Preparing for the Coming Season

Célestine has been for her pre-season checkup. She's in good health, with new oil and the annoying panel on one of her back doors fixed so clients don't all have to pile in from one side only.

Last year we began using a garage in Bossay sur Claise, the next village upstream from Preuilly. The mechanic is 'young Cosson', and the workshop is quite remarkably neat and tidy. He's the youngest scion of the Cosson family, all involved in the family business. He and his mother and one staff member run the mechanical side of the operation on the rive droite, his father and older brother run the panel beating workshop on the rive gauche. His brother Tony is rather a local celebrity, being the French rally car champion for 2012, and having won the title a number of times before I believe. Mme Cosson tells me that young Alexandre, our mechanic, has taken up the sport too, since last year.

At the same time I booked in Célestine for her contrôle, I booked in the mower for a révision too, at the same garage -- no job too small for them. I knew the mower would need an oil change and the blades sharpening. Alexandre tells me he also fitted a new spark plug and replaced the air filter, but he says it is in good nick and goes well. He also asked me if I ever tipped it over on its side. 'Yes, sometimes, probably...'. 'Hmm, well, make sure you only tip it to the right, OK?' 'OK'. I remember reading something in the instructions about not tipping it over, but never understood why, and couldn't figure out how you dealt with looking at the blades and suchlike if you couldn't tip it over. I'm still not entirely sure why one doesn't tip to the left, but I believe it has something to do with not getting oil on the spark plug.

Alexandre was slightly bemused to be asked if I could take his photo with my mower...

I really like Nadine (Mme Cosson) and her family. For one thing, they always seem to understand what I say, even over the phone, and are very patient when making sure I understand them. It's always really interesting (and relieving) to meet people who have the knack of understanding heavily accented non-fluent French. It's interesting that some people, like the Cosson's, are so intuitive, where others, equally benignly disposed towards me, can't understand a word I say.

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Loire Valley Nature Update: The entry for Violet Helleborine orchid Epipactis purpurata has been updated.
The entry for Autumn Lady's Tresses orchid Spiranthes spiralis has been updated.