RumziGal

[quote user="TWINKLE"] It's called faith RumziGal!  If you don't have it you won't get it.  [/quote] You mean "to those that have shall be given, and those that have not, even what they have will be taken away"? Tell me about it!  [:D]    

It was a genuine question about inconsistency in religion, Clair, and not directed at the McCanns.   There are so many millions of people who pray to god for things, I thought there might be one on here who could explain what that and the blessing of a photo is all about.   If not, tant pis, it will remain a mystery!  [:)]

Patmobile, that's bad!   But funny!  [8-|] Can any Catholics among you explain the religious reasoning behind this Papal visit?   The Pope blessed the photo, I don't understand what that means.   If people are praying that God makes the abductor change his mind, is that not taking away the abductor's free will?    I mean, of course I'd like that to happen, but theologically it seems a bit hokey - either we have free will or we don't, not some "only when it suits" half-way house?    Would anyone like to enlighten me?    

Gurkha Museum in Winchester, one of my favourite museums ever, small though it is.  All the information you could ever want about them.  They fought in the trenches in WW1, and yes, they fought in the Falklands.  They deserve much better treatment. http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/    

[quote user="Hoddy"] Did you deserve your MPs ? [/quote] In the sense that if I'm not willing to do the job myself, then yes, I have to put up with whoever IS willing to do it.

[quote user="Cerise"]My OH tries desperately not to mind that he is paid less as an electrician than our teenage nephew is paid for pushing trollies round Sainsbury's car park -.[/quote] It's the undocumented part of life in France - one is so ground down that one becomes grateful for crumbs from the rich men's tables. [:)] Well done on getting a job! [B]  

I wonder how much they were wanting for her?    How sad.

[quote user="Beryl"] No, we get the politicians we deserve. [/quote] Only in the sense that we're not willing to do the job ourselves.  

[quote user="opas"] (so a very expensive and thin lense requirement) [/quote] Oh yes, tell me about those thin lenses!  [:)]   I have used this time in the UK as a chance to sort out all my dental and eye things.  It may cost more (especially the dentist!)  but I'm happier with what I get for my money. And now that you've made me think about thin lenses, I must get along to the opticians to order new lenses.  She said I can keep the frames and when the new lenses arrive they'll fit the lenses into my existing frames in the shop, so I don't have to wear my (thick!) spare pair.   Yippee!!!   And the reason I'm getting new lenses is that the coating on my current ones is coming off in huge patches, and they just seem dirty all the time.  First time it's ever happened., and come to think of it, the only glasses I've bought in France.  [8-)]     Coincidence, surely?   [:)]

How does an eye test take an hour?     I've had two tests done in France, and in both cases they just stick you in front of modern gadgets and let the machines do all the working out.    The ophthalmos themselves seemed very bored, and who can blame them - they have so little input, their next step will probably be "here's the machine, test your own eyes"! I've been to 3 different dentists in France as well, and have found the same.  Cursory glance around, and you're out again.   I can only think that maybe French people aren't bothered about regular checkups, and only go to the dentist if there's something wrong, so the dentist has a different expectation of you, i.e. it's up to you to tell him/her what's wrong?  

[quote user="Just Katie "] I just cannot understand that RG.  Perhaps the French should learn by our example.  [/quote] I don't know, JK.   I think we just take the news much more personally than French people do.   We talk about it more too, in my experience anyway.    Of course I hope that parents and child will be safely reunited.   The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

I'm not being cynical at all, it was only a question. I've just posted over on TF about how very British this all is, the high profile, lots of airtime, people offering huge rewards, and so on.   Missing children in France might get mentioned on the news, and that's it.   Only an observation, not a judgment.

While I applaud what you're doing (and still can't believe what Quillan said in that other thread), can I ask if this is something you do for all children who go missing, or is Madeleine a special case?   

[quote user="Mr Wiggy"] Have other folk had the same problem trying to get a simple eye test carried out? [/quote] Yes, it sounds like a fairly normal wait for an eye test.   You could always lose/damage your eye furniture and get an emergency appt. 

[quote user="Quillan"] and not for the parents.[/quote] I suspect that they might just about have learned their lesson, don't you?    If you had to pay a price like that for every mistake you'd made in your life you might not be so self-satisfied.