It’s that time of year to start getting the pool ready for the warm days ahead.

I’ve kept on top of the little jobs throughout the winter – adding chlorine and emptying the skimmers and cleaning the filter every so often.

But as the days heat up, so does the pool – it’s around 20 degrees now. And when I tested the water to see the levels of chlorine and other factors – I was in for a shock.

The ph level was non-existent and the alkaline level wasn’t registering either.

The only thing for it was a trip to everyone’s favourite piscine place – Cash Piscine.

I took along a sample of the water in a mayonnaise jar and the man behind the counter tested it too.

Yes – I needed some treatments to raise the ph and alkaline levels.

Then it was the simple matter of reading the French instructions, working out the capacity of our pool then mixing up and adding the treatments.

Then I just have to repeat it every day until the levels are correct.

It’s not all plain sailing in the south.

Our younger son Nathan came for a flying visit over the weekend.

The weather was not kind but he managed to catch up with his cousins in Marseille.

Unfortunately Alma and Iris weren’t very well but we enjoyed an apéro together.

Afterwards we went to a famous Marseille pizzeria where the waiter – on seeing Nathan’s shirt – asked if that was his team.

Yes I replied, we are Fulham fans.

Ah, you lost today he said.

Oui je le sais mais merci de me l’avoir rappelé

Sheeesh!

On Sunday we Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – a beautiful village with the best croque monsieur in France.

But it was still hosing it down so we had to retreat to the house.

At least the snooker was on.

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A son in the south