France pt3: Miscellany

There are two regional drinks of the Charente. One is Cognac, named after the town there where from the 13th century this brandy has been brewed. The other is Pineau, a kind of poor-man’s cognac, originally made from the dregs from the cognac. It is more likely what you’ll find the local’s drink. It is not as strong and has a very nutty taste. In fact it tastes very much like a mix between cognac and amaretto. Two thumbs up.

Farm life is a manly world of hard work and self-sufficiency. As such I felt right at home. Is someone laughing? Whilst there, as well as ridding a wall of a vast, dangerous, and, some would say, carnivorous, Ivy infestation, I sifted rocks, hacked down nettles as tall as a short human, encountered all manner of wild beasties, and, people, I repaired my own hat. There are people – many people – who faced with the non-fastenability of their hat would throw said hat to the ground and declare it lost. I used to be such a guy. Now, I reach for the pliers, then the hammer and a piece of wood and I repair that hat and then I place it upon my head and declare, people, I fixed this!!!
Meanwhile my father has almost-single-handedly extended the house, repaired several barns and dug metres and metres of trenches. But, people, forget perspective: look at the hat.