Gardengirl
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Posts posted by Gardengirl
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How are people reacting to H1N1 in France? In UK I spoke to someone this morning who had stocked up her shed with food, and was very frightened about the whole thing. Nobody else I've spoken to has been very bothered. The nearest case to us is in Slough, so just in the same county. After all the recent threats of bird flu, SARS etc most people are just getting on with life as usual.
Jo
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Yes, quite amusing! In UK I dig some up every year to try to contain it a bit - it does tend to take over. It flowered very early this year. Despite it being in a sheltered position, I often have to dig some up and take it indoors in order to have it flowering for May 1st. This year we arrived back in UK on 29th April to see it looking like lace in the borders, obviously having been in flower for quite a while, and the smell was so lovely.
Jo
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I've seen it in the large DIY places, labelled 'Miracle Grow'
Jo
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The walking group we are joining is AVF; the other group we go with is a mixed English/French group, with no formalities such as Doctor's note/insurance - it's more like a group of friends out walking together and catching up on news.
I contacted the group; apparently a note from our English Doctor will do fine, but no news from them on the insurance front. The idea that we might be covered on our French house insurance is an interesting one; I'll check that out. However, if it is just for public liability insurance, we have that in our European travel insurance.
Thanks to everyone for their help,
Jo
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Does anyone know about this? We are joining a French group which goes rambling, amongst other activities. We are part-timers in France, so don't have French medical insurance. We apparently need a medical certificate from a doctor- sounds expensive! We don't have a French doctor - would one from our English doctor (we've been 25 years plus with the surgery) do? Also, we will need insurance cover to cover us in case of accidents etc. We have annual insurance cover up to 5,000,000 euros for medical expenses throughout Europe, plus 2,000,000 euros for personal public liability.
I guess it might be a law in France that we have this cover - just trying to save what seems might be a fair bit of money, as we are part-timers in France, so don't have French medical insurance.
Thanks, Jo
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We have an annual policy with the Caravan Club; you can buy the basic 31 days, or pay more for longer stays. We pay for 66 days at present (that is for each trip), but might change to a long stay policy.
You obviously have to pay the membership fee, but don't have to take a caravan with you.
They are very good in case of problems abroad, but not the cheapest.
Another that friends use is Saga; again, not cheap, but long stays are no problem.
Jo
Edit: as regards medical history, my husband had a heart attack 16 months ago, also a stent inserted; after 3 months he was accepted with full cover.
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Very much ouch! Your wife must be going to get millions in her pension!
I was quoted about £445 per year to buy NI past years by the Pensions Advisory Service, which would then pay out about £1200 per year pension. As I said earlier, I didn't have any gaps in payments when I enquired, but if any of you out there have NI payment gaps it's very well worth looking in to.
Jo
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Hijacking the topic here, but still on women claiming pensions - plus men!
I've just enquired about buying extra years of pension; it turned out that I can't do this, as I'm fully paid up for the years that can be bought, and it's too late for the years I missed when raising our family.
However, some women or men reading this might be able to, and if it's sorted in the next couple of weeks, buying extra years can be at the current rate - the cost goes up at the start of the next tax year. Buying extra years applies whether you are still working or are retired.
If you are missing some recent years of NI contributions, these can be bought at a fairly low rate, giving you years of extra pension payments. I rang the Pensions Advisory Service, who were most helpful, and based on what I could tell them they thought I could buy some years. Tel no: 0845 601 2923; they are v busy just now, but I only had to hang on for a few minutes.
They gave me a NI tel number to ring : 0845 302 1479. This number was also answered v quickly! So if you call this number armed with NI number, plus the usual security stuff, they can call up your file and tell you if you can buy any years to ensure a bigger pension.
I read about it in Saturday's Telegraph, in the finance section; sorry, don't know how to link. Sorry if this number can't be called from France. Hope someone out there can benefit from this.
Good luck, Jo
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Hi Clair,
Yes, I was replying from my pm box, but had the postmaster notification. The pm and email boxes are usually there for me to use, but sometimes seem to go AWOL! No problems with filters.
Thanks, Jo
Edit: the pm and email buttons are back!
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Message for Rose; just had a message from Postmaster to say the PM I sent you couldn't be delivered. Plus PM & email buttons again missing on my screen. Please PM or email me.
Jo
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Hi Ernie,
We can't use your table, but I wondered if no-one else does either if there is a French equivalent of Freecycle you could use? We've often used it in the UK, and have been pleased to pass on our unwanted things to someone who could use them, plus keep them out of landfill.
I think it's a great idea to offer your table on the Forum - there surely can't be anything in the rules against that?! Perhaps the Mods could open up a new section for items on offer - very useful in these times.
Jo
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Very useful thread, thanks.
I stopped drinking grapefruit juice several years ago when I heard about adverse effects when taking various heart drugs, which I was taking. However, I didn't realise there were so many contra-indications.
Jo
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We came over to UK last night by tunnel. Trains were every 30 minutes. Ours was very empty, and the terminal felt eery - so few people were in there that staff were just standing around chatting, leaping to greet any potential customer who went by! We arrived spot on time, too.
Jo
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Pm and email buttons now working after being missing for a while! Great. Thanks to whoever!
Jo
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Since following this thread I've also decided to get a Remoska when we visit the UK next week. I also need a shallow pan, as recommended, plus the cook book. Any other suggestions, please? I think as there are only 2 of us most of the time a medium size should be ok - plus, it's a small apartment with limited storage space!
I do wish we hadn't bothered with the expense of the oven, which is also pretty much a waste of space. It seems to take ages to warm up, and once the weather warms up - any time from March, we're in full sun all day, and it's too hot to use the oven even in the evenings.
Thanks for all the interesting posts on this subject, Jo
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The email and pm buttons no longer appear. Can you help, please,
Jo
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Hi Woody, I don't know what a wifi notebook is - is it a mini computer? The mediatheque is our library cum lots of other things; free to use and rather splendid. I've been carrying the computer along there some days, as they don"t have computers in there, unlike some.
Jo.
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Coca cola is a good idea. Also, false-teeth tablets have been known to work; leave overnight, at a rather stronger rate than for teeth in a glass! Both less nasty than some of the other (good) suggestions
Jo
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We use the local internet cafe a lot just now, which works out expensive; we are working out which internet supplier to go with.
There is also the mediatheque (v hot in there though) and the I've just passed the tourist office, which is now sporting a sign saying free wifi. Do you have anything available like these?
Jo
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Thanks for your replies. We've tried finding a signal in the block, but no luck. Skype still seems the way we would like to go, having checked the website.
Does anyone know of a supplier of ADSL alone? We've seen mention of this, but can't get details from companies. If we can get it, it would seem to work out better for us than a combined package, especially as we're only here for 6 months a year.
Thanks, Jo
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Ours was delivered last Tuesday and collected on Saturday morning - both times by a very young man, so nothing to inflame my husband's blood pressure as in earlier postings! There were 3 forms; one about the property and one each on education levels etc.
Jo
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It sounds as though skype would be useful to us. We don't particularly need TV, but will need an internet connection. Most of the packages I have seen seem to have tv included.
Is there a way of getting an internet connection without having a whole tv, internet, telephone package?
We're in a new-build apartment, and are told there is a connection to something high speed.
As you will gather, I'm not very clued-up on these things, but would love to stop coming down to the internet cafe and spending a fortune here plus phone calls, texts etc. We recently had to cancel flights and hire car due to my husband having flu - (the real thing, 10 days in bed, which is unheard-of for him!) and couldn't access company helplines on any of our 3 phones, so had to rely on emails - stress levels climbed even higher! I read that with skype you can have a package with all numbers available.
Thanks for any help, Jo
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Thanks for replies - it seems I won't need to find space in the case!
I haven't seen the Quaker oats in our local supermarkets. The oats I saw were in polybags at the local bio shop. I'll certainly look for them next week.
Jo
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We normally have porrage for breakfast in the UK, and took a pack of porrage oats when we went to France for New Year. To save taking more by plane for our next visit, I looked around and saw some packs labelled 'avoine' while there, and see that means oats. Does anyone know if they might be similar to the nice and easy cook for 5 minutes variety I use normally? I don't want to get in to the cook -all -night Scottish oats we ate as children!
Thanks, Jo
England at its best!
in Other Topics
Posted
We've been back inUK Berkshire . The weather has been fairly warm and sunny, gardens and countryside are lovely, and the dawn choruses are wonderful! We left Gard as the lilacs and horse chestnut candles were fading, and arrived in UK
We don't spend half the year in France to escape UK weather or particular problems, just that we have loved France warts and all for many years - over 50 since my first visit, with almost non-existent French and dreadful sea-sickness that lasted for days - following a long, rough overnight crossing to my penpal's home. We don't personally see much where we live of the problems that do exist in many areas of UK (and also in France), but having taught in very 'challenging' schools in various problem areas around the UK for over 30 years, I know they do very much exist.
We return to France next week for a couple of months until the heat of the south drives us back to the UK, although the forecast is for a hot summer after 2 wet years - up to 30, I hear!
Jo