KathyC

[quote user="verviale"]You only have to look at how many foreign students fight to get to the U.K.to do a degree, it is one thing we do do well and a degree completed in the U.K.really does put an international student in pole position for any jobs back in their country.There is a lot to slate our country off for but,further  education is not one of them..[/quote] Whilst I might agree with you about the employment situation for young people in the UK, I think that you vastly overrate our education system. I assume that when you say further education you actually mean higher education (ie the university sector). Whilst there are still some excellent universities in the UK, there are many that are very poor: badly funded, understaffed and under resourced. I doubt that a degree from a minor UK university has very much status abroad;  continental students choose to come to study here because the courses are shorter and cheaper whilst entry qualifications are more flexible. The view that British universities, like Britannia, rule the waves is very out of date.

Orbison

[quote user="Chris Head"]  You fancy a hug?   [/quote] Yes, I'll go and wake my husband up!

[quote user="Dick Smith"][quote user="Hoddy"]I come from Derbyshire/Staffordshire. My first child was conceived in Dorset though ........ Hoddy[/quote] That must have been a helluva bus ride... [/quote] Did the driver ask if you were going all the way?[:D]

brown (in reply to nose, but I'll let it stand)

[quote user="Chris Head"] I sort of remember Kathy. Was I rude to you? I believe it was in connection with 'He who shall not be named'? Was it good fun? Did I really pee you off? [/quote] Seem to remember it was about being interested in the wider world. Yes you were rude, so was I. Wish I could be that rude to  people I actually know, it'd be really therapeutic.[:P]

Chris We had a lot of words in another place but I've forgotten them now.   Bugger, I've remembered them again - do you read any newspapers yet?   Kathy

[quote user="SaligoBay"]David Bowie[/quote] I'll have you know there's a big difference between a leprechaun and a gnome (even when it's laughing!).

Therapy

Toyota

Generalising again, but what many people are describing with French artisans mirrors my experience with UK builders (except for having to wait months/years). Over the past 20 years and in 4 different areas I've found that perhaps 50% of enquiries lead to people coming round to quote and of those, maybe a third bother to send an estimate. So if you ring up 6 people, you're likely to get 1 quote, 2 if you're lucky. All this is on top of people not answering phone calls, not replying to messages, turning up on the wrong day and leaving a job unfinished to move on to other work. Perhaps I've been unlucky and I apologise to all you organised, punctual and reliable builders out there. I just think that builders are a law unto themselves in whichever country!

Wallflowers

Jennifer Saunders

Vexacious

Unfriendly

Top

Clash Dooby Brothers

Knickers (big ones)

Thanks for all the replies; I'll certainly shop around if we think of having the cats moved professionally. The problem about taking them with us is the length of the journey, or rather the time it takes us to do it.We live on the Isle of Wight and have to take a ferry before driving about 160 miles to the Tunnel and then another 500 miles on from there. I'm the only driver and having only been driving for about 5 years (not learning until nearly 50!) I'm not a great one for speeds and motorways. I also find that I can only do a couple of hours at a stretch without a decent break. My husband's medical condition means that we can't make an early start in the morning or let him get too tired. Long story short, it always takes us 2 to 3 overnights to make the journey down. It's the thought of carting 3 cats in and out of the B&B/Etap (as well as all the overnight stuff for the 5 of us) on top of all the driving that seems rather daunting to me. A later journey with large German Shepherd in tow (not literally!) seems far more manageable as he'll enjoy the stops and the comparatively short days in the car. Sorry to bore people but I wanted to explain my reasoning. I'm sure we'll manage ( in fact the prices given for a professional move seem to ensure that); the excitement of the final move down will keep me going and I only plan to do the journey once. Thanks again, Kathy[:D]

David Icke ( In joke on the Isle of Wight!)

Towering Inferno

Moody

Thanks Ian, that's just the sort of thing I wanted to know. I knew it'd be expensive but I didn't think quite that much; better start saving!

When we finally move down to France next spring, one of our final journeys will involve bringing our 3 cats. I'd worked out how we were going to do this but as the time gets nearer the thought of driving down with the menagerie and a disabled husband becomes ever more formidable. Before finalising plans I thought of looking at getting them brought down by professionals. I wonder if anyone can recommend any companies they've used and give me an indication of price? We're in the south east of England, going to just north of Bergerac and would be quite flexible on dates. Any help would be appreciated.

Great Escape