Day 2 of the First 100 Days

On a rainy day in the Département de l’Eure at an exhibit of antique cars and baby carriages, I didn’t expect we’d be drinking aperitifs with one of Nicolas Sarkozy’s future ministers, but what better way to pick the right team – than by starting with Normandy?

If you need to get a job done, ask a Norman to do it. Anything is possible in Normandy – for example – today it’s been raining for a good part of the day – so how do you plan a picnic in the rain? Undeterred, our hosts found a way. All you need is some canvas over your head, a few tables and chairs. And if your hosts happen to be Florence and Pierre, food and drink appear before you can blink your eyes twice.

Talk about moveable feasts. No need for ornate barbecues with rotisseries, a perfectly cooked roast of beef, roast pork, various salads appear in quick succession. The ‘bar’ is a hollowed out baby carriage with compartments for bottles and everything necessary for mixing drinks. By the end of the day, the rain is gone. Almost a perfect day – that would be if the world didn’t revolve around infrastructure i.e. plumbing. Another story – for another day.

Infrastructure may not be high on the list at Elysee Palace . . . but don’t be surprised if it will be a subject for a few posts on parislogue.com.
One topic that will apparently be at the top of the list next month at the G-8 which meeting will be climate change (which Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel will host).

If you, like I thought that climate change is one of those barely definable things that ‘only a scientist could confirm’ come spend a few days in Normandy. And listen to the crickets.
Yes. Crickets. The thing is, Normandy never used to have crickets – at least never where we lived. Since 1989, we’ve been coming to Normandy almost every summer. I’ve never heard crickets – now every night – in the spring – we have crickets chirping away. Why? Clearly, G-8 will have plenty to talk about. We’ll save infrastructure for another day.
Like 7:30 am when the plumber arrives.