07 September 2006

Oysters and lamb

Yesterday was a real treat. I was given a bike computer to go with my new birthday bike. I know I'm 54, but I like gizmos. I was also given two goldfish in a round bowl with lots of bright blue stones in the bottom. Now the computer bit I can do, but I'm a bit flummoxed with the fish - Barthez the Blackmoor, after the French goalkeeper who always wears black and has similarly bulbous eyes - and A Fish called Honda who is a Ryukin I think, from the pictures on Google. I can't bear to see them swimming in circles bored stiff, so I'm off to the pet shop for a new house, filter, playthings and art for the fish as soon as M. Lafitte's delivered 500 litres of oil for the boiler.

Frankly the best bit of yesterday was watching Josh, my 14 year old nephew, wolfing down oysters. I don't think that would have been on the cards if he was still living in Southampton. Poppy my niece couldn't be tempted by anything spookier than a prawn. I'm disowning her.


It's a day for wildlife. Each morning I cycle in the vineyards with the dogs. I have attachments on my bike to which the dogs are harnessed, so that I can keep both hands on the handlebars. This morning at 7am I decided to take a slightly different route with them, and whilst cycling along quite merrily we came upon a good number of chickens. Flynn the Husky's seen off two of our hens, so I was very wary. Whilst trying to cycle on through and discourage Flynn from taking up the chase I realised I could hear a plaintive bleating. I looked round to find a tiny lamb hacking along behind us as though we were his long-lost family. And behind him was his mother looking like we were lunch. Suffice it to say that a momentous tussle and a great deal of swearing saw Kit the Labradorable and Flynn and I on our way again leaving all the wildlife behind us. A different route tomorrow eh?

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