Monsieur calls..............

French officialdom paid us a visit yesterday and it was not a pleasant experience. After being wrongly advised for five years that we could not claim child benefit we suddenly found we could. Immediately aroused suspicion and along came the man in the white van. His Lordship and I were both put on trial, presumably for having children and choosing to live in France. The throbbing headache reached such fever pitch that I had to pop the kettle on. Such a marvellous British tradition and, you've guessed it, after a cup of my Co-Op 99 and Lapsang the man was eating out of the palm of my hand. Well in a manner of speaking. 2b and The Small Cross One finally arrived home just as he was leaving. He peered at the inscription on 2b's t-shirt. "Who farted" ?he stated in his best English.

The guests have decided to stay a few more nights to help us celebrate His Lordship's birthday which I thought was today having spent the entire week a day ahead of myself, only in the mind though. In reality I am weeks behind schedule and March is passing at an alarming rate.

Today a bride-to-be comes to view Le Chateau with the prospect of holding her wedding here sometime in September. She was first attracted to us by my website which has a seductive picture of The Grand Duchess, a very fine looking 1952 2.5 litre Riley motor car who turns heads wherever she goes. By the time they arrive she should be sitting gleaming on the driveway resting sedately under the olive tree. That way when they tour the house they will overlook the rooms that are not quite ready and not be too alarmed at the copious boxes currently under the heading 'to be dealt with at a later date'. At least that's my theory.

Meanwhile the dishwasher, which I very rarely pop on anyway, let me down completely last night and this morning everything is covered in a fine layer of unspecified gunge. Some very very stupid person has helped themselves to the massively expensive orange juice in the fridge," do I NORMALLY buy this brand for YOU" I screech.

Time for another helping of Co-Op and Lapsang, taken in MY mug with the inscription 'Only dull woman have tidy houses'
Oh I am ever so definitely not dull............