The Old Hack

As this is published automatically by the wonderful gizmo provided by those nice people at squarespace, I shall be sailing across the English Channel (or 'La Manche' as the French call it, less proprietorially) en route for Le Havre, thence to drive South, first to Poitou-Charente and later to Languedoc Rousillon.

We've had to explain to many people in banks, shops, post offices etc. what we are doing, and there seems to be an unnervingly unpatriotic view of "good for you - things are so bad here now" and similar comments.  Well I think I ought to set the record straight here and now.

I don't think that Great Britain, the United Kingdom or England has/have gone to the dogs.  That's not why we're going.  It's a question of health and economy for us.  As we grow older we crave a warmer climate.  Also without lots of money in the bank or by way of pension or income, it makes sense to get the best property deal, and at the moment that is in France.  Also we love France (which helps a lot) but we emphatically do not dislike the land of our birth.

I'm quite sure we will get used to fine wines, good food, sunshine etc.  but just for the record, here are some of the things that I'm going to really miss (quite apart from family)

The London Underground and its regular if sometimes infuriating service

The multi-ethnic food available in our local High Street

Complaining about the weather

Real Ale

The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, which I am used to seeing about once a fortnight, and which I regard as one of the finest examples of modern British architecure

Diana conspiracy theories

The layout of our kitchen, which I am so used to cooking in

The squirrels who live in our back garden and eat peanuts from our hands

That's enough - my eyes are becoming moist.

The picture, for a change, is one of my own.  It is the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, viewed from Gosport, near what used to be the Vosper Thorneycroft boatyard.  It was taken  in July of this year.