Blowing Dixie

It started on Saturday when that nice lady decorator asked me to dig a hole because she wanted to plant something. I was busily working away with my Currencies Direct foreign exchange benefits service so I was not best pleased to be disturbed from this vital work merely to dig a little hole. Best to get it over with I thought, then I can return to my work saving people with foreign exchange needs from falling into the hands of their voracious banks. Little however is a word better described to show how little I knew. I have only myself too blame.  I had become aware that she had purchased another palm tree as I had fallen over it a few times as it had been laying on its side for at least a month but had not focussed on the fact that a hole would be required. Thus my first movement toward the garage and my return with a small trowel was ill thought out and betrayed me. I could not use that old stand by, the “war wound shrapnel moving about defence” (which come to think of it has never worked as she knows I was never in a war, except for in my marriage) which I would have brought to bear immediately had I any inkling that rather than digging a hole I was in for what seemed like a major piece of tunnelling work because by this time, I had given myself away.

This tree has to have the biggest roots ever. Even with most of the earth removed from the roots, the tractor hitched up and three adults wrestling with the damn thing it took us half an hour to tow and drag it up the garden. Now here is another piece of genius from that nice lady garden designer. She had bought the biggest palm tree in the world, and them decided to plant it in the most impossibly difficult location in the garden. No that is not quite correct, she wanted me to plant it in the most inaccessible spot in the garden, and this after digging a hole big enough in which to fit Big Ben. It was so deep that I swear I got near the core of the earth, such was the heat. Any further and I think I may have set off a new volcano.

With my meeting yesterday postponed I had a day without an alcoholic beverage. Government advice warns against binge drinking and suggests some time off each week, so now that is over I am looking forward to good lunch today with and courtesy of the lovely Pippa and Cosette, fellow Currencies Direct warriors both, with a plan to go to Cafe Des Arcades in Valbonne Square, although unwelcome clouds appeared yesterday morning. This is the kind of weather I shall have to get used to all over again during this year now that I have been forced to spend more time in England with my money due to Mr Sarkozy’s callous changing of the tax laws. In the meantime here is a picture taken by Paul Slash and Burn Thornton Allan yesterday in the square with a charming Dixie land jazz trio setting the mood. well it was an Antiques Fair and none of these guys look like spring chickens.

And I always thought the expression "Blowing Dixie" meant something entirely different.

As long as lunch is not too drawn out then I plan to attend the excellent Premier Mardi event run by The lovely Karen Hockney and Fiona Mclean at La Pomme Rouge Deli in Valbonne this evening. Anyone can go but there is a small entrance charge, check the website for details

Chris France