Beryl

Here goes. As  newcomer to France here is my perspective for what it's worth. I know France is not Utopia and has a variety of problems some of which I understand and some of which, I admit I am ignorant of. However, I feel quite distant from many of the problems due to geography, language and the fact that they do not affect me personally or rather that they don't noticebly impinge on my day to day life in France.  I would expect Miki through virtue of the fact that he has lived and worked here for many years and Teamed Up's quarter of a century here to have a better understanding and a different perspective on French life to me. I suppose I do live in a bubble and I am sure many Brits live in their little bubbles too. I don't dislike the UK, have a large family there etc but my life in France suits me and at the present I can wax lyrical about how marvellous France is because it is, in my bubble and what happens in my life is my reality.    

But you were dying to, weren't you? [:)][:)][:)]

I hadn't seen that company either and its very good and now in my favourites but for ease I have ordered the one on the website found by Clair, so thanks for that too.

Super dooper. Thanks  

No not many I have a wok, a garlic press and a plastic thing for getting the juice out of lemons. Used to have a bread maker but life's too short and the bread was rubbish! I have an Italian coffee pot that makes great coffee, quick. Thought I wanted a pasta maker but then decided that I really do prefer the cheap dried pasta and not the dear fresh pasta. I wouldn't mind sourcing a stockist that sells the flours to make tortillas etc and a press, though [;-)]

No clever comments please Mr Bugbear [:D] I want to buy a heavy metal mincer that clamps onto a work surface and minces by turning the handle. I have ruined too many food processor blades etc and want to get my hands on a sturdy manual mincer.

Thank you, that is really nice of you [:D][:D] I will try and update my avatar later.

[quote user="Sunday Driver"] Fifty million French people manage to live with their banking system.  A few Brits fall foul of things because although they're now living in France, they expect the processes to be the same as in the foreign country they've just moved from......[8-)]    [/quote] 50 million French people are obviously lucky in that they get communication from their banks informing them that their cards are ready for collection. Mine hadn't even got the courtesey to do that and I haven't developed skills of telepathy yet [:D] I don't have a local branch either. However, I think I have made some progress and will be changing my bank in the very near future.

My local beach has had that much plastic rubbish washed up recently, its quite alarming. The local school children do their bit a couple of times a year in cleaning up rubbish deposited by the generation that should know better. If you see some plastic, could you please either put it in the bin or start a pile where it cannot be washed back our to sea (this happens in my village and it does get collected, though I don't know who arranges this [:$]) The effects of plastic on wildlife is horrific. We don't have albatrosses in Brittany but you get the idea and it is a disturbing picture. http://www.mindfully.org/Water/2006/Sea-Plague-Plastic2aug06.htm

Initiative and communication skills do not seem to be pre-requisites for a job at our bank. My request to have them posted has probably been sent to the new rubber stamp department for actioning!

I didn't think the halls or landings were included either.

This is a lovely use of avocado http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/salmon-steaks-with-avocado-and-creme-fraiche-sauce,1738,RC.html  

So is this goodbye or just auf weidersein?  

I contacted them again today and was told that my husband's card has been ready to collect from the Branch since the end of October and mine is now ready too. They know full well that we live about as far from SE France as one can get but though we could pop in [8-)] I have asked if they could simply post them to us and now it has gone quiet again [Www]

Aged Gender  female Nationality  English Job: Semi retired What is your position about France (Pro, Anti, No opinion)?  Pro Main questions of the quiz:  Have you ever been to France? I live here What’s the first thing coming to your mind when you heard France? OK I'm game Have you ever heard of a specialized magazine about France (France magazine, France, French…..)? Living France When you think about France, do you only think about Paris or the entire country? Love Paris for two days at a time, but Paris is not France! Sorry Valleyboy pinched this answer [:)] Do you think France is like those Photos? Yes, sometimes. (pinched again really sorry Valleyboy ) http://dryosia.free.fr/tpe What is your favourite thing about France? France! ( If you have already been, did you find the French welcoming? Yes, they are people like us just with a different language and once that barrier is broken..

That's the difficulty, the branch is located many hundreds of miles away as we opened it when we had our holiday home in France. When we moved here permanently and to a different area, we kept to that bank for convenience !

Still a while away for us, but who empties it and is it expensive ?

My husband's French bank card expired end of November and this caught us out as a new one had not arrived. We waited a week or so and then contacted the bank who informed us that the new one would be sent out in the middle of January. We emailed them to say with Christmas this was not acceptable etc and had no reply. Still not a huge problem as mine did not expire until Dec 31st. Now neither of us can withdraw any money etc until our new cards arrive in 3 weeks time.[:@] I am completely confounded by the whole matter, what the heck are they playing at? I will be changing banks as soon as practical.  

Unfortunately until this lady can become empowered again, I don't see anything changing. The police may act on a complaint made by her or a witness but as I have seen so many time before, she will undoubtedly take him back and make excuses for his behaviour and make it harder for people to detect the truth. I do not think she will leave him yet, so she urgently needs to speak to a support group and try and regain her self esteem. If the OP can arrange a rendezvous with a member of a support group , even if she has to tell a white lie to get her there, I think this would be the best way forward.  It's a risk as you may temporarily or permanently lose a friend but at least you will have tried to do something practical.  

Any curry made in France is 'pretend' [:D] . I hadn't had a raisin in a curry since the 1960s Nesta ? packet version . I love veggies and have to have most of my fruit intake via a fruit salad . I can't eat too much of any one type of fruit so I usually make a bowl of fruit salad ( but I don't refridgerate it in the winter, as I don't like really cold fruit either!)     

[quote user="Cassis"]That is a frightening new avatar, Dick.  Stop it.  Ah, I see what you're doing - you're trying to put people off their food. [/quote]   I am always behind the times so for those of you who have seen it before or don't find it even mildly amusing, sorry. http://images.google.com/ I will be eating less proper curry, fish and chips and full English for yet another year and I think that is a more than sufficient sacrifice.

I have a mini sized disk that I need to work in order to start using my new MP4. I have put it in my computer expecting it to start automatically, to no avail. I have Windows XP all in French and I would like to now what to do next please. Thanks

I don't know if there is a catch http://marsha-hunt.freedownloadmp3.net/

Sample a few on here http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0000AUHRE/ref=mu_sam_ms_001_006/002-9675791-9606461 Take your pick

Alan Lomax Popular Songbook album if you can buy it, down load it, will meet most of your needs. You will find the original versions of songs covered by Moby and the Brother, where art thou ? sound track ( which is also excellent!)