Judith-aka-Judith

Idun, I'm definitely with on this one.  Good for the car .. better for safety to stop the boot crawling .. far more dangerous thatn actual spped.  I keep my distance .. prefer to sail along with plenty of space around me. And yes, my car just does not want to go at 80 .. speed always creeps up without noticing .. particularly annoying on one 10 minute drive along the Minervoise near us where at night there is a perfecty clear view, it's as dead straight as it can be in places, with few junctions, and very, very little traffic .. if any at all. 

Mint, When I got my induction hob, likewise got rid of the gas bottle, and so much easier to clean, I did not buy new pans, well some, yes, but I did not throw away my tried and tested ones, especially frying pans, but bought an under the pan ring, which works very well. . and not expensive .. though you have to heat it up for longer before it works, and thus it works more like a standard electric hob, but it saves much changing of pans, and works very well.  I cannot get some things to work as well as on the old gas hob, or indeed by my wood burning cooker in the last house (never done omelettes as well as I did there, or salmon in the oven!), but it wasn't suitable for our current house and would not have fitted in it anyway.

Yes, I've been doing it since it started .. requested by the Twin Research Unit .. where Tim Spector is .. quite simple, once you've got it set up, th ough I am not at all sure  how my results help being based here, except they will use it for their genetic work on twins bo doubt too  (I am not a twin, but more, but sadly only the two of us left).

I believe this is incorrect, as the Withdrawal Agreement is in place, and for travel the Uk is still regarded as in Europe, though people from the UK who do come will have to quarantine when they return as from 8 June.  But all this is likley to change by the end of June, and I know people who are talking about coming down to their holiday homes soon.

My sig is pretty specific I believe, it's a village in the Minervois, those in the know can guess which, as its the most important and largest in the region, and only one can be described as that. For most posters I see that as quite accurate enough!. 

We are planning to go to our favourite restaurant today ... instead of having their takeaways, still delicious, but not the same!

I can recommend David Nieper, I have some of their nightclothes (via my deceased aunt), which only get worn when hospitalised etc ..inlcuding the beautiful flowery dressinggown which I think is still available.  Pure cotton and so comfortable. I am like Marilyn though no Chanel no 5 for me .. I am even more partial to David's Nieper's dresses, of which I have several.  I have visited them twice now, on my UK visits, and it pays to try them on as though good, the fit, as ever, varies.  Made on their site in Derbyshire, and so, so friendly.  I even bumped into the MD who was eating in the staff canteen when I went in for a coffee and cake, I was there that long.They were very impressed that I had come all the way from France to visit them.

[quote user="chessfou2"]Yesterday I went to my podologue. First time in more than 3 months. Bliss! Next Thursday it's my coiffeuse for first time in 4 months.[/quote] Yes!  Feet the first week they were allowed to open again .. desperately needed, and it's hair cut time next week.  Amazingly, still looking good, though longer than I like, my hairdresser will love it this length, but agree it does need trimming as it is looking "endy".  I'm going shorter for the summer, though, that might eventually decide to stay longer next time. Beautiful last week here, now rain and cloud forecast for the next week (again, and again .. lost track this year of how many times it's now done that!). And guess what I was thinking of doing today - the washing, of course.  Typical.

As with blood tests, you can go and see a doctor even if not registered.  My father, on holiday, needed to see a doctor, he happily paid the fee, got his tablets he needed, also paying for them.  Once on holiday, I needed to get my UK prescribed tablets, which I had omitted to pack, great hunt by the pharmacy to find a replacement as it had a different name here (of course), but we made it .. and I happily paid for it.  So, as NOrmanH said, all things can be done, but without the MT prescription you pay for them.

Yes, I had something similar, though now I cannot say which form it was, but likewise, I started again and unticked a box which I had certainly not ticked, it went away and then was as I had expected .. have they still not learnt to double check and then double check again before changing things and putting in new items ... that was my most frustrating moment this year, I must admit, apart from adding every thing up in the first place, as it would keep getting different answers!!!!

That's good, I had a non essential Amazon order (pre-confinement, just) from the UK never arrived, lost in transit they said, money back, but I'd like to re-order now, though I am not at all sure  everything is back and working as before yet!

Mint, gorgrous feeling, isn't it! Now go celebrate! 

Gardengirl, didn't get as far as evaluating why, but it made me laugh and think, oh dear!  I think you are probably quite right ...

Never having worked in France, I cannot help with who to talk to, but that advice is well given above.  What I will say is, that even though it is difficult, and I have been there too in jobs in the UK (but the job market was different then) at this present moment I would not change from a CDI to a CDD for anything. Stick it out for now, get the advice from those recommneded services above, keep your records, and if you do get the push, you have the information to move onwards, get reclamation etc. But do not jump until you are pushed, the French job market is too fragile to do that. Get the unions behind you and fight back, and get what  you are owed by law.

Yes, it's interesting and amusing one I find, that my first ever salary back in those long distant days was a 13 payments a year one, paid every 4 weeks.  Time flies, the other jobs have been "normal" in so far as paid monthly. And as I get to the last payment (pension in lieu of salary as it were) it reverts to a 13 payments a year one, paid every 4 weeks.

Chessie, I am touched that in the middle of all your concerns and worries, you think of me, you are right that the forum may not be as active as it once was, but the help is always there, and waht's more it's consistently good advice, which is more than can be said for FB. It's too early to say what progress, but so far no side effects is to me a good thing, and I have come through the dog days (for now at least) and am positive and strong, for now at least. And Mint, yes, I have seen it and replied.xx I don't put icons on, getting a post in without system failure is good enough for me!

Mint, the first online submissin is the worst, and you'll get help on here, if you ask, as you already have I see.  I did mine two weeks ago, to stop the "hanging over me syndrome", I was having a bad weekend, it was raining, I had just had health news I did not really want (now over that, but still could have done without the news whose problem has not gone away - advanced melanoma!) Treatment started, no obvious side effects so far, we shall see. As for the tax form, well it took my mind off that other matter, and so I got it done .. but I do wish OH would add up his income in the opposite way to the one he does ... I have to do it all again, but this year, for the first time, I created a spread sheet for the incomes, which at least adds it up for me .. I will not tell you how many different answers I got when I used a calculator .. Good luck,  and keep asking as you need to.

I wouldn't touch such a propositioin with a barge pole, and I suspect neither notaire or purchaser would either.

She might just be attacking her tax form and not consulting the forum??

Chessie, I know panicking doesn't help, but it's a perfectly human thing to do, and I dare say not one of us on here couldn't say we hadn't just as you have on occasions. "OH regards himself as 'perfect', nothing wrong with him - it's all me and my imagination. " Similar problem here, though not as serious as yours - yet - and I hope not ever, but there are signs ... yesterday it was lost glasses (his, not mine, though I've done that too).  Have you looked everywhere you've been (in the house) this morning? Yes!  Of course, he hadn't ... basically they were where he'd left them the night before - he'd not put them on that morning, as he needs them really only for reading and driving but he usually wears them and takes them off when he doesn't need them, like I don't wear mine walking around the house now. Finding the CG will help, and doing the tax forms ... but plenty of other useful suggestions before me, so will not repeat other than to say you are not alone in this and come back whenever you feel the need for advice, or simply a rant!   

Chessie, would you be able to retireve the lost CG info from ANTS, surely they should have it stored somewhere .. else how do they get to fine you when they need to?  I wish I could do more to help, I wonder if there is an Alzheimer's help group in 47 as there is here .. ?  And, yes, sounds very much like you need to get your GP involved ... if only to ensure you get the help you need .. Virtual hugs ... I may yet face the same problem .. as might we all, there but for the grace of God .. so keep cheerful and shout at us as much as you like ... and ask for as much help as you need and we'll give you as much help as we can. I find swearing at the top of my voice helps too! 

Nothing yesterday - it was too wet, but messaging and emails have been alive ... hair appointment soon, I can live with it pro tem, all organised by email, but the lady who cuts my toenails (as I cannot reach them now so stiff as I am), is coming this afternoon, organised by messenger, and boy, do they need doing.  Luckily, as I've not been going out except for necessary things, I've been able to wear sandals which has helped.  I won't change much, I suspect, though I have said that I will begin to get out for a walk each if I can .. and if the weather plays ball.

Mint, agree, though ours only this morning .. just as you say, easy to see which is for whom.  Though I might just have to adapt how mine fastens ...  and there I was slating the Maire for his lack of action!  No warning, just a ring at the doorbell, which made me curse when no-one was there.  Then I methinks .. as I am waiting for a parcel anyhow and maybe that was to tell me it had arrived ... et voila!  The masks. I knew that the PTA equivalent ladies had been making them, and that the Maire had organised material for them, so it's nice for once to have to eat my words.  Mea culpa indeed.

Mint, I see you are speaking franglais now!  Yes, I think there is a case for LE, but apart from waking up and thinking what day is it, and a certain amount of frustrating supermarket shopping, I've only had to go out for certain unavoidable medical appointments, meaning a nice trip to Toulouse, and the odd (very) need for the bank and the pharmacy, but I have not raced home to bake (I don't very often, today being an exception using up things about to go out of date and to make up for not being able to make a nice dessert for hubby's 80th birthday yesterday). I have spent a lot of time trying to move on with jobs I've been trying to do for years - not cleaning either - and did get the tax form done yesterday - another reason why no dessert got done!  I am looking forward to going out without a form, except for my still required trips to Toulouse ... over 100km, inevitably from here, but in fact I don't see that my days will change greatly, though I have booked a chiropodist appointment for this week, much needed, I have decided that the hairdresser can wait a week or two. Petit à petit I do believe works best.

I once had a Paypal account, which I decided to close because I was fed up of getting real, but numerous emails from them. I also had severe doubts about their privacy because of the number of scams I got .. easy to spot as they always came via my French email and I used my UK email for Paypal ... This above certainly looks like a scam, cleverer than most though it is.