Monday, October 1, 2012

Brave and tasteful.







The Grande Dame of the stage sleeps in late. We miss the little nuts parade and the crowning of King and Queen Nut 2012. However, all is not lost. As we arrive the induction of the new members of the co-fraternity of nuts is taking place in front of the town hall. A moment of what might pass for great solemnity. The new members of the cofraternity kneel, pledge allegiance to the nut '' that most delicious and nutritious of Gods gifts " and are then tapped three times on each shoulder with a hazelnut branch. Through it all the sound system whistles insanely. A little old lady in a white cardigan wanders onto the stage and starts to conduct an imaginary orchestra. She is gently escorted back down the stairs and handed back to the supervision of the matron of the old folks home.

Ceremony over the co-fraternity of nuts process through the market hall. They are escorted by three ladies in leggings who perform under the somewhat unimaginative stage name of   ' The three sexee laydees ' . The old farmers look at the three ladies with great interest. The Grande Dame joins the end of the procession and dances uninhibitedly. The locals look on. The Grande Dame is wearing a broad brimmed hat with a peacock feather. Angus wishes he was invisible. 

'The font' bites down on a piece of nut cake and breaks a tooth. Sheared clean in half. A call to the emergency line at the dentist in London. An appointment made for eight on Monday morning. 'The font' heads off to the airport.

Angus and the Grande Dame go to the Hotel Nationale for dinner.  An establishment owned and run by our electricians brother. It doesn't appear in any guide. Champagne ordered the Grande Dame looks around the pink and green decor of the dining room. '' I always think the French are so brave with colours ". There is a brief pause, then she continues " of course brave and tasteful are two very different concepts ".




17 comments:

  1. It certainly was a nutty experience.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  2. I once had a rented flat in London with pink walls and green carpet and curtains. My mother took one look at it and said to me "In pink and green old maids are seen".
    Oh and do they not have dentists in France? I always heard their health services were rather good. Anyway, hope the font's teeth are fixed up soon.
    Cheers, Gail.

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  3. That must have been some nutty cake. I do hope Mme Font isn't in too much discomfort.

    Pic 3: Aligot! My favourite. The simple things..

    x

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  4. Pleaaaaaase just the initials otherwise it is torture.... Sounds like a great day - I always enjoy "flamboyant" people - if only you couls hear the villagers version - my grande dame of opera is blending in very well at the well - meeting also an upcoming jazz singer there - so this week is singing... the alsatian is called Kelly and so is the young singer... Hugs and nuts and grapes from Ischia Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie and Kirilila

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  5. I think much of this can be blamed on the full moon!

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  6. Oh my goodness, I am laughing like a real nut over here...
    I think I am a bit envious of your sweet village life, the fun never stops, does it?
    I thought the three ladies dancing along may have been the three frescoe restoring ladies.
    Sorry to hear about the font's tooth, hope she is okay after her dental appointment...wish her well for me.

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  7. That video. Those leggings. The attentive onlooker. What fun!

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  8. In a nutshell, the processional seemed a bit disorganized, and the colorful leggings were perhaps not so much sexy, as distracting. How terrible for "the font", I hope it is not too painful. I think you should plan a trip elsewhere for the next Nut Festival. It certainly wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

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  9. Great pictures and video of the day. Sorry about The Font's tooth (ouch!!)

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  10. oh. poor font. i hate dentist problems. oops. freudian slip. tooth problems.

    LOL. LOL. i can just hear the grand dame delivering that same line in downton abbey.
    the fact she could dance in the village conga line undisturbed is a mark to your village's
    sophisticated treatment of celebrity.
    or . . . maybe you and the dame really are invisible!
    love the nuts.
    hugs to my lad in the france profonde!
    tammy j

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  11. Sue sounds like Maggie Smith ala Downton Abbey type comment by the Grande Dame.

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  12. My soul, my weekend was so boring in comparison.

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  13. My weekend wasn't nearly this exciting or entertaining! Darn it!

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  14. I can't help but wonder if the font knew she had a wonky tooth and chose an opportune moment to bite on something hard!;) . . .felt the wink was necessary. . .
    I had pink and green ro as a teen. I painted the baseboards, door and an old walnut wardrobe in very pink glossy paint. What were my parents thinking. So glad they let me do that.

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  15. So, does anyone really take this Nut thing seriously? You make it sound as if the town is very solemn about it yet it sounds absolutely hilarious!

    So sorry about the font's tooth. I hope the dentist can help quickly.

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