Dear Julio,

Happy Birthday!

I imagine that you are at a road side cafe sipping a hot chocolate, munching on a baguette and cheese and listening to tales of the last war; or doing a boat tour round Ha Long Bay. Anyhow, have a nice day!

Here, Spring came last month with hot days; the blue tits, chaffinches and robins are in a jolly mood, singing and flitting from one tree to another. The primroses, daffodils, snowdrops and even bluebells are out, giving a bit of life to the sleepy garden. I am frantically cleaning the house, cupboards, windows, etc, now that I have more or less got rid of my cold. Nicky cut a lot of the hedges, lowering them by by a good threee metres. He was like a big machine cutting those enormous branches and piling them on the lawn. There was such an enormous amount that we had to burn it in the end. The bay leaves crackled and exploded like fireworks due to their oil content so the flames were leaping several feet into the air.

Today a gale is blowing from the North bringing the temperature down from 15c to 8c; but it won’t last, I don’t think. Nicky and Olivier and I went to the beach to fly the kite but the wind tore it from their grasp.

It’s all quiet here without Tanya and Geofff and Rio. They were having a good time in Seychelles until today. Tanya has got Chitigunia (headache, joint pain, unable to walk). Oh dear! There is nothing one can do: it lasts 3 to 5 days.

There is a new addition to the family. Aurelia had a boy last night called Elliot. Christophe must be very proud.

Thank you so much for your messages.

Love Mama