Cendrillon

BBC news today has just announced that RAC is advising holidaymakers not to drive to France this weekend! ??

We have postal votes but I am not sure they'll arrive at our UK address before we go to France next week. Opting to have council send it to France could not guarantee we would receive it in time to complete and return. Solution, will ask neighbours to check our U K mail and forward it to us asap. Fingers crossed that will work.

IMHO he's not improved with keeping.[;-)]

Programme on BBC2 last Friday night which featured a young Dutch couple using dandelion heads (clocks) as part of a very expensive contemporary chandelier. Before you get the strimmer our you should contact them WB, you might be sitting on a fortune!!!

"Cinders, is that story from Suite Française or am I "dis-remembering" the name of the author?" Mint "Le Bal" was written by Irene Nemirovsky the same author who wrote Suite Française but it's a completely different story. It's an easy read, not too long and has a very interesting twist.

Book suggestion for Mint: Le Bal by Irene Nemirovsky Excellent short story, I think your reading group would enjoy this.

Just as a side note, there was a film called "l'auberge espagnole" and a follow up film "Russian dolls"

Have a look at Air BandB there may be some reasonable places en route. Bon courage.

GG have P.M.d you

Didn't have an ambulance so at least I won't be billed for that.

Just experienced local Urgences, first question do you have carte vitale? "Non", reception guy looked horrified. His lady assistant quickly asked whether I had carte Europeen, which I had. Filled in a form which gave options for European carte or travel insurance and they then spent about 20 minutes compiling a dossier. Left 24hrs later, when I enquired about paying was told it would all be billed via EHIC card.? not sure quite how that will work, will wait and see. Escaped and live to tell the tale!

When we put some very basic units in our French kitchen we had a plinth made for the ( very basic) gas cooker. The bonus is that a) it's the right height for us, b) It is easy to pull the cooker out to clean behind it.

're a very pretty stove, we also have a Castelmonte, (Italian) old and rustic with decorative tiles. This one works very well too.??

I can recommend Jotul

Betty I guessed he would be the culprit?. Oh dear there will be much guttural muttering and gnashing of teeth when he discovers this damp problem.

Someone near us had an abri built which was attached to their neighbours wall, neighbour complained and the abri had to be moved away from the wall.

Betty I love the sound of plaster board sitting on bare earth, how long would you give it before the damp rises????

Well on the plus side there are many good things to be said for owning a residence secondaire. For example making new and very good friends in your village especially if you can manage to speak French and are prepared to join in and make an effort. You know what to expect and where things are in your own property and you'll quickly slip into your second life. During the Winter months you and OH can chat about your French life and make plans for the next visit. Of course property maintenance costs add up. Choose a small house with courtyard outdoor space,somewhere not too remote with easy access to towns for markets, shopping etc. Consider distance from airports/ ferry ports and question whether cheap flight routes will exist outside the Summer months. P.S. not all gites are badly run. It can be a great way to test different locations.

We watched that, excellent programme.

Wah d u mean Betty? We also do this in French supermarkets! LOL??

Wah d u mean Betty? We also do this in French supermarkets! LOL??

Mint, I doubt anyone official would feel the need to change the colour back again to blue though I have to admit a fondness for the blue one.

"But then it wouldn't make such good TV would it?" Indeed, it's the sun, sunflowers, seaside and ................... cheap wine, that seem to sell the dream and these programmes.[;-)] I  was surprised to see the couple near Aubeterre sitting by their pool on a very hot day with their house in the background clearly showing all the shutters and windows wide open! They'll learn!

So that I don't high Jack Mint's thread Idun's reference to A New Life in the Sun programme has prompted me to start a new thread. Posted on Earning a living in France.

"Just remembered there is prog on channel 4 each afternoon...... A New Life in the Sun and one woman has moved to France and stated that it is 15 times better than her life in the UK? Such statements make me want to scream at the tv (I don't)............ as there was no justification for such a remark so I want the WHY AND HOW of that statement, as it is beyond me." Idun mentioned this on the life after Brexit post. Have to admit that I am rather hooked on this piece of daytime t.v. A bit of R&R before thinking about making supper.[;-)] FWIW, my observations: The Spanish ones mostly seem to be very much existing there on a wing and a prayer . Of the French ones I have seen the vineyard owners and the couple with the car spares business seem to have the best chance of survival. The most recent couple with a new gîte business near Aubeterre did at least employ a French electrician. The others probably won't endear themselves to the local community by not employing local French artisans. I would dearly like to revisit some of these dreamers during the winter months when the rain is raining and the sun doesn't shine. Anyone else have any observations? The presenter's French accent makes me cringe[Www]