Swissie

Thank you Norman and Quillan.

sorry Mark, but I do not understand:  there might be similar- and there are. What do you mean? Beyond GCSE learners' dictionaries are a disaster- as they give only one meaning per word and no context. For intermediates and above, a dictionary of synonyms/thesaurus is also really useful.

Not the Jura, that's for sure.

In Loughborough there is a street called 'The Coneries'. Our French exchange students always insisted on having their pictures taken by the sign. Tried to explain it had to do with rabbits- but they wouldn't listen. They also loved the sign at the local garage 'Air Con £60' - they also got their picture taken there, and proved they could have l'air *** for free and gratis. My favourite English signs though are 'Heavy Plant Crossing' and 'Free erection'...

Now that looks dodgy without the  Ç!

LOL  -  check again!

In my local rag, an old school friend writes the weather forecast everyday. Where is gets this stuff, I do not know, but everyday he comes up with this sort of météo poetry. It might test your French a bit: Le décor se décolore, les degrés pas encore ... Sortez votre mouchoir pour faire un adieu pathétique à la grande douceur et au bel Apollon, vous ne les reverrez plus dès ce soir pour un bon bout de (mauvais) temps! La dépression de l'Atlantique pousse ses nébuleux impatients d'en découdre, de la haute couture vaporeuse en vue. Alors re-voilà les nuages, ils longent déjà la frontière en jouant à cache-cache avec Apollon devenu bien palichon. Les douanniers empèchent le passage des marchandises mouillées, seules des gouttes isolées sont écoulées par les malfrats grisonnants. Le Mercure ne voit rien venir et affiche 17 degrés. Les prochains jours :  festival de nuages à gouttes et sensiblement plus frais. Il a oublié de nous dire qu'il neigerait à plein tube la nuit dernière et la nuit précédente!

One word that's always made me cringe in English, is the word 'genrE'!

Alice, who the **** is Alice?

LOL - yes. it just made me cross eyed when I saw the title! What really makes me laugh are those invented so-called English words, that are not even remotely English like le parking       car park le brushing     blow-dry le footing       jogging le pressing     dry-cleaners le wellness    spa/gym/beauty salon (direct translation of 'bien etre')

A really interesting article in the New York times by Richard Ablin, who discovered PSA- reported in the latest BMJ. www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10Ablin.html

hameçon = fishing hook   so should it not be  hameçonage?     Also seen as   hameçonnage.

Can any of you clever clogs find 'When I'm 64' by the Beatles, for OH who was ... 64 the other day? Merky bucket.

UK or France?

Have you had a dog or bitch sterilised fairly recently. Would you be kind enough to tell us the cost of the operation and the area you are in. Thanks    Swissie PS  wrote the female word for a dog, and it was censured!    I would be very grateful for info please.

The person in question lives near Limoges- and I cannot see why mentioning the price she paid is far-fetched. As said before, I am certainly not looking for an argument, certainly not looking at 'winning' said argument, and definitely not criticising. I was truly shocked to find out, thanks to the OP's post, that many SPAs do not have a sterilising policy. It still does not make sense to me to release animals un-neutered, and persist with this vicious circle, and I am glad all 3 of my local refuges understand this and have a clear policy. I am sad that my quest for solutions is labelled as 'far fetched'. I do not care though what people think of me, but I do care for the animals. A sincere and frank discussion, and a search for cutting cost, seeking cooperation with local vets and vet schools, and having a campaign to explain the reasons for neutering and the reduced cost to new owners if done before release, are all essential IMOHO.  Yes, I do persist, because it is so worth persisting for the animals' sake - that I care passionately about, as you do too. I am really pleased to see that your Charity does neuter dogs before placing. You and your team must therefore believe that it is important, just as I do.

I am so sorry Christine. Mislead is the last thing I want to do> I have enquired with French friends, and one of them had a setter done recently for E48. I have also checked my local SPA on the French side (I live just over the border In Switzerland - where both refuges insist on sterilising all animals before releasing), in Pontarlier (25 Franche-Comté). They are affiliated to Lyon. Their website explains clearly why they insist on sterilising and vaccinating all animals before release. I was surprised that they charge E155 per dog/bitch. This is NOT an affluent area, and industries here have been much affected by the 'crise'. They clearly feel it is better not to place a dog, then to place it with people who cannot afford to look after it properly, or where it is likely to reproduce on a regular basis- causing 1000s more cats and dogs to be abandonned, over and over again. I am continuing with this thread not to antagonise or criticise, but because I feel it is essential to find solutions. Best regards  odile

The current cost of spaying is about E48 - I am sure rates could be lowered for SPAs by negotiation with local vets. Also possible to organise spaying/castrating sessions with the local Vet School, perhaps - students with close senior supervision. I am sure that are ways and means out there. Let's say a rate of E30 to 40 can be negotiated- the difference in cost would not be huge, from E90 to about E120/130- I have great doubts about the seriousness and ability to care for a dog and pay for future vet. cost, etc, for any family or individual wanting to adopt a dog, if they cannot afford the difference. This is NOT a criticism, but a sincere discussion - having dogs adopted is of course the aim, but not in any conditions. In the UK the RSPCA will seriously discuss each case with a prospective adoptor, and make as sure as they can that conditions will be right for the animal, before releasing the dog. Any family who cannot/do not want to pay that small difference, I'd have concerns about. I do wonder whether there is also a cultural difference here, especially for the South, too. It is a fact that very few French men have the 'snip' after having children (and certainly before) - compared to UK. Is it the case that French people in traditional rural areas, might consider a dog which has been spayed/castrated, as not whole, unnatural somehow? It is certainly the case in the Valais, in Switzerland, with a long hunting tradition.

It really felt like Spring recently - but woke up to huge huge flakes falling like a curtain - stopped now, but we've got about 15cm covering all Spring flowers.

Great - I meet fantastic people all the time - they are out there still, as you say. Hope you got the results you wanted!

Same here Judith. If they have a problem with it, tough!  Hope Sweet is having a good time.

Hi Rowan, thank you for your reply. I am so glad you were not offended and realised I truly respect the work of the SPA, the volunteers, and that i truly have the animals welfare at heart. Surely the SPAs could negotiate special rates with vets, perhaps also work with veterinary schools, etc. What would be the cost per animal, I wonder. It seems madness to release dogs back unneutered. If people are not prepared to pay a reduced cost, they are unlikely to pay full cost afterwards. And we end up with 100s more unwanted puppies, a vicious circle. Is there a proper debate going on within the SPA (for the whole of France, not just yours) and a determined way to find solutions. This IS NOT A CRITICISM, but sometimes we get so busy solving everyday issues, that we lose sight of the bigger picture. Every dog is important - but solutions need to be global. Do you see what I mean.           Amitiés et bonne chance   Odile PS - just received a lovely reply from the volunteer at the SPA, who totally agrees sterilisation is paramount in solving the problem. She has asked for discretion, as apparently volunteers are not allowed to mention that euthanasia does take place. Thanks.

Ju suis 'toute chose' - je suis allée voir une vieille dame anglaise, du Kent, qui habite le village depuis longtemps, car j'ai entendu qu'elle était malade. Je lui ai apporté des magazines et quelques livres en anglais. Son mari m'a dit qu'elle est décédée hier soir à l'hopital, suite à une jaunisse aigue et la cyrrose du foie (elle était tee-total!). L'enterrement sera dans la stricte intimité de la famille, mais il nous a demandé de venir représenter l'Angleterre pour elle. Ça me fait tout drole- meme si je ne la connaissais pas très bien. Flying at half mast here.

It is a very emotional subject - but I have to say I feel uncomfortable with the thought that the bike rallies were started as a reaction to a proposed Muslim demonstration, rather than to support troops, originally.

Our local bread is so good, there is just no point in making our own. Miam miam.