Who in their right mind would restore a rickety old farm house in the Pyrenees ? 'The font' reminded me that we've been here now for exactly seven months. The rate of progress in making the place habitable has been leisurely. Don't believe for a moment those television programmes where a run down barn in some mountain valley is miraculously transformed into a haven of luxurious living in the space of a fortnight. In this part of the world builders move to the rythmn of the stars not the dictates of the calendar. The view from the terrace this morning looked like the assault course at Fort Benning- the bare decking spars vying for attention with the subsidence in the lawn where the new pipework was installed.
Wilf takes it all in his stride. Workmen come , workmen go, some bring jaffa cakes, others don't. At the end of the day if he's biffed the swing, surfed the rugs, snaffled some human food and had a tickle then life's just fine. This morning he's had two walks, greeted the furniture deliverers who arrived from London at seven thirty ( score 6/10 ,no Jaffa Cakes but a half ways decent Garibaldi biscuit) , and had a pat on the head from the mayor. Not bad for eleven o'clock on a scorchingly hot Sunday morning. After all this excitement he's now settled down for a serious PON snooze under the shade of the old oaks.
love the commentary on the rickety old farm house! 7 months! time flies when your trying to get an old farm house in order!
ReplyDeletesounds like Wilf goes with the flow of things....i suppose what we all try to do!
happy sunday to you...
xoxo
I love when workmen come to the house! The more the merrier is what I say. And I know they appreciate my snoopervision skills. Most of them, anyway. My favorite time was when the bathroom was being all redone. I really had a chance to get to be friends with the people doing it. That took at least two weeks, so I'd think that a whole farm house would take years and years.
ReplyDeletewags, Lola
Wilf really seems to like his goodies! (guess the reason for his new pear shape!) Jack and Jill love theirs too. Is Wild fond of pizza as well as sweets? My dogs know the word and get excited before it even gets here!
ReplyDeleteBeer for breakfast? Is that a standard thing over there?
So the furniture came, I trust it made it ok this time. Wow, that is early for a delivery!
Our house has been a work in progress since we moved in nearly 5 years ago, it never seems to end! There is always something else.
I have no idea what time it is there, it's early here and I am the only one up. Have a great afternoon or evening, whatever the case would be!
Sharon w/Jack N Jill
I'm glad that all of you are taking the tumult of house renovation in stride! And, Wilf sounds like an easy-going little guy, ready to enjoy each visitor but equally happy to snooze.
ReplyDeleteFrom your description of the crazy habits of the workers, I think that I just might be going out of my mind in your shoes!
That looks like a smile on Wilf's furry face! Even a shack in the Pyranees sounds great.
ReplyDeleteMargaret and Mandu
Do you use gel to spike wilf's hair??? ;} He does rock the look!
ReplyDeleteI think it must have something to do with siesta/nap time. When we were in Greece all businesses closed at around 2 pm(hey it was a long time ago) and did not reopen til after 5. Thus the late dinner hour since the stores conducted business til around 8. We too had trouble with workmen getting things tone in what we considered a timely manner(according to us) Their attitude was rarher-ahh reeelax! it will get done(eventually)
Maybe they have the right idea.
Tomorrow is MONDAY!!!!!! Is the trip still on???
Hugs
Jamie and the Texassundogs
Went to a specialty store yesterday-voila-Jaffa Cakes. In orange and apparently there is a lemon too.(You can order them on Amazon if you live where they do not have them. DFW area does)
Why I reckon Texas has it all... hahahahaha
I grew up in an old farmhouse! I know that the work is NEVER done! I hope that things move along better for you now that the weather has improved.
ReplyDeleteThe girls have one of those screaming monkeys and just love it! Anybody that fed them cake of any kind would have a friend for life.
I.heart.Wilf
ReplyDeleteLuvs to see Wilf smiling!
ReplyDeleteWoofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae
"Aujourd'hui peut-etre...ou alors demain"
ReplyDeleteToday perhaps, or perhaps tomorrow; as my GranMa used to say :" We'll all make it together to Christmas at the same time"
What on earth are Garibaldi biscuits and Jaffa cakes? Should the specter of privation loom, Wilf would consider, perhaps, switching to such french fares as Biscuit à la cuillère or the Madeleines so dear to Proust. He does, after all, sport a very proustian "moustache".
PS: Buoyed by your gracious approval, we are now training in earnest for our June 13 "Dog-a-thon".
So I take it that the furniture arrived in one piece this time then! Pleased Wilf is looking a lot perkier now. Enjoy the good weather. Sue x
ReplyDeleteAhh, sounds like Wilf and Petey have mastered the art of summering in hot climates. Petey got two morning walks, some sunbathing on the deck by the hibiscus, then a six-mile bike ride in his wicker bike basket to his pal Buddy's house where the two of them sat on the dock, contemplating how to turn on the boat engine. It's good to be a dog!
ReplyDeleteHello Angus! To start, thank-you for your kind words for Maguire! No matter how many you lose, each loss is different and brings its own sadness...
ReplyDeleteOn TV here we have a show called "House Hunters International" and they show people going through the buying process of a home abroad. Some of them are mere shells of homes, but at the end of the half hour show, they return a couple of months later and often show their purchase transformed into a home straight out of a house and garden magazine! I can only think they have a connection to endless amounts of money--Because as you know, that doesn't happen, no matter what country you live in!
I'm glad that Wilf is doing well, and I hope you are healing too!
Bet the workmen don't have ulcers! We always have to be banned if workmen come. We don't welcome them with open paws. But, maybe, if they came with food offerings, we might be more congenial.
ReplyDeleteXXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella
Wilf,
ReplyDeleteWe don't know what "font" means but we think you need to sit your rents (parents) down and make them watch "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. Now we watched it and they put on a huge show in less than a month. We aren't asking for your rents to sing and dance but we have to believe they could get SOMETHING done in 7 months. Do they interview these so called workers or are they just picking them up at the local pub/bar/gutter? We are seriously concerned as to who your rents are exposing you to. The Jaffa Cakies, we're all for those (Mum lived in London for two years so she still has some UK addictions which she still feeds) - but these so called workers sound a bit sketchy at best. We aren't going to call the World Wildlife Fund people (is that who looks after PONS or do you have a local Humane Society?) but we seriously think you need to arm yourself. We find water cannons work best, although a water balloon has its merits as well. Glad you having warm weather, we're freezing our canine butts off here - today we have had sunshine, hail, sleet and torrential rain and then sunshine again. The tomato plants are quite upset at this point and the Swiss chard is not looking very perky either.
Love from your American friends, Dozer, Dottie and Cooper Edwards
so your furniture actually did arrive from london today! i hope it was in much better shape than the first attempt.
ReplyDeletedid wilf get another trim? or is the wind blown look in the first picture just making his hair look shorter?
the booker man and asa's mama