It's All About Who You Know

(continuing the catch-up requested by family and friends)

Forget the old jokes, "It's not who you know, it's who you b..."
If you are poor and live in the South of France (NP,NP - not Paris, not Provence) it is all about who you know. And fortunately we know some winners.
So last weekend we cashed in some dinner chits (yet another reason to keep honing your cooking skills) and landed in the pool of a friend's house not far from Arles. (OK, close to Provence.) Not just any pool. A stone pool with variable speed current, surrounded by lush gardens and terrace, all built into the remains of a large stone barn just behind the house. Typical of many 18th-19th century, village vigneron (wine-maker) houses. Completely private, hidden from surrounding houses by the remaining tall stone walls of the barn, now supporting nothing but mounds of lush, flowering vegetation. No, it is not for sale. But in the spirit of keeping everyone back home up to date, you get a peak - along with the monsters of course.
Excerpt from the lesson on "How to be a best friend?"... uh, build a pool in your garden like this? Just a thought.
And just for the cherry topping, we have lift-off. Boy is paddling solo. Hip,hip,...
Girl is still clinging but she does NOT like falling behind, so not for long.