Dogs, guns and battles.

St Michel
Yesterday's weather: sunny 20 deg.

I've just had to call the cats in. Luckily Jazz was already here, having been out all night, otherwise I would be getting frantic by now.

The posse of white vans and Landrovers has just driven up and there are dogs in our field dressed in the obligatory bright orange scarves. I think someone has been tipped off about the wild boar turning over our land the other night and they have come in search of some sport.

Figaro, who thinks he is also a dog, is quite keen to get out there and play with the other dogs but I have restrained him and he is now in the kitchen sulking. I hope the hunters soon become dispirited and go on their way. I loathe seeing guns right outside my door.

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There was a report on Radio 4 this morning regarding Nicholas Sarkozy's intended reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. The report came from our local town, Cahors and interviewees included a local lamb farmer who explained that it costs more to raise a lamb than is recuperated in its sale. These people want reforms. Another, a wanabee young farmer, explained that many young people would love to farm but old farmers who are past retirement age receive more in CAP subsidies than they would from a pension. This young person also wants reforms but, it seems, older French farmers don't want any CAP reforms.

Also this week was a report on the BBC about Mr Sarkozy's reforms regarding the accessibility to the French health system for non-working immigrants. This has caused all sorts of worries for people who have taken early retirement to France and who will now have to fund private health insurance until they reach their pensionable age in the UK (i.e. 65).

It seems to me that France's 'New Broom' is going to have a few battles on his hands.