Ken

I had more than just moist eyes watching the funeral of Prince Philip yesterday. The organisation and ceremonial structure of the funeral was quite staggering given the circumstances of Covid. Much of the organisation was, apparently, done by the Prince himself and it is a tribute to the man that it was perfect in every detail. The country paid tribute to him as did even French T.V. with its excellent coverage. My view on the Prince is that he was perfect for the Queen. He could be sharp yet humorous and seemed to fit the exact requirements of an Englishman which given his mixed family history was quite an achievement. One of the great Royals.

It was a very small unit, around 400 men, which doesn't in any way detract from their brave record as a Commando unit. They had already taken part in Commando raids before D-Day notably the famous Dieppe raid. The film 'The Longest day' adapted from Cornelius Ryan's book of the same title features the French raid on the gun emplacement at the casino during D-Day. It is fairly accurate too, for a film!!! These men, all of them, all nationalities; we owe a great debt to.

I don't think I misunderstood at all. From what you say the law sounds very strange to say the least, inviting you to pursue proceedings and not requiring testimony! Presumably they are 'honest' criminals and have admitted robbing you!!!!!! Something odd about the whole thing. Is it not possible that if you did pursue a claim then the insurance company could, at least, be reimbursed ? Unlikely perhaps but why let those criminals off the hook in the slightest fashion by doing nothing?

You said they forced their way in to your house? That's criminal damage. If you don't assist the authorities in convicting these people my view is you should be ashamed of yourself. If you do assist the authorities then you should feel that you have done your civic duty. These people thrive on people not doing anything and makes it easier for them to burgle another house, another time.

We moved to France in 2000. With regards everything that came with us; no paperwork , no customs, no nothing. Now, no doubt there is paperwork because of Brexit but personal belongings have no limit, being sensible of course!! The ton of gold in the boot might attract attention!!!

All you have done is confirm that which I heard this morning. If your maths are up to it you will see the total figures are about right!!! The 30€ figure is quite different to 100+ figure but you can blame BFM for that!!!

Easy to transfer money. There are many companies that will do it for you (as someone suggested already) As for paying cash to a dealer, well, if you are shrewd there are certain benefits to be had with hard cash!!!!!!

A nice little earner!! On the news this morning :Payments are being stopped for doctors who have been administering covid jabs. They have been 'earning' 30€ a jab with some earning up to a 1000€ a day!!! As for confinement, I honestly haven't noticed any difference! Just shows how boring a life I'm leading!! Mind you I did go to my shooting club yesterday and it wasn't until I was driving back that I realised it was 30 K from where I live!!

Worrying or concerning yourself is perfectly natural; everyone does it. The two of us received our first vaccination at the same time and now wait for our second. Absolutely no side affects, not even a sore arm. It was the AZ vaccine too and surprise surprise no Brin blood clots either!!!! The media are responsible for this ridiculous hype and some politicians are using it in quite a disgusting fashion. For what it's worth may advice is try not to concern yourself with side affects or even the delay in receiving the vaccine; The hype surround ing the effects is quite disgusting. Some people make hype out of a headache for heavens sake or a sore arm, do these people never , ever have a headache or some discomfort in their lives; or if they do do they rush of to the doctor and say 'I have a headache', It's ridiculous. Really, do try and stop worrying.

Obviously an inferior region!! You pay what for you get!! It's nice to know there are peasants out there!!!!!

I have too say I'm torn between the argument of being forced to have the vaccine or not being forced. I have had my first jab and await the 2nd. But would, or should I have been forced to be vaccinated, should anyone? I suppose my inclination is to say no, no one should be forced to be vaccinated and I do understand the argument about putting others at risk. Flu, and I know it's not exactly the same thing, but I feel very strongly about people not being vaccinated against that! Just why should people infect me with that disease either. But should they be forced to have the vaccination, again my inclination is to say no, and of course they are not. My view is that those who choose not to be vaccinated have to accommodate the view of those who have been vaccinated and , in effect, be ostracised from society. By that I mean the various institutions that govern our lives, airlines, transport, pubs, shops etc. should not , by law, be allowed to service those who refuse a vaccine and put others at risk. I do believe that people should be able to refuse the vaccine but in doing so they must accept the rule of society. It is their choice and ours too!

My level of vanity has, for some reason never extended to my hair! Perhaps it's because I can't see it as others do, especially the back!! I dress, I think, with vanity in mind, shave everyday regardless and would never go out looking shabby, but my hair——! I haven't been to the hairdressers for nearly two years now having bought a very expensive home haircutting kit. Whenever I did go the hairdressers the cut was ok somedays excellent on others and mediocre most of the time. In any event after a few days had passed it always looked the same anyway!!! At around 25€ a cut I must have saved a fortune into the bargain since I started DIY!!! As for the ridiculous time and money women spend on their hair, no! I had better not comment!!!!

Depending totally on your point of view regarding loss of earnings, livlihoods etc but I did wonder at the polluting aspect of attempting to 'keep warm' the vines when I saw the amount smoke generated by these attempts. Now, on the news this morning, locals are complaining about the pollution and the scene taken in one area where these straw fires have been lit is worse than a London smog!!! I think that I wouldn't be too happy either with that level of pollution! In the Pays Basque it is bad enough when they burn the scrub on an annual basis. The pollution is also incredible. Given the 'noise' Macron makes about the environment and pollution it all seems somewhat ridiculous to allow the burning, either at the vineyards or in the countryside.

On BFM this morning 'prices will rise'! Now there's a surprise!!! Is it the cynic in me or is it some sort of agricultural sleight of hand but in these situations prices go up but there in never a shortage, as is often claimed for being the reason for price increase!! At least none I have ever noticed.

Probably no help what so ever but——I bought a car in Spain several years ago and the savings were most impressive!! Yes, there was import and customs to pay plus registering the car but the savings were huge . My neighbour has been buying his cars in Spain for many years and he drives an average sized and priced car. Cars in France, relative to Spain are expensive and second hand cars a rip off. My advice, look into buying a car in Spain, they welcome the business and actually want to sell you something. Some excellent deals to be had.

Yes, there was the internet back then when we came to live in France and we had just bought our first computer a week before we moved! All information about living in France we gleaned from books. When we arrived we didn't even know that the yellow boxes were the ones you put outgoing mail in!! Our neighbours were, and still are, fantastic. They even told us which post box to use!!! We really knew nothing but needing to live we had to find out pretty quick! Not a soul spoke English ( I'm glad to say!) and the learning curve was very steep indeed., great fun though and every day was an adventure. All the mundane and common things in the U.K. were of course similar here, the major difference, quite obviously is the language. I once spent ten minutes in a shop trying to explain that I wanted an electrical screwdriver, It would have made a great Monty Python sketch!! My wife died ten years ago and friends fully expected me to go back to the U.K. Natural I suppose to think like that but we had made this our home and I will certainly see out my life here. A wonderful country.

I suppose it's possible to be both an immigrant and an ex pat! personally I hate the term 'ex-pat' I'm not too sure I like being called an immigrant either!!! Not sure what I would like to be called as long as I'm never called 'Late'!!! I also think it odd that brits come to a country and quite often end up in an enclave of fellow Brits. I remember some years ago a village somewhere, perhaps it was in the Dordogne, where the local French citizens were demonstrating against the number of brits changing their village into a 'little England'! They certainly had my sympathy! We came to France 22 years ago and I didn't speak a word of French. Fortunately my wife was fluent, being edumacated!! I, on the other hand, a cockney from the East end hand to flog it like mad to make a start at learning the language. I have managed to get a grip of it but still find it amusing when, as happened yesterday when we crossed the frontier back into France from doing some shopping in Spain, the Gendarme who stopped me to check papers, asked me if I would prefer to speak English!!! That was after I had simply said "bonjour"!! Obviously my cockney accent is still pretty strong!!!

Fortunately I know of no other Brit, indeed no other foreigners, living around here (Pays Basque) Not to say there Aren't any, I feel sure there must be but I don't know of any. Your memories seem more reminiscent of the east end of London rather than France!!!! Perhaps a re-location to the Pays Basque would be desirable; NO!!! wait a minute! I think I prefer that Brits stay away, nothing personal!!!

The government have already stepped in!!! The P.M. has said aid will be available immediately. By that of course, he means the tax payer will cough up; again!!! Me cynical? perish the thought!

It's unlikely to be a House Finch as they appear to be native to parts of the USA! Probably a Pinson des arbres or Pison du Nord. (Arbres) Reddish under breast, blue cap and brown, black and white body markings, a handsome birds indeed! (Nord) White breast dark cap and black tail. Finches are wonderful singers, you are fortunate to have it singing away.

The irony of it is that if caught, they will be ( maybe!) prosecuted for hunting out of season. I have very strong views regarding the hunting of any wildlife but fully understand that animals and human beings cannot, unfortunately, live in perfect harmony together. It is the method in which animals, be they sanglier, deer, foxes whatever, are hunted that is the problem. Killing for food and controlling population is one thing but the amount of suffering and cruelty involved by amateur 'hunters' is something else.

The European wasp isn't particularly aggressive unless the nest is disturbed. That applies to any wasp of course! I had a nest of European wasps in my garden and watched them daily go about their business. usually they took the same route out of the garden, going God knows where, and returned by the same route. Not once was I troubled by them. A neighbour spotted the nest and told me I had a nest of Asian Hornets in the garden. I pointed out to them that although large, (They are in fact bigger than the hornet!) They were European wasps and harmless. Not content with that they called the Police! The two Policemen who came also said they were Asian Hornets and wouldn't accept what I told them. They called an expert who confirmed that they were European wasps and harmless. Exit two embarrassed Policemen and neighbours!! The neighbours who called the Police haven't spoken to me since!!! I like to think they are too embarrassed but I'm not particularly bothered. The point is that all too often people are willing to kill insects without the foggiest idea of the way these insects live. I have another neighbour who kills, without a thought, any snake he finds. Some snakes are protected in France but that doesn't deter him at all. He says that they frighten him!!!! Just what is it with people that the first thought is to kill anything that they find 'inconvenient' or slightly frightening?

I don't think you should feel bad about that. What is more revealing is that you should express it! People, many people feel quite strongly about his death and are quite saddened by it. Did you really need to say "I don't care', are you really that hard that you don't care for other peoples feelings? If you are anti royal then O;K; but have respect for other peoples feelings.

There won't be another like him, unfortunately! In these days of 'correctness' he stood out. I think he epitomised what loyalty and honesty stood for. Some might say that the coverage of his death is 'over the top' but I disagree. The most insignificant of 'celebrities' these days have coverage that goes on for weeks. I never see criticism of them!!! I have no doubt 'Royal knockers' will come out of the woodwork to try and find some way to denigrate him or his family but for me he was an incredible man and a role model that many would do well to follow.

I should be surprised by the naivety of some people but I'm not. Usually it is a political stance that guides their opinion and not reality. Do some people really believe that the AZ vaccine is the only vaccine to be suspected (not proven) of causing blood clots? Apparently so!! Biased and sensationalist media reporting allied to a political view is enough to convince them. Have these same people not wondered why there has been no data released for blood clots in the general population that hasn't had AZ or any vaccine come to that? Almost countless millions of AZ vaccine has been administered with huge success. Britain is on the verge of ending lockdown but still this isn't good enough for some. 19 deaths in the U.K. caused by blood clots which have not been attributed by scientists or doctors to the AZ vaccine but simply that they have been vaccinated is enough to send opponents of Boris Johnson and the producers of AZ vaccine into a paroxysm of delight it seems! Friends I speak to back in the U.K. who are anti Boris are very quick to condemn him when something is controversial but even with this vaccine success they simply can't find it in themselves to say the government has done remarkably well. My beliefs is that the U.K. has been most honest about the vaccine. and any side effects. The proof is in the pudding. Deaths from the virus in almost single figures and infections almost disappearing. Compare that to France, should anyone dare to!! Sad that objectivity is just a word in the dictionary for some!!