Lori

Having only arrived to our current home in December 2022, we don't have lots of years of experience with weather here. However, I will say that Winter of 2023/2024 was FAR wetter than the previous Winter. In fact I think the rain started n October 2023 and it was a rare day between then and March 2024 that it didn't rain. Everyone was talking about it. Really does a number on your mood. And like Menthe, we like to walk each day but not in the rain. So, we miss being outside. We have managed to get some plants in the ground, but then the freeze came, so we are keeping an eye on everything. Put some tomato, cucumber and pepper plants in the ground and so far, they are still alive. Miracle after that last storm that brought small bits of hail. Now we have the same risk for tomorrow.. Be a miracle if it survives. The grass got mowed and strimmed yesterday while a light rain was falling. At least it got done.

Glad to see it back. 😀

Renewing a 3 year old thread to post a link...

Nope, not for me. I love raw oysters, but after seeing SO many recalls, I will only eat cooked oysters. Same with most other raw shellfish. Just not worth the risk to me. I do love most all fish and shellfish, but it has to be cooked for me - with the very rare preparation of a good Ceviche.

Certainly wiping away lots of pollen off the garden furniture and sniffling a good bit, but it doesn't seem any worse than last year - so far.

I have experienced pretty much all of ALBF's gripes about the self-pay checkouts. As Gardian says, if you have only a few items and there is a long line at the manned checkouts, it can be worth it. In most cases, there is someone assigned to the self-pay area, so if/when a problem arises, they are there to assist - if they aren't assisting someone else at the time. I avoid them if I have BOGO items or fruits/veggies that need to be weighed or counted (when required).

Yes, Groupama mentioned this to us upon our renewal this year. We always pay somehow.

I'm sorry to hear about Mrs. G's MS. However, that is such good news about the electric wheel chair process. Amazing at no cost to you. I imagine it will make outings much smoother. I do hope so. Wishing you both well.

Reminds me of some other weirdo groups in the U.S.A. I imagine a French gendarme would have a field day with these types.

We've done a fair bit of renovations on two different properties in two different regions of France. Like Dave said, you'd need to give some more information for folks to offer helpful information. What type of renovation? Interior, exterior, both? And to what degree; did you buy a pile of rocks which needs everything from the ground up? Or are we talking updating work on a house that hasn't had anything updated since 1920 - so to speak? Our first renovation was in the Vaucluse. The second in the Dordogne. The Vaucluse presented FAR FAR more problems than the Dordogne. Things can vary wildly from one region to another. I'd say finding capable, insured, reliable and available (in the not too distant future) contractors would be your biggest hurdle. Get references.

6€ fee seems outrageous. I think ours charges 3€ if we use our SG bank card at a non-SG ATM. We get up to 3 free withdrawals per month from a non-SG ATM. After that the fee kicks in. I guess the fee structure differs when using a UK card at a CA ATM. Still seems high to me.

Yes, it looks terrible. And to make matters worse, we could see drought warnings come Summer.

I had not read that. I've not read all the articles. If that is true, that is extremely out of the norm of behavior. In this day and age, I thought everyone knew not to touch bones or anything remotely suggesting a possible crime scene. I agree with you ALBF, the story is just beginning.

They said the area where the bones were found had been searched multiple times previously. If true, seems odd they are just now finding this. Sad.

3 days !! I think I can count on ONE HAND the sunny days we've had since OCTOBER. Floods all over. Rock slides have closed several roads. Ground drenched in water. Yesterday was part sun, part rain, so that was nice. Woke up to some sunshine with clouds, but storms are in the forecast for this afternoon. To say we're all sick of the rain around here would be an extreme understatement.