Living The Life

Monday 15th June

For so many years I seem to have been working really hard, for quite a few years I was doing six days a week, and getting up before five to do two mornings a week at the Pasta Factory (doing the Accounts I hasten to add, not making tagliatelle – though I do know how it is made).  On one level I was looking for Financial Security, having known periods of poverty I wanted to build up a cushion, at first 6 months then a year in case I should find myself unemployed again.  But maybe there was more than a suggestion of work filling up the empty spaces in my life.

And now that I am retired I am working again, though I must say that the Café is hardly onerous, and I have plenty of time to read and am also re-writing (second re-write) my latest book – The Philanthropist.  But out here in an obscure part of South West France I am also living the life.  There is so much happening here.  Almost every night and certainly every weekend there are at least two or three events, and you cannot do it all – there will always be next year.  Friday night is music night at the Gambetta, on Wednesday I attended ‘The Big Breakfast’ at Monteton and last night (Saturday) it was an Elvis evening at St. Colombe de Lausun.  For the massive entry price of fifteen euros you got a three course meal in the splendid Salle, mind you wine was six euro a litre so you had to be careful….hahaha.  Geoff Barker kicked the evening off with a few sing-along sixties favourites and later Elvis in full white-fringed cat suit and dark glasses sung very well to a backing tape.  We had Kenny and Maggie on our table to keep us amused, Graham and Maxine had driven me there and we met three new people on our large round table.  It wasn’t long before dancing broke out, led of course by Graham and Maxine really showing us how to jive.

A great time was had by all.  We left around midnight although the party was still in full swing with Geoff and Elvis playing and singing old numbers again.  Mind you the whole evening had set me back 24 euros.  That’s right, less than twenty quid in old British money.  That’s what I call Living the life.