Saturday, August 7, 2010

Americas other export.




High summer in deepest France Profonde and it's quiet. Very, very quiet. The supermarket in the nearest market town is still open for business but the bakers, butchers and newsagents have all shut up shop for their four week annual holiday. Even worse is to come. The absinthe and beer drinkers cafe closes tomorrow - what will Wilf do when his morning routine is turned upside down ?

Aude , the bi-polar decaratrice. has also gone, leaving the hallway strewn with the detritus of her profession . Walking into the rickety old farmhouse is now like entering a challenging obstacle course. Wilf of course loves the scaffolding and stacks of paint pots - he can charge in, around and through everything.

It's August, there's not a cloud in the sky, the heat is melting the tarmac outside and 'the fonts' mind has turned to buying a stove. Yes. you read that right. Yesterday afternoon was spent chosing a new stove. Never one to prevaricate , 'the font' has decided that if we order a stove now it might be installed by mid-October - leave it until after the holidays and we'll be lucky if it's in for Christmas. Memories of the arctic winds that sweep through the old farmhouse in winter come rushing back. Fancy finding an American stove amid all the strange sounding Norwegian, Danish and Swedish makes. Boeing, Apple and now Vermont Castings.

11 comments:

  1. The thought behind the stove is probably correct. Could even be too late for this year.

    Do you really have to put up with THAT mess for a month? Maybe it'll help Wilf get through the tousling drought ahead.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  2. Hmmm. I'm already looking forward to anguished postings about whether or not the family will be fighting frostbite over the Christmas holidays..
    Cheers, Gail .

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  3. I have several friends who have stoves like this, and I can tell you that when it's fully stoked it feels like August--I hope by the time you get it put in the scaffolding and stacks of paint pots are gone.

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  4. Does that mean you will need a chainsaw next? I hardly think of you as a wood-chopper.

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  5. Good thinking Font. Better toasty than frosted.

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  6. Are you talking about a wood burning stove? Those certainly do keep things very toasty! I think the font is right, order it now if you want to enjoy it while the cold drafts of winter are blowing through!

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  7. Hey Mongoose...
    That stove reminds me of one from my childhood....ummm, a coal stove!
    By the way...why is it that I'm always reaching for a dictionary when I visit your blog? I'm developing an inferiority complex of note! :)
    Something like "Educating Rita!"
    Sending lotsaluv to you all - especially Wilf!
    MAXMOM IN SA

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  8. Hey Mongoose..
    I'm back after a desperate search to upgrade my education...

    ...don't you mean 'DECORATRICE'???? I have no idea what "decaratrice" is...please enlighten me?

    Yippee...I've also discovered what "absinthe" is....LOL!...yet another of your paradoxes...
    "Absinthe...banned, toxic aniseed liqueur"??? am I correct? If they are absinthe drinkers, I'm not surprised that the pub is closing. Wilf is out of danger now - we can celebrate!

    ...another thing...
    Most wives 'prevaricate'!...The font must be quite unique!
    MM IN SA
    (Just a bit of fun!0

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  9. ps...We call them 'fire places' here! Stoves are for cooking!

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  10. My parents have a similar stove for keeping warm in the winter. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait for theirs. The store had them in stock in a warehouse and installed it a few days later.

    I feel for Wilf. I guess you'll have to give him extra pats on the head and bring some scraps of food with you so since the absinthe drinkers won't be around.

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  11. I can't imagine living in a renovation area for a month. My thoughts are with you :)

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