Me and Peter Maile

To Valbonne then on the warm late morning sunshine to sign copies of my book for a happy customer. Life has seldom been so good. Pat Toohey, delighted with her mention in yesterday’s column excitedly clutched her freshly signed and dedicated copies of Valbonne’s latest and possibly greatest literary sensation, my book. Pat revealed to me that she has only once before sought personalised written dedications from an author and that was from the little known Peter Mayle who wrote a novel of similar standing to mine, “A year in Provence”. OK, so my book only covers six months rather than a year, but that does not mean its only half as good, no, its much worse than that.

Now don’t forget I shall be at The English Book Centre in Valbonne today from 11 until 12.00 signing copies (I do hope its plural) of my book as announced yesterday on Riviera Radio and if anyone wants to take a famous author out to lunch afterwards then I shall be very happy to see them. My picture today was taken at the book launch and features Tony “I invented the internet” Coombs making Stephen Frost laugh with his claims to have been the father of all modern technology. I think I overheard him telling the great improviser that he had just invented the I-lie, a do it yourself lie detection application. Apparently it kicks in as soon as you open your mouth.

You invented what?……. hahahahahahahahahaha

After the mob that will undoubtedly be absent from today’s signing, it is possible that I shall break my three days of temperance with a small lunch, perhaps at the Cafe Des Arcades if the sun remains in evidence as it has all week. It is after all the turn of that nice lady decorator to pay, an event like birthdays that come but once a year although they seems to be arriving more often than I remember, which must mean I am getting old.

A week today I will be heading to Africa and Kenya in particular. You may think that this could be a holiday, but even if purely for tax reasons I shall be working throughout. Medina Palms is a wonderful development on Watamu Beach which according to the Sunday Times is one of the top 10 beaches in the world. As an agent responsible for sales of units at this wonderful development, it is my irksome responsibility to test and if necessary to criticise any shortcomings I discover and clearly to be able to do this effectively I will have to try all the facilities and spend some time on that beach ensuring that it is of the high standard reported. As the development is not yet complete, I shall have to stay at the show house during my stay. I shall be reporting everyday from Kenya with pictures, just so you will all know that I am continuing my work not only on their fabulous project but on Currencies Direct as well.

Before that, even although it is the weekend and a day of rest for most people, I shall be working at the golf course on Saturday meeting and greeting my customers, many of whom play with the REGS the Riviera Ex Pats Golf Society this time at St Donat. I have managed to get sponsorship from golf manufacturer Taylor Made, part of the Adidas group, the commercial director of which is a friend and I shall be meeting him again in Kenya, where I intend to have some meaningful discussions about their allocation of tickets for a big event in London in 2012 where they are one of the main sponsors.

Chris France