Light and Warmth

Well-it's blimmin cold here today. but no snow yet...The cat found a sunnier spot on the windowsill, and dozed with his paws in the bowl of chestnuts. Since he had arranged his feet so symmetrically, (in what my Dad used to call the 'Primitive Methodist' position-ie both front feet tucked right in ) it seemed it would be a shame to disturb him. Apparently, cats choose to rest in places that are not good, psychically speaking, for humans to rest in. Whereas dogs do choose to rest in places which are also positive places for humans to rest. Unless the dog is flatulent, and still there, of course. I don't know what you're supposed to do if a cat decides to sit in your lap.

In the evening, before M gets home, I set a candle at the kitchen window so that he can see it as he comes up the drive. I don't really know why...When I turned the kitchen light off to take this candle photo tonight, I noticed that, through the window, you can just make out the lights of Sourdeval twinkling in the distance.

A Nasty Moment

It was Thursday morning, and I stood just by our gate with our little staffie, Bessie, who was on the lead waiting for her walk. When I saw that, coming down the lane, was this low, stout, and bulky dark shape. If it's possible to lumber along quite fast, then it was lumbering fast. Could it be a wild boar??? We certainly can get them around here. What to do???? The only universal advice I've heard is NOT TO RUN. The best thing, apparently, is to climb a tree. I looked at Bessie-whilst she adores (so far) all humankind, she has two reactions to other animals (other than frank whom she also adores) 1-She regards them as beneath contempt and attention, or 2-She reacts like a rabid crocodile. So far, she was ignoring this creature. I swung the gate to as quickly as I could and photo'd the creature again...then realised it was the escapee pot bellied pig which is the pet of a nearby farmer. What an anticlimax. Several phone calls later, using my rather inadequate french, the farmer was traced, and the pig collected. Later on, I went on another dog walk past the pig pen...whereas this pig is usually rootling around in the afternoon, yesterday he was fast asleep on his side, oblivious to everything.

Our Dog is Too Fat

Took Frank to the (French of course) vet recently for his vaccinations. The vet pinched bits of his flesh around the hips (Franks flesh that is, not his own), and told me he is too fat. We should be able to feel his ribs easily, apparently.

It's probably related to my decision to have him castrated. (Something the French are not keen on) It has bought him his freedom, but at a price. Perhaps the castration thing is why you see so many over 40 yr old pot bellied men around....

Am having to light the fire a little earlier every day now. It's cosy, but it's loads of work-and I don't even do the log chopping bit. Apparently, we'll have snow in the next couple of days. One of our neighbouring farmers has been burning bit of wood out in the filed, form his recent bocage clearance. he has sorted out all the useful bits, so it's just the thin leafy twigs left to burn. The smoke from the fire whisks up a long way and, as he deposits each new load on from his tractor, the dead leaves roar and crackle like a box of fireworks being set off all at once. Perhaps we will all benefit from having a little extra fat over the next few months to keep us warm....