KathyF

Sara, Dinan, Dinard and Saint Malo are just round the corner in Brittany. We are inland of the Bay of Mont Saint Michel, in the lovely valley of the River Sée. Gorgeous, peaceful and deeply rural. [:D]

Eight years ago we bought a second home in this beautiful corner of southern Manche and have been coming here ever since, at first just for a few weeks a year, but since I retired we're here for months at a time each summer. We are coming to the end of our fifth summer now and I can honestly say that in all that time I have not met with any rudeness or unfriendliness, either from our neighbours and other villagers or from the officials we have had to deal with. We don't do a lot of popping in on neighbours here, but we don't in the UK either, so that's alright. However, we meet and chat, or wave as we go by. We go to village events and are thanked for doing so and for helping with the clearing up afterwards. My farmer neighbour invited me round to see her new grandson and have aperos for her son's birthday. We invited her to sample an English afternoon tea and she fell in love with scones and asked for the recipe. [:D] Nothing earth-shattering, but all very pleasant and part of the warp and woof of human existence, on either side of the Channel. I wouldn't even think of claiming to be integrated - how could I be when I'm only here for a quarter of the year? But I'm happy here and think myself fortunate to be able to spend so long here every year (it would be even longer if only I could persuade my husband......) [:)]

Hi Mr Coops, Thanks for the update and sorry Deb is feeling down. Quite understandable, given all she's been through.  When I had a hysterectomy (over 20 years ago) I remember the 'oozing' went on for weeks, not days. Having just checked, it can go on for up to 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, which may help to reassure her that healing is happening, albeit more slowly than she would wish.  Best wishes as always.

Isn't it fantastic, Norman I remember being very struck by ut the first time I saw it, many years ago now.

Spot on, Norman! [:D]

That should do it. [:D][:D]

RH, my 87 year-old mother-in-law travelled with BF on her own with her suitcase from Partsmouth to Caen this year and coped fine. Obviously at her age nice people tend to offer her a helping hand at awkward places, but she is fiercely independent and managed her case herself almost all the time. It's do-able. [:)]

[quote user="Val_2"]Another problem too with rising prices is for our furry friends their foods have also risen along with ours.[/quote] Large tins of Bien Vu cat food from SuperU were O.56 euros each last week.  I couldn't buy them for that in the UK.

Sorry you've had problems, Sara, but no, France isn't immune from anti-social behaviour.  We have friends with a holiday home near a lake here in southern Manche and they've had several break-ins overv the past 3 years.  They told us that over 20 holiday homes and fishing cabins around the lake had been targeted this spring alone and this in deepest rural France.  There are disaffected youngsters (and older people) everywhere.

Sorry about the setback, but best for them to be sure all's OK before letting her come home again. Best wishes as always.

Just catching up after weekend visitors and delighted to see you posting again, Coops. [:D] Here's to a rapid return to your own bed and the best possible pathology results and treatment plan.

That is such good news! [:D] Very best wishes to you both and I can underline the 'don't lift, don't stand for long' advice from personal experience.

Spot on, RH. For my money, Amy Winehouse was one of the most individual female soloists I've heard for a long time.  An amazing voice and a huge potential that sadly she will never now fulfil.  What a waste of a young life.

Oh, b*gger, Coops! I was rather afraid that might be it. Keeping the good wishes coming as hard as I can, as the doctors work out what they can do for you.  K xxx

Another with everything crossed here, Mr Coops.  As someone who has had the word prognosis used to her twice in the past, I know just how scary it can be and send you both my very best wishes for the best possible outcome.

I am so sad for a small, peaceable, open society hit by this horror.  It will change things forever for them, I'm afraid.

To my knowledge there is one short stretch of toll-road alongside the M6 north of Birminglam and tolls on a few river bridges and tunnels, but that's it.  Hardly to be compared to the network of toll-roads in France.

FWIW, we're only in France for three months a year over the summer and I can't see much difference between the prices last year and this. The thing that makes a difference is the lousy exchange rate, but many of the prices are the same as last year, which is definitely not the case in the UK!

I love making jam, whether using the French method or the British, depending on the fruit, and we always seem to manage to get rid of it all before it has a chance to go off.[:D] I have a proper jam pan at last and have always saved jam-jars and reused them.  My only trouble this year is not having enough in France for the summer. I was given a lot of raspberries and blackcurrants recently (had to go and pick them, but you know what I mean) and that used up almost all the jars I'd been saving for when the jam apricots arrive up here in Normandy. Luckily a friend is also a jam-jar hoarder and she has just come to the rescue. Guess what I'm spending this wet weekend doing....

Having just caught up with this thread, I've read the Midi Libre report and it says that when hit the girl fell and banged the the back of her head on the school boundary wall. This is almost certainly what killed her. It doesn't take away the horror of what was done to her, but I really doubt the boy intended to kill her. That can't be said of the case in South Wales which almost beggars belief.

Just echoing all the above.  Very best wishes to you both.

And that's something to smile about, PP?

Talk about a clash of cultures.... Anyone may think this kind of thing about someone else, but to email it - the mind boggles.

In small country parishes over a number of years, rather well. I've seen more (veiled) racism in the Daily Mail than I've ever heard from any of my parishioners.

Not in my experience, Pommier, but what do I know?  I'm just a retired vicar......