minnie

I see your problem but unless you raise the issue with someone you might never know until its too late and you get arrested. However, if all your looking to do is to visit friends in France for a brief holiday how would it be to travel from UK to Holland (where presumable your name would not be wanted) and drive from there. There are no cross border checks from there to France. The risk would be if a gendarme were to stop you while driving. Alternatively, fly to Holland and take public transport to wherever in France - just a thought..

I always forget what elections for which we have an entitlement to vote. Those coming up during the next 2 weeks, as French residents, do we have a vote for them? The party literature has arrived but that's distributed at every home and as we don't get voting cards and generally just go to the polling station and give our names I'm not sure if this is one for us. A quick answer to this would be welcomed. Thanks

Bertiebe - Good to hear that you're back home now and hope that you continue to make good progress

Good luck, Grecian and continue thinking positive thoughts. I'm that we'll all be thinking of you on Tuesday. Look forward to hearing from you again on the forum in the fullness of time.

I would think that you'd be on dodgy ground. Immobiliers charges are quite substantial and I reckon that they would establish the name and address of the purchaser and if your partner's address is the same as yours you can work out what would happen. Whilst the bon de visite may have no legal standing the property has been introduced to you (and consequently your partner) by them. They would have every right to charge the fees. No experience here, just my humble opinion. Bon chance

There is a documentary on BBC2 in one hour (10pm French Time) with Robert Peston looking at the economic situation in France. For anyone seeing this message who may be interested.....

OH had been a bus driver in a previous life but when applying for his French driving licence he said that he was happy to give up the bus driver bit and that was OK here - that was, however, in 2007...

You seem to have the right attitude anyway. Yes I agree to go with any number of opinions so that you can judge the bottom line. Having said that you do seem to be prepared that if the final opinion is a permanent stoma then so be it! As you've said the main thing is that you continue to live and to live with some quality of life. If the same thing happened to me I just hope that I could stay as strong as you. Take care and good luck.

Whether in France or UK a bank can make enquiries about any transaction which is not in line with the norm for your account. Should you refuse to answer you may find that the matter is referred to the tax authorities so that they can investigate whether this is an income which needs to be taxed. You could then end up with a tax bill on the amount credited. If that remained unpaid then your account would be frozen. Personally I'd just tell them if you have nothing to be concerned about.

Does anyone know whether any of the French supermarket chains stock Almond Milk. I know that I can look for it and will do so, but if anyone has any information it would save a bit of time. Thanks

Does anyone know the bonfire rules in Lot et Garonne Dept 47?

It seems not to be a problem at Mairies. The secretary does not speak English but if the layout of the form is always the same whatever the language then they know what to sign and what to look at. Even our French neighbours do it with their french forms and she said that they get people living locally from any number of EU countries coming in for this. You live and learn!

Last summer I was unsuccessful when I tried to use them, but accept that I was probably partially responsible. We were in UK at an event and, somehow or other OH locked the car with us outside and everything else (including handbag with spare keys and phone) inside. We still don't know how that happened as it shouldn't have. We borrowed a phone and rang the AA (part of ADAC), but I couldn't give membership number as it was in the car. Neither did we have ADAC number. AA refused to deal, despite us explaining as our car reg was French. Fortunately we had a friend nearby who offered to use her AA personal card, saying that she had attended the event with us in our car. The AA then sent a mechanic who, within 5 mins and with his equipment, had got int the car and retrieved our keys. I just thought that the AA might have been a little more helpful initially and given us the ADAC phone number. Still it was a Bank Holiday Monday!

Our French friends mentioned that they have their car insurance with the mutuelle at Poitiers. They reckoned that theirs includes a provision to recover the car back home rather than to the nearest garage (i.e. similar to AA/RAC recovery). I'm wondering where the snag is....as I thought that you couldn't get this as part of French car insurance. Unfortunately they have no English to expand on this. This being the case we could do without our ADAC recovery. Anyone know any more about this?

The deed is done. Thanks everyone for your advice. Once we went in and said that we had some Government forms the secretary finished the sentence by saying "to show that you're alive". It was done and signed by the Maire in a few minutes.

Thanks everyone for your contributions. I'll update you when the deed is done

As I see it and as was said earlier, you are not getting a discount on the job. Another govt dept is kind enough to give you a grant towards the work. The cost of the job remains the original price and it is up to you to pay the VAT on the whole price.

The State Pension folk have sent us a form which we have to sign to confirm that we're still alive. Much of the form needs to be completed by a competent witness. Our french friends said to go to the Mairie and they'll do the confirmation. However, I can't imagine that anyone there is able to read english let alone fill in a form. I reckon that we'd probably need a proper translation for them. Anyone done this before. If so who did you use, and did they charge?

Have you taken them to your vet to be looked over? The vet might have an idea for a remedy, especially if they know anyone whose cat has recently died. We were in a similar position to you in early October with 2 tiny kittens landing on our doorstep. One was very poorly so we had to go straight to the vet's. That one had to be put to sleep but the sibling survived (much to the vet's surprise) and he is currently manic around the house. The vet didn't charge for the first couple of visits as we explained the circumstances. We certainly didn't want a cat and our elderly female is now accepting the addition though she will not play with him. You could also put notices up in local shops. You'll finf that in France there is a very low take up of sterilizations which lead to loads of unwanted kittens. We British are regarded as the suckers who take them in...What can you do. Sorry I can't give any more practical help but,nevertheless, welcome to the forum.

As well as keeping within the recommended units of alcohol a daily walk is suggested as a method of avoiding/delaying dementia as well as improving circulation. We walk almost every morning for about 5 to 6 kms, which takes about an hour. This is now incorporated into our daily routine. If the weather is inclement this walk takes place along the Canal Lateral.

Very best wishes to you both for the future.

Yes, I was thinking of young children who should learn to obey no without question. With older children there are any number of sanctions which can be used. The main thing is to follow through with sanctions.

I'd be very surprised if I'm still driving in 2033.... Thanks AnOther. I couldn't find an expiry date on it.

This prompts me to ask the following - we have the old pink card French licences. There does not seem to be an expiry date on that. Can anyone clarify what the limit is (if there is one)?

I have to agree that a smack across the back of the legs worked well to stop tantrums when my young daughter was little. Children have to learn boundaries. When they are young you can't really rationalise with them and explain why they can't do what they want. No should mean no! They soon learn that misbehaving after being told no means a slap across the legs and then the misbehaving doesn't happen again. What is irritating is seeing parents saying no and then trying to cajole children into good behaviour. Certainly when I was in school as a child and misbehaving the cane across my open hand had the desired effect. I'm not even suggesting that.....but a slap across the legs has a similar effect. My daughter is now a model citizen, thoughtful and caring, in her thirties and totally independent.