First few chapters sent off to Sally my editor and the barrier for the pool stairs lathered with protective oils, I cleared my workload so I could spend this week with my bestie, Rene. Aside from the odd trip into town, we have done nothing but snooze by the pool all day and chat over glasses of wine on the balcony all evening. For someone who finds it impossible to keep still for 5 minutes, the ‘R and R’ has been a welcome relief for my poor muscles – the only exercise they are getting is a bit of swimming. The woofers are relishing her company, decamping from my bedroom into hers and ignoring me for someone who doesn’t mind their yapping and generally bad behaviour. Alice has also discovered the joys of sitting on your lap whilst you loll about on an inflatable chair, looking like a grande dame on a cruise around the Med. Poor Rene has had to put up with Arry’s shark impersonations whilst she tries to get a few lengths in but all in all, we are loving having our girl here.
Naturally it is mandatory down here in Rouffiac to take your guests to the Friday night get-together, as usual held at the Bistro round the corner. It was ‘pizza en camion’ night (pizza cooked in a mobile van to order), the deliciously thin circles of dough topped with goats cheese, local charcuterie and fresh tomatoes washed down the copious glasses of Rosé. Everyone welcomed my friend with open arms and kisses (both cheeks of course), my heart smiling at how wonderful this little village is. Despite not knowing much more than basic schoolgirl French, Rene joined in with all the gossip and giggles, helped along by gesticulating hands and mobile phone translations. Luckily, she does speak Spanish so most of the words weren’t too unfamiliar. With the exception of Denis’ daughter Marina, most of us got completely hammered by the time we had to walk home, although Rene and I did managed to stay upright until Denis had escorted us through the home gate. We didn’t get to bed until 2.30 the following morning because I couldn’t find Sherman so we had to spend two hours whispering his name and flashing torches around the garden until I gave up and decided to leave him wherever he was. As I turned the lights off, I found my little Border boy sitting outside the front door – the one place I didn’t look. I don’t think any of us raised our eyelids until Saturday lunchtime.
Leaving Sherman outside wouldn’t have been such a bad thing considering he managed to trip all the electrics in the apartment on Thursday morning. Although I tried several times to get the master switch to click back on, it just kept cutting out. I called Alain, my builder, out as he knew where all the bells and whistles where, only to find that the furry darling had chewed through the fountain cable. To add to all the animal antics, the dishwasher has broken and I’m pretty sure GusGus and his mouse family have chewed through that plug socket too. I’m afraid they are going to have to be relocated back into the big wide world of the field opposite.
I’m not going to think about the fact that Rene will be returning to the homeland on Tuesday or the fact that Denis and I still have a lot of work to do in the garden before the family arrive – yup gates still not fitted yet. And even though I haven’t lifted a finger to do anything constructive all week, Marina has and she finished decorating my little terracotta pots for an ancient ladder her dad found. Now each housing a little succulent, they are perched proudly right in view of anyone passing by the front gate with their vibrant colours and motifs. And well out of reach of Sherman……
“Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have her nonsense respected” (Charles Lamb)
Widow plus woofs 
F A B XXXXC
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