Good Friday

Heavens what on earth are all those towels doing laid out on the teak sunbeds round the pool ? Easter is upon us and from the heavens we are being bestowed with large doses of the yellow stuff. I had snatched a stroll around my garden yesterday and in my two day absence all manner of fawn and flora had emerged. The tulips were beginning to unfurl, a few late daffodils were still sprinkled on the bank but most heartening of all were the thick sticky buds of the fig trees bursting forth. I pushed a few leaves of spinach through to the ‘girlies’ at the back and they clucked appreciatively at me.

Last night His Lordship insisted that I go and introduce myself to our Spanish visitors. Entering the wide paneled hallway there seemed to be people excitedly scurrying in all directions. Poking through the ornate iron balustrades of the magnificent Louis Philippe style marble staircase that runs up through the heart of the house and up to its dizzying height were lots of pairs of dangling little legs.

There had been an attempt of sorts to get a roaring fire going in the sitting room. Large trunks of silver birch lay barely scathed and now useless in the remains of old newspapers. ‘Ahem, I’ll get you some firelighters then’ Soon there was a crackling heap of kindling and I patiently built up the fire. The dangling legs were now crowded round me all jiggling in excitement and small twigs were brushing past my hair and being pushed towards the flame. I knew the answer but I had to ask anyway. ‘Where did you find the logs ‘ ? By the roadside it seemed. ‘All neatly chopped’ ? I queried. Dear God. I smiled weakly, bade them goodnight and rushed back to the apartment barricading the huge wooden doors behind me. Visions of the Gendarme hovered before my eyes, or worse still some ruddy faced farmer bellowing with ill concealed outrage.

‘Make mine a large glass of red’ I said to His Lordship. He raised an eyebrow in a quizzical fashion but behind the eyes there was a knowing gleam.

Have a lovely Good Friday wherever you are.