Great french service

My car broke down on the A9 outside Narbonne, Southern France yesterday. I take back all I have ever said about French service. My mobile had simultaneously decided not to work, I had my three and seven year old with me and I was feeling both gormless and helpless. A ‘patrouille’ vehicle arrived quickly and unprompted and arrange for me, the car and daughters to be towed into Narbonne from whence a taxi was booked (not an easy thing to do in France on a Sunday) which took me and the babies the 100km home. All done in about two hours. I didn’t even have to speak a word of French. Why can’t the French make everything else about French living as easy as this?

The ‘Takk’ album is still the one being played almost continuously and the track ‘Svo Hljott’ is a remarkable piece of music. This is a truly fabulous album. I only hope I am not playing it to the point where I will never be able to listen to it again. There is so much great new music around at the moment and I seem to be discovering most of it simultaneously. That said I have also been enjoying a 50’s doo-wop compilation and particularly The Flamingos ‘I only have eyes for you’. A friend of mine Mike, who is in his fifties and lived (and survived) the music supported excess of the late sixties and early seventies and can tell you about some of the most obscure music ever reckons this is the best age for music since 1967-73. I agree with him. I was unfortunate to be in my teens in the early ‘80’s – the direst time for popular music since about 1957 (Jazz of course, comes under a separate heading). I had an argument about this with someone the other week who thought the early ‘80’s were the best. I asked for evidence. The answer? Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Human League…you get the drift. No wonder I drink too much…