So okay my wish wasn't granted and it hasn't really stopped raining and my garden is even more like a bog. However the clébards (my dogs) did get their much needed walks over the weekend.
Our Saturday walk was dry but the Sunday walk turned out to be an different story.
After having kept an eye on the weather all morning Bob & I decided to go for it after lunch and walk into the little village of Limalonges, cut down by the cemetry, turn out towards Theil and then back into La Crouzille - a nice leisurely stroll of about an hour.
Of course it wasn't raining when we left, Oskar was straining on his lead and Puddle the Jack Russell was dancing around our legs howling. Bob shouts he can't understand why she 'makes this racket' EVERY time we go out, I yell back at him that it all stems back to her puppyhood when I used to kick a football for her whilst out walking. He says she's got a scew loose somewhere, I tell him she's a Jack Russell.
I must admit as we left the house there was a bit of wind and lots of ominous dark grey clouds scudding across the sky and I suppose we should've known better but I'd been assured in the past that when it's windy it doesn't rain and confidently told this to Bob - right! As we were about to find out what goes in the Vienne isn't necessarily applicable in any other department of France. Bob lives in the Deux-Sevres.
We'd gotten just over halfway when the heavens opened and being on the most exposed part of our walk - no hedge rows/trees - we were, within minutes, well and truely sodden. Jeans plastered to legs, drips on noses, squelchy shoes, the works. Mind you I did discover just how waterproof my black coat isn't.
Trying to be helpful at seeing and hearing Bob's obvious discomfort - well he's a man - he'd not taken a scarf, hat or gloves, I suggested taking a short cut down an old cart track which would've cut at least 10 minutes off our trek. However, he refused point blank on the grounds that he'd recently cleaned his shoes and didn't want to get mud on them. . . At this point I'm making no comment!
We did eventually reach the shelter of home - 10 minutes later than it could've been - and it was oh soooo lovely opening the door on the welcoming heat of the log burner which Bob had thoughtfully stoked up before we left. The clébards were glad to be back too and once released from his harness Oskar shook splattering muddy water all up the walls of the entrance hall before dashing to rearrange their quilt. Something he enjoys doing on a regular basis and which I know annoys Puddle. Being a woman I can sympathise with her on that!
Twenty minutes later Bob and I were dried off, sitting in front of the fire, drinking steaming cups of tea and watching a re-run of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.
The clébards? Fast asleep on their quilt where else?
dimanche 6 décembre 2009
jeudi 3 décembre 2009
Missing Hotbird!!
Thursday 3rd December
Bob & I spent the whole of Tuesday afternoon 'attempting' to set- up my satelite TV with Orange. First off it took 3 full hours for the decoder to 'update' itself - should've realised at this point that problems were looming - and then finding the satelite Hotbird was just IMPOSSIBLE!! Bob, bless him, was up and down the ladder like a yo-yo. We had the compass out, walked down the road to take a look at the neighbours' dish to see in which general direction it was pointing, even went on-line to get the co-ordinates but Hotbird it seems has flown the coop. Result, we wasted an afternoon and I still have no TV. I suppose my next step will be to give Orange a ring on their Help line, free until actually connected to an assistant, and ask if a Technicien can come out and find this missing bird for me. I suspect this is probably only a ploy by Orange, even though they say in the instruction booklet it's simple to set up your TV by satelite, to wring more money out of us. Anyone would think I'm anti-Orange.
Now would I be?
Since our exploits with satelites and dishes I've worked, it's rained and Bob has spent time at his house. The clébards, my 2 dogs, have become like a couple of dumplings due to the lack of walks due to the rotten weather and my waistline is threatening to spill out over the top of my jeans due to lack of walks. Anyway I've put my order in for some sunshine or at least dry weather but perhaps it's not only Hotbird that's gone mising up there. . .
Bob & I spent the whole of Tuesday afternoon 'attempting' to set- up my satelite TV with Orange. First off it took 3 full hours for the decoder to 'update' itself - should've realised at this point that problems were looming - and then finding the satelite Hotbird was just IMPOSSIBLE!! Bob, bless him, was up and down the ladder like a yo-yo. We had the compass out, walked down the road to take a look at the neighbours' dish to see in which general direction it was pointing, even went on-line to get the co-ordinates but Hotbird it seems has flown the coop. Result, we wasted an afternoon and I still have no TV. I suppose my next step will be to give Orange a ring on their Help line, free until actually connected to an assistant, and ask if a Technicien can come out and find this missing bird for me. I suspect this is probably only a ploy by Orange, even though they say in the instruction booklet it's simple to set up your TV by satelite, to wring more money out of us. Anyone would think I'm anti-Orange.
Now would I be?
Since our exploits with satelites and dishes I've worked, it's rained and Bob has spent time at his house. The clébards, my 2 dogs, have become like a couple of dumplings due to the lack of walks due to the rotten weather and my waistline is threatening to spill out over the top of my jeans due to lack of walks. Anyway I've put my order in for some sunshine or at least dry weather but perhaps it's not only Hotbird that's gone mising up there. . .
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)