Don’t fall over the dog

I had forgotten about the trials and tribulation experienced by Paul Thornton Allan on Saturday evening. For instance, it is a good idea when inviting a dozen or so people to a barbecue for an evening to ensure you have enough gas, so as not to run out 5 minutes after starting cooking and then it is not often a good idea to fall over a dog whilst serving drinks. No one else saw the dog, but we all saw him fall over. Nothing to do with the wine then? Is this what he means by The Big Picture? However it was a very pleasant and funny evening, funny mainly at the expense of the wingco, and for the amusement I caused by wearing my golf winnings on my forehead all evening.

So to Juan Les Pins for lunch on the beach. My readers in the UK have no idea how exhausting it can be to party for days without end, but help is at hand; the house guests will be on the way home tomorrow, so a quiet period maybe ahead, in the meantime it was the storm before the calm. The best way to get to the coast at this time of year is on the train from Mouans Sartoux, 30 minutes and a very pretty trip along the coast in air conditioned double decker modern trains with sockets to recharge one’s phone.  It is a very pleasant way to reach the seaside and at the same time avoid any parking issues. Lunch was another triumph, on two levels, firstly we were being treated, and secondly  I was able to order the most expensive fish on the menu, with impunity, the sole, which was spectacularly good.

I will however miss Janie, our house guest. My plastic banana palm, which was so diligently being watered by her last year is much dryer this year, and, alas has produced no bananas this time, but I expect she lives in hope. At least mildew is not a recurrent problem. So it will be back to work for me today, to extol the virtues of Currencies Direct  and back to walking to reduce the expanding waistband wilfully extended due to nearly a weeks partying. My picture today shows how tough it will be back in the Valmasque, pounding those paths.

Along The Brague river through the Valmasque, prettier and more pleasant than any gym.

The latest instalment of my very popular Happy Mondays blog is published this morning and had taken its lead from the horrible three quarter length trousers that I encountered last week on house guest Savin senior. I am so glad I gave him a golf lesson, now all he needs is a fashion lesson. As I am clearly so well respected as a blogger, I have been invited by media type Karen Hockney to address a ladies networking gathering and talk about the values of writing columns such as these. My natural showing off streak wants to accept, but what on earth do I say? I have no idea what I am doing every day, only why! However, the lure of a number of ladies interested in me will of course be too much to resist, so Karen, I will be there at 10 sharp as requested.

Thereafter a quiet week I hope before a golf day courtesy of credit Du Nord at the Grande Bastide on Friday 17th June, where I shall be attempting to drink back the bank charges I have incurred and enjoy as much other of their hospitality that I can endure to make up for the coming years charges….

Chris France