Random Bits of Uninteresting Information . . . .

          Nothing of much interest has happened, but I know you're all jones'n for a blog entry!  So here are some random bits of uninteresting information:

          Who can guess why Ford does not have school on Tuesday?  (Answer at the end of the blog entry).

This Note Was in Ford's School Notebook

           Puppy in restaurant:

Dogs Can Freely Go Into Restaurants (Indoors and Outdoors)

          Boy with dog:

Dog chooses strange place for nap:

Ed makes plum tart:

and tomato and red pepper farci:

          And from the "red tape update" department, there's this breaking news: 

          You may recall the 12-day 23-step saga that it took for us to get internet service from the Orange company in the neighboring town of Nyons.  You may also recall that we were going to get our cell phones from them as well, and the final step to get our cell phones was to acquire the coveted "Carte Bleu" which we now have.  Well, we went to the Orange company in Nyons on Thursday last week to get our cell phones.  We explained who we were and that we had recently gotten our internet service at that store (it's a very small store) and that now we had the Carte Bleu (we proudly displayed it) and we were here to get our cell phones.  The Orange employee was in accord with this information.  We spent the next 20 minutes picking out the phones and payment plan we wanted. 

          Then it was time to complete the transaction.  He asked us for a recent utility bill with our names on it.  I thought he was joking.  We replied that we were already Orange customers, that we had recently completed the 12-day 23-step program in this very store, that we were fully vetted, and that we were now getting Orange bills every month for internet, and that we had come from 10 miles away and that we had not thought to bring a recent utility bill and why could they possibly need it given that they were themselves sending us bills!  He was very sorry, he said, but he could not give us cell phones without a recent utility bill even though Orange already knows who were are and he was staring at our information in the computer and Orange itself is sending us bills and has already admitted us as customers.  Averil showed him a bill from earlier in the year (she carries it around in her purse so we can get local discounts) but he said that wasn't recent enough.  We should please return with a bill from the last month or two.

          I was sure Averil was going to go postal . . . or at least say something to express our joint displeasure.  This was going to be good!  I withdrew a couple of steps to watch the fireworks:

         Man:  I'm sorry, you'll have to return with a recent utility bill, there's nothing I can do.

         Ave:  Oh, well that's OK, I'm in accord.

         Man:  Well, good day to you.

         Ave:  And good day to you too!

         Man:  And goodbye!

         Ave:  Goodbye!

         Man:  Here, let me get the door for you.

         Ave:  Oh, thank you!

         Man:  Goodbye again!

         Ave:  Goodbye, have a nice day!

         Man:  You have a nice day too!

         Ave:  Ok, goodbye.

         Man:  Goodbye!

          [Answer to question of why Ford has no school on Tuesday:  His teacher is striking for the day.  We are not entirely sure why Asha's teacher is not striking.]