Swissie

Exactement!

Never thought of this - surely there should be an overide button - scary.

I think it is just an 'exageration' of an expression- but not commonly in use. Funny though.

Then thing with a firm like Bardies being part of a big group, is that they communicate needs for part loads to all members- then arrange it all. We had furniture going in 4 directions - into storage then into a flat in UK, to both daughters, one in Notts one in Surrey- and rest to Switzerland. They were brilliant.

Did you find anything? Hope so. Have a great time.

Better not read the link first. Yes, life has been so complicated recently - with the big move and loss of both parents, etc, making lists has been the only way to get all the jobs done!

You so make me laugh Sweet - I adore your crèpes! J'ai un (gros) rhume = je suis  (très) enrhumé/e  c'est pas démodé du tout et toi non plus! Do you know the expression 'tailler une bavette' for 'papoter'?

la grippe   but that is for 'proper' flu   j'ai un refroidissement = a cold     in popular lang.   j'ai la crève j'ai mal à la gorge = sore throat j'ai   /   je n'ai  pas de température (or:  de fièvre)     Ma température est de  (39) degré.   (38.5  =  trente-huit cinq) Bonne chance un syrop pour la toux  - a cough mixture/linctus     un expectorant  a linctus for a 'productive cough'        une toux sèche  a dry cough des losenges  (or) pastilles pour la gorge  - throat losenges

Bienvenue Rachel - and apologies for this very rough landing here on CF- hope it won't put you off. I cannot fathom how your reply could be seen as 'arrogant'. @+  

In Leics Hoddy? I try not to think about the beautiful garden I left back in East Leics- it was so amazing at this time of year. It is now a Kindergarten - and the new owner is defo. not a gardener - but the bulbs will be doing their thing all the same. Here snow is just going - but it is amazing how much more quickly things change in the mountains - snow drops are out and the winter hellebores brought over, which I thought had died - are now starting to bloom- great. Siskins are here in big numbers and are chatting and chirrping away like crazy - such lovely little birds. The minute the snow goes from our 2 fields at back and side of house - millions of wild crocuses will appear in all shades of white and purple. Anytime now. Soon it will be bluebell woods in the Outwoods for you - I just loved it there and used to stop on way back from my school in Loughborough, going the scenic route through Swithland back to Scraptoft. Fabulous.

We used Bardies of Leicester, part of Britannia. Talk to Mr Bardwa, the owner - he is a really nice guy and so helpful.

The correct word is 'register' if I remember correctly- and the register was perfect in context. One of the hardest thing to really get to grips with, as a foreigner learning a language, is appropriate use of register. It took me years - and I still can get it wrong. At a very posh black tie dinner at the Grand Hotel, a couple of years after my arrival - I learnt the hard way that 'I am totally knackered' - which was absolutely correct with my young Uni friends - was just not the most suitable way to express extreme tiredness with the crème de  la crème of Leicester Society, especially 30 years ago. 'Got away' with it as some kind soul explained I was 'foreign'. LOL.

Well that's OK then - all in the past and forgotten. But language is very flexible - and there is often many different ways to say the same thing - none being particularly more 'right' than the other - variety is the spice of life as you say. No competition needed - we all work as a team. Bisous  @+

shame you forgot to ask him how he would say it in French! Nothing like a free lesson... Both 'j'ai la vue brouillée' (ma vue est brouillée) and 'je vois flou' would be fine in my humble book. Hope the results of examination were good. Bonne chance. So often, in any language, there are many different ways of saying the same thing - and that is great, non? Remember listening to 3 little girls from my cubicle at swimming pool years ago. They were scrapping because they were accusing their respective teachers of being wrong. One had taught class to say 'comment tu t'appelles?' - another 'comment t'appelles-tu?' and the 3rd 'tu t'appelles comment?' - and it was like ww3. Managed to convince them all 3 were fine and correct, no prob. xx

Wonderful moment - wish I'd been there. Where was u-tube then! My English is more than imperfect, and my French isn't perfect either!  I always like to be corrected - it is just there there are 'ways and ways' - and this time it just seemed a bit abrupt!

NormanH perhaps your comment on native speakers is a bit harsh? I worked as a Senior PA/assistant translator for some years before going into teaching (and becoming Head of Langs + English - yes I know!) and lived in UK for 39 years - so although my English is defo NOT perfect, I am not totally clueless. Sincerely yours is used by Americans. I never mind being corrected and no offense taken

Shame it spoilt your journey - and hope SNCF will give you a proper explanation. Do keep us informed please. Last time we went to UK we decided to take the TGV to Paris then Eurostar. We went to local station out of Peak hours and explained we were slightly flexible on dates, could travel mid-week, and wanted cheapest poss tickets. Asked if buying Carte Senior was worthwhile. The ticket guy was a gem - he spent 20 minutes looking at all the options. Normal price E950 (for 2 return to St Pancras from Pontarlier)- with Carte Senior -50% = E475 + cost of card (forgotten exact figure). He then checked all the dates, and possibilities and said he could do it for E348 - then said 'attendez, j'ai pensé à un truc' - and 2 mins later said if you can go Tuesday and come back Thursday I can do it for E228 (114 each) - bingo. The key is to book early, just like with EasyJet, etc. Optimum booking time is 90 days in advance. superb journey - door to door - much better than flying in many ways- certainly more relaxing. Hope your next train journey is wonderful. BTW - all passengers and all tickets were checked. We had forgotten to 'compost' our ticket (stupid word, non?) - as the train was arriving, an announcement was made that tickets had to be composted - but machine was in station hall NOT on platform. OH rushed like a madman and came back just in time, bordering on a heart attack. I explained to the nice man who checked out tickets that it was too late to inform passengers about composting as the train is pulling in - especially as machine not available on platform. He told us that compulsory composting of ticket is for French passengers only and not for foreigners. I checked again with him, and he was adamant. Foreign passport holders to not have to compost!

Potasium permanganate - had to use it for a week with baby uno and nappy rash (73) - it stained the water purple and her skin ... blotchy, patchy brown - but it did clear the eczema quickly! Cell - glad you liked the banter and hopefully will come back for more. Hope you haven't been tangoed too much. xx  Swissie

Has anybody any idea to what extent poor and perhaps even fraudulous town planning was involved and when? These houses seem to me (I do NOT know the area) to have been built in a totally unsuitable area- land which should have been left clear of building to absorb such events. If the area 'seemed' to be adequately protected at the time by the digues - then surely as digues become unrepairable, etc, proper planning should take this into account (as they are doing in Norfolk and other coastal areas in the UK)- and at the very least should have been evacuated with a such a predictable triple event. Incredibly sad ... and preventable. My heart goes to all those who are suffering now and have lost friends and family.

Touché Judith! Forgot about the 'nuance' there. Sincerely yours - and I'd say not to be used unless you know somebody well. Yours sincerely, would have to be one of those awful French  Veuillez agréer, blablabla!

Rather towards - in this sense meaning 'around 18.oo would suit me better'.

Totally agree with her. she is NOT having a go at single parents, or divorced ones, etc, but at those who are quite happy to make babies and not take responsibility - that also means women in my book.

I imagine Sweet wants to know regarding the possible purchase of a property with fosse problems and high water table - so access to a historical site for the area would be invaluable.

So sorry Cell - you are a Newbie here - and might have expected somebody to give you an honest answer, to an honest question- so I hope you haven't been put off forever! Questions often get comments which are either unwanted, unwarranted or often plain rude- but mostly not nasty but just full of good British sarcasm! Sorry too to say that I agree with the others - the resulting colour is so artificial, and I am absolutely sure it's not good for you (although I have no evidence - will try to Google it some time). Any chance of taking a week's hols to Tenerife or Egypt - although full non-stop sun on fair skin in mid of winter can't be good for you either. Bonne chance - hope you come back to the forum. Swissie

Hi Sarah - so sorry I can't help - but just wanted to say Bonne chance.