Loiseau

Agree with all that re U.K., GG. I had a text from my GP asking me to ring for an appointment. Admittedly I had to hold on for a long time before the receptionist answered, but I was offered one for 48 hours later - 30 Dec - with No 2 three weeks after. Admittedly, the original date I was given for the second one was changed to three months rather than weeks, but it seemed more logical to protect more people with a first vaccine. My 47-y-o daughter and husband have had their first ones now, too. (Though they did both have mild Covid around Christmas.) French figures are still looking so scary. I feel that once we are allowed to travel, the U.K. might even put France on the "red list" if things haven’t improved dramatically.

It’s an invidious choice. But maybe putting a person sick WITHOUT Covid into an ICU crammed with a lot of Covid sufferers would not be beneficial.

You forgot to mention the display catching fire...

Didn't you already launch a 15-page thread on this subject recently, Ken? ? http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance-forums/cs/forums/3682177/ShowPost.aspx

...The French enjoy much greater liberty than is the case with their English friends. ... Well, it might have been better if they had been confinés a bit earlier!

To be fair, the parents probably were working, having only one month's holiday compared to their children's two months.

Excuse weirdnesses; can't see to post, and can't see Edit button.

Oh poor Chelsie; all my sympathy. You must have had a terrib,e day. Xx

I have been heating my plates in my (very basic) microwave for years. One minute on High. Perfect.

Can you not just look at the list in your Inbox, mint; highlight several emails that you want to delete (without opening them), and click Delete/Supprimer? And then go to whatever option is the equivalent of Empty Trash? It can't be that simple, otherwise you would have thought of it already! I am agog to see what Sue comes up with.

Funnily enough, smallpox has been very much on my mind today. I volunteered to take part in an annual "Transcription Tuesday", when you undertake take to spend a day transcribing old records so they can be put online for genealogists and other researchers. I opted to do documents from the Foundling Hospital, for the Coram Foundation, and have been typing up entries from the 1740s. I was amazed to see how many of the children were being inoculated against smallpox at that time. I actually googled to see when Jenner had come up with the vaccination, and it was not till the 1790s. But seemingly "variolation" was being practised from the 1720s. On ne mourira pas bête, as my French-Canadian sister-in-law would say...

Is this link any help Chessie ? https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/cheap-online-sharedealing/

"Dix pour cent" is brilliant! At last series 4 is out, but I am rationing myself to one episode a night. "Lupin" is next on my list; friends had told me it was great, so I am looking forward to it. Also on Netflix, I can recommend a couple of excellent French documentary series: "Who killed little Gregory?”, about the 40-year investigation into the death of Gregory Villemin, the police bungling, the anonymous letters and the string of accusations and counter accusations. “Room 2806”, about the rise and fall of Dominique Strauss Khan.

The best, juiciest ones do. This version looks promising https://www.750g.com/le-vrai-croque-monsieur-r99595.htm

Poacher turned gamekeeper? ??

Cold and damp all right, but no cocoa, WB. Should be in cheese section.

Is there a difference in result using plain flour (mint) or SR (Hoddy)? I am quarantining after my daughter tested positive yesterday, so need to do a bit of baking as a distraction. (DD is ok by the way, only lost senses of smell and taste.)

I always enjoy a visit to Clisson! Picturesque setting, Italianate architecture, straddling a river, surrounded by Muscadet vineyards - and the home of Serge Danot's "Magic Roundabout" studio. What’s not to like?

+4

Interesting point, mint; I think I have added a bit of sugar occasionally to tomato dishes, now you mention it. Lori, I was going to suggest dry martini, because I am sure it exists, but I kept getting recipes come up for gin and dry martini à la James Bond. The French are big in the red Martini, but you don't seem to see the dry one on the shelves much. However, what about Noily Prat? It's French, so should be more easily findable. But if you already have the rice wine that idun suggests, I’d give that a go...

Sherry varies widely, from dry fino, like Tio Pepe, via amontillado, to oloroso. Does the original recipe specify which end of the range? I would have thought something drier than Marsala would be best with a savoury dish. Supermarkets sometimes sell those small, fairly flat quarter-bottles of things like kirsch. I wonder if you would find something suitable among those? Actually maybe port (very popular in France) would be appropriate? Can you get the light colour? I suppose the tawny might impart a weird colour to your sauce.

A friend of mine was considering a goose for this Christmas, but has changed her mind in learning that one would cost £100.

OMG, Norman! Are you the one in the white casquette?!

Ha ha, Lori! I recognised you at once of course...

Multi-services ?