Monday, February 13, 2012

Tousled perms .





The supermarket car park an icy obstacle course. In Britain Health and Safety would insist on the parking area being sanded and gritted . As if to prove my point a boy racer in a much resprayed, but currently purple , Peugeot slaloms across the lot. He brakes , slides unintentionally , then bumps into a tree. The teenage driver gets out, carefully examines his car , but remains oblivious to the tree. This is now leaning at a jaunty angle.

Return from the morning croissant run to find a somewhat haggard looking Monsieur Bay sitting at the breakfast table. He's been snowed in with Madame Bay since last Sunday . Wilf barks once, absent mindedly, at our visitor then snuggles down for a snooze in front of the fire.

Monsieur Bay has been sent to tell us that Madame Bay might not be joining us this week. Instead she'll be helping her daughter Sandrine in the hairdressers . The ' salon ' has been closed for ten days because of the snow and there's an ever lengthening backlog of clients clamouring to be looked after . '' It's an emergency '' he says without a hint of irony . Tousled perms put to rights .

Over a cup of coffee Monsieur Bay informs us that the Retired Gendarmes Association will be going to Athens at the beginning of March. They have got a '' really, really good deal at a hotel ". A picture of a group of retired French country policemen and their spouses wandering round the tear gas filled streets of Athens briefly flits across my mind . Monsieur Bay wonders aloud if it will be warm . '' Warm ? Probably " I reply delphically . No point in getting Madame Bay worried.

19 comments:

  1. ...an ever 'lengthening' backlog of clients. Good to have understanding employers...

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  2. Surely the Athens rioters will be a breeze for a man long married (we presume) to the inimitable Madame Bay.

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  3. Good morning. The tree (and car) is making me giggle over my porridge.
    Thanks very much!

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  5. How long is it since Mme Bay did anybody's hair?
    The results should be all around the village by teatime !!

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  6. After being snowed in, I'm sure it didn't take much for Monsieur Bay to agree to come and tell you the news.

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  7. We love your writing Monsieur Ongoose - fantastic. Delphically I often have to answer in the South of Italy.
    Caresses for Wilfie- our beloved polar bear - love Susanne, Daisy (busy foster mum to Kiri-tiger), Foxie (gentle understanding foster dad) and every day more tiger Kiri - he has some pomerianan and Dackel (!) in him - so let's see what life will bring...

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  8. falling in love with wilfee all over again. the pictures of that little face today are so wonderful.
    glad to know the bays have not done each other in. the poor tree looks done in. it will be interesting to see how the village powers that be will help it or put it out of its misery. maybe 50 yrs from now it will be a tourist attraction... the tree leaning like the tower of pisa! and they'll hang a little ball on it at christmastime.
    i love your village and your way of life and your attitude!
    and your wee fellow... and now i'm back at the beginning!
    love and hugs,
    tammy j

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  9. Wilf's perm is looking lovely. Thanks for a very amusing post.

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  10. I'm not sure Greece is the place I'd be signing up to visit right now. Hopefully, they have an uneventful trip. I had to snicker over the "emergency" of the hair dresser's shop!

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  11. Just wondering how M. Bay, as Mme's surrogate, was attired. No chiffon or leggngs or turban?

    Athens may not be on most people's priority destination list anytime soon -- of course from today's news, it sounds as though gendarmes, retired or not, might be drafted on sight.

    Joan

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  12. Smile-ing at it all.

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  13. Never ending excitement in your wee village! Reading on and the prospect of Mme Bay doing hair makes me want to keep mine short!!! Wilf is looking dashing as ever in today's snaps! Keep on going Wilf!

    With love from your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  14. I once had a purple car - drove around in a very small town listening to 8 track tapes; yep, that old. Wilf looks splendid. Hope the gendarmes have a great time in Athens - their money will be welcome.

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  15. There are probably lots of great deals going in Athens.....if you're game.

    Always love Wilf's top knot.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  16. Yes, I think I'd take a pass on Greece at the moment if I wanted a quiet vacation. But maybe being retired gendarmes, M. Bay and associates will find the current situation exciting.

    Wilf looks wonderful! Happy and fit. Makes us feel good too!
    Love to all.

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  17. You really can't make this stuff up, thanks for the smile. :) Hugs for Wilf.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle, Maggie Mae and Max

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  18. Did you even consider telling Monsieur Bay he could get blown to Smithereens in Athens, or did you feel it wasn't for you to say. Maybe let Mme Bay know and allow her to handle it in her own quick way. Ka-Boom! More than one kind of explosion.

    Cheers to our Wilfee!

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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