You and whose army?

First stop today is Domaine Arnal for a couple of ten litre boxes of my delicious everyday drinking white, at 2 euros a litre. We also buy some boxed red to try later. The vendage is in full swing so we (Robert, Ella, Michael and myself) look into the cave and watch them pressing cinsault for their rosé. A very nice caviste is busy but takes the time to show us what he is doing. We find that if you show a genuine interest in their work then one and all are pleased to take the time to show you what they do.

***

Next stop Sommieres, where we buy a few bits and meet up with Peter Hornby. Peter runs this website and I am pleased to say that I am one of its regular visitors. He now has every excuse not to buy me a drink because the man that was running Bar Partropi has done a moonlight. So we now have a big hole in our lives until he can find a new tenant. How will we all survive?
On leaving the market we bump into William (my tennis partner) and Christine. He is full of the joys of spring because he has just bought himself a pair of Nike tennis shoes and a new tennis racquet. The man in the shop had told him that with this new equipment he will kick my ass. Mnnn - only if he teams up with Roger Federer!

***

Our new visitors, who arrived tonight, are Desmond, Jean and James Hammerton. Desmond is Jan's cousin but they have not met for at least 15 years. Jan seems to have this effect on people! They have a little problem finding us, but notwithstanding their late arrival, we have a nice meal on the terrace under the stars and crawl into bed at 1.00 am.