes froze!) It is scary not to be here for months because of plague and Brexit problems, but we've managed to get over around July time last year and this. Best wishes.

[jno]

a pigeon is killed on your patio but has mysteriously made its way to the parking area next door? Truly a marvel of Mother Nature.

[Atheist]

jno; obviously I scooped it onto my spade and flung it over the fence!

[fcc]

Wine,women and song,what more could you wish for,enjoy it.

[Atheist]

Hoped the buzzards, cats, foxes, sangliers, crows would enjoy it.

[Atheist]

Thanks all. I think I'll stick to chatterbank from now on, instead of religion and politics.

[jno]

you should have sold it to a restaurant, Atheist

[jourdain2]

So recognisable, atheist - and I do miss it. Family reasons (including untimely deaths, births etc.) demanded that we return to UK. Fortunately we managed to settle in the East Riding - so still have swallows swooping over the pond. Not too many vapour trails. I said a mournful goodbye to all our local buzzards - but we have a breeding pair here!

8 years ago would be about the time every pipe in my house (on the market and uninhabited for a week) froze and I had to replace everything! It gets pretty cold there. I was between Poitiers and Limoges. You can't be too much further south.

What I do miss are the grues (cranes) we were on their flight path and one year they roosted around our house overnight. Heck, there's a lot I miss - but a lot I love here. I have lettuce in the garden and goldfinches pay us a visit. So hard to choose. I do miss our friends - thanks to Covid. :(

[Atheist]

jourdain; we are also between Poitiers and Limoges. Not a beautiful village, but a working vilage with all the necessary commerce except for a pharmacy. The people are very friendly and fortunately don't speak English.

[Hopkirk]

They don't speak English? What sort of a place is it???

[Atheist]

Hopkirk; it's a French place!

[royfromaus]

That's no excuse

[ladybirder]

LOL you lot. xx

[jourdain2]

No-one in that area speaks English! - It means that your French rapidly becomes very good; but it's a very steep learning curve! I started out near Civray, Atheist (sang in a choir there) but then we ended up near L'Isle Jourdain.