Jacqui Too

  Ours arrived today (UK) and they are the same as last year, no increase, phew what a relief after reading this thread.  

[quote user="Mr Ice-ni"] It is a sad reflection on educational standards that a Math wizard is required for such a calculation. Though I suppose using the word "math" rather than "maths" suggests the OP is American or watches too much American tv. John[/quote] Theres allways one isn't there, that feels the need to take a shot,[:@] It's a sad reflection on you that you need to chastise me, but if it got up your nose then it was worth the typo [kiss]

[quote user="Chancer"]Thankfully I havnt done a UK VAT return for 7 years, what goods or services are rated at 5% please?[/quote] My husband is a building contractor and I do the books that involve a VAT return quarterly, we only deal in building so I don't know what else other than new builds which include any building being made into a dwelling or dwellings that are uninhabitable for (I think) 5 or more years, that come into the 5% band.

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"] So the calculation will be 45000 * 5.5 /105.5 = 2345.97[/quote] I'm in UK  VAT, not France TVA, but thanks [:D]

[quote user="Chancer"]Is vat 5% now in the UK? I thought it had gone up to 20%.[/quote] 5% on all new builds [:D] and my new barn conversion comes under that [:P] Thank you every one, thats brilliant, this forum is a mine of information.

I'm doing the dreaded quarterly vat return and my head is in a spin as I can't for the life of me work out the 5% vat that is included in a total sum, I know I can't just minus the 5%[:-))]   Any kind maths wizard got a formular or just a figure for a total £45,000.00 including vat at 5%, whats the vat value?   Thank you inadvance, you just might save my sanity this morning [:D]

[quote user="Sprogster"]Jacqui Too, there are far more Brit second home owners in France, than those who live there full time, so the majority would seem to be in that fortunate position. Also my guess is many of those who have retired to France full time, would have liked to have kept a base in the Uk, if finances had permitted.[/quote] Yes there are far more holiday homes than full time living homes, but my point was that even with a choice I would still want to live in UK, many of the holiday home owners would like to make the move, but other factors stop them from doing so. Living in France full time has never been concidered or wanted by us.    

When we bought our holiday home back in 2006 every one that knew asked us when were we going to move to France! We love France but we love where we live in Shropshire even better! we were not looking to 'get away' from our lives here we just wanted to enhance it. 

[quote user="pachapapa"] Just watched it on itv player, just over 20 minutes with a flag and no adverts. Obviously perusing little england from the A 20 gives a false impression as the scenery is largely flat and boring. Certainly no comparison with the Welsh Marches. [/quote] Most of the cinematography was of the Dordogne valley and the Perigord Purple; the wine growing area to the SW of the department, I was refering to the whole department; Perigord vert which is green and lush, rolling hills and rivers, Perigord blanc with its beautiful lime stone villages, fields of sunflowwers and orchards of walnut trees, Perigord noir; rolling hills and valleys with masive oak woods. The Dordogne valley is the most picturesque place in the whole of France (in my opinion [:P] ) The Dordogne has (almost) every thing you would dream of for a place to live [:D] PPP I think you and Geoffry Palmer would get along so well, two of a kind me thinks [kiss]

I don't live in France but I do have a holiday home in the NE of Dordogne, and I am very protective towards it, I hate the way people call it Dordogneshire it is so derogetary and I'm sure it is not called that by the people who live there, but by people who just want to have a dig at it! [quote user="idun"]Sounds like the Dordogne is wealthy and yet Insee says it isn't, certainly less well off than where I lived. Dordogne, pretty, but it's not next to the sea, or the mountains, so en regle generale, not for me.[/quote] I won't comment on the wealth of the Dordogne in comparison to other areas as I don't know, but in the last 12 years that we have been holidaying in France we have noticed all areas that we drive through or stop off in seem to have improved at a steady rate, no more so than in Dordogne. 'Dordogne pretty' well that's a little understatement, hundreds of thousands of people who choose to holiday there can't be wrong, I compare it to the UK Cotswolds, one of Englands jewels along with others like the peak district, lake district, Shropshire Marches, all of which are not next to the sea or have mountains, but each having its own true beauty, but no area can please every one. [:P]    

Well that was OK, could have been better without that aweful narator who made it sound like he was going to make a dry derogatary comment, but he did manger to keep them to a minimum. I will be watching again as I felt it was worth viewing even just for the beautiful scenery.    

In my little hamlet of around 15 houses we are the only English [8-|] and that suit me just fine. There is only one lady that speaks English and she is very friendly and infact seeks me out first before I her when we arrive in the village, My French is not that good but I can stand in the road or meet on a walk and hopefully make myself understood, but understanding them sometimes is a bit tricky. When I have attended any social events I am always surprised/pleased that other English speakers (not Brits) come up to me and are very friendly, I don't seek them out, I can be a bit introverted out of my comfort zone. It's about 50/50 I like the opertunity to practice my French with non-English speakers, but if some-one speaks English first I tend not to try my French with them. I hate the snobery that I see some Brits portray, the ones who speak good French and think you are something  they stepped in! because you obviously are to dim to learn the language like they did or the ones who  don't even make the effort because every-one should speak English you know! I've met both and I wouldn't like them where ever I was in the world [:-))] I'm looking forward to tonights program and I hope it shows the real picture of real every day people and not just the ones that make good (bad) TV.  

[quote user="NormanH"] Not many French fish and chip shops over my way [:)] [/quote] We have one stop in the next village, and very nice they are too[:P] I'm not sure about these programs, they tend to center on extremes/negatives that 'make good viewing' but only make me cringe. I shall be watching them all as I am a real nosey parker [Www] and love looking at real life, plus I love to see other places in France, the villages and activities.  

  This new documentary starts Monday 8.00pm and ITV & ITV HD about ex brits living in France. Hope they don't show to many clips of us brits eating chips and playing bingo [:-))] [:-))]  

Gardengirl you are absolutely right. The above quote was the answer to my questioning the previouse email that said; "We were also upset, to go fishing for it in front of to you fell during a storm. his roots are overlapped in the low wall, we could not the relever.quel dommage.peut to be he will still live you. they will try to help you when you will come in October"   I have wonderful neighbours, they always keep in contact (via email using google translate) and let me know of village life, they have always had our permission to pick the fruit from my peach and cherry trees, but this year I was able to be in France when most of the peach were ripe and brought some home here to bottle, but still plenty for them as well.  

  Today I received an email from my non English speaking neighbour who uses Google translate to send me emails, and within it was this; i Jackie, the tree, it is to go fishing for it who fell the one of whom we could in your absence to pick the very tempting fruits lorqu' they were ripe (side garbage can) without entering to you, just by raising arms. It has not worries as you and did not cause of dégats at the neighbours. but the tree cannot be raised and he remains put to bed in your jardin.c' is definitely domage. I do know now what it is meant to say, but had to chuckle at what google translate comes up with! [blink]  

We stuck our Alis doofah to the wrong place on our windscreen [:$] apparently my car windscreen only has a small 'dotted' area either side the rear view mirror that it will work in[geek] so then I couldn't get the bl**dy holder off, hence losing the adhesive pad, I tried several double sided tapes but all failed miserably! Finally I found it much easier to just hold up the doofah and place by hand in the designated area, no waving about, no panic of wondering if the damn thing had dropped off midway up the  autoroute. I really love my doofah as I drive a righthand drive car and am sometimes alone. Alis will give me another holder for a small fee if I really wanted one, but as a muti-tasking female toll plaza's/peage's are easy-peasy[;-)]   

  We have just had 116 m2 done on the front and side elevation of our house along with other works but the repointing is priced below;   Echafaudage de sécurité 1 face et 1 pignon  (two lift scaffolding)                                                                 5.50€        Piquage des joints et sablage (Rake out and clean off render/crepi and high power pressure wash)       12.00€   Jointoiement couleur au choix (Repoint in coloured lime mortar)                                                                   36.00€  This was done by a specialist firm who did a fantastic job, but boy was it messy, think most of our wall ended up in the neighbours pool!!

Just a thought: Didn't he have a mobile phone?? All young people have a phone don't they? Also my car Peugeot 807 has double click = deadlock and single click = normal lock, but internal movement will set of the alarm on both, unless the sensor has been disabled eg. when leaving dogs inside who set them off. I have never disabled my internal sensor as I prefer to lock with a key not the fob remote which still locks the car but does not activate the internal sensor ( a must on car ferries) Strange story! he may have been dead before he cooked.[blink]

Yes thanks you for enquiring. I finally emailed again the neighbour that emailed me and found out that she was still 'with us' but the reply was so garbled (she insists in using google translate and sending me stuff in English!!)  :dear Jackie, this evening we learn that Cathy would go better but without other precision. we still do not know when it will come back to her, nor when will take place funeral. I shall keep posted you according to news. thank you for sharing our sadness. in bientôt et best regards. J****e  Not sure what to make of that, other than she was alive!! I thought maybe she had lost her memory of the accident? Anyway a new email today to say that my friend is coming home in an ambulance tomorrow (still no details as to any injuries) and that the funeral of her daughter will be on Saturday, I am very honoured that they felt the need to include me and inform me about my friend, they even asked if I would like to be included in village (hemlet) flowers and that I could 'settle' up when I am next over. I must say that I have wonderful neighbours in our tiny hamlet. All French, we are the only English and Cathy is the only person who speaks English and has been delighted to help us anyway she can, being the first one to visit whenever our shutters open.

Thank you Norman, That is really good no know, I have decided to call a very helpful lady in the next village who speaks excellent english and she also knows the person who e-mailed me (non English speaker who I normally comunicate with via e-mail  with the help of google translate when I am in UK), so hopefully I will find out tomorrow how my friend is doing or if she has not survived. Here is the link to the story: http://www.midilibre.fr/2011/07/21/grave-accident-sur-l-a9-a-loupian-un-mort-circulation-coupee-vers-l-espagne,359243.php  

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="Gardian"]I posted this over an hour ago - don't understand why it doesn't show up as 'the most recent post'.[/quote] The "Active Topics" view defaults to the most recent comment, whether posted or edited. A poster edited a comment after you posted your comment, so the edit showed as "the most recent post". [/quote] Me[:$] correcting typo's!

  Thank you Gardian, but I am reluctant to phone hospitals for two reasons: 1. She was critical when taken from the scene, so not sure they would give out info on her condition to anyone except family, 2. My french is good enough to ask the questions but not good enough to understand and respond [:$] If I get no joy by tomorrow afternoon i will email the person who informed me. I want to send condolences to the family for their daughter but am waiting to hear whether my friend has made it or not.

[quote user="Boiling a frog"]If you have found an account of the accident does that not say which hospital your friend is in ? Then telephone the hospital .[/quote] I am affraid they did not say where she was taken, She/they are from Dordogne but she will have gone to a hospital nearer Montpelier/Béziers. Since I was emailed (on Friday) I have heard nothing more and I am very worried for her. I've tried googling but can't find any news updates in the papers (online)

My  (French) neighbour informed me about my friend and neighbour that had been involved in a tragic accident that claimed the life of her daughter on the A9 south of Montpelier on 21st, my friend is critically ill and was air lifted from the scene. I have been able to google and find out the reported crash by Midi Libre, but have not been able to get any further update/info and the condition of my friend. Is there anyone that could recomment sites I could search to find out more on her condition. Thank you.