Well I never! I am still in a state of shock.
There I am loading the van in preparation for market, and a strange car drives down the road. My neighbour from down the other road (we have lots of long distance neighbours in our commune some of whom I recognise only by their vans/tractors) pops out of the car and says
"I have a delivery for you".
"Oh goodness thank you so very much "c'est trés gentille", did he drop it at your house by mistake?"
"No he came to the market at Montpon and told me that he did not have time to drop it off up at our commune so I must bring it up for him. It is not the first time he has done this to me, usually I say no, but seeing as it is you and you are only round the back of our house I said yes this time."
"Lucky for me" said I.
Other pleasantries followed and she and her daughter disappeared up the road.
Now I always knew this was a small community where everyone knows everyone but I had not realised that the small community bit stretched as far as cheeky delivery drivers in Bordeaux. Good job she knew me otherwise we would have sausageless markets this week as all my sausages skins were in the box. Now just to be clear this neighbour was not arbitarily accosted on the road by delivery man, she is actually a market trader. One enters a new echelon of community here when one becomes a regular market trader, quite handy really, restores ones faith in people.
There I am loading the van in preparation for market, and a strange car drives down the road. My neighbour from down the other road (we have lots of long distance neighbours in our commune some of whom I recognise only by their vans/tractors) pops out of the car and says
"I have a delivery for you".
"Oh goodness thank you so very much "c'est trés gentille", did he drop it at your house by mistake?"
"No he came to the market at Montpon and told me that he did not have time to drop it off up at our commune so I must bring it up for him. It is not the first time he has done this to me, usually I say no, but seeing as it is you and you are only round the back of our house I said yes this time."
"Lucky for me" said I.
Other pleasantries followed and she and her daughter disappeared up the road.
Now I always knew this was a small community where everyone knows everyone but I had not realised that the small community bit stretched as far as cheeky delivery drivers in Bordeaux. Good job she knew me otherwise we would have sausageless markets this week as all my sausages skins were in the box. Now just to be clear this neighbour was not arbitarily accosted on the road by delivery man, she is actually a market trader. One enters a new echelon of community here when one becomes a regular market trader, quite handy really, restores ones faith in people.
Now I am not usually one to trip down memory lane but as Gavins parents are visiting soon for a month and Gavins Dad has just won an award for services to the dairy industry in Zimbabwe for over 50 years "The Dairy Oscar 2014", I thought I would share some pics of what we used to do and what his family continue to do in Zimbabwe. These pics were taken during December when it is warm and wet just before we left to come to France in 2004 , the dog herding cows in Gavins mums garden was Stripe, Gavins dog, they won the Zimbabwe National Sheepdog Trial Championship together one year, I forget which year. Stripe is now chasing sheep in doggie heaven. The bottom line shows the farm transportation, Mum-in-laws pool and our house with various younger versions of the family in each photo.
Enjoy.
See you soon
Helen
Enjoy.
See you soon
Helen
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