Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Adolescent infatuation.




Four in the morning and Wilf is asleep in the study. He's snoring gently and I'm writing a speech to give in London on Thursday night. Or rather I'm trying to. The efficient neural librarian that usually keeps my mind in good working order has disappeared. Replaced at this early hour by a stand in with dyslexia and an annoying sense of humour. While I hunt for something sensible to say about the politics of the mid-east , the new, left lobe librarian dredges up memories of the Cuban missile crisis. Were we really sent home early from school ?

Yesterday Aude, the five foot nothing decaratrice, arrived with her friend Sylvie. Sylvie is also five foot nothing and comes from the womens cooperative in the neighbouring village. She was dressed in a beige bobble hat and a pair of military camouflage overalls many sizes too big. The new arrival had clearly been forewarned about the bizarre habits of the anglo-saxon clients. No sooner was she in the house than Wilf was presented with a high fibre Ryvita. After that there was no need for formal introductions . The family fellow lay amid the scaffolding in the hall gazing on her with adolescent infatuation. "I love you. I really do".

On the way down to the valley for our morning strolll I asked Wilf what he thought a womens cooperative was. He turned to me matter of factly : " A place they make biscuits ". A reminder that amongst all animals dogs alone have an incomprehensible ability to penetrate what it is to be human.

17 comments:

  1. I find that a high fiber Ryvita does the same to me!

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  2. A challenging time to be speaking on politics in the Middle East!

    Glad to read Wilf is still finding more pleasure than not in his days. Even if the layout leaves something to be desired, binding the blogs for a permanent record is a wonderful idea.

    Are you sure the septic guys aren't digging for buried treasure? Your garden is starting to look like an archaeological dig.

    Jed & Abby

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  3. The words 'love' and 'high fibre ryvita' are rarely associated. I fear for your neural librarian. And your audience on Thursday...
    Cheers! Gail.

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  4. Ryvita, jaffa cakes, biscuits, croissants, coconut ice cream.....forget everything else!

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  5. I am not sure anyone can say anything sensible about the politics in the middle east or any country for that matter, I wish you luck. :) Hugs for Wilf!

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle and Maggie Mae

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  6. Politics in the middle east? There's a tricky one. Please take care.

    Yes, we really were sent home from school. And taught to take cover under our desks if one of those nasty ICBM's were actually ever deployed.

    Very nice to have someone to amuse Wilf in your absence.

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  7. Angus, please do us a favor. Take Wilf's musings, reflections and cut to the chase summations and put them in a widget to themselves. I find "his" thoughts utterly delightful.
    Your 0300 speech preparation is reminiscent of my writing a neonatal paper in nursing school in one fell swoop, finishing at 0500 on an Underwood typewriter the day it was due.

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  8. I'd be her friend for a Ryvita as well! Good for Wilf for thinking along those lines....

    Hopefully the writings and muses have come back, just in time!!

    Keep going Wilf, handsome!!

    With love from Canada,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  9. Ah, wish your trip to London was a couple of weeks later. We could meet to discuss our boys.

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  10. Good luck with the speech! And pleased to hear Wilf has a new paramour.. hahaha

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  11. Wow! Talking about the Middle East right now seems very daunting indeed! There are so many things to say, and yet many aren't really complete thoughts. I shall refrain from comment about being sent home from school during the Cuban Missle Crisis.

    It seems that the way to any male's heart is through his stomach, be he human or canine!

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  12. Whatever you were planning to say at 4am may have changed as the camels and horses made their entry into Midan Tahrir. Perhaps dyslexia is the answer after all.

    Safe travels!

    xxx Joan

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  13. Angus-good luck with that speech, delicate subject to say the least. Tell Wilfie I love him, I really do, and I don't need any high fibre biscuits as a bribe. Hugs to the little trooper.

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  14. maybe Wilf can help you with your speech.

    he's pretty wise.

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  15. your life intrigues me and it's times like this i'm annoyed with anonymity!

    what the heck is high fibre Ryvita? it doesn't sound delicious...more like metamucil!

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  16. I love that all you have to do to be Wilf's friend is to give him a biscuit and a pet.

    Oh yes, I had to write a report about American exceptionalism this week. It took me 6 hours to write it. I kept reading the article we were supposed to write about over and over and even went online to do more research but my mind was completely blank, just like the paper I was supposed to be writing on. Finally I just kind or rewrote the article in my own words. Not expecting a very good grade on that one!

    Hope your speech went better than my report.

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