There was a novel and a derivative television series, A Year In Provence, where a couple gives up the hectic pace and complexity of life in modern London for the tranquil and relaxed lifestyle of rural Provence. Americans of a certain age will immediately recognize that the premise of the story tracks that of the classic American sitcom, Green Acres.

It is an enjoyable charming series and the stars, the late John Thaw and Lindsey Duncan, make the show as engaging as Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor made its predecessor. Admittedly AYIP is a bit more sophisticated and Albert and Gabor were definitely doing great satire on American life in the Sixties.

What brings them both to mind is I have to have my Whirlpool electric range repaired. There is a bad time/ temperature control module. Back in the day, it would be a simple enough task to open the Yellow Pages, find a repair service, call them and somebody would come over and fix it if you told them to do so.

Now I go online and the entire appliance and home repair world opens up at my service. Call them and somebody will come by when it is most convenient for them and least convenient for me. It’s all similar to how life worked for Peter Mayle or Oliver Wendell Douglas.

Back to the hunt.