Retreat from the snow

A sublime morning yesterday of skiing under blue skies and in copious amounts of fresh snow was topped only by a splendid lunch on a sunny terrace of a restaurant in the ski resort of Limone, talking about life in general and Currencies Direct in particular, came to an end just as the cloud which will bring more snow today arrived, as my picture today shows.

Restaurant view from Limone

As is usual over a glass of wine at lunch the stories begin to unfold and yesterday was no exception. The intellectually inspiring steely eyed beautiful ice maiden who is Lisa Thornton Allan reminded me of a story she told against herself recently. It seems that she was recommended by a friend to read “Death In Venice” and struggling through it told the friend she found it very confusing, long winded and unconnected. It seems the book she was actually reading was “Death in Venice and other short stories”. It may be the blond hair that causes problems of this nature.

Mrs Clipear is also of the blond persuasion and she was discussing whether or not to attend the Premiere of “Otway The Movie” at The Odeon Leicester Square in October. She told the luncheon group that she may go but not to the first night. Perhaps she misunderstood the significance of the word “premiere”?

Then it happened, the public schoolboy obsession of the “dark side” of sexual relations reared its ugly head. Not content with a string of innuendo aimed at the two ladies sharing a double room at our hotel, a theme which has continued to both intrigue and amuse him over the past three days ever since he discovered this cozy relationship, together with an ongoing morbid fascination for all things lesbian or homosexual, Mr Clipbeard was at it again. It was an innocent expression that in any other context and if uttered by anyone else other than a public schoolboy would have had no significance but in the ears of Mr Clipbeard “Can I push your stall (stool) in?” was loaded with a double meaning of the most sordid kind. Whilst it is true that I did not receive the benefit of an education of quite the same stature as he, I do learn from him every day, and often wished I did not.

I allowed him to do this, push my stall in that is and then kept a very watchful eye. Previous experience over the past few days has left me fore warned as to the depths of depravity to which he can descend in an instant.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon we made a descent of a different kind, down the mountain from Limone back into the waiting arms of my beloved France, back to the lovely Valbonne for a rest. With Clipboard and Clipear on their way back to the UK last night on the same Easyjet plane that brought sprog 1 back to France from the UK for half term, the pressure to party will take a different form, one that I sincerely hope does not include any naked events such as have been the case in the Italian Alps.

My work will now take precedence today, the music clearances for an iconic 60’s artist, Otway the movie, and the theatre show in Valbonne on 14th and my duties with Currencies Direct will now fill my days up until the weekend. I realise that there is but one day to go before the weeks ending but as many of you will know if you work at the intensity I do, several days work can be telescoped into a busy morning.

Chris France