Friday, June 25, 2010

Heavens iconoclasts





Got to the airport, parked the car, cleared security and was just heading off to the gate when the phone chirruped . A text had arrived - "We regrets to inform that due to strike action your flight has been cancelled". Great timing. All flights from the airport had been cancelled due to a nationwide Air Traffic Controllers strike. France is in an uproar over plans to raise the retirement age to 62 from 60. Perhaps someone should tell them that it will soon be 67 in Germany and 66 in the UK.Wilf was delighted to see me come home . 'The font' who was up a ladder painting, slightly less so. A hectic burst of phone calls to cancel hotels and flights and tell the organizers of the conference that their dinner speaker wouldn't be there (nor as it turned out would be three quarters of their audience who were stranded in Paris).

The heat has arrived. It was 31 degrees yesterday and is set to hit 35 today. That's 100 something in old money. This morning Wilf is lying on his back, taking the opportunity,while it's still cool, to air those parts that need to be aired.

On Wednesday afternoon two post office vans came to the house to deliver a parcel. Not just any parcel - but a parcel from America ! In deepest Tarn-et-Garonne this is an event of some note , hence two postal vans. Out of the blue had come the most charming gift from our friends at www.fromthehouseofedward.blogspot.com. A marvellous hand made momento box with Digby's photo on top and a Siegfried Sassoon poem on an illustrated scroll inside. For a second or two the memories of our little companion came flooding back. What a kind thing for someone to do. What a heart warming reminder of the tenderness and compassion of people one's never met. In an impersonal world it seems that dog bloggers somehow share the secret of heavens canine iconoclasts - hearts can be listened to, emotions allowed to speak and the gift of the soul never forgotten.

For Wilf the package contained something even more interesting, some toys and a box of Jaffa Cakes. Proof that they do exist in America and the source of much delight for Wilf.

17 comments:

  1. A scottie next to Wilf? We like that. Love the shot of Wilf on his back. Took a few seconds to work that out.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  2. Sorry, a scottie next to Digby. Don't know where the brain is.

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  3. Hey - don't think that even if D. is not mentioned he is not thought of...I do think about him (and you peeps) and how Wilf is managing life as the only dog...and I was just thinking how well dogs adjust to new circumstances (a friend helps rescue dogs in Poland, she tries to persuade people to adopt old dogs - I am always amazed when I go to see her how well the latest addition to her pack is doing - he's 12). I think the gift you got IS the proof that we, the blog readers, DO think about Digby and Wilf and their humans :)

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  4. Who could ever forget Digby? As I found when Hamish passed away, there is a world of kindness out there, so different from the usual media image of the 'blogoshere' as a rude and uncivilised environment.
    Oh and Angus, please, could you blow a little of that warm air northwards?
    Cheers, Gail.

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  5. I guess the airlines figure a text is better than a face to face confrontation when a flight is cancelled.

    I do agree, what a charming and thoughtful gift! I had a moment of memories yesterday when I was looking through some papers for our dogs and found a collar tag that belonged to one of our seniors that had passed--It made me miss him all over again. The sting of their loss never really goes away, does it?

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  6. What a heartwarming gesture. Bloggers are a caring group of folks. I am touched to see that he has a Scottie next to him. There is rarely a day that goes by that Digby doesn't cross my mind.

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  7. Oh Mongoose
    These little 'out-of-the-blue' gestures always seem to arrive at the most appropriate times, don't they? . Yes...Doggie-bloggers are the best! We've carved a niche for ourselves in cyberspace: A place to explore our common ground...and yes...we will never forget dear little Digby!
    Sending lotsaluv to you all
    MAXMOM IN SA
    (Ps...why don't you run your 'after-dinner-speech' by us all? We'd love to hear it!)

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  8. That picture of Vilfee on his back just made me smile, and then I got to the one of the Jaffa Cakes with him lurking in the background and just cracked up!

    That is a beautiful memorial for Digby! There really are a lot of good people out there, and I think most of them have dogs.

    Oh, please tell me tomorrow's post will have something about Madame Bay dancing around the bonfire at the festival! I can barely contain myself!

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  9. We didn't even know him - We're new to your blog - but the heart does break when best friends leave. No matter if We knew them or not.

    Roooo! Stuart

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  10. Ok, you're right. I guess we do have Jaffa cakes, then. But I do know that they aren't widely sold--only in specialty stores that carry European food. I should look out for them and give them a try....

    It's interesting to hear about strikes--I've never really experienced one here in America! It's sort of an 'unknown' to me, so reading about it is really interesting.

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  11. What a beautiful (plus yummy) gift!

    Thanks to Wilf and Digby, we've discovered From Edward's House and so many other wonderfully caring and generous dog bloggers. Those two PONs -- through their literary agent -- have expanded our world in the best of ways.

    We all carry dear Digby in our hearts -- and look forward to what each day brings in france profonde with Wilf and said literary agent et al.

    xxx Joan

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  12. What a sweet thing for them to do remembering and honoring Digby in this way.

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  13. Wilf always seems to be smiling! Even upside down! :)

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  14. Ah, this makes me so happy.
    I have the photograph of Wilf and his squirrel on my desktop. It makes me smile!
    You are all very welcome!

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  15. Oh my dogness, that first picture made me laugh a bit!

    I've always wondered what those Jaffa cakes were that you've talked about, thanks for the picture!

    What a wonderful gifts you received. Bloggers really can be very kind. One did something very generous for me just at a time when I needed it the most. I didn't ask for it and it really shocked me that someone would do something like that for me.

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  16. what a thoughtful surprise gift from house of edward! digby's momento box is lovely, and wilf looks quite pleased with his loot. :)

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  17. How lovely to receive such an unexpected and wonderful surprise. The momento box is beautiful.

    Molly,. Taffy and Monty

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