Keni

For those of you who love him - I believe he's at the Zenith in Limoges in Novemeber. For the others, Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople) is in his 70's and still going, as is Rick Wakeman (60's), Pink Floyd, Status Quo and many of the other greats. If you saw the Who at the Olympics, they've all got bus passes - apart from Zac Starkey of course.

I have the book with the letters in! Bought it at a jumble sale about 10 years ago. A good read.

Penofmyaunt - I would try and find out where the new family is (forwarding address) and try and find out if they are treating the new property in the same way as yours - the words Private Detective comes to mind - and get some photos if admissable for the hearing, to try and get some money back. If you've lost the house as you say I would try and make their life as miserable as they made yours!(legally of course) In the Uk when we rented out, the landlord had permission every 6 months to enter the property and check for damage/wear and tear and that the property was being maintained according to the contract. Does that not work here? When we left our rented flat, I even scrubbed the skirting boards with a toothbrush - am I sad or what! However I do know of a South African lady and family with dogs doing the 'rented' rounds at the moment, be warned. She is a doctor or something and has left several places in a very bad state.

Having had to spend a few days in hospital recently, I had an 'old girl' next to me and we conversed well in French, but she kept speaking to me in patois. So each morning instead of saying 'ça va', I now say to my neighbours 'cor vy biem' or goes it well. They think its a hoot, me having a go at patois, but it breaks the ice each morning!

Hi Ian, Debs e-mailed me on this, as I pointed out to her that I didn't think it was viable, it will depend on your earnings and she thanked me - I think what I raised with her set her mind at rest.

Used Frontline, didn't work on the cats - fleas and 'chiggers' still in evidence. Changed to Stronghold, seems to have done the trick. The Siamese cross has a small scab on her back, which is either her brother biting her (neutered but can't remember what happens after the first bit of grabbing hold of her). We got ours from the vets, six pipettes for around 30 euros. They last a month each pipette. Also got a spray from Carrefour, for textiles (Halte Acariens Fulgator) - kills the little bas***ds eggs etc., on the carpets etc., and as long as you do it when the animals are not in the house (in garden), it has worked well.

A bloke around here is under investigation because he's paid no taxes on his chateau  for eleven years - which has no windows in or doors, just boarded plastic, he does however live in a small house on the land. He was meant to be creating a luxury golfing resort etc., looks more like a prison. He decimated a part of the forest, rebuilt the chateau with red roof tiles (they were black slate) and the old mayor (now deceased) let him do all this! He even knocked down a house in the village to pillage the stone (which apparently was the wrong sort in the end and couldn't be used - he had to sort out the gap between the restaurant the the neighbouring house though)! The neighbour said he is being investigated for tax evasion!

We will raise a glass (or several) to you both tomorrow. xxxx

Congrats from us both as well. Good to hear from you.

As said by Clair, we are all here for you, just as she was for us. We will all miss her thoughts, comments and help. Remember, you are part of this online 'family', and like all families we argue, laugh and cry together. Our love and thoughts are with you. Keni & Chris. x

We reiterate all that has gone before - writing down your thoughts does help - had to do something similar (in a small way), but it clears the mind a little of the fog. Love to you both. xx

Oh Ian, we are adding our thoughts and good wishes to you both to the news  - Debs has helped us so much over the years and even just recently! Keep us informed of events, we know it is difficult, our love to you both. xx

We had a similar thing here in our village several years ago - a lady disappeared without trace, keys and bag still in house. With house to house searches and even a helicopter brought in she was never found! Hope it will be better news for this lady, but doesn't bode well at the moment.

Send her our best wishes Ian, here's hoping it's just a glitch and it will be better news!  Love to you both. x

We have near us on a road to Javerlac a Pys and Ars one after the other!

Thanks for that - just been to change ours.

And I thought Bic for ladies was a razor!!

Both the OH and I have worked all our lives, I worked my way through college and gave up work due to poor health just a few years ago. We retired early on the OH's pension, that he paid into for 35 years. We have no credit cards and owe no-one, we claim no benefits. We paid into the Uk system from our first days of work and await to see what, if any pension we will receive. I remember our mortgage repayments around 1989/1990 being at 14% - it meant we had to work harder and maybe not have the holiday we wanted. We did not spend our time in the pub or at nightclubs. If times were hard, we knew we did without - and I'm talking the 90's here! What is the mortgage rate now and what would happen if it went to that scale now I wonder? Who would be expected to re-housed by the government? Our children both work, and would not want to go 'cap in hand' to the government for housing etc. The bit I find hard to understand is that the disabled and the pensioners being attacked are all people from families - so are those who are doing the 'attacking' so dispossessed of family life that they cannot relate to it - hence the reason for attacking or do they feel 'left out' and this causes them to attack those 'different' from themselves?

Unfortunately, I too recently had a short experience of a French Hospital., trying not to be (very) ill.  I had been cleaning the bathroom and suddenly I discovered the earth would not stay still, so much so I was hanging on to the ground, lying down! I was diagnosed with vertigo (new one on me) and have never felt so ill.Visited the Doc with a letter from her, OH drove me to Limoges CHU, where I went into their A&E. Within a short space of time, was examined, put on several drips and left to rest to see if it would settle, which it did not so was admitted. The next day a barrage of tests, including a CT to find the problem, still hooked up to drips and was looked after very well by ORL Specialist, who endeavoured to find an English speaking nurse for me (no problems though, I just spoke French). Had a physio each day as well. After four days in double bed ward, very clean and good food (no wine at all though any only drink offered was a cup of tea at breakfast, apart from water), went home with medication and prescription for several vertibrae massages! Couldn't speak highly enough of the gang on the second floor looking after me.[:D]

Havens, I remember Clarence, the boss and his daughter and others on the animal reserve - I remember apparently reading that Clarence was 'declawed'! Daktari..... same era as Sara Brown and Hoppity or Fireball XL5![:D]

Hi, Coops and all, just to mention that although we are on AME and have a low income, on our tax form we have filled in the bit with our UK interest  for social charges and have opted to pay our part of the social debt - we reckon they will be around 38 euros for the social debt and around 238 euros for the USSAF thingy. We will see what we get.

Ref: EDIT - I suppose everyone is good and paying up front, or most probably keeping their heads down! [:D]

Have just treated our two cats with Frontline Combo again. This time, I treated him first, then immediately started playing with him and his favourite toy for five minutes to distract him. Which it did. Then did the same with her. No frantic washing or twitching this time and they've just curled up for a nap - always do this time of the morning, I mean, they've had to get up, eat, use the litter tray and had five minutes each playing - it's a hard life! [:)]

Although we don't seem to pay social charges (as you know Coops, we are on this mystery health care thing), we have declared all UK earned interest (not a lot), to be 'up front' and have opted to pay the charges for CMu, if they send a bill, so be it, if not, all well and good. Our accountant went through everything, now we wait and see.....[8-)]

Cats went into cattery for last two weeks, so treated them with Frontline Combo before they went as per cattery request (due to be treated anyway) . Came back, cats scratching, brushed through and both cats had fleas. Checked again next day, stil the odd one or two appearing. Looks like Combo's not working on them either!