Two bubbles burst

Last week I was on the front of The Birmingham Post. My agent in Birmingham had issued a press release detailing the work I had done with the City Council as a means of promoting my new book on anxiety. Anyway The Post interviewed him and made up a story around which around 2% was accurate. They claimed I had delivered stress counselling to 700 Birmingham City Council housing workers. I have never counselled anyone so I do not know where the story came from. The referred to me as one of Britain’s leading workplace psychologists (which is fine!!) and a local rent-a-quote person described me as someone ‘who probably doesn’t come cheap’. And they topped the piece with an editorial slamming the council and the human resources department who had employed me. End of contract. End of the best work I had done for years – I really felt I had a made a difference to a number of people’s lives. And all of this through ignorance and a desire to sell newspapers. To quote Private Eye – ‘never let the facts get in the way of a good story’.

The heat bubble has burst here in Pezenas. And I really ought to be happy about that because 22 degrees on Saturday is a rather stark warning of what is to come. I like the heat but really only at the appropriate times of year.

I have sold my house – in fact two offers in one day. The inertia of agent one (Asshetons in Penge, SE London if you are interested) prompted a change of agent (Your Move in Crystal Palace) and they delivered four viewings immediately, two of which have put in offers. I do find property tedious. All the English people sit outside the Café Des Arts here in Pezenas (a dismal café) talking about property profit and renovation quoting from all of those programmes on the TV. I keep away but I am sure it bores the French too. I don’t agree with the French lifestyle much (too inert for me) but on this point I am with them. Although I notice that the prices of property go up by about 20-25% in the summer months. Who can blame them for taking advantage of gullible Englanders?

Song of the day: Showroom Dummies – Senor Coconut.