Chrisb

Hi there Thanks very much - we didn't find the key, but ordered 2 more from the Kubota place in Coutances, so we are up and running again. Funny how as it was the OH that lost it, it was just 'one of those things', but had it been me...........................................!! Chris x

Somehow, my OH has managed to lose the key to our tractor whilst in the field! Does anyone near St Lo/Periers/Carentan/Coutances, have a metal detector that they could either lend us, or come along with to try and find the blinkin' thing?? Finger's crossed!! Thanks Chris

I'm with copperlola - L'Histoire de France pour les Nuls is excellent, and is very easy to dip into. http://www.amazon.fr/LHistoire-France-pour-Jean-Joseph-Julaud/dp/2876919419 Le francais correct pour les nuls is also very good....................it's great to realise that there is a book like this because native French speakers find it hard as well!!! http://www.amazon.fr/fran%C3%A7ais-correct-pour-nuls/dp/2876916401/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206823628&sr=1-16 Chris

Oh yes, I love Freerice - as you say, good for exercising the old grey matter!! Chris

Hi Pads No, he's not taking the mickey - that's the translation!! Chris

We went about three years ago, it was very straightforward - the hardest bit is getting across Paris! You can go directly from Carentan to Paris, but with some journeys you have to change at Caen. If you pop into the staion in Carentan, they are very friendly and helpful - I have booked several tickets there, and they have always tried really hard to get me the best possible deal! Have a lovely time! Chris

I remember the first year we were here, there was a knock on the door April 30th, and a chap I had never seen before was standing there with a young lad. 'Would it be possible for my lad to have a bit of your Muguet?' he asked - 'Of course', I said, thinking that he wanted some to give his mum ..................I was then gobsmacked to see them pick armfulls of the stuff (We have got a huge patch of it) - 'He is going to sell it in town tomorrow', he said!!! He must have made a fortune!!! They have never been back since! Chris  

........................of course, there is always the possibility that the OP is neither French OR English, which could also explain the slightly strange grammar in the posting! Chris

Hi Will I only caught the tail end of it, unfortunately, so can't comment on its content - I did read the article, which I thought was very light-weight and of no use to anyone thinking of moving abroad. Like others, I struggle with the notion of a farrier commuting daily through the tunnel! Fortunately all my husband's travel, accommodation and meal costs in the UK are picked up by his employers..........his job is 'field-based' as is that of others at his grade who may live in Scotland, Northern England etc and who regularly fly down to client meetings - his ferries costs are frequently cheaper than an internal UK flight plus hire car, even in the height of Summer, and travel to and from the office or to see his client is part of the working day so he doesn't lose annual leave entitlement. Lucky?- well yes, of course, but we did our homework and ensured that all this would remain before we moved over...............and there are certainly plenty of days when he could easily work from home, but he makes the journey to the UK for exactly the reasons you mention.

Well we chose it as our lifestyle nearly 4 years ago, and it works for us!! We were used to my OH being away a couple of nights during the week, anyway. He actually finds the commute less stressfull now - he always has a cabin on the ferry and works on his lap-top, or reads, dozes etc. Depending upon the time of year he has a 40 minute or an hours travel in France to the port, and then an hour the other side. Before it was 3 1/2 to 4 hours (sometimes upto 7 hours depending upon the traffic on the M25) of driving..........and he was stressed and gruumpy all the time. Now we see him either Thursday or Friday until Monday or Tuesday and he is much more pleasant to be around as he is less stressed!! I know that lots of you don't understand how families can live this sort of life, well we can, and we do...................and no, we wouldn't want to scramble around for every centime............we just want to live our lives our own way - we are all happy, consider ourselves to be as integrated as we want to be, and yes, we speak French !! Chris  

Well we haven't had any in our part of Manche (Basse Normandie)- just loads of rain this morning, now slightly brighter, but cold, wet and miserable - I'd much rather have had some snow!! Chris  

Our local restaurant does two fantastic Foie gras starters - one a 'chaud/froid' ie a cold slice and a lightly fried slice with an onion confit, and an absolutely delicious, I'm salivating as I write, apple crumble with a some warm foie gras in the middle. Fabulous!! Chris

Hi djemai Welcome to the forum...............No you've got me, how did you end up being 4th?!! Chris

grand (never come in the lounge - saw your post in French language!!)

[quote user="Chris Head"]Yep that was her Chrisb! I think I'm starting to get on rocky ground here and should slip quietly away....by the way, does Tim still look like the back end of a Challenger tank?[:D][/quote] Yes, I'm afraid he looks frighteningly like Phil Mitchell these days.......................but we don't run a pub any more and he doesn't have an East London accent!! - he now works in the Pharmaceutical Industry in the UK and commutes weekly from Normandy. Sorry, everyone, I'm sure none of you are the least bit interested in all this...................it's just really weird to find someone on a French forum who knew your other half long before you did!! [:)] Chris