Sometimes life is a bit strange out here in rural France.
I was sitting, relaxing last night when Ella the German shepherd who’s meant to be a Spaniel, started to growl. Normally that means there’s someone coming up the path but here in this sleepy little agricultural village it’s almost unheard of for someone to be out and about at 8.30 at night so I took no notice.
Then… the doorbell rang. Blimey, I nearly fell of the chair – someone at the door … at this time of the evening … on a school night…?
When I opened the door an earnest young man tried to thrust a plastic box into my hands and run. I, however am pretty good at resisting such tactics – 30 odd years of commuting into the City of London will do that to you.
It turns out that the box was a gift from the Mayor and there was a photocopy of a handwritten letter to go with it and he told me that everyone in the village was to receive a package from the Mayor.
I was pretty excited at this turn of events – it’s an election year so I am prepared to be bribed with chocolate or cake.
Imagine my surprise to find a gigantic box of rat poison!
It turns out that the Mairie (Town Hall to me and you) has had lots of complaints about rats and mice in the area and so Monsieur Le Mayor decided it would be a good idea to give us all a packet of poison to kill the little buggers off.
I have to tell you, with my three cats – there’s no mice or rats in this house … they wouldn’t stand a chance – still it’s the thought that counts!
A bientôt Janine
