I received vexing news regarding Loic this morning. It appears alas that his wooden leg is riddled with worm and we would therefore be left without a gardener until the village carpenter had time to turn him a new one! Normally this would not take long however, there has been an outbreak of sudden deaths in the village after the clog maker tried adding wood shavings to the last batch of eau e vie to give it an oaky flavour. The experiment might have worked had he used any other wood rather than yew and not included the berries, hence the carpenter is tie up with a rush job on coffins and will not be free until Friday. This is intolerable, as unless something is done soon I shall be forced to pick the soft fruit myself!
Chief Patissier is still awaiting deliveries of sprogets and flanges from Brest but meanwhile he and Antoine have come to my rescue with a cunning plan to save the day Using only some spare parts from the old dough maker, a discarded bicycle and an old horse harness, they have designed a splendid artificial limb for Loic and are at this very moment transporting him by wheelbarrow to the village blacksmith to have it made and fitted. They would have of course have taken him in the governess cart but it being Dimanche Jacques has the day off and it would look foolish to transport ones gardener by motorcar.
If all goes well Loic should be back in action by Tuesday. His new leg has the added benefits of interchangeable attachments made from garden tools, which I am sure, will be a great bonus when it comes to double digging.
Meanwhile I have put the children on weeding duty. I am sure the fresh air will do middle child some good and at least if he vomits in the garden I shall not have to fetch Madame Grognonne to clear it up.
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Today’s painting is a rather fetching seen of children playing with lighted matches in the garden by Sargent. I know it is not terribly relevant but thought you might find it preferable to an image of the either the village clog maker in his death throws or the carpenter employed in making coffins. I do hope you will forgive me if I am wrong.
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11 comments:
There's woodworm in my blog today as well....poor Loic..are you really sure I cant look after him? I always put vomiting kids outside...under the trees...a distance from the house...even in winter! Especially after 18th birthday bash....I think there were at least 10 banished to the garden then...not all mine I hasten to add!
just noticed your comment on Frances' list of 8 ....Virginia? My paternal grandparents hailed form Virginia...have got family tree here somwhere...
Yes, I prefer this picture - it's gorgeous.
That picture is lovely.
Poor Loic-I laughed out loud at the garden attachments being handy for double digging!! YOu are a card un Peu!
warm wishes
x
Bon jour!
Let me begin by thanking you again for involving me in the tagging. It was fun trying to very quickly just make the list. (Of course, later on I did think of much better choices, but that info can be doled out gradually, episodically, if you will.)
Also quickly, may I say that the Sargeant painting is one that I have always liked. I have a very old postcard with that image. I would never mail the postcard without first obtaining a duplicate. Something about those lanterns.
Virginia is where I was raised. And for many years, in another career, I worked in a law firm in the field of municipal finance, focusing on bond issues (debt financing) for various cities, counties, towns, districts, authorities, and even villages in North Carolina. Please do let me know in which part of those states your family resided. Your having a southern connection was such a surprise!
I have not yet properly commented on your most recent tales from the chateau. Though the spate of accidents must vex you thoroughly, and delay your acquisition of the needed titanium white paint, your recounting of these incidents have thoroughly engaged this reader.
May your day be calmer, but your creative spirit soar!
xo
Ah sorry, couldn't concentrate on the yew berries as was adoring that picture....
Fantastic vivid imagination, or is it all real ?
Please tell me its real life is so boring and at least we know someone is having a good time not sure about the vomit poor Madame Grognonne.
Blossom
Bonjour Un Peau,
Adore the picture, do you know who the artist is, of children with lanterns. Vomit, ugh, cleared that up yesterday when one of my dogs was sick on the carpet!
Camilla.x
What a beautiful painting that is. Such a nice image to take to bed with me - if I don't dream of children setting fire to the woods.
When Loic is finished double digging at your place please send him over here - I was thinking of pigs for the double digging, but Loic would be much less trouble.
Wonderful writing - at least if he vomits in the garden I shall not have to fetch Madame Grognonne to clear it up. LOL
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