Big bananas

I went down to the Marie last Friday to ask Michelle, William's lovely assistant, where I could hire a wheelchair. (Oooo, very enigmatic - Ed.) During the conversation, she mentioned that she is well aware of my tennis tussles with William because when he wins he goes into the office with a big 'banane' (meaning the big smile on his face). Last Wednesday he came in with no banane, all miserable. Well, we played again this morning even though it was minus 2C. In the end, he went away with a medium size banana, because he beat me 6-3. He made me work hard for every point and even at that temperature I worked up a sweat. The nutritionist, who I have postponed until January, would have been proud of me. OK, I know, I should have gone, but I have lost half a kilo, and I have a few things to sort out, so I could use the time more profitably.

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I noticed on the English news this morning that some supermarkets are about to open for 24 hours in the run up to Christmas. Nothing new in that you would say, but compare this to our local town, Quissac. I popped in this afternoon to get some bits, and the place was deserted. A ghost town. It's Monday and most if not all shops shut Monday, so shut they will. It could be Christmas, or the end of the world, but it is also Monday, so shops and banks will shut. I could argue that this shows a sensible balance between work and play, but I could also argue that it's symptomatic of a general malaise. I have a feeling that France is getting left behind. I realise that we live in the sticks and I can only talk about what I see around me, but I can't help but feel that French leadership is way too arrogant and that too many people are prepared to take the easy way. Can't anybody see that pouring billions of euros into French agriculture, year after year, is unsustainable in the long term and that something has to change. It's not as if food is cheap here. New Zealand lamb is half the price of French lamb and it's been shipped half way round the world! The French wine trade has certainly been left behind, but that's nothing compared to what will happen if they really decide to start making wine in China. The Chinese are already here in Languedoc, learning and making wine at their own domain. I think that it was Napoleon who said that China was a sleeping lion and that when it woke up and roared you'd better listen. China has woken, mes braves, but you ain't listening.

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I'm out in the garden getting the wood in, when Alain and Nicholas (another Beauceron owner) run to the fence shouting at me saying that the chimney is on fire. Intrigued, because I know that I haven't lit a fire, I took a look and at first glance it looked as if they were right. Until you realised that it was the dying rays of the sun reflecting off the chrome cowl as it spun round. Having once had a chimney fire when I lived in Wokingham, I understand the damage that they can do, which reminds me to make a diary note to get the chimney swept next spring.

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Talking of the news, this morning they interviewed Woody Allen who gave us the quote of the day. "The only thing that stands between me and greatness - is me." How true.