Banjo in sunburn shock

Valbonne resident Dr Henry Brew’s worthy attempts to bring clean water to Africa have been outlined on a youtube documentary, which is well worth a look. I think water would be an interesting addition to that nice lady decorators liquid intake, and am amused that Henry’s surname would seem to be pointing in a different direction!

As I write this in the late afternoon, there is still no sign that this evening will develop into anything except a quiet evening in the garden watching the sun going down then an early night. We will be able to enjoy a tidy garden as the slave (my son) has been working in it today, which means it will be spot the fag-end. That nice lady decorator correctly castigates him from smoking, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she herself was a considerable consumer of cigarettes at exactly his age. When I suggest that it perhaps a decision for him, as he is after all 18, she snorts with derision and the laser beams are put on stand by so a swift change of subject is in order.

Regular readers will know that I am always banging on about the values of Currencies Direct, and their ability to send money across borders very quickly, however, I have been alerted to an even swifter form of money transfer than electronic banking, it is called “marriage”. It appears that after the undoubted success of the first Le Tour de Finance in this area in Mougins this Thursday, I am taking that nice lady decorator to Italy for the day and night on Friday as a surprise celebration of her birthday, which seems to be her 37th again. The surprise of course was for me, and how delightful, and the surprise was all the more thrilling in that it was not me who thought the idea up, but it will be me paying for it, which is not a surprise. It seems that we shall be going to a market to buy prosecco, barolo and parmesan and then staying at Vallebona, although that bit sounds fair enough to me.

My picture today was taken this morning on my morning constitutional in the Valmasque and is looking up towards Gurdon and the gorge beyond over Sophia Antipolis, the so-called  silicon valley of France.

This looked so stunning when I saw the view, but I can't believe the picture is so bland.

Polo anyone? There is a new polo holiday scheme with chukkas, champagne and an equestrian art exhibit entitled ‘Equus’ (from Canada) sponsored in connection with the Cannes film festival tomorrow 17th May, 4 30pm at Montauroux, more details on their website.

And talking of horses, that horse sized dog Banjo, so beloved by that nice lady decorator (but no one else) seems to be suffering something akin to sunburn. The dogs are always clipped at this time of year when it starts to get hot, but it seems the colossal contentious canine’s cut was a tad too close to the bone. Any suggestion that it was I who was responsible, whilst completely understandable given my well documented distaste for this animal, is misplaced. However, I will reward whoever did the clipping with magnum of champagne if he or she dares to come forward. I suspect now though, I shall have to guard closely the stores of sun cream and sunburn treatments, and to that end last night I collected up the whole caboodle and have stored them somewhere safe. Any suggestion that I have hidden them to ensure they are not wasted on the cocked up cocker are as unfair as they are true.

Chris France