Gardian

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. Ever since we've been here (20 yrs), the water supply has been managed by the Commune. It all worked OK, in that every 6 months or so one of the techniciens would come by and read the meter and then (sometimes eventually!) you'd get a bill. A couple of years ago, the Commune sold the rights for water supply to SAUR. Of course, the cost almost doubled overnight ! Anyway, about 3 weeks ago I realised that I hadn't had a water bill for ages - when I checked, it was a year. I messaged them and of course received a bill almost by return, with penalties for non-payment. When I checked the invoices, the address was totally incorrect, so hardly surprising. I rang their so-called Customer Service. It was of course all my fault and she required immediate payment. I said that I could hardly pay if I hadn't received any bills, but that didn't cut any ice. I then said that we had a small water leak in the garage on their side of the compteur - she said that she would send a technicien. Aforementioned turned up yesterday. Let's just say that this 'gentleman' had the interpersonal skills of Attila the Hun. It was my fault that the meter was where it was, it was a leak on 'my' side, went off in a huff after 5 mins. He came back this morning, but made no contact - just seemed to be checking for leaks en route to the garage. I've just paid the bill as presented (E450-ish) and sent a snottogram to them about the two individuals. When recruiting, they must seek interpersonal skills of zero.

We finally received our postal ballot forms in the post on Friday 28th. votes cast and mailed off immediately. I had previously congratulated the local authority on how painless and efficient the procedure for registering for a postal vote had seemed to be, but now felt moved not so much to complain as to express doubt over whether ours would make it back in time. I received a comprehensive reply which made it clear that the Government has to realise that short timescales will increasingly fail to work with the number of postal ballots increasing, particularly for overseas voters. Didn't I read somewhere that the postal vote percentage is approaching 25% ? Certainly for us the postal services are not to blame, which the media would have us all believe. From the date of nominations closing, there are 600+ different ballot packages to be printed by a limited number of printers. A nightmare for the local authority !

The thing about the weather is that there’s sweet FA that you can do about it. But it isn’t great, is it? We reckon that this is the worst Spring (and for us, Spring starts on 1st March) since we arrived here 20yrs ago. Yes, it felt really quite chilly at times yesterday, but today has been better and the next week or so looks alright. I do feel for the restaurateurs and market traders just now. Our local market on Wednesday, which is really quite big, had more traders than customers. Many of them wouldn’t have taken much more than their pitch fee. That’s a reflection of the campsites - mostly quiet in terms of paying customers. Who’d want to be reliant on their income from something as ‘fragile’ as the weather?

Very brave people.

We’re back on the Electoral Roll now, but have yet to get round to registering for a postal vote. Sub-consciously, I think that I’m not giving it much urgency because I really don’t know who I’d vote for!

All this business about Sunak ‘leaving early’ is a major Tory own goal. Whatever possessed one of his many advisers (let alone himself) that it was more important to return to the UK for a TV interview, rather than attend a commemorative event with the other Heads of State?

It’s all a load of rowlocks, is it not ? I mean that the actual sport is great, but all this lark with ‘the flame’ is more than a bit overdone?

What has always amazed me is just how many Americans were prepared to vote for this bloke. Clearly, quite a few of them still would, but to the same extent ? I’d like to think that quite a bit of his previous support will now evaporate. The problem is the absence of a Democratic candidate who is young (i.e. less than 65), with a demonstrably viable outlook on the World - if the party had that, any future election would be declared ‘no contest’ before a vote was cast. Quite frankly, my biggest concern is the lunatics over there who are calling for “Civil War”. A bit worrying.

Thanks for that information Harnser. I passed it on to British friends who live locally and who have a C3 - news received with less than total enthusiasm, but with thanks !

Well, yes I know that it’s a subject that we (Brits) always moan about ............ but this year is a bit different ! Down here in the south, we’re pretty much accustomed to high temperatures - it goes with the territory and you didn’t expect it before you came .........!! However, this year ! Normally by mid-May, the idea of still wanting a jumper first thing in the morning and in truth for much of the day, would be considered madness. Well I still am, as are most other folk. The restauranteurs must be suffering terribly, at least they will be if they have no indoor seating arrangements, which few have around here because they’re not needed nor wanted by the clientele. Talk about ‘feast & famine’, or perhaps the other way round. Last year, we had a total drought, with the water supply being regularly cut off (understandably by the way) in order to preserve supplies. This year, we’ve had almost incessant rain for what seems like ages. So depressing. Has it been the same where you are ?

Yes, the BAFTA’’s are horrible, are they not? This time of the year is just a succession of award shows and Bank Holidays. Am I grumpy ? Me ? Not at all.

Just a thought ........... everybody who has commented on here so far has been totally anti yesterday’s nonsense. Are there any dissenting, or rather, supportive views ? If there are, then do say so. Nobody is going to jump down your throat !!!

Simply ghastly - preceded by the almost as absurd Dr Who. We’d kept a couple of pre-recorded items ‘in the can’ for moments such as this.

OK, from the start I know that this is going to upset a number of you out there. Sorry, but this is the way I see it. First of all, the good guys. Serious ‘club’ cyclists, maybe a dozen or more of them, almost always in single file, often with a few gaps in between them for you to duck in if needs be. Then the solo biker, helmeted with hi-viz, understanding when you hold back on overtaking on a ‘blind’ bend. Now the horrors ! The holiday season is upon us, although these people can infest the roads at any time. I came round a corner the other day to be faced with three 50yo maniacs three abreast ! Drastic evasive action. Then the elderly couples on holiday - both about 70 (“we haven’t been on a bike for years, eh?”) without any casquette or hi-viz. Wobbling bikes and trajectory. I could go on, but you get my drift. The roads around here are narrow and even car vs car has to be treated with a bit of care. However, if you hit a cyclist, there’s only one person who’s going to be blamed. Right, flak will doubtless start, but just maybe some will take my point.

No surprise really. The only surprise is just how many people over here seem to completely ignore the requirements - probably because they know full well that their clapped out white van, builder’s lorry on which nothing works, or ‘sans permis’ thing, wouldn’t have a chance of getting through a CT. They’d be right, because in my experience the process is very thorough and professional. As regards motorbikes, I am at a loss to understand why anything on the public road should not be liable to a periodic safety check. From my viewpoint, the vast majority would have no compliance issues whatsoever.