Man's Work

About ten days ago, Brigitte, Madame le Presidente, delivered a high powered water jet type washer thing to me, courtesy of her father. Clearly the implication was that such work was for me, a man, to undertake.

Today I finally got around to letting the water rip and the steps up to our front door in the courtyard look a million times better as a result. It wasn't without the odd hiccup though - the connection to the tap inside was proving to be a bit troublesome and was leaking a bit in the basement entrance area where the water meters are located alongside the communal tap.

When Brigitte appeared she pointed out the small leak, attempted to adjust the connection and promptly got 'douched' (soaked from head to foot in the manner of a shower) - that will teach her to interfere with man's work.

It all took longer than I expected but I think I have got the hang of it now so there should be less set up time when I get around to the archway walls, which are filthy. I shall make a start on them on Sunday when the beauty salon and the music school are closed and also because I need to get the scaffold back out and into use and ran out of time today. By the way, that scaffold must be the best €100 ever spent in my entire life - used every month for the past three years - what a trooper.

This evening I made dinner for my Aussie guests and a lot of fun it was too - seems like they have enjoyed their stay here, which is, of course, superb. They took lots of photos of the rooms and me bringing out dinner - to prove that men can cook, apparently (If I had her husband's email address I would warn him of the impending nag!)

Whilst I was occupied with the antipodeans it seemed that England's footballers turned in one of those performances that makes you think they might go on to do something great - until you remember all the previous one-off fabulous performances that didn't lead to glory of any sort. Forgive me for being sceptical, but we have been here before.

Not much better if you are a French football fan - they lost to Austria at the weekend and the manager has just escaped the 'guillotine' this evening after a narrow home win against Serbia.

Frankly who cares - c,mon England - David Beckham is dead - long live Theo Walcott.