Somewhere along the line I seem to have "misplaced" my glasses (I wear them outside and for films). For anyone who wears glasses (either far sighted or near sighted), you know how annoying it is to be putting on and taking off eyeglasses, unless of course you wear contacts. Anyway, once, the first time I went to Mexico, I "lost" (misplaced) my glasses a few days before I was to leave for the semester. So, to make a long story short, I had to rush around and get a new pair.
A few weeks after my return to the States, I took the phone into the living room and as I was chatting away with a friend, there, on the top of a tall chair were my glasses! Seemed I was on my way to having a pair of glasses in every room!
In this case, I searched all over the caravan. I had been very careful to make sure I didn't leave any of my few possessions in the main house or at Dominique's (sometime I would leave my red boots on purpose for the next day's work), but I suddenly couldn't find my glasses. I thought back over the last few days and decided it was possible I had left them in the tourist office in Bagnères de Bigorre where we dropped in one day on a weekend to pick up information about the area. I had planned to spend a week there after my time was up at Pierlo's.
(My new blog: http://heleninbagneresdebigore.blogspot.com) (Yes, I was already told there are two rrs in Bigorre. If I fix it, I'll put it in here as well)
Since Pierlo had to drop by Bagnères for something, he drove me close to the information center and I found out there the lost and found was located in the town hall. It was just across the way from where Pierlo had to stop, so I got out and on the short walk, took a picture of a fountain by the town hall.
I went in, but no glasses had been found! Zut! (That's a convenient expression in French = darn). I adopted this expression years ago when I was a graduate student in Paris. It supplants other not so nice expressions one might use.
Off to Dominique's for another work-filled day. Here in the potting shed we also have double duty for drying towels in weather when the line outside cannot be used.
Today it is Emily and I who will be feeding the crew. Dominique suggests there may be enough raspberries to put in a dessert. I only have these few but then Emily reminds me of the large hedge of raspberries at the entrance to the house.
On the way to the hedge, I find Suzi about to start some important cutting with the jigsaw (she has never used a jigsaw before) but seems game to try. Her resulting pieces will be used in making more "triangles" to add to those that have been sitting under cover for almost a year. There will be a further story in that information!
Although there aren't very many berries, they are huge and in perfect shape to be picked today.
The patch is on a steep, little slope, so I am careful as I make the short descent into the adjoining cornfield.
On the way back to the kitchen, I look in on those constructing the last few triangles. To say few, is to say, there are still a lot left to make. And they MUST be done by Monday! Notice how each one has many little pieces that make up the whole. Lots of "construction" here in the hot sun!
I'm afraid to say that Ma hasn't gotten the word that dogs too must participate in the daily work! If she doesn't watch out, she may get pasted into the new house!
If I remember correctly, Suzi is the self designated dessert expert, but it seems Emily is also quite comfortable in that domaine (or perhaps it was the reverse). Certainly I haven't made desserts in years, mostly because I try not to eat them and it isn't fun to make them if you can't consume them.
I love going into the garden and picking the lettuce and making sure every little bit of earth is washed off the leaves. I've noticed here at Pierlo's and at Dominique's, leaves are always left whole (I think I've noticed this too in restaurants, though I haven't really been in many of them yet). Then everyone cuts his/her portion to the best size that conforms to each person's consumption possibilities (mouth).
When lunchtime roles around, I see here again tired faces. As I look at this particular shot, I wonder if Marthe is actually going to fall right into her plate. Don't kid yourself. The second dessert will soon disappear, tired or not!
As you can see, this eating business is still going on. Marion and Vivian are usually the last to arrive so they will still be interested in some dessert.
Today we are moving into a heavier work schedule. The crane is due to arrive Monday to put up the "fermettes" (supports for the roof). So, all the triangles must be built before then. The owner of the crane will be going on vacation the day after he helps us put up the supports for the roof. It looks like today will be a long one. In addition, at lunch we were asked if we would consider working on Saturday and then having Tuesday off. Of course all were tired from a busy week, but we also realized the need to be ready for the activity with the crane.
For me it was a question of ramping up the flexibility level, not too hard as I considered that it would mean we would have two "weekends," with Monday becoming a one-day weekend. I often play these "head" games when constructing my school or prison teaching schedule. Everyone agrees to the "deal" and the work moves ahead.
At some point either Friday or Saturday, it was discovered that there had been one of 2 of the cross pieces whose distance from its "neighbors" had been a little bit off. So all of the spaces between each crosspiece were remeasured and it was a miracle that these, discovered just by chance, were the only ones that were wrong! The crew was able to make some adjustment but it took a chunk of time out of the projected time to finish what was needed to be ready for the crane.
It doesn't seem so unusual to find such an error. We always hear on many public and private work projects that the time has to be extended for finishing such a project. Happily there was only one other error, but not such a serious one. When the crew finished all the cross pieces, they left the construction ladder inside of the house structure. I remember they all sounded a little sheepish as they told those of us working in the garden about the error. I rushed over to take a picture of what I couldn't seem to imagine could have happened. So, it will have to be "cut" out (actual picture in tomorrow's blog).
After lunch I do the dishes as I often do for it is a useful contribution I can make to the group. As you can see in the background, some have already gone back to work on the "second floor." Pierlo shows Joe and Rico how to do the cutting. The presence of a vice indicates they are putting two pieces of wood together. In the second picture, you can actually see the two pieces being screwed together.
Eventually I go back to a weeding job in the garden. In addition, I have been asked to remove some of the large leaves from the squash plants. I can't believe the treasures I didn't know existed here as the outer leaves had hidden the ripening fruit. I never grew such big squash! I wonder what the secret is. These are VERY big squash. I know they won't be competition for those hundred pounds (and more) squash that appear in fall fairs, but these are quite large enough to win my respect.
And the number of fermettes continues to increase!
I slowly climb up a ladder and it seems that the house is now covered. Wrong! It is just an optical illusion. But it sure looks different from the first time we saw the house.
It must be 7 or 8 in the evening and scraps are being piled in the corner and tools being put away.
Outside Pierlo points out a flock of migrating birds, barely visible with the naked eye. Here we see them through the telephoto lens of my camera.
I seem to remember that this is one of the days we have to retrieve Tony from his house where he repeatedly goes to visit his girlfriend as Dominique's house is not too far away from where Tony lives. You can see that with so many Wwoofers as well as some tools, space is at a premium. But the dogs pile in, rather oblivious of the comic scene they have created. It gives us all a laugh!
Tomorrow will be a long day but we are all ready for it.
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