Thursday, June 3, 2010

The happy PON, spume reappears, and the view.





Back from a quick trip to Geneva to be met in the arrivals hall at Toulouse airport by one very, very happy Wilf . Thankfully, this time he remembered that he was in public and didn't let out the full bone tingling PON bark of welcome. Instead it was the flip on your back , waggle all four paws in the air and squirm around like a fluffy electric floor polishing machine style hello. One of the great things about dogs is that they are born without a sense of decorum and will show their happiness whenever and wherever they feel like it. Home for a half hour of biff the swing as the sun set followed by some rug surfing and then ten minutes of stress evaporating tummy tickling. This was accompanied by much sighing and swallowing. Then into a deep uninterrupted sleep - he'd rounded up the stray sheep and his job for the day was done. Contentment.

Left reserving a hotel in a very busy Geneva until the last minute - a bit embarrasing as I'd been booked to speak for months. As a result found the last room available - a dreary , dark closet directly above the kitchens with an unappealing view of the staff car park and trash cans. The ambiance furthered enhanced by the neighbouring hotels use of its bottle crusher at four in the morning. Being Switzerland the price of this bijoux gem was still more than the price of a suite at the St.Regis on Madison Avenue. The view from the restaurant at the front across the lake almost made up for the lack of sleep. Guess what the very first course at lunch was ? Mushroom spume in a cup. Strange looks from the serious folk around the table as I whipped out the phone to take a photo. Spume is slowly completing its journey from the seashore to a restaurant near you. You have been warned. Other sightings with photos please.

Concert time is now exactly one week away and coordination between the various village factions is lagging - if indeed it ever existed. 'The font' was surprised to learn that the mayors wife ( you may remember she has the responsibility of taking the reservations ) has decided to consign this task to memory rather than paper. Let's hope her recall is good. To try and avoid a looming disaster the flower people and the beautiful highways contingent will be gathering chez nous this evening to remind themselves of who agreed to do what . If the weather is good we'll all sit out under the oak trees with a glass or two, or three, of mood enhancing champagne.

14 comments:

  1. Sitting under oaks - haven't done that since i was a child. Thanks for the memories. Where I live now there isn't an oak in sight.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well that food looks a bit WEIRD! But anything that comes in a cup, I like to stick my nose into - fox terriers having perfect cup-shaped noses perhaps.
    But Angus, I must take issue with you about this 'dogs have no sense of decorum' business. I mean, like, compared to what exactly? Humans? Have you seen Union Street on a Saturday night?
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Decorum--who has that anymore? We dogs just love life and embrace it with enthusiasm!

    We live inland with a mountain range between us and the sea, but we'll be on the alert for spume! Thanks for the warning.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

    ReplyDelete
  4. as usual, you have me laughing and the visual i see in my mind is heightened by your wonderful words!
    hugs to the PON!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  5. I thought Wilf had been at the spume for a moment

    ReplyDelete
  6. Popping out the camera to take a photo of the food for our blog is something we do a lot! So if we encounter spume along the way, it shall be duly recorded.

    As for decorum -- we agree that it can be sadly lacking among humans - especially traveling humans; but is much welcomed when it is our dogs who are welcoming us home!!!

    xxx Joan and the Barkalots

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good luck with the meeting! I have a feeling that spirits will be required to navigate that one successfully!

    I'll be watching for the spume!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your description of Wilf's delight in seeing you - and a dog's complete lack of self-consciousness. The complete joyful abandon of a happy dog is one of my favorite things.

    Spume... Hmmm, I'm not so sure that I'll like it.

    I hope that the mayor's wife has a very good memory. My goodness...

    ReplyDelete
  9. To France ?! Lucky you all !
    My Uyanga was born in France, but won't visit it anymore I gess....too far !

    I like bad hair day, so cute !!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, I had never heard of mushroom spume before. Actually I had never heard of any kind of spume!

    So thanks for the warning :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Spume ...teehee! I'll be keeping a lookout. bet that Heston Bloomingman is to blame.

    Wiry wags Eric

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wilf seems to have had a good day - looking very sassy he is...

    Mushroom spume - yeah ahhhh NO... hope it tasted better than it looks....

    XXoooXXoooXxoooXxo

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dear Lucy Honeychurch, not to mention Aunt Charlotte, would have been most seriously displeased in your room without a view!

    Don't you love those furry greetings? Nothing better.

    ReplyDelete