postscript autumn 21

ONE OR TWO ASPECTS of the 25th visit to 1rFB not covered elsewhere in this blog. In no particular order. 

First up (i.e. the view shown above) The gutter of number one, which has twisted out-of-true gradually as our years of ownership have rolled out, to a point where the pigeons can no longer take a bath in the residual water left up there, after it has rained. During showers, until Mr Fernandes intervened, passers-by might have been taken by surprise by cascades from above. Cascades from above are common enough during inclemency in Sablet. Folk should stay home if they can't cope with getting wet. Now we trust at 1rFB at least concentrated downpour will no longer be a risk. I have to point out that the guttering was not put to the test before we had left to return to our UK estates, so we cannot verify that the adjustment made has been successful; but we have no reason to doubt Mr Fernandes's skill in sorting the matter out. It cost enough. Cherrypickers don't come cheap y'know.

Secondly,  I also record here the decision we made this autumn to set in train the redecoration of the shutters of 1rFB. This also included the making of new shutters for the first floor living room, (the existing ones were shot) which we did eventually, at almost the eleventh hour, see delivered and hung, although not painted. Once again, I cannot report the completion of this sprucing-up development although I gather that all the shutters have been removed, painted and rehung, under the watchful eye of Deb (Locke) who has overseen the operation in our absence. Thanks Deb, we are grateful. The garage doors and water meter cupboard door remain to be done, as we didn't think it politic to have open doors to the garage or the water meter (little fingers playing with der stop-cock for example) while no-one is in the house. Someone might nick Fafner, the boiler. Our painter is Mr Boukersanna who used to fly the pigeons. 

The colour? Grey of course. Which grey? Gris Silicum. No point in showing you as every snap taken thus far shows a different colour grey (it's the light appertaining, you understand). Oh alright, here's Deb's confirmatory snap proving the progress thus far. Those shutters were green before. They are not green now.

I record here that we dined deliciously at one of our favourite nearby villages, Puyméras. We planned a second visit to the Café des Barrys there, it is a jolly place, very popular, but we didn't somehow manage to fit it in. 

We noted the increase generally of the mechanised collection of the grape harvest. Many vineyards are still being picked by hand, usually Spanish or Portuguese, but there are many more self propelled picking machines. We noted them particularly on the Plan de Dieu, and watched another at work above Suzette.

Just in case I have over-egged the colour blue, I'll conclude this postscript post with colour from one of our final week jollies, a walk taking in the restored chapel of St Hilaire, just as the colour of autumn was really getting going… and also, after a good lunch, on our last day Sabletside, a final review of the Baronnies from a distance when we popped up to Rabais Sud — of course we did. Rather bleu n'est ce pas? Just could not get round it this autumn: it was blue.

I end with Suzette. Currently my most favourite village* (no shops… but views in all directions, not least to Le Géant). Their wine is top flight, by the way.

*Apart from Sablet that is………