Friday, June 22, 2012

The return of the morose 'lads'.





The electricians return . Naturally, they don't call to tell us they are coming .This time they're accompanied by two morose ' lads '. The light in the downstairs library finally fitted. A mere eighteen months from the idea first being mooted. Angus thinks of saying something reflective about the passage of time , but doesn't . The two morose 'lads' spend their morning standing in a flower bed smoking .

Nearly lunchtime. Another white van arrives . It's the builder come to install a metal pergola on the upstairs terrace. He'd taken measurements in October and we'd heard nothing since.  '' Have it up in an hour or so M'Ongoose " he intones with what might be taken for professional certainty .

Late afternoon. The builder is still at work. '' More difficult than I thought M'Ongoose. These old walls are crooked. Having to use the laser " . He points to an orange contraption on a tripod .  Angus ponders a number of possible responses but opts for a nod and a smile .

Early evening. The pergola nearly up. A third artisinal visitor appears. It's the gutter repairman in his Peugeot van. A beep of the horn and a hearty '' Salut M'Ongoose ". He opens the rear doors, pulls out a ladder and glances at his watch. It's ten to five . He then re-loads the ladder in the back of the van before announcing that he'll be back when the weathers more settled. Angus looks at the cloudless sky and wonders how settled he needs it to be.

' The font ' returns from the little market town with a walnut and marzipan cake .Angus has two slices and regrets it .

Life in deepest France Profonde .




15 comments:

  1. Tempted to make some sharp comment about the unemployment crisis in the Euro-zone, but, no, I'll content myself with wondering if I would have regretted two slices of that walnut and marzipan cake.
    Cheers, Gail.

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  2. Odd that they all turned up on the same day. They truly have their own unfathomable codes of practice. Very frustrating.
    That cake does look rather robust, M'Ongoose. I am sure Wilf would have enjoyed a slither. x

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  3. I'm so happy the electricians have returned to finish what they started..I would have lost my bet on that one.
    The gutter repairman takes the cake...I think he meant when the time is settled (as in earlier)..he made me laugh.
    How does anything ever get done in deepest France Profonde...without these folks though, life would be boring and uneventful..for they do provide quite a few unintended laughs.
    When all the projects are completed, the rickety old farmhouse will be very nice. Love the upstairs pergola.
    Hope your guests have fun.
    Virginia

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  4. Your library is my idea of house-heaven.

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  5. why do i always hear the distant music
    of inspector clouseau in the background?
    the only thing missing is the bolt of lightning
    that fries his umbrella.
    i love the library dining room.

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  6. I think I would go CRAZY! Life is on a different speed setting over there. BUT, the good things outweigh the bad...definitely. Village life sounds quite suitable from where I'm sitting. The "lads" sound like all the extras I see helping with roadwork...standing around on the side, leaning on equipment while one man is doing whatever it is they are all watching... LOVE the library! What a place to go and just get lost. ;-)
    Have a good Friday.

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  7. I am wondering did these workers communicate with each other and say: "Today is the day we make him think we will finish the job(s)" Your library is, how shall I say this? "Magnifique!"

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  8. You needed that extra piece of cake!

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  9. You know, after reading Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence" and then watching the miniseries back in the day, I thought the tardiness and unreliability of French repairmen was a quaint but localized quirk... However, reading your blogs for the last three-plus years has convinced me of two things: 1) that French "artisinal" workers have mysterious powers of communication among their own ilk (why else do they always show up en masse at the same time?!); and 2) that they live not only in their own time zone but in their own solar system. You never know when there's going to be a partial or annular eclipse from their darkening your doorstep with their long awaited but no longer hoped for presence. Kudos to you for taking their slower-than-snail's pace with such aplomb, Angus. And it does provide excellent blog fodder. ;)

    Purple Magpie and Mitzi the Dog in California

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  10. Never regret eating cake! Two pieces or not....comfort is clearly what you needed! Fingers crossed the weather remains 'settled'. Interesting!

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  11. I don't think you're supposed to eat the leaves on the top of the cake. Maybe that was the problem! :)

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  12. We noticed that though there was lots of equipment, the workmen appear to be missing. Wonder if the laser costs more..... Hope everything is repaired...correctly and quickly.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

    Get out the bike, that'll take care of the extra slice.

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  13. You apparently have the same problem as I do. Your library shelves are full.
    What do we do now??

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