monsieur slip

There's a guy who lives above us in the chalet next to the field where the crane was sitting and every single day (no exaggeration) in the grass-growing season, if it's not raining, he's out there mowing the lawn - in nothing but a pair of very small men's briefs! Locally he's known as Monsieur Slip (Mr Underpants). His garden is immaculate but when I passed today I saw eight-inch deep tractor tracks going right across his lawn. BB never told me about this. The man must be livid. It's bad enough that he's had to put up with the bright yellow eyesore sitting on the edge of his garden for the last few weeks (clashing with his petunias and geraniums) - but to trash his lawn! I've never spoken to him (he only arrived last year) but I must go up with a bottle of something and apologise - although I've heard he can talk the hind legs off a donkey so I may be gone for some time.

(Talking of donkeys - Justine and Zoé are doing fine but now it seems three's a crowd and Nainbo is suggesting that I take the other one, Rosalea. I saw this coming.)

We picked our potatoes today (about 250 kg), and the beetroots, which I've pickled. I've also left 40 green walnuts from our tree to marinade in some of Roquin's gnole (the pure alcohol he makes with the grape stalks, pips and skin left over after he's made his wine). After 40 days you add white wine and sugar to make vin de noix. I've not tried this before but I've done it with orange peel to make vin d'orange and it's very tasty.

A farmer from a neighbouring village passed today and says he can move the crane down here. He's a proper farmer with proper working equipment. He's going to call back with a date - so fingers crossed.