Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A modern day Sisyphus.





While the rest of Europe enjoys balmy, sunny weather the south of France remains shrouded in rain and drizzle. Today the maintenance man has come to open up the swimming pool. What cruel irony of timing. The maintenance mans sidekick - morose lad in blue bib overalls #2 - is currently fishing frogs out of the pool with a net. No sooner does he fish them out than they hop back in again. A sisyphean task if ever there was one. No wonder he's morose.

'The font' has gone back to London to see 'granny font' leaving Wilf and yours truly to fend for ourselves. With no pressure of time we were able to have a second cup of coffee with the bibulous pre-breakfast crowd at the cafe before starting our shopping for the day. Wilf was hopeful that he might get some boudin blanc from the butcher but with me in charge of the kitchen we both thought better of it . Had better luck with the macaroons in the cake shop - no preparation needed there. Onto the fancy garden shop for some box for a new hedge - €60 each! - scandalous.

Home to find the insurance on the flat in London has gone up 20% in a year. Phoned to ask what possible reason they could have for raising the premiums so much. The young lady at the other end of the phone answered my question with the disarming response " Oh, we're using a new underwriter. They'll let you rent out your flat to asylum seekers". Well that's ok then.

15 comments:

  1. You have such a wonderful way of working so many amazing things into your writing!!

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  2. Those cakes in the fourth picture down look divine!

    My mom has a pond and every year she has to fish frogs out. One year she had a ton of deformed frogs, it was so weird! I don't know where they all came from but my father fished them out for days on end.

    Sorry about the insurance going up. Mine went up recently too, not as much as yours though. Mine went up 10% because the insurance company isn't giving out the discounts they used to.

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  3. We thought the asparagus was dear--never mind the hedge. You'd have to have a real green thumb to invest in those.

    Insurance is a pain, do you get a discount for asylum seekers?

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  4. Fabulous macaroons...and a beautiful girlfriend?

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  5. I don't know what boudin blanc is, but I have had Cajun boudin and if there is any resemblance between the two, you're right, I don't think anyone 2 or 4 legged should be having it, cooked or uncooked, especially before noon--I think the cake shop is a better bet for breakfast!

    I had to grin at the your opening up the pool and having frogs--A friend of ours in Florida found a small alligator in hers a few days ago, but no frogs!

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  6. Always enjoy your blog, it's like taking a mini vacation every day.

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  7. You life seems so 'calm' compared to ours here in a frenzied South Africa.
    Oh by the way...I think you have a sweet tooth! :)
    (just a random thought)
    MAXMOM IN SA
    PS. Go Bafana Bafana!!!

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  8. If I had a pastry shop like that near my house, I'd be too huge to ride my bike!!!

    "Bibulous" - great word. I always love when I need to look up a new word. How odd that there's a drunk crowd at the cafe at that hour!

    I'd be morose too if I had the frog-retrieving job!

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  9. The image of young morose lad trying to rid the pool of frogs determined to remain in pool is so much more exciting/entertaining than that of poor Sisyphus with his single rock!! Camus has always been a favorite. Did he miss the mark on this one?????

    Woofs from the canine bafana bafana!!

    xxx Joan

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  10. Frog legs in beurre à l'ail and boudin blanc...Capital Yum!

    Could it be that the insurance rate was raised on account of your diet? Just suggestin'

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  11. You mean the poor lad never figured out that he needed to take them away from the pool? That would amuse me!

    Oh, those cakes! Thank heaven there's not one of those near here!

    Well, I'm sure you'll all sleep better in London now knowing that! Enjoy those new premiums!

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  12. Those sausages look like heaven to me. My Moms are trying to pretend they're not drooling over the bake shop pictures. Oh, tonight's dinner is looking dull to all of us now.

    wags, Lola

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  13. Wilf: Split some of that boudin blanc with me and we'll toast to the folks on the gulf coast !!! --mom says its a staple in New Orleans area. Are those macaroons on your diet? Looks like while the 'font's' away the boys will play?

    Your friend
    Zach

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  14. those tarte aux fruits are calling my name. yummy!
    hope the sun comes out soon and that you and wilf eat well while the font is away!

    the booker man and asa's mama

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  15. those tarte aux fruits are calling my name. yummy!
    hope the sun comes out soon and that you and wilf eat well while the font is away!

    the booker man and asa's mama

    p.s. -- sorry if you get copies of my comment. blogger is being feisty this evening.

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