A day out for The Grand Duchess

The Grand Duchess loves a wedding. She is almost unique in France and is always the centre of attention wherever she goes. This week she presided over a wedding in Carcassonne and looked resplendent with her trimmings and ribbons done by the bride in true French style. She purred slowly through the narrow medieval streets of the old city arriving with dignity at the splendid Carcassonne Cathedral. Someone tried to upstage her in an Aston Martin DB9 convertible but guess who drew the most admiring glances ?

After the service the new bride and groom were driven round the town to loud applause and hooting wherever they went. This was then followed by the entire wedding party of 50 cars driving to Limoux to the reception with continuous blaring of horns, none however could match The Duchess's vintage tone, the old girl was in her element leading the cavalcade of young upstarts who will long be forgotten and in the scrapyard whilst she will continue to bowl through the countryside giving pleasure to all.

Finally I have been kind and not mentioned the weather. However I know that lots of you peek in to Sally's Chateau hoping for a glimpse of the hot sun. It is my pleasure, nay duty even, to report that we have a scorcher down here. A perfect July day with a light breeze and an utterly cloudless sky. The fields of wheat are a magnificent shade of gold rustling gently with the sound of the combine rumbling in the distance. Sharp bursts of yellow appear ever more frequently as the sunflowers launch their summer display.

To top it all the visitors have just produced the most divine and mouthwatering clafoutis ,still slightly warm, filled with fresh apricots and cherries, with a dollop of cream on top it's the sort of afternoon where you might imagine you are in heaven.