[Jim Hayes]

Thanks Terese, I believe the couplet reflects my intentions better now.

[Marion Shore]

Janice,

A desert island sounds nice. I can't think of anyone I'd rather go with than you (with the possible exception of James Franco)

Move over Gilligan!

[John Whitworth]

The CLAP Mr Collington. I'll have you know I was staying with my wife and my sister.Now which...?

Thank you all for the poems which are in my memory locked. Sam has the best of it, of course. But actually the holiday was very cheap and I came back with forty Euros. Perhaps it's because it doesn't lookm like money. Note for Sam the gambler. Theer are many CASINOS here but they all turn out to be Supermarkets. For the record I was not in Paree (where it always rains in my experience) but down South by a river called the Ardeche. Good place to be, I tell you. People very nice indeed, children well-behaved, teenagers likewise (can you believ it?). All the men look like ageing Belmondos and walk out with very small dogs. 'Bonsoir Monsieur. Vous avex un chien tres commode!'

I have to say the food is better than ours. I'm not talking abouit the CUISINE, but the fruit and vegetables. Peaches and nectarines and apricots you don't get anywhere else (except Italy), tomatoes the size of cricket balls. And sausages!!!

I bathed in the river every day, together with many french people and their dogs. The river was surrounded by very noisy frogs, just waiting to be deep fried.

Frech trains are the finest in the world, A series of double-decker buses that move at 200 miles per hour.

As for the cricket, Janet, it looks OK to me. Oz on the run. As for complaing about timewasting, what you have to do is bowl them out. As we are about to. Watch and learn. Strauss for ever! I also like our bald wicketkeeper with the iron gloves. Poor old Rickie. He wasn't caught. He was lbw. Note for non-cricketers. You really don't want to know

[Janet Kenny]

John,
Welcome back.
New Zealand rivals France and Italy when it comes to stone fruit. (The South Island that is.) And the volcanic soil north of Wellington grows vegetables with that miraculous Italian flavour. (Pity about the cooks--well there are some terrific cooks there now, but our old mums used to boil everything.)

Yes Australia is a bit sad in the cricket department. I listen uncomprehendingly with an earphone when I can't sleep and I can tell by the cheers from the stand that England is doing well. I thought it was going a bit far when one of the commentators called Ponting "Australia's Napoleon";-)

(I love French cooking. I was kidding.)

[R. S. Gwynn]

I yield the forum back to le maitre.