Currencies Direct meeting shock

August 7, 2010

tags: Auberge St Donat, Cote D Azur, Food & wine, fr2day, Living In France, Radish Events

Peter Lynn is a snitch. Snitching is an old english expression describing that very low moral practice of when someone passes on a confidential aside, and it is my sad duty to reveal that Peter Lynn is a guilty man. That nice lady decorator who follows me around was alerted to yesterdays blog (which she would not normally read) by a cut and pasted abbreviation of yesterdays episode in which I gently suggested that she is good at complaining. She would not accept my rather feeble and, it has to be said, unplanned and hastily assembled defence, that I was suggesting that complaining was in fact an art form, and that she was the best exponent I had ever come across, so I was less than popular even before we set out to Nice for my Currencies Direct meeting.

We were on a tight schedule for the evenings projected festivities after being seduced into a couple of post meeting beers, so my decision to leave my bag containing my computer and various other difficult to replace items at the meeting venue in Nice was greeted, I think it is fair to say, with something less than excited enthusiasm. Being late for a business meeting is deemed perfectly acceptable by that nice lady decorator, but to be late for a social occasion, even a fashionable 20 minutes, is a sin punishable by no less than stoning or castration and probably both in her book, so in her opinion, my clearly pre-conceived decision to delay the start of serious drinking by leaving these items behind, and having to catch a train back to Nice was a deliberate attempt to upset her. I rather stupidly pointed out that actually I was right, that she is a brilliant complainer, but I fear the irony was lost on her. Certainly this patently unsuccessful defence did not get the evening off to the best start I have ever experienced.

Earlier in the day, I received a surprise invitation to play tennis in Opio. Wing Commander Spensley was the organiser, and splendid chap that he is, organisation and time keeping are not his strong suits. Indeed, there are a select few that know the meaning of a “Spensley”. For the uninitiated it is a unit of time of about 7 minutes. Hence if tennis is arranged for say 10.00, he will show up a “Spensley” late, ie 10 07. So predictable was the fact that the Wing Commander would be a Spensley late that we would suggest playing at, say, 09.53 calculating that Spensley time would then dovetail with normal time, which the rest of us recognise. This was never effective however, due, I think to some rule of higher mathematics which dictates that whenever he suspects an attempt to negate a Spensley, the normal value of a Spensley is doubled. I cannot explain it, I just know it to be true. Anyway, the MOG’s (moustachioed old gits) were rampant in the first set, winning 6-3, but we eased off in the second set, mainly because MOG senior (as he is also called) amused himself so much laughing at his own joke, his serve suffered and so we accepted an honourable draw.

Tradition dictates that post tennis lunch is taken at the Auberge St Donat, which was as good as always, solid food, well cooked without frills. A welcome respite from the tourist ridden hinterland that is August down here.

Hats off to Lucy from Red Radish

Last night to Cannes, to dinner with the Gurdons, Wayne from Fr2day and Lucy from Red Radish. Lucy, pictured today, was clearly impressed by Wayne’s ability to wear many hats and decided to show on a recent photo, and sought to emulate him.

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