22nd April. On Easter Sunday we had lunch at the Auberge Hiribarren, situated in the heart of the beautiful Basque village of Biriatou, overlooking the Bidassoa, the river that separates Spain from France. All I'll say is that we're looking forward to our next visit.
My favourite of all Basque villages, Biriatou is unique in that its centre, comprising the four essential elements of village life - the church of Saint Martin, the town hall, the auberge and the fronton - could not be in closer proximity.
12th April. Some may welcome a rift in the relationship between the peoples of Europe and the United States following the recent trade tariffs announced by President Trump, but, regardless of the current tensions, his presidency will end in 2029, and I believe any strain in transatlantic relations will be short-lived.
We forget at our peril the turbulent years marked by shared honour, commitment, and courage that led us to victory in both World War II and the Cold War. Countless lives were lost in the defence and restoration of liberty and democracy. The deep bonds and values that unite us were forged in the fires of those battles — against fascism, communism, and global terror — and they will endure long after today’s political disputes fade into history.
What brings us together is far stronger than anything that might divide us — and long may it remain so. Reflect on this as you listen to the choir of the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis with their superb rendition of that great naval hymn "Eternal Father, strong to save":
1st April. Spring is on the move down here - the first blooms of wisteria are out, everything in the garden seems to be in bud, I've just mowed the lawn and put away the all-weather cover of the table on the terrace - and the sound of scurrying feet on garden walls tells me that the local lizards have woken up.
Soon it will be time to alert those neighbours of a nervous disposition that my shorts are in imminent danger of making their first public appearance in 2025.
In other news, I had a final rendez-vous with a urologist at the hospital this morning to finish up the work of removing the 13mm (½") stone that had taken up residence in my kidney. Phew - glad that's done and dusted.
16th March. France emerged as winners of the 2025 6 Nations rugby tournament with a good win by over the 'Porridge Wogs' - as the Scots were affectionately known in the RAF a few decades ago.
I make no apology for including this next video of yesterday's 6 Nations rugby match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. This was a result that was long overdue in my view. England has suffered over the years at the hands of the Welsh - so think of this result as payback with interest!
4th March. Ireland welcomes France to Dublin this coming Saturday afternoon - and the encounter at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, promises to be the highlight of this year's 6 Nations Rugby tournament. Both sides are renowned for their quick thinking under pressure and the ability to raise their game and play with passion. Ireland has always been my second favourite team (after England) when it comes to rugby.. they've had some marvellous players over the years. However, in Antoine Dupont, France has the ultimate game changer - a mercurial player who seemingly can do it all - plus Thomas Ramos to kick the points. An impossible match to forecast. More here.
For some reason, I was reminded a few minutes ago of an unplanned lunch stop we once made at a 13th century pub/restaurant on Exmoor way back around 2003. The Masons Arms at Knowstone was a real find - I explained to mine host that we hadn't booked - but the genial owner said that he had two sea bream left - and we could have the last vacant table on his sunlit terrace overlooking the rolling countryside. Whooosh!
We had one of those lunches that linger long in the memory - and as we settled up later, I asked him for a card. His name on the card was followed by the post-nominals UAA and CRAFT. I had to ask what they stood for - he said "Unencumbered by Academic Achievement - and Can't Remember A Flipping Thing".. or near enough!😀. As is the way of things, he sold up shortly afterwards and it's now a Michelin starred restaurant. The memory lives on though.
3rd March. I just noticed that Jack Vettriano has died.. I'm sure many of us will have admired his quirky and very commercial paintings of Thirties-era couples dancing on sea shores attended by a butler with an umbrella.. (I know, we've all been there!☺) If I show you one picture, you'll know exactly who I'm referring to.. (or should that be to whom I'm referring..?)
9th February. Yesterday saw England and France collide (no other word for it) at Twickenham in the long-awaited/feared (delete as applicable) match in the 6 Nations rugby tournament. The last time this fixture was played at Twickenham in 2023, France demolished England 10-53. So it was with no little foreboding that we welcomed our French friends A and V to sit around the fire with us and watch the match. A used to play for Bordeaux-Bègles - so he has a good understanding of the rules. Without giving too much away, the match turned into one of the most enthralling 6N encounters of recent memory - and A and I are still on speaking terms!
1st February. The 2025 6 Nations rugby tournament opened with a bang last night as Wales were put to the sword 43-0 by a rampant France. All I'll say is that the result was not unexpected as Wales are rebuilding. France are going to take some stopping this year.
Update on new driving licence: it appears that a replacement should be issued within 2 weeks.
Here's one to get your heart started on a cold February morning.. It starts off raunchily - before morphing into a spaghetti western soundtrack:
29th January. Just back from a visit to an outpost of the Town Hall across the river known as France Services to request a new driving licence. Prior to Covid, routine administrative requests were handled by the Sub-Prefecture.. where the large waiting room was probably ideal for the transmission of bugs. As can be seen from the above link, many of these functions have now been transferred from the Sub-Prefecture to this new office.
My request was handled with great efficiency (and friendliness) and once my identity had been cross-checked, the request was launched into the great administrative system that runs France. In a sign of the times, not a single paper form had to be completed.. the whole process being carried out online. All that was needed was access to my Ameli account, my identity card, a recent bill showing my name and address, my old driving licence.. plus two colour photos. It seems that I will receive a provisional acknowledgement of my request in a week or two and this will enable me to take to the road again. Phew!
28th January 2025. Back with you again.. We made it through Christmas, the New Year, the 'Burning of the Clavie'* and Burns Suppers (remember'd) - and here we are again with acres of white space in front of me gleaming in the gloaming - all ready to be filled in.
This next story will come as no surprise to some of you - but here goes. Back in 2016, I changed my UK driving licence for its French equivalent and I tucked the new card straight into my wallet - assuming (uh-oh) that it would run for 10 years. In 2019, I was granted French citizenship (there is a link). Over the last few days we've been test driving various cars as the time has come to replace our MINI Countryman. Before the test drive, I handed over a number of documents to the salesman for him to check - one of which was my French drivers' licence. This was followed by an audible sucking of teeth as he read out its expiry date.. 2021. It appears that I've been blithely driving around here for 4+ years without a valid licence. I think I'd only been given a 5 year licence (instead of the usual 10 years) because I was a foreigner.
Long story short - I think it will be April before I'll have a replacement licence in my hands. This is going to take some managing.
* No help for you here with this - you'll have to find this one out for yourselves.
