Poppy

Have lived in France for 18 years and every time I have been referred for tests etc I have been given the results and had to take them to my doctor. I thought it was normal (with a shrug of course) Getting quite good at deciphering blood tests.

[quote user="ErnieY"] Thank you Poppy, forgot to mention that and not had occasion to avail myself of the service [:D] Are you in the locale I wonder ? [/quote] Not far away, in Luzech. Do most of the shopping in Prayssac though and not much you can't get there. It's changed a lot since we first arrived and all for the better.

Prayssac also has a good bus service to Fumel and Cahors and good bus services are very hard to find.

Sorry I am late again. We all deserve to have a great Christmas and New Year and doesn't it feel so good to be a lot thinner than last year.It really was worth all the effort. Wow Lynda 22lb loss is amazing, know what you mean about losing some of it twice, I've lost about a stone and half of that twice. Getting better at maintaining the weight though, practice makes perfect. Have a wonderful time in UK and enjoy yourself shopping for the wedding outfit in the petite section. Many thanks for keeping our spirits up and for the push when we needed it. Often thought about how much slimmer you must be looking and knew then that I could do it. Joy,I am certainly up for losing a pound a week next year, just think what we will look like next Chrismas.[8-|] Thank you for keeping the diet going I really admired your determination especially when you had the nasty scales  and thought you weren't losing. Lets all eat ,drink and be merry for a couple of weeks see you on the 2nd January, perhaps lots more will join in because it feels so good to be loser. The Other Jan Still slimming & smiling [:D]

Hello, I'm still here [:D]  Had password problems because not on usual computer. Well done Joy and Lynda, doesn't it feel good to be losers. I haven't been weighed this week because on route to Spain but I am trying to be good. Feel very happy, usually I am dressed in cement mixing clothes and my other life is packed in the suitcase which I dusted the cobwebs off this week and THE CLOTHES IN THE SUITCASE ARE TOO BIG. Definitely given me the incentive to carry on. Joy, I lost half a stone last year and was really pleased and have now lost another 9lbs this year with some time off [6] Definitely up for losing same amount next year. The Other Jan Still slimming & smiling [:D]

Well done everyone you have had a great week and already sound like you're in the Christmas spirit ho ho ho. Have a fantastic time in England Lynda, it will be a magical Christmas.  Joy, it must be such a relief to find out it is the nasty scales bet the dog is happy too. I haven't lost anything this week, a bit disappointed but may have got over enthusiastic and not eaten enough. Definitely going to join you Jan and not have any alcohol, well done on losing it must have been all that running around the shops. Not long now, can't decide what to wear [:D] The Other Jan   

No problem Hester, it was something I had to sort out. I know what you mean about trying to work out what's best. Trouble is there comes a point in ones life when you know it will be difficult to generate extra income.

Well done Lynda and it must feel great to have vin rouge and still lose weight. I am jealous [6] Joy I understand how you feel it is so disappointing to be good and not lose. I did it for months eating little and not losing then decided I wasn't eating enough and body had gone into starvation mode hanging on to every ounce of fat. Just by chance I found an old book belonging to my sister 'Rosemary Conley's Flat Stomach Plan' It is a low fat diet with aerobic and stretching exercises.It has worked wonders. I don't follow the recipes but just the basic no fat principle and the exercises have even cured all the aches and pains. I think the aerobic are to get the metabolism going ( believe me it had gone completely) and the stretching are so you don't get saggy skin [:D] At the minute am strictly sticking to no fat but do have weeks when I eat goodies but have maintained weight for a year now. PS Rosemary says we can have a glass of wine a day. I'm trying to give liver a rest though before Christmas, got such a scare at Docs when he checked colour of white of eye [blink] The Other Jan

Lost 500g this week but haven't been good re the alcohol. Also hubby wouldn't let me exercise because I pulled a muscle in leg. I thought I might be able to work it off but he said he wouldn't drive me to casualty. Leg feels better now and I'm definitely not having alcohol this week. Clothes are feeling very loose and it's a great feeling. Going to try very hard to lose more and not lose that great feeling.Going to shock everyone at Christmas. The Other Jan Still slimming and smiling [:D]

The lack of info available to us about the married womans contribution is now  in modern terms unbelievable.I was informed by the Social themselves to change to the married womans stamp. Hey ho. If you are in receipt of old age pension I would go straight for the E121. Your husband will be covered by your E121 but make sure he is listed on the form.

Lovely recipes L just shows dieting is not boring. I've lost another kilo this week so very happy, lightest I've been for 10 years. Joy, sometimes when I haven't lost and look back I have had a couple more glasses of wine than I thought. Also found exercise has made a big difference. We are going to look sooooo  good at Christmas. The Other Jan Still slimming and smiling

Thats brilliant Joy, it's good when you find a solution such as giving up bread etc. I have also lost about a kilo by giving up alcohol, at this rate we will be a stone lighter by Christmas. [:D] Giving up alcohol was easy I have come out in a rash went to Doc and first thing he did was look to see if whites of eyes had turned yellow (liver problem). They are still white but it did give me a scare. We can definitely lose half a stone and more. Come on everyone else you can do it too and think how good you will feel at Christmas. Jan, any news on Davy. The Other Jan Still slimming and smiling [:D]

SD I think the admin costs associated with a carte de s will be passed on to the applicant. When we first applied for a carte in 1990 we had to have a medical which included a chest xray and a blood test,all paid for by us. We also paid other bits and pieces, including obtaining a stamp from the Tabac in the same way we used to have to get the car tax. 

We waited six years for an electrician to put some lights in the cave. He died before he did the work.

Jan, so sorry to hear you are upset. It's difficult but try not to worry too much. Our homeloving cat went missing for a week once then wandered in as though nothing had happened. He never did it again!. Thinking of You The Other Jan

Hello Joy, don't know what has happened to everyone, but they are going to be so disappointed when they havent lost that half a stone for Christmas [:'(]  So am I at this rate, no loss this week but  know I need to try harder. Must be the cold weather but definitely need a motivation injection. Going to be sooo good this week though because Christmas is coming very fast. I also put weight on when I eat french bread and find it much easier to lose when not drinking alcohol (it tends to make me hungry) so definitely no alcohol this week. Come on everyone join in it will soon be Christmas. The Other Jan Still slimming and smiling [:D]

Telephoned DWP this morning. The issue of an E121 is not dependant on the type of National Insurance contributions. If you are  receiving a pension ( no matter how small the percentage) you are entitled to an E121. Phew !

Oh dear KathyF so disappointing to have 9 years and be so near. If only, back in the old days, we had had the information and publicity that is available on everything now.

Sunshine and Helen many thanks for your replies. I wiil get a pension about 70% in my own right at sixty  based on an assortment of contributions, full; married womans; voluntary and some years with a mix of working and voluntary. I always thought you could get an E121 (irrespective of type of NI contributions) if you were in receipt of an old age pension.  The opening poster has however started me thinking  this might not be the case. I have searched the DWP site but can't find any relevant info. Will keep searching over the weekend and telephone DWP on Monday. Will be a long weekend as the outcome definitely decides whether we return to UK or not. [:(]

Tony, many thanks for trying to slow us down and for your efforts re dependants. I read this thread as being about eligibility for an E121 and unfortunately can't telephone DWP until Monday so guess red medicine necessary for the weekend.

[quote user="sunshine 2"]Hester - the DWP in Newc will tell you how many years you need in order to qualify for an E121 - but from memory I think it is 11 years of NI contributions (at any time of your life so v early ones can count).  I believe I read it on their web site under the E121 info section but can't be certain. In any event, voluntary contributions do not count - they have to be contributions made while you were working.   [/quote] Sunshine, I have done a search on DWP site without success and too late to telephone them until Monday. Do you know if the 11 years NI contribution have to be at full rate or whether the dreaded married woman's rate counts. I always thought that if you were in receipt of some percentage of OAP  then you qualified for an E121 but you have started me thinking/panicking.

 That's a really nice thought for your neighbour.They sell them all year in our local Champion and I think they are their own brand. Have also seen them in the run up to Christmas in Lidl and Leader Price. Christmas chocs will probably start appearing after Halloween. 

[quote user="Will"] News items from BBC local radio today: "Thousands take to the streets to protest about changes in healthcare provision" No, nothing to do with France. It was about proposed downgrading of certain Sussex hospitals. But why are those affected by the proposed French changes not marching on Sarko's Paris residence? [/quote] As I said on another thread I think those people with sufficient means to pay for private health insurance dont envisage any problems. Let's hope they don't experience the reality.

The problem is the problems with private health insurance. Firstly the insurers attitude and having to get clearance to be ill. I remember hours on the telephone trying to establish whether I would get reimbursed if I went to the Doctor. Secondly the French health sytems attitude. Once when I was admitted to hospital I had to wait 3hrs in reception while they checked with the Insurance Company that they would get paid. Also in an emergency situation husband collapsed and was near to death but they wouldn't put him in the ambulance until I went home for the insurance policy. Whatever you do keep your policy with you at all times. Also we will pay private health charges but in my opinion will not receive private health treatment. Those well off enough not to worry about paying for health insurance will find it very different in reality to popping into the Nuffield in the UK.

Me Also [:D]