Naked politician in thrashing shock

It cannot be 7am. That was my first thought as I looked at the clock. In fact it was 7pm in the evening and I had just woken up. To say that lunch was a big occasion was a little disingenuous.

I had been playing tennis yesterday morning with the Naked Politician who, since his last proper tennis lesson delivered by me has had regular tennis lessons from a professional in an attempt to nurture the latent ability that he does not seem to possess. I took this picture of the court, before the inevitable victory, with the hills and that wonderful Provencal House looking down upon the tennis arena at The Vignale in Plascassier.

The Vignale tennis club, scene of my latest triumph

There was progress however, the last time we were pitted against each other was actually last year. He was full of enthusiasm and hope having had some 40 tennis lessons and being nearly 15 years younger than me (yesterday I had thought it was merely 10 years) he fully expected to give a MOG (moustachioed Old Git) who has never had a tennis lesson in his life, a serious political run around on the tennis court.

However, yesterday, although he revealed a 300% increase in his achievement against my good self, a figure for which he should be proud, he had to drown his sorrows over lunch at Auberge St Donat in Plascassier having once again come second in a tennis singles match.

I cannot reveal the full-scale of his defeat as I would like to be invited aboard his boat D5 at some stage in the forthcoming cruising season (can I say that?), but if I say that in two sets the first time we played he was lucky to win one game you may be able to work out that his level of under achievement against an untrained, fat (in the eyes of that nice lady decorator) chap nearing his seventh decade.

I hate (read love) to use the word thrashing, but I cannot think of another verb that fits the situation. Anyway, enough of that, lunch at Auberge St Donat was as usual a triumph, so successful that we adjourned back to the web, our outside bar, so called because once your are caught in it escape is difficult, for a few post prandial digestives. Wonderful warm sunny weather helped (me) to underline the reason why we live here in the south of France and Valbonne in particular.

So tonight I am the invited to be guest speaker at Premier Mardi, a girls networking group at La Pomme Rouge in Valbonne where I shall be holding court. I have been asked to speak about successful blogging, writing and of course the value and benefits bestowed on people becoming clients of Currencies Direct. No laughing please. That I shall also be selling signed copies of my book should be taken as read (unlike many copies of my book) and I hope to add to the 152 copies already purchased by happy customers, anxious to improve their lives by discovering details about the lives of the idle rich in Valbonne.

Before that I believe there may be some birthday celebration which may take place at lunch time in Valbonne Square, and with temperatures of 20 degrees forecast may ensure that my shorts, which made their first appearance today will once again be pressed into service. After all it is now late February and with the sun now visibly higher in the sky, spring has arrived. This last comment was made especially for readers in the UK. I do hope they can enjoy life by reading this daily journal.

Chris France