French police can drink on duty

The French police are currently allowed under French law to drink 25cl of wine at their meals, which I think is a very sound approach to policing. That old “have you been drinking sir” phrase, which we all dread, could perhaps be changed to “have you been drinking more than me?”

The British police can learn a thing of two from the French, such as it someone is caught robbing someone, they go straight to prison immediately pending their trial. If they plead guilty then the time served before the trial is off set, plead not guilty and it is ignored. How much less petty crime would exist in the UK if this very sensible provision was taken up?

So with no social event in the diary today, and after the last 10 days of full on debauchery, then one would think it would be sensible to eschew drink, right? Wrong, after an exhausting morning working in the garden, that nice lady decorator suggested a beer in Valbonne Square, and although I know you will know I fought manfully to resist the idea, you may also suspect that eventually I gave in. You may believe that, but I could not possibly comment.

Valbonne square today, not that I was there, oh no.

The gay rights movement seems to have adopted the French cock, but given it a pink feather boa for the gay rights march in Paris. I do hope that Mr Humphreys has seen it, as I am certain elements of it will feature in his wardrobe for the coming week, indeed, perhaps “church” at Cafe Latin, before the royal wedding will be the time for him to unveil something royally awkward? Personally, I am in the “hiding from the wedding” camp, I hope to be on the golf course and nowhere near TV next Friday, and I hope to be amongst others of the same opinion. That nice lady decorator will be on the streets of London with her flag, how I hope it rains…

Actually, I may have to attend church next Friday to see if Mr Humphrey is free, and to see whether he will combine the new French gay icon with something in celebration of the wedding of a balding royal to the daughter of a former air hostess. I have heard it said that whenever Kate or her family enter a room in the Palace, members of the royal family say under the breath “doors to manual”. Feather boas and virginal white are right up Mr Humphreys street I would suggest.

So a comparative day off yesterday, but a dinner engagement tonight and a barbecue on Monday are already in the schedule, to which I have gained unauthorised and no doubt temporary access. From Wednesday onwards, that nice lady decorator will be gone for a few days, so I shall be able to decide my own agenda, complete the writing and editing of my first book, or maybe I shall call it a a novel? which now has a provisional launch date in June courtesy of the English Book Shop in Valbonne. As we speak, a venue big enough to accommodate all my fans is being sought, with a take over up to half of the cosy new wine bar in Valbonne, La Kavanou, looking a firm favourite.

With the offices of Currencies Direct now closed until Tuesday, I can take a rest from the frantic networking that marks out most of my days. Regular readers will be aware of just how much work goes into what some could misinterpret as a wild social life, and will no doubt full understand my requirement for a day of rest yesterday.

Chris France