Blog “Ghastly” – official

July 1, 2010

tags: Cote D Azur, Currencies Direct, Food & wine, fr2day, Golf in Valbonne, Living In France, Moving To France, Sunny France

Last night a light supper in the pav with Wing Commander Spensley being particularly vitriolic about my writing of this column, with moustache bristling his description includes the word “Ghastly”. Harsh but fair you may think? However he appears to be in a minority unless the 200 or so of my dedicated followers are too polite to say! He puts me in mind of a bucolic ex brigadier from Tunbridge Wells or the like, full of indignation (and red wine), and bluster and determined to make his point. For Mr Spensley, perhaps it is easier to get older than wiser? I can of course be as rude as I like to my dear friend as he has sworn never to read this column on principle, but his lovely wife Maryse admits to browsing occasionally..

The pav, in daylight, before the "ghastly" outburst

I play golf with Gerard Gomis, former professional rugby player to try out his newly acquired clubs (or bats as he calls them in his quaint French accent), and frankly he plays golf like a rugby player.

I tell him it is not supposed to be a contact sport and he takes me rather literally by failing to make contact with the ball on many occasions. He tells me he has not played for 6 years. I have no comment to make.

Tonight to the International Club Party at Mougins which sounds like fun, with barbecue, fine wines, jazz band and other entertainment. I like their statement that despite this being a business club, ties, jackets and stilettos will be confiscated at the entrance, not than any of those items will be in the wardrobe of Mr Wayne Brown from fr2day, our host for the evening, with the possible exception of the stilettos. Talking of stilettos, I wonder if Mike Hardacre (with a K) from Anglo Info knows where to acquire stiletto crocs?

Two days to go before back to dank and dismal England, land of my youth, before my wild oats had turned to prunes and All Bran. however a number of golf grudge matches are in prospect, so I will check the wet weather gear still exists (it is not needed here in the Core D’Azur) and prepare to take money from a series of fridge magnet salesmen, builders and accountants. They all know who they are.

Particularly galling is the fact I have just discovered that the resident plasterer has arranged for us to go up north, to Yorkshire of all places, albeit as she says, just for a couple of days. Regular readers will know I am no lover of the tundra covered wastes north of Coventry, and I may have been less than polite about that part of the world in the past, but I will bear up stoically, after I have received of course all my inoculations for black death and jaundice and whatever other unspeakable diseases that are rife up there.

At least it will be bright until midnight, given the proximity to the arctic circle, and there is at least one half decent beer to be had in the very few stockaded areas of civilisation. I will need large quantities to wash down all that tripe and black pudding so beloved of the locals. Pain and suffering is inevitable, but the misery is optional.

Chris France

buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance

Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/

Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/

Best French Riviera Property Agent?

http://www.afa-international.com/

http://frenchriviera-properties.com/

rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514

Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/

Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/

Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/

Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com