Is it snow?

The sky was an unusual blue-grey and there was a penetrating chill in the air.

 The veranda thermometer registered 4 degrees.

Cliona came home from shopping and said she thought it had been snowing between Tonneins and Laparade.

I checked the local weather forecast. It said nothing about snow.

But my anticipation was piqued.

Then, something started to happen.

"It's snowing," Cliona said excitedly.

I rushed out of the warm living room and was hit by cold air.

I could see white dust on the black lid of our rubbish bin.

Hand outstretched, I collected pinhead-sized pieces of frozen rain falling from an arctic sky.

This wasn't snow.

I retreated into the house, disappointed.

The gate bell rang.

A hirsute man in a lumber jacket, clutching a folder, stood next to a white Renault van.

"I'm doing the census," he said. "You should've received the forms in your letterbox."

Then I remembered. I did receive some forms, but discarded them.

Guilty, I used that classic, disingenuous response, "Sorry, French is not my mother tongue."

"Never mind," the official said, "we can do it now."

"Ok," I said. "In that case you'd better come inside, out of the cold."

As we walked to the door, I tried to make small talk.

"I thought it was snowing," I said.

"Juste les toutes petits flocons (just tiny little flakes). It hasn't snowed properly here for six years," he said.

The census officer sat with me at our dining table as he filled out the forms, one for the house, one for me, one for Cliona.

His large hands were hairy and he was missing a left little finger.

A raging fire threw out good warmth but the room stank of smoke.

Cooking odours from the kitchen wafted in to attenuate the smell.

He expected Cliona's surname to be Hull. I said it was Martin.

"So, you are co-habitating?"

"No, we are married," I said.

He looked surprised.

"Yes," I said, "married women don't necessarily take their husband's name these days."

I'm not sure he agreed.

He put the completed forms into his leather folder.

I escorted him back to his Renault van.

It was still very cold but the menacing clouds had started to break up, revealing patches of blue sky.