The View from Hove.

Yesterday, as we sat companionably with a cup of tea at the Car Boot Sale, we were talking about politics in general, and Golden Brown in particular. It seems I'm not alone in disliking the man. We both, BBF and I, felt that he had been hiding his light under a bushel, and has now well and truly thrown the bushel (whatever that may be) off. And, in his true colours, he looks angry and even more unpleasant than ever. It seemed to us that what this man has forgotten is that no-one actually voted for him. He has not been voted into office by 'the country' only by a group of noisy and overeducated blokes (mostly) who behave like jeering louts in the office. And, if the rumours were true, there was a lot of arm-twisting going on when he was being voted in as Labour Leader. It was implied that he was not a man to cross if you wanted to keep your job. Nasty. What we both said was that we have never voted Conservative in our lives, but are now seriously considering it, just to get rid of Golden.

My French Lady has left this morning for Montreux. We were talking over breakfast about her children. Apparently they go to school some distance from Val D'Isere, as do all the secondary-age children from the ski resorts. This means that they have to board for three nights, and come home on Wednesday afternoon for the night and Friday evening for the weekend. It sounds a good system, which her children seem to love. And it gives her the opportunity to work without having to worry about childcare. They are bussed to school on Monday mornings and Thursday mornings - and as she says, when the weather is terrible, they are safe and sound and warm in school with all their friends from home. It does sound a typically sensible French solution to a perennial problem.

Last night I was handed the ultimate accolade by my French guests. After dinner,(which was roast lamb, roast potatoes and parsnips, plus steamed vegetables, followed by steamed chocolate pudding with a few raspberries and a drizzle of cream) my French Lady said to the new Student "On mange bien chez Margot." Wow!

My new French Student is 21, and just lovely. She has that sort of blonde curly hair that mermaids have - and a very sweet face and nature. She staying with me for three weeks and is planning to get a job and stay on for as long as possible after that. She wants to really improve her english and hopes to get a job in a hotel and share a flat with another student. Very impressive; she said that she wants her parents to be proud of her. Aah..