All in all, what an interesting summer it’s been! We drove 3,400 miles to the south west of France, all around and back. It was fantastic to finally see some sun! As for the entire works of Just William on audiobook… well it was hilarious the first time round, by the third time, I was twitching. I loved St Jean de Luz… summer for me definitely has to have hot sun, big waves, loads of seafood and lashings of chilled white wine. When all those ingredients are in place, then I’m on holiday. The area round Limoges was also beautiful.
We braved Parc Disneyland on the way home. This was a bit of a mixed success. It’s Disneyland but with torrential rain, Mickey Mouse rain capes and staff with Parisian attitude. Even Minnie Mouse was stroppy. As I strapped myself into the seat for the Big Thunder Mountain ride, I remember thinking, ‘Hang on a minute, do I not get quite unwell in the back of a car on a slightly windy road? Why would going on a roller coaster be a good idea?’ But by then it was too late.
It took only thirty seconds of plunging and plummeting through darkness, whirling round corners and slamming from side to side, for me to be clinging to my husband’s hand and crying: ‘I have to get off, I can’t do this! This is worse than childbirth!’
I was literally green and staggering, with my knees knocking together by the end. My children weren’t feeling much better. So, we re-christened it Big Chunder Mountain and didn’t go on anything more scary than the Peter Pan ride after that. Thomas thought we were all totally wimpy and flounced off to Space Mountain (but funnily enough wasn’t feeling quite so gung-ho afterwards).
Anyway, I’ve had lots of fascinating email from lovely, lovely Personal Shopper readers… I really do try and answer everything in person (what no flock of office minions? No!) as soon as I can. If you don’t get a reply, please re-send your message as it may have somehow slipped through unnoticed.
In answer to various questions: yes, Carmen is my real name, even though I’m not even slightly Spanish! Blame my Mum. I can’t say I love it. I think it sounds very utilitarian, you know ‘car man… someone who works in a garage). I always wanted a name with an ‘i’ when I was small so that I could dot it with a tiny circle or love heart (!) like my first school friends, Caroline and Selina.