Green Dragon, blue tiara

So we left The Green Dragon at Wymondham. It looked so good from the outside, but inside the lovely old pubs bar was far too brightly lit and the rooms built on at the back in the worst 1960’s style one can imagine, it put me in mind of  Wormwood Scrubs, not that I have ever been there you understand, but what I imagined it to be like.

Security bars on the only small window, horrid weak central light under an appalling 1950’s lamp shade, no bed side lamp (apparently that was a treat reserved only for the deluxe room, but I think deluxe is a concept with which they might be struggling), a  shower that would not get hot, a toilet that was almost impossible to sit on. I liked it but alas she did not.

I spent some time in the bar reminding her that her mother when faced with adversity would tell her children, “it’s not quite what we expected but we are going to make the best of it.”I made her repeat it time after time, and I thought she had it, but as soon as she set foot back in the place, I could see the unmistakable signs that the blue touch paper had been lit, and Green Dragon lady, with the emphasis on dragon was born.

So in the morning that nice lady decorator sneaked out past the guards and the machine gun towers and found a nice hotel a couple of doors away called The Abbey. When we packed up and escaped, by leaving through a fire escape and got the new hotel, the receptionist greeted the in house decorator thus “ahh, Green Dragon lady” which made me wonder how long he had known here, before the penny dropped.

The scudding clouds should have warned me, wind. I do not do wind, well, not when playing golf. I am of course well known for flatulence, and that is far more welcoming a wind than wind on a golf course. It makes the damn game so much more difficult, and Charles, my opponent who had home advantage, took full cynical advantage of my known dislike of wind to ensure we played on the windiest course possible.

It was callous and calculating but and in the end I was  overcome by the elements and had to witness a rather old man make a fool of himself by sticking his winnings of £10 on his forehead with pride, London Pride that is, yes I have found the worlds best beer is available at The Feathers at Wymondham. Anyway, I had planned to lose, after all, how could one beat a man on his wifes’ 50th birthday, it would have been rude.

Last night was the reason we were here, a black tie 50th birthday celebration for Lizzy Baylay (as opposed to Bailey – see yesterday) at Kimberley House, my good self resplendent in my kilt. Rather naively I thought I might be the only guy wearing a skirt, but of 100 guests, half of then women, I spotted 5 kilts. They are so common nowadays, I think it is time for it to go.

Earlier I had happened to visit her house on the way to golf and had the good fortune to find her trying on outfits for the evening. One particular look caught me eye and was also caught on my camera.

Love the blue tiara

It was a tremendous bash, with great food and great music. Except for that song by those geeky Scots The Proclaimers, I know that they walked five hundred miles somewhere or other. I just wish they had kept walking instead of coming back, which they seem to do at every party I go to that involves dancing. How long can it be before they are extolling the virtues of spec savers?

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

Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/

John Otway’s New  Book? www.johnotway.com

Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html

Living France, Le Blog   http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com

Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? www.chrisma.com

Ceramic Cafe in Biot? www.latassedecouleur.com

Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? www.myperfectvilla.com

Find A House in Cote d’Azur? www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com