Bonjour mes amis nous venons dans la paix

What an extraordinary turn in events. I had a delightful culinary treat today - lunch in a real French restaurant. It was Goodman who discovered that Homesea was once more conjoined with a land mass. On one of his early morning jaunts, he got into an altercation with some of the local farm cats. Yes, we have struck land - the Atlantic coast of France in the Vendée to be precise. At first I thought that the locals were going to cut up rough - a bunch of gendarmerie turned up in their funny little peaked caps, wearing cloaks...and toting machine guns. For a while there was a bit of a stand off between the Homesea Guard and the forces of the French Republic - we were greatly concerned that they had ideas of annexation in mind. It would only have needed some hot headed individual to let off a shot and all hell could have broken loose. Thank goodness the Old Monkey managed to jump on Beaver just as he was about to launch a duck bomb at the Maire. I tried to assure them that we had come in peace and, luckily, one of them recognised me. "Son Oncle, ce gros éléphant qui a sauvé le système financier international!" he cried and they all started cheering. I must say the French really now how to throw a slap up celebration and we have had a grand reception. It is good to be on firm ground again and it will be a lot easier to put my rescue plan into operation from a stationary position.