Another Productive Day in The Auvergne

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The days have their own rhythm here. They are divided into two distinct parts: 9 to 12 and 2 to 8Pm. Yes, everything still closes for the sainted lunch period. Even here on our little hill, everything is quiet except the clanking of cutlery on plates. My little family has not quite gotten the hang of it yet. We get up early, work through lunch and start feasting on cheese and bread by 6Pm. Quelle travesty. I will try, I promise, to do better in the next few days, but I cannot see taking the time to make a four course lunch in the middle of the day when I could be painting shutters. My New York attitude is still coming through, but then it has not been a week yet. Give me time.
If one wants to get anything accomplished, one better gets up early here. Because stores also close at lunch. So either you get going early or you wait till two. In that spirit, Husband and I left for Clermont, the bigger city, by 8 yesterday morning. It had been raining through the night and fog clung to the hills. Our quest was to buy building materials so that we can start working on a funky room in the house. It used to be a kitchen when my parents bought the house. Now it serves a s a television room ( though we have not even connected it yet.) During the year, our plump little plumber drilled channels into the granite walls to hide the copper pipes. Mr, Chataing came by yesterday to take a look at our water heater which is providing us with hot water but which is spewing water from the pressure valve. No fear. Mr. Chataign is on the job. Which led my french neighbor to declare that she has been waiting for one year to have him come back to hook up a sink. I don't know. I guess Mr. Plumber likes me. I also send Christmas cards to his wife and bring little presents for the grand-children. I know how to treat my most -important Auvergnats well. Without them we would be sitting here without water or electricity. And that would be hell, I tell you.
The above pictures were taken yesterday on our way back up to Pissis from Clermont.