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Rose

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    Cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    [quote user="cooperlola"]

    So you can tell the boy that I will do my best to turn up in something fast and furious in 2012![:D]

    [/quote]

    He was wondering if it might be an Aston Martin... but then said that you should choose whatever your heart desires [:D]

    Cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Coops I've been away so just caught up with all your news...  life isn't dull for you is it!

    I just wanted to add my thoughts and best wishes along with everyone

    else - both me and grey are thinking of you... and they boy sends his

    best!  I am still expecting another visit next year so can you please

    just get better quickly so we can make some plans! [kiss]

    Norman and Theiere - wonderful wonderful news!

    What is going on in London?

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    [quote user="Christine Animal"]

    They are not just smashing and stealing, they are burning other people's houses down, people who have worked hard to get their house.  It's unbelievable and there is no excuse or reason to justify it.

    Get the army in, ship them all off to Japan to help the people who really have something to be sorry about.  There was no looting there, just respect and dignity.  What a culture difference, if you can call that a culture.

     

    [/quote]

    That's exactly it Christine... why was that?  Why is there this dreadful yob culture in the UK?  And of course I dont think it's everyone and everywhere, as all of my friends are horrified by this extreme minority, but the culture does exist and it is ugly; how do you reverse it?

    What is going on in London?

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    I've been hovering over the keyboard wondering if I should post or not... I'm certainly in the camp that feels there is no excuse for what is happening but having read Norman's posts I do kind of agree with what he's saying ... in that I ask myself the same questions... where does this mentality come from?  Where does the gangster mentality come from, where does the not working, the yob culture, the binge drinking, the demands, the excuses... It would be good to try and understand where and why.

    Sadly though, when those questions are asked, the people responsible for the violence jump on this and use it as an excuse... it's not their fault, it's because there are cuts/bankers/wealthy people/tory government... and this somehow makes it ok.  There are no excuses for the violence and looting, it is criminal but as Normal says... why?  Maybe asking those questions right now is not the best time but it would be good to get an honest answer... and not the usual rhetoric about broken homes, deprived neighbourhoods and poverty... there's more to it... it is a cultural thing... and how do you change that culture?

    Some simple Hospital vocabulary

    in Health

    Posted

    [quote user="5-element"]

    "aller à la selle" =  to go to the toilet (number 2)

     Brilliant idea Norman, this thread.

    [/quote]

    Yes and yes  5E!

    I amused the nurses on the ward with the following ... (of course the conversation was in french)...

    Nurses 1 : Have you opened your bowels today?

    Me :  Oh no thank you, my husband will be here soon

    Nurse 2: stiffled laughter

    Nurse 1:  opened mouth but no words sprang to mind

    Me:  mmm... I think I've mis-understood haven't I.

    We started over and I understood and then I explained to them how I must now remember not to confuse Selle with Sel [8-)]

    I heard them repeating the conversation all the way down the ward to every patient and nurse they came across [:$]

    Norman - Hope all is going and does go well for you [kiss]

    Cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Fliipin heck coops - you dont do anything by half do you!  Can we please have some calm now [:)]

    Very pleased to hear that you are home... it took 2 weeks from my surgery to get the full diagnosis, grading and stage of the cancer... and it was in the end, exactly what the surgeon had predicted... fingers crossed the same is true with you as I seem to remember you saying that your chap was happier after surgery. 

    Please take care now and make a full recovery from all of this - I get the feeling that very little is going to get the better of you!

    love to all (cat included)

    x

    Flan

    in French Food and Wine

    Posted

    Oh lovely lovely people... thank you so much for all the information!  I've been away for the weekend hence the delay in replying.

    The flan is indeed just like the one in the above photo.  I have to say though that mine improved hugely overnight in the fridge so son was eventually very happy.  He still says that I need to add gelatine as the ones in the shop have a very slight jelly type top.  So I'll try again and add a little to see if it helps.  I also think I need to cook the custard a bit more to help get rid of the floury taste... but all in all I think we're nearly there.

    I did see the packets in Carrefour today and almost bought one... but decided to give the recipe one more go.

    thank you all though for the help... you're brilliant!

    xx

    Pre-emigration French lessons - how useful?

    in French Education

    Posted

    [quote user="Daft Doctor"] Following another tip earlier in the thread, I have made some A4 landscape sheets, each with the basic conjugation (present, past, future and conditional) of one of etre, avoir, aimer, aller, pouvoir or devoir.  [/quote]

    Blimey you're good, we just did avoir and etre in the present tense [:D]

    You sound like you've covered all bases and I wish you all the very best... we've been here 4 years and it has flown by.  There have been a few times when we've been homesick and wondered about going back... but never seriously enough to make any plans.  We're settled now and whilst I never say never, we certainly have no regrets about our move.

    Duck pate confiscated at Bergerac departures

    in Travelling to/from France

    Posted

    [quote user="Pickles"]There used to be (perhaps still is) a sign at security at Montpellier Airport telling you to check in foie gras and other patés. [/quote]

    There was also a sign at Bergerac - unless it's been taken down?  Doesn't help if you've already bought the stuff though.

    Once, when we were on holiday (5 years ago) and arriving at Bordeaux airport when a lady stopped us and asked if we wanted her wine... she had bought 6 bottles but wasn't allowed to take it back on the plane... so we said thank you very much... and very nice wine it was too [:D]

    Flan

    in French Food and Wine

    Posted

    My son adores flan... he says it's his most favourite thing ever.  Odd choice I reckon but who am I to question [:)]

    So, I tried to make one and whilst it's ok it's not great.  He says I need to use gelatine and it will be firmer and it will have the very fine jelly type film on the top of it.  I'm struggling to find a recipe, apart from the one I've tried... anyone got one that they're tried and tested?

    many thanks

    x

    Cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    I am so relieved to hear that news!  I've been thinking about Deborah all day and hoping that things we're going well.  It's not fair that you have even more things to recover from and deal with;  I do hope Rabbie is right and your luck is totally changing!

    love from us xx

    Cooperlola

    in Other Topics

    Posted

    Coops I am so sorry to hear that you have yet another battle to fight, it's just not fair!  But you are in the F1 league of fighters and I am expecting another visit next spring where you can inspire again my son with the delights of cars and racing. 

    Thinking of you and yours right now... courage as they say here xx

    p.s. I know we're a bit far away but if there is anything we can do we will!

    Pre-emigration French lessons - how useful?

    in French Education

    Posted

    [quote user="Kitty"][quote user="scorciatoia"] I think lessons beforehand are helpful, but, I think regular lessons once he is there will be better.  [/quote]

    Seconded.

    [/quote]

    Thirded (if that's a word) - we had wednesday afternoon lessons for 3 years and they we're fantastic. For the first year the teacher was provided by the school and we just continued with them - they made a huge difference.

    Pre-emigration French lessons - how useful?

    in French Education

    Posted

    DD - I may be joining this a bit late as I think you're

    already clear on what you're doing but I just wanted to say that yes, get

    lessons, get some books, watch some TV, if you're coming to France for a

    holiday, buy some DVD's as they are in both French and English so you can

    alternate which language you watch.

    Our son was 8 when we moved and had very little French. We were also advised

    that maybe it is best not to give lessons as they'll cope when they get

    here.  Well he did cope and is doing brilliantly and has had felicitations

    for the last two terms at school for his moyen; he's starting his second year

    at college in September and we've been here 4 years.  But... I do believe

    lessons would have just given him a little bit of a helping hand in the beginning.

    I would also try and get your son to learn common verbs like etre and avoir...

    this was the first thing our son was given learn... we printed them off and had

    copies on the fridge and on doors and so on.

    We also bought lots of dual language books - there are some great ones on Amazon. 

    This like Hieronymus Betts and his extraordinary pets... not sure if

    I've spelt it correctly!  We bought some very young books and he quickly

    learned to read these and make sense of them and then we just bought what he

    liked the look of... this worked very well for us and I would recommend you do

    this too.

    We used to talk in French at meal times... trying to find the names for

    everything we could see.  We also had a game where we had to work our way

    through the alphabet finding French objects for each letter.  The school gave

    my son lots of sheets every few days with animals or household items or objects

    that he had to learn... we also bought a photo dictionary and tried to learn 10

    new words a week... or a new word a day.  All of these things are simple

    but will help build vocabulary. 

    Also, a very good idea if you are learning words, learn if they are le or la at

    the same time!  And we always wrote down new words too to check spelling -

    the french are very keen on spelling tests! 

    All of this was done in an informal way and we did it as games that we

    joined in with.  It was a great help to

    us as well at the time.

    When we left the UK, my sons teacher told us he would be fine for the first 4

    months and then he would take a dive and feel a bit down for the next 4

    months... then he would pick up again and really start to understand and talk

    well. She said he would be understanding well after a year and be fluent after

    two.  I would say this was prety much how it went.  I know lots of

    people say they'll be fluent at 6 months but I think this is wrong. 

    Children may well communicate and understand a great deal after 6 months but it

    takes longer to really get to grips.  This timescale helped us and our son

    a great deal as he did do pretty much as she said he would.  It made him

    and us feel like he was ‘normal’ and doing what was expected.

    We live in the Dordogne,  and we are sort of retired too.  Our son

    was the only English boy in his primary school and is the only English boy in

    college.  He has a perfect French accent and when he first started college

    his teachers assumed he was French.   Being

    English has never been an issue for us at either school.

    We have had one experience of bullying.  It was not a french/english

    thing, just a grumpy boy at the primary school.  My son was his target

    when he was new but it was the other children who stood up for him and helped

    him to find his feet... we did talk to the teacher about it but she was already

    aware and they did take action and I have no complaints about how it was

    handled.  The same boy is now at college with my son and whilst they're

    not friends, they will chat and say hello.  Apart from that I have only

    good things to say about our experiences so far.

    Finally - sorry for the long post -  if your son likes sports join a

    club.  We joined the local rugby club.  Sports for children is very well organised here and we have a

    big choice of activities.  His team are all very close, most of them go to

    the same school and live close enough for them to cycle to the village and get

    together.  This helped him and us a great deal when we first arrived.  It is a great way to make friends and learn

    the language.

     I hope this helps – please feel free to email if you have

    any questions – and good luck with the move!

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