The Fence Post

A French point of view

Bonjour! I’m in France—Toulouse, to be exact. I’m with my son, Daniel, Rachel, and three grandchildren for three weeks. We’re here just for the pleasure of being in southern France.

Rachel especially loves the Victor Hugo market, which has more than 40 meat sellers, many cheese sellers, seafood and duck sellers, and beautifully packaged foie gras. Yesterday, I saw sardine-wrapped olives.

But what stood out for me and the children was the chickens with their heads and feet still attached—not a sight I’ve ever seen in the US. These are great for making broth, as the feet have great collagen. We bought the sweetest strawberries I’ve ever tasted. Divine! Absolutely a taste of heaven.

The French go food shopping every day or every other day, which explains the small refrigerator and freezer. I could definitely enjoy this lifestyle. I love food, and getting up in the morning and anticipating going to the market, strolling around, and peering into the cases of beautifully displayed foods excites me.

Before retiring last night, I was already thinking of tonight’s dinner. I’m thinking seafood, but Daniel wants steak. The kids want pastries, of course.

Strolling down the boulevard—indeed, it is a boulevard—as wide as a car lane. Still, for pedestrians only. We were in the shade of mighty sycamore trees, and everyone we passed seemed to be enjoying the moment, not hurrying at all.

We made our way to a beautiful park with glorious flowers, a rose garden, beautiful statues, and an old woman bent over feeding the pigeons and rooster in abundance. The playground was alive with giggles and squeals of delight. I was soaking up every moment. We climbed through a circle of holly saplings and underneath the “mother” holly with low branches and children climbing and challenging one another.

I'm always looking for fences! I spied the wooden sand fencing we use for erosion in the States, but here, they used it to provide a safety boundary when you walk up the cobblestone path to the top of a small hill. It was a lovely use of this fencing. Its weathered appearance blended perfectly with the shrubs and flowers behind it. I’m thinking of ways to use it on my property. I like the fact that it’s only three feet tall and not obtrusive.

Take a look at our wooden fence offerings. You may find it’s the perfect thing for your garden.

Call Terry at 978-486-3116 (tap to call)for assistance!

Bonne Journee!

Warm regards

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

Purple Hearts and Evil Surgeons

Yesterday, I talked about my dad’s Purple Hearts and the shrapnel in his eye. Someone asked me to explain what happened with his eye, so here I go.

After the bomb exploded, leaving shrapnel in his leg and eye, they transferred Dad to a field hospital. They attended to his immediate needs and set him up in a large tent with numerous other injured soldiers. With Dad’s eye being affected, they had wrapped his head and face in gauze so that he couldn’t see.

Two young surgeons met with him and explained they needed to remove the injured eye. I think Dad was about 22: young, scared, and naive. He accepted this was his fate. Dad had tremendous faith in God and never showed fear or anxiety to us as kids, so I don’t really know how he was handling this.

The next morning, a young doctor was making his rounds. He came to my dad’s bed, picked up his chart hanging from the end of his bed, read the name, and said, “Billy Hoffman? The Billy Hoffman from Lincolnton, North Carolina?”

“Yes,” my dad answered.

The doctor introduced himself, and Dad immediately knew who he was: a classmate from his hometown. What a small world. The doctor sat on the edge of the bed and listened to

Dad’s story, including that surgery to remove his eye, was arranged for the next day. The doctor told Dad to hold on tight as he would discuss this with the surgeons.

Walking down the makeshift corridor, he overheard the surgeons discussing Dad’s case. They said this would be a great practice for them and would give them a great experience when returning to the States. Dad’s friend was appalled and confronted the surgeons. As the doctor learned more, he concluded that eye removal was unnecessary! Imagine! Deciding to remove someone’s eye for practice’s sake. It’s so unethical.

I mentioned yesterday that Dad’s eye was fine all the rest of the days of his life, and he never wore glasses. Dad didn’t do much reading in his late 80s, so who knows if he would have needed reading glasses. But he lived to 90 and enjoyed seeing the world around him with two eyes.

I hope you have fond memories of your dad and have tales to share with family and friends. There is nothing better than a good dad. Unfortunately, Dad died eleven days before I started working at Louis Page in 2011. He would have taken great delight in perusing the website and the catalog, dreaming of ways to use our fencing products. I’m sure he would have found a way to incorporate a fence in his yard. I would have jumped at the chance to watch him dig those fence post holes.

It’s the end of April, and it's time to plan your fence. Many of our fence contractors install backyard fences this time of year to keep dogs and children safe. Our Yard Guard has been a favorite for many decades. I received a lovely email with pictures from a satisfied customer who installed this last Spring and is looking to expand her project. Why not join suit?

Warm regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (True! That’s 131 years owned and run by our family)

Five kitties and two mothers

I’ve never seen this happen before. Maybe you have. Let me know.

My sister Jeanne’s cat gave birth to five adorable kittens. When they were just two days old, Jeanne’s other female cat decided to get into the nesting box. At first, the birth mother stared at her, but then she gracefully stood up, stepped out of the box, and let the surrogate mother babysit.

This pattern continued for weeks. What a great idea. Sunshine gave Precious breaks throughout the day. It always seemed to coincide with the kittens having just been fed and sleeping soundly. Precious would go for a walk and a stretch in the sun’s warmth.

Jeanne thoroughly enjoyed this scenario because she had the cats and kittens contained in her mud room. You could accomplish this also with a catio. That’s one of my favorite things to see our customers build—a catio.

Are you unfamiliar with Catios? Think of an enclosed screen porch or patio just for your cats. They can be big or small, elaborate or simple—I’ve seen both.

Any type of hexagonal netting works well for a Catio. Check out our different types.

Terry loves cats, so call her and let her help you decide which wire works best. @ 978-486-3116? (Tap to Call)

Kind Regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

Well, Snap!

Working in a large city hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, was full of surprises. We never knew who or what might come through the door next or what might make us laugh amid serious business.

I worked in labor and delivery, and we handled all births, including c-sections. On one particular occasion, Linda and I were in the operating room preparing for an emergency c-section. We were moving at lightning speed; Linda was setting up the instruments, and I was bringing the patient in on the stretcher and caring for her. Linda was rushing around as fast as she could when…

…her snap front top got caught on the handle of the portable oxygen machine. And voila, the snaps pulled apart right before the super handsome anesthesiologist! Linda was quite buxom, and there she was on display for all to see.

We started laughing and couldn’t stop. I’m sure part of it was a release of anxiety about the pending surgery, but laugh we did! The patient joined in laughing, and we all had a grand time. Linda was mortified but couldn’t stop laughing, or preparing the room for the surgery.

It’s fun to have funny things happen in serious situations. Take time to laugh every day! It’s such good medicine.

At the recent workshop I attended, they had a Yoga Laughter session for us to join. Now, that was hilarious. Watching all these strangers laugh and laugh and laugh. Since then, I’ve been practicing laughter by myself and with others. Fake it til you make it. Try it! You’ll be surprised how easy it is to train ourselves to laugh on demand.

Why don’t you laugh your way to your phone and dial Terry @ 978-486-3116? (Tap to Call)

Fencing is no laughing matter unless two inexperienced people try to install a fence. That can get hilarious fast. If you want to install it yourself, you must have at least one strong person to help with the heavy, tightly wound roll. Then it’s a snap! Otherwise, you might find yourself rolling on the ground in laughter.

All my best,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

When your wisdom isn't spot on

Lake Winnepausakee is home to New England’s oldest feathered resident, the loon. I have enjoyed these lovely diving birds for many decades. They spend their time in the water and are clumsy on land. Their evening calls are hauntingly beautiful, lonely, and mournful. Once you hear them, you never forget their cry.

This summer, one pair of loons decided to build their nest in a precarious place. They built it on the sandy shore of one of the beaches. Granted, this is not a busy beach as far as people swimming, but it’s a narrow stretch of sand beside a busy road. As soon as the nest was spotted, someone put yellow tape and green plastic netting on three sides to protect it from the traffic and people.

When I drive past, Mrs. Loon is sitting on her cherished nest. I wondered what in the world she was thinking when she chose that spot for her nest. Were all the other spaces taken? Did Mr. Loon make the decision?

Fences are a powerful tool in wildlife protection!

At Louis Page, we recognize the pivotal role that fencing can play in safeguarding wildlife and fostering a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. Whether it’s for shielding vulnerable nests like those of the loons or securing your property, our wide range of fencing materials has been chosen especially to meet these various needs and more.

By selecting our high-quality, durable fencing solutions, you are not just protecting your property, but also making a contribution in a very personal way to the creation of safe spaces for both wildlife and people.

So… Let us help you make a positive impact on your environment with fencing that offers protection and peace of mind. Call Terry today! Tel: 978-486-3116 (Tap to Call)

All my best,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)