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Meilleurs Voeux Cajal and to those who have no idea whether I speak French or watch crap French TV or read French papers, or whether I'm involved in anything at all over here. President of a music group for 12 years, does that count ? It is true that I criticise the UK government, mainly because I'm dependant on it for my pension and want to ensure that I can continue to live here. It is also far easier to understand, having lived over there for 50+ years. Without a vote at all now I'm not at all able to influence French politics. There's no disputing the fact that UK has been bad at dealing with the pandemic, U-turn after U-turn and poor decisions, plainly NOT following the science, or as I would prefer to state it, not following common sense. Closing the French ports was a master stroke by Macron, showing how the UK is totally dependant on imported goods. So that's got that off my chest, and if anyone wants to make up fake news about my life in France, don't do it in public! I hope 2021 will make some people a little more happy.

Norman, For some reason I was unable to reply to your first post. The Blair document covers the topics we should have been seeing 5 years ago. Hindsight is wonderful. Is it a good deal ? From my selfish point of view I just feel relief that it's done (not over 'til the fat MPs sing though). Merry Christmas to you.

I agree with BiB ! The UK government has been proved shambolic.

... but you might do better addressing the "something". Quelqu'un pour réparer le robinet/fenêtre/wc etc ??

Homme à tout faire ?

Oh, another update on passport delivery. I've just had notification that our old passports are being delivered today, again by DHL. I had assumed that these would come by normal postal service. So, the £19.86 courier charge is more reasonable as we get 2 deliveries for the charge, the new and the old passports separately.

Idun, I hadn't heard of this free passport but I've just checked the government website and it's not a blanket concession for 91-year-olds, it is only for those born before 2 September 1929 (yes, 91 now but 92 next year and so on). So the date doesn't roll forward, it was introduced for those who were 10 years old when WW2 started. Just when you built my hopes up with an incentive too!

Idun, that last remark of mine was a bit tongue-in-cheek, really meaning "Will I still be alive !". I'm gathering years faster than ever and I'll be into my 80s by then. Last time we renewed (2011) it was very expensive, as you and Mint have pointed out. That application was via the embassy in Paris. Happily the details are correct, but the photos look grim.

Just an update: the new photos and application were approved and the new passports produced quickly once our old ones had arrived at their office. Application online 19/11 Old passport requested 20/11 Approved 27/11 Despatched 27/11 Received here a week later. So, quite impressed with the service at the passport office but disappointed in the time taken from despatch to receipt here when you recall that the courier cost was £19.86 However, looking at the tracking ( DHL) the transportation only took 2 days, so there was an unaccounted delay from passport office to courier receipt. I wonder if I'll need to renew again! I can't imagine I'll be doing much travelling by then !

They have shorter years in your neck of the woods, Mint?

Mint, Yes! Now that you mention it, it was expensive, we were here in 2011 and the application to Paris was, I think, nearly €300. Ha ha ! Bargain! We didn't want the new blue ones; it'll obvious as soon as we show it that we're not "European" ! Pomme, thanks for the link. Nomoss, I found an ideal background, but my wife's hair is... erm, how shall I say...lighter (!) than in her younger years, so it didn't exactly stand out. It looks better than on the 2011 passport though. We'll see whether it gets through.

Mint, yes, I should have gone down that DIY route, I just thought I was being tech-clever! My wife's uploaded photo was rejected initially because her hair colour does not stand out particularly well against a light background. I insisted that's how it looks. Unless we can use a darker coloured background it's never going to work. Gardian, yes a whopping charge and although my wife and I applied at the same time there's no option the share the return courier. I did put both old passports in the same envelope to send to Durham, thereby saving another €8.70 Digressing slightly on charges, I looked to purchase an enamel Poppy badge in late October only to find that the badge had a £14 Royal Mail delivery charge! That sum certainly wasn't going into the BL fund so I declined.

My UK passport expires in four months and I've been online to renew it. There is a specific page for UK citizens who are resident overseas. It's quite straightforward once you've got over the shock (£86 plus £19.86 courier charge) but I came a cropper with the photograph. Thinking that a digitally transmitted version with a code (as used for French driving licences for example) would be a smart move I used a photo booth in a local SuperU only to discover on returning home that the code didn't comply with UK requirements (another Brexit change perhaps?) Anyway, in the end I resorted to making my own photo and uploading that. So, this is just a warning to any other clever clogs out there!

I must add my condolences too ! A group of us from the motorcycling section went up to SD's house to visit after his accident. I say "up" as he and his wife lived north from our base in south79/86. What I liked was his considered replies to queries, I have a photograph which includes SD taken in Rochefort on one one of our earlier rides (March 2007 !) RIP SD

Duplicate post

Chevillette ? I can't make a proper link but here's the URL https://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/chevillette-ronde-nespoli-e67049

[quote user="suein56"] And I for one am extremely grateful ..[/quote] Me too ! EDIT I only wanted to echo suein56, I've no idea where all that code has come from !!

I have to agree with albf on this one about the gites. It seems that everyone who wants to live here (and especially on those "Place in the Sun" programmes) will convert part of their house or outbuildings into a gite or gites without having done any market research in the first place.

Wooly, why is it silly ? The latest farce is the U-turn on A-level results. When are they going to get something right? I'm so glad I'm not living over there now. Can you just point to one good thing that this UK government has done? There has hardly been a complete session of Parliament, Boris always seems to be absent; Rees-Mogg, leader of the House, who insisted that the MPs must return to the chamber rather than video, has never been there as far as I can tell. We have a health minister who makes things up as he goes along. It's hopeless. And before you tell me I'm silly again, I was a lifelong (well I'm not dead yet) Tory voter, but this shower have completely embarrassed and disappointed me. I would never vote for them again, but chance would be a fine thing as they've also dis-enfranchised me having been here over 15 years. Still happy to take tax off me though. Disgusted, Chipping Sodbury.

I can't keep reading about how well this UK government is doing. It's a sleaze machine, didn't act quick enough in the first place when we saw what was happening in Italy, taken the brakes off and relaxed the restrictions too soon (not that they were ever as restrictive as they were here), interested only in getting their business supporters back on their feet regardless of the health of the population, and "Do what I say, not what I do" (that one aimed at the Cummings brigade. And the figures they churn out about numbers of cases etc, all massaged. Now they don't count a Coivd-19 death if the person was diagnosed more than 28 days before !! So all those in comas for weeks died of something else ?? Rant over.

I've only just spotted this Norman, but I totally agree!! Friends in UK were incredulous that people here wear masks ! Why, they demanded. They don't even know where to get them. We'd better stock up... again!

Oh sorry Mint, I knew it was a neighbouring dept to me!

Ah yes, Mint, I do remember now, I think you were just a sweet 16 in those days!

I do like to look up conjugations; I used to love French at school (too many years ago now) but I've retained my interest. For me this is the best website: conjugation-fr.com it hasn't failed me so far. Rouvrir is there.

Sensible solution. Thanks for your explanation Pomme. Most extension leads, for example, are only 1.5mm and carry a 3600W max label. Anything BIG should have it's own circuit. In the end CJ has done the best thing.