The Joys of Country Living

Maison Chouette

Mourceau, France

June 23, 2010

The Joys of Country Living

or

The Dog Stole My Shoe

When we arrived at Maison Chouette I put two pairs of shoes outside that were soaking wet from close encounters with Swiss puddles. The beautiful French sun was doing a glorious job drying them when Amelia gazed out the window and said, "A dog has your shoe." We raced outside and a neighbor's dog, which had been holding one of my shoes, dropped the shoe and ran home. (See picture of dog looking so angelic. Paul thinks he looks sheepish.) Happily I retrieved the shoe. Only then did it become clear that the dog had already absconded with one of each pair of shoes! With one shoe of each pair safely back inside we scanned the road. About 200' down the lane we found one of the missing shoes - a good walking shoe - so I have one complete pair. But alas, even with two days of looking, we have not found the other one (a flip flop). The dog must have found a good spot to stash the goods while they were still hot.

The dog's a cool character - I quizzed him in English and French. Knowing full well he didn't understand 'shoe' in English I interrogated him in French. Yes, I asked Paul how to say, "Bring back my shoe" in French. But that dog just gazed at me with an innocent look that said, "Who me?"

If you see him keep your shoes on.

Tour de France

The towns in the area are getting ready for the Tour de France bike race. It is coming right through the nearby village of Moulins Englibert on July 9th. Paul, a big biker, is crushed he won't be here. The streets are already decorated with flags and yellow bikes (bike above a bit of loveliness in the village) Maybe someday we'll come back...

Country Living

We are all really enjoying this blissful break - getting a chance to unwind and read good books. A short stroll down the country lane takes us by donkeys (well fed with carrots), big white cows and even bigger bulls (at least one who like to run at the fence as bikers go by). We could stay here a long time...but we are off to Paris on Saturday.

Happy summer to all those in the Northern Hemisphere (and happy winter to our other friends),

Jackie

P.S. Choutte is a type of Owl.