Cassis

[quote user="ThomasD"]I dont think I would say anyone who thought this enquiry is genuine was stupid. [/quote] Nor would I.  As I already said, I posted it as being a scam a bit above the normal level.  Nevertheless, plenty in it to set the alarm bells ringing, as you said. Quillan's explanation for the different fonts also holds water if we accept that this senior accountant for UNESCO cannot spell "France".  Another possibility for the font size shift could be if they were sending out a standard letter to a load of different locations, that might explain the "Alencon, Normandy" bit.  But then, why fart about with pasting in different places where you claim to have found the accommodation details?

Just for a laugh, I have replied from a disposable email address: Hello Alice Thank you very much for your enquiry.  We can accommodate your party and offer a 10% discount on our normal rates.  Our normal rate for the Red Room is 50€ but we can offer it to you for 45€ per night including breakfasts and taxes de séjour. We would be delighted to accept your booking and provide whatever information is required to make your stay a happy one. Regards

Coco, here are the givaways: The fact that "France" and "Alencon, Normandy" are in different fonts suggests that they have been merged into a standard letterWhat the hell is "France tourism directory"? The fact that they give an address but no phone number - no risk of me writing to them, but I might ring them.  The address is genuine, but so what? The fact that the letter could have been sent to a B&B, a gite or a hotel equally well The fact that the email does not originate from our website formThe fact that it is a yahoo email addressThe fact that a senior accountant for Unesco called Alice Ford uses such flawed and stilted English e.g. "I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on a suitable accommodation if you have availability for 14 nights (2weeks) and the costs. Any discounts for long stay?"The fact that she tells me she is a senior accountant working for UNESCO - so frigging what?  Oh, of course, with an important job like that then you must be genuine.Individually, not a lot, but together that's a whole load of evidence of someone taking the p*ss, at least in my book. [:)] EDIT : QUILLAN, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY SUGGESTING THAT THEY CAN'T SPELL "FRANCE"? 

Born London Marylebone, February 4th 1915, to Frederick and Maude. Mother left home. He ran away, returned.  Became errand boy, coal-miner, waiter, pageboy, cabin-boy, soldier. Debut as entertainer at age 31.  Tweed cap, tight jacket, undersized trousers, twisted tie. Physical slapstick comedy films. Knighthood 1999. Cult film icon in Albania.

Nope.  They were never as good as they were before.

Quite.  If these people had any sense they would cut out the crap.

I'm sure if it could be condensed it into 50 words, without skipping anything important, that would suffice.  Over to you, Mr Smith. [:)] On another thread you mentioned Michelin guidebooks.  The Green guides are wonderful, I agree.  They formed the backbone and framework of many a past holiday.  They also give a potted history which could help this OP.

Thank heavens these people are looking out for our children's safety.  As chief says, bullies could use ties to strangle you.  However, could they not just as easily grab their victims around the throat?  Perhaps the answer is that all children should have their hands removed.

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would add to this one. We all know there are a lot of bogus enquiries out there but this one's slightly more subtle than usual and it has just arrived in my inbox.  It's not perfect, but it is a class above the usual religious conventions etc., don't you think?  I like the little personalisations like "France", "Alençon, Normandy", the giveaway being a slight change in font which I have tried to emphasise here.  The request for a discount is a nice touch.  The mention of being a senior accountant working for UNESCO is rather clumsy, though. Hi,   My name is Alice Ford,I got your details from France tourism directory and would like to rent your accommodation. I will be going on my annual leave on the 14th of April and my husband & I will be coming to Alençon, Normandy on holiday for 2 weeks. We would be staying from Sunday 15th of April 2007 to Saturday 28th of April 2007. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on a suitable accommodation if you have availability for 14 nights (2weeks) and the costs. Any discounts for long stay? I'm 37 years old and a senior accountant, working with UNESCO here in the United Kingdom. I look forward to hearing from you, many thanks.   Alice Ford, 42, Parkville Rd, London, SW6 7BX United Kingdom. Email:alice_ford2007@yahoo.com

[quote user="hastobe"]Don't let the thread loop any longer than about 4 stitches and always work left to right otherwise you'll end up with it looking uneven and messy. [/quote] Thank you Cat for shrinking the thread (ha! ha!) and thank you Kathie for the info regarding threads.  I shall carry on! There was a bloke staying here last night who looked a bit funny when he saw what I was doing but heck, that's his problem, not mine!

Okay, I've got my kit, I've set up the canvas on the stretcher frame as per the instructions, I've made my shade card, I've practiced my tent stitch and my half-cross stitch, I can anchor my threads.  I've read some tips here: Needlepoint and Cross Stitch Tips. What none of this explains is how you work several thread colours.  The pattern I'm working (an Ehrman) has some areas with several colours intermingled, as you would expect.  Do I work one colour in an area at a time, or swap between colours as I come to them?  Like if you had a mainly yellow area with some green and blue spots inside it, would I do the green and blue spots first and then work the yellow? Or is this really too complicated for a bloke and I should go back to woodwork, welding and masonry?

Kig ha farz to you, too. There is some very interesting information on Breton culture on this page. Breton Culture

Tripes de Caen is another speciality which RH forgot to mention.  If you hire a car near Bayeux, make sure you do not get a Berlingot - they are sweet little things but impossible to drive.

Don't forget to add, "Because it's cheaper in the long run - there's no point in buying something cheap and nasty that's going to break down in no time, is there?"

How do you know that Cepi is not coming from Bongo Bongo, Ron?  The traditions, as you note, are very different there. If you see andouillette on the restaurant menu, make sure you order it - it is delicious.

[quote user="Dick Smith"]DIYTools are offering a 99% discount on Tormek! Bad news is that the original price is given as £23464.75, so with discount you still pay £169... http://diytools.com/store/detail.asp?productid=66961 [/quote] It's not what you pay, it's what you save that counts.  So Jude says in clothes shops.

What period?  Have you looked on Wikipedia?  That's where most of us find our words of wisdom.  [:D]

[quote user="ali-cat"]I didn't tell Mark that I caught Solomon licking his steak, just before I cooked it on Saturday night - & he didn't notice!..... [Www] [/quote] Come on, then, let us in on the secret - how can you tell if your OH has let the dog/cat/cow/chameleon/sperm whale lick your food before it is cooked?

Stuff the flip-flops.  Do I get to drink as much beer and wine as I want and eat bacon sarnies every day for breakfast? 

My posting crossed with Chris's.  In reply to Chris, I remember on a blokes' weekend away to France in the eighties (I must have been about 23 and not long married), my then (and now) best mate said that life would be a lot better if we blokes married each other instead of marrying women.  Only snag was, we decided, the *** wouldn't be as good.  I have completely revised my opinions on this since.  The bit about it being better if blokes married each other, that is.  My opinion on the *** still stands.  And my mate is divorced and remarried. [:D]

It's actually taken Jude almost 30 years (childhood sweethearts, obviously) to get me to this even less than perfect state.  I'm a work in progress.  The difficulty is remembering all the rules.

[quote user="Dick Smith"] Why are they called gooseberries? Do geese eat them? They don't look very goosey, or taste of goose. You don't have to shave a goose, or pull that little pip out of the end. So that when you are a kid and your mother tells you to do a whole bucket of them they all split so you eat them and get sick and ... [/quote] Do they go well with goose - fatty bird, oily fish? Corruption of groseiller or another similar root word (seems unlikely)? Do people like to squeeze them for a thrill? Did French kids (gosses) import them to Britain?

Ours are coming into leaf now, buds are bursting. 

I forgot.  And I also forgot, I'm not supposed to do any thinking of any sort, as I'm always wrong (see above) and it will probably end in disaster.

I don't think there's anything else to be added.