Its own ultimate gift .

The tall , General de Gaulle , lookalike is still working happily away on painting the shutters . At five thirty last night he emerged from the assembly line in the barn to announce that they would all be rehung today that and that he would start work on the windows themselves . Progress ! Now all we need to concentrate on is getting the pool pump working again and deal with the chlorinated water that continues to bubble up , mysteriously , from the lawn . Monsieur Risotto and his trench digging equipment are due later this morning to search for a possible blockage in the pools overflow system . " Might be a hedgehog in your pipes " he told me helpfully on the phone . That's a phrase you don't hear often I thought .

Down into the little market town with Wilf for coffee , a bowl of water and a croissant . The old fellow hasn't wanted to join me these last few days but this morning he sauntered slowly out of the front door ready to be picked up and put in the back of the car . As we sat down at the table outside the cafe he was greeted by a chorus of ' bonjour Vilfees ' from the plumber, the joiner, the electrician , the entire beer and absinthe set and the usually shy man on his motability scooter . Wilfs owner is ignored . A small white polar bear settles down with a sigh under the table. As he does so his rear end can be seen waggling with delight . As all PONs know , " In the end , life lived to its fullest is its own ultimate gift " .