Bonjour
Hope you had a great week.
Here it’s been proper frosty in the mornings and very cold, even during the day the frost has stayed thick on the ground, sparkling when a ray of sun manages to get through the clouds. I have had to carry buckets of water down to the bird pens every morning, not my favourite job but the water is frozen in the pipes outside so, it has to be done.
Samson and Delilah the naughty ducklings are looking more like Samson and Derek. Delilah has grown to such a size I think I’d win prizes for her so I’m pretty sure she is a he (it’s surprisingly hard to tell). Delilah/Derek is the worst behaved duck I’ve ever had, jumping in the buckets of water and splashing me, trying to wrangle the buckets of food out of my hand, pecking at my scarf and boots and pulling at my coat. I’ve attempted to train this bad duck but unlike a dog, she/he doesn’t respond to bribery, shouting, deep voice commands or anything else.
The cold weather has bought the local stray cats to my back door. I’m sorry to tell you that a few of mine have passed away this year. The problem with stray cats here is that they’re generally in a sorry state when I get them, I do my best but sometimes they don’t make old bones. Hank Marvin He’s Always Starvin’ and Ginger Roger the deaf cat caught cat flu and didn’t respond to the vet’s treatment and my lovely ‘Enry Cooper simply disappeared. So, I’m now down to 4 cats. But if you look on my terrace at night when I put food out for the hedgehogs, there are generally 5 more cats out there all scoffing away and making use of the insulated shelters I put out for their use. Actually I’m pretty sure that at least three of them live across the road. But it’s a free meal right! I’ve promised not to take in any more animals because we’re planning to try to get to Paris for a 6 month stay at some point and a menagerie of cats, dogs and birds isn’t part of the plan. Unless anyone knows of a cheap farm to rent in the city!
Wishing you a very bon weekend wherever you are. Don’t miss The Good Life France advent calendar on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram – taking you right up to Christmas Day!
Bisous from my little pigsty/office!
Janine
Editor
Photo: St Paul de Vence, by OT Vence, sparkling streets under a twinkling sky…
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