Liadnan

Fascinated this weekend by reading Lucy, Lady Duff Cooper's Discretions and Indiscretions, (now a present to Frankie): her memoirs, written in 1932, of being a socialite, dress designer (in which capacity she managed to break into Paris and New York as well as London and dressed pretty much anyone who was anyone) and, most notoriously, survivor -the middle chapter of the book concerns the results of her decision, in 1912, to take "the first available boat" to New York on business and her and her husband's trial by the media and cross examination by Rufus Isaacs in the Inquiry.

Also made my way through a number of books by people who have headed off to France, or elsewhere, to build houses, grow vines, &c and met with disaster or triumph. This is my new Fantasy Fallback Plan (though not France). The most remarkable of them was Patricia Atkinson, who, speaking no French and knowing nothing about wine moved with her husband (who did) to France to run a small vineyward, more as a hobby than anything. Then the recession came, her husband became ill, returned to England and gradually drifted away, and she was left to run the show. The results have been pretty stupendous: from a hobby the vineyard has grown to be a highly regarded, and much larger, successful business: via some quite incredibly hard work on her part. Hmm, maybe there is a slight snag with the Fantasy Fallback Plan...

I tried reading the introduction to the accounting course I am required to take over the next three days, but when (bearing in mind this is accountancy for barristers) I'd spent several pages wading through a noddy guide to the distinction between a company, a partnership and a sole trader (which actually included a couple of errors, though minor ones) I threw it to the floor in disgust and went and opened a bottle of Patricia Atkinson's wine instead.