dragonrouge

Cathy is it St Illtyd? as in Merthyr Tydfil.

May I please pose a question? My wife has 100% due to a long duree as in RA. However for repeat prescriptions the Dr continues to charge his normal fee. Is this 'normal' please?

Benjamin as in child allowance for our Polish workers in the UK but with children remaining in Poland. Is that what you mean?

Certainly not a benefit if one like my wife has suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 34 years and is both in the UK and here registered as a disabled person. Thus we are given 2.5 parts as against 2 parts. As indicated earlier in this piece we both receive occupation pensions our State Pensions and have rental income from investments in the UK Even with TVA and Groupama I am amazed at the difference in tax levels. In our minds there is no argument we are better off here from both direct and indirect tax. TVA as with VAT is at the point of sale so one can decide.

Dear Tony I am so very pleased for you and everyone else who will I was going to say 'benefits' from the decision. That is incorrect 'I am so pleased that the Minister/DWP have at long last put into place the benefits to which claimants are truly entitled' You will know that prior to coming here I argued my wife's case before a tribunal. What was true then should have been true for everyone and I am not a miracle worker.

Essentially we are saying that the fees which are payable by the buyer are to be rolled up in the mortgage thus essentially one has less equity in the property?

Hi whilst the locals suggest (politely but perhaps simply that) that my French is good it does not extend to Veterinary matters. Thus with 'some' animals I invested in a book from Amazon (French/English vet terms) which came in at £12 or thereabouts and when in doubt I refer to it. Equally our Vets in Fontenay le Comte have a good English base of clients who from time to time have some difficulty in communicating efficiently. I bought reception at the clinique the same book so when problems occur all can refer to all. Not 100% but at least it goes some way. After all it is the well-being of the animal that matters.

I do hope the weather improves for your Vendee summer for yesterday was awful and today not that brilliant. Ok good couple of weeks not long ago but now miserable. Our UK base is Bristol/Chepstow and our preferred route is always Caen Portsmouth then back overnight to St Malo. Ok cabin but good restaurant on board and a good nights sleep. Last time back in the UK was 2009 so do not know if BF standards are slipping? Hope not. For us Le Havre is ok but hate the drive and to the port is like driving through an oil refinery and then Dieppe Newhaven and then Bristol. No thanks. It would be better to go to Plymouth Roscoff. But of course a matter of personal choice. We have a trip back to the UK in July with BF cabin both ways and Caen Portsmouth then Portsmouth St Malo some £351 with members discount?

Thanks so we will have to put up with olive oil and the wine and good lunches take care and thanks again

Dear Gardian snap as we also had ours delivered to our son in the UK etc etc. Gardian you say lavender is but a week or two away? It is the favourite shrub/plant of my wife and we always try to plan for a June holiday and just so that she can see the fields and fields of it! Sad really. We are leaving the Vendee on the 8th and spending about two or weeks down in the Bouches de Rhone. Will it be out by then do you think? rdgs

We always buy ours from De Jaeger in the UK and this year too just a few are blind as was the case last year as well. Leave them and see next spring before taking the spade to them.

Good morning Grumpy see you have now jumped ship from another forum? rdgs

I would never have believed that this could cause enhanced and serious heart conditions if taken with medication itself which is destined to control a heart condition. But it is true. My wife suffers not only from RA but also from a irregular heart beat and is on medication which controls it. Over the last couple of weeks the irregular heart beat has increased substantially and this tied in with grapefruit for breakfast and part of a diet exercise. Thus initially to Google and this week to the Doctor. It is a fact and one would have thought that those prescribing the drugs would have pointed out the downsides of taking grapefruit however remote. Just a thought

Dear Tony please add my name rdgs

Good afternoon please can someone in the most simplest of terminology explain to me what is going on here? I was involved a long time back and for the cause drafted a rather substantial legal document. Here I will not repeat the arguments but freely offered my services and in an attempt to move the argument forward. It now seems to have been reduced to bickering between individuals and seemingly to exchanges on an open forum which are less than pleasant and indeed let us say direct In this regard I have no arguments either directly or indirectly with individuals the cause is the more important concept in my considered opinion and which is (fww) Finally I am somewhat saddened by the direction that this has taken and I know not why so hence the opening question as to what the heck has happened. I would prefer emails on a private basis for I would not wish to inflame the current situation. In saying that I have not received any updates in what must be three months of more from those and who whom I prepared the original document. In all matters intelligent thinking is called for respect for others paramount and if you disagree then simply do not throw grenades over the ether for a face to face discussion or over the phone is the better way forward. It is easy folks to be disagreeable over the internet and I am not sure you would repeat certain things which have been said on a direct basis. What the hell goes on .

Thanks NormanH sorry for the delay but have been somewhat unwell. Have taken up your suggestion and we are indeed now staying at Castelnaudary and are truly looking forward to it. Will combine our holidays with looking for another house but without selling here in the Vendee then we will not subject owners in the area to tyre kickers!

We live in the Vendee but are having some two weeks in Beaucaire this June. During our holidays our dearest friend from the UK is flying in to Avignon Airport with Flybe. Is the airport easy to find please? At the same time the flight arrival is 12.30pm does anyone please know of a good restaurant within striking distance of the airport for without a reservation on Sunday we may become stuck! thanks

Tony I do hope that with two best mates sitting opposite each other around the cabinet table that things do not change? I can see the arguments now being put forward. Is it Ian Duncan Smith now Work and Pensions Manager. Was he once leader of the Conservative/Liberal Democrats party? I know the answer just a tongue in cheek comment.

Ah Grumpy remember ours at Mont Robin where they were needed for the gale force winds even in August. The birds loved them so they stayed. As far as I know the new owners who are also wild life lovers have kept them.

Yes Sweet 17 it is difficult but then divide income by 44 years of work and then a notional figure for pro bono work and I can live with myself. Then of course my late Father worked for just 30 years in the pit and had dust and then they gave us £10 to bury him so no lectures please from Porthcawl. South Wales was built upon the work that took place further up the valleys but I do remember one good thing about Porthcawl is when my late Father could not breathe too well he went to a Miners home in Porthcawl where it was believed that fresh air would be good for him.

Any bets if Labour lose who will then be the leader of the Labour Party. If anyone has viewed the last few weeks circus try to think of a Labour Minister who has let us say taken a back seat and has not been viewed on TV too often? 'Post' your choice to........... and there is a clue here.

Coming from South Wales we obviously had Port Talbot Llanwern and many others. Were they nationalised at one stage? Later they passed into private hands such as Corus. If indeed a pension is being derived from HMG then the tax guys may be correct. Cannot remember for the life of me the scenario as to nationalisation or the dates. Sorry

This has given me a headache already. From this avocat I noted following a visit to Impots last year the rate they suggested which differed from those rates listed here and on other forums. In the end I thought that I needed to live with myself and thus started plotting the rates when the funds were received and in my hands not when they were in the ether. Then other things such as rental incomes in the Uk then other spasmodic payments in the end gave it all to an Experte Comptable who did the business for me. Not huge sums but coming in at differing times of the month etc is not my bag. Then of course I reached 65 last September so again more payments for 2009. I am looking at a form in a nice plastic envelope which arrived yesterday and have a spreadsheet ready with income and dates and that goes off to the Expert next week. Also pay monthly based on last years amount so at least I may be somewhere near this year and not too much to pay.

What a nice guy you are NormanH I will take back my mutterings! NormanH perhaps you will be able to respond to my posting as to hotels near Toulouse? then you would be a really nice guy. regards and have a good week end.

Hi we live in the Vendee and are renting an apartment in Beauciare in June. Overall driving time some eight hours so thought to stay overnight near Toulouse which is approximately half way. Does anyone have any thoughts please and whilst we have stayed in budget hotels before and for what they are they are good but thought as this is part of our holiday to stay elsewhere on this occasion. Any thoughts please and from our standpoint within easy driving of the motorway so the following morning we can make an early start. many thanks