buelligan

Have to admit, I know little about this subject.  I have a horror of healthcare and tend to shy away from any article or thread about it.  That said, I have to agree absolutely with you Chancer.  It is scandalous!  I just hope things change - and, of course, change is the one thing we can all be certain of.[:)]

[url]http://www.mairie.com/ornaisons-11.html[/url] [url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8383866.stm[/url]  

Me?  A little gui hua I think up to my last post - after that, had to go out - reunion of the village association. [:D]

Nope, wasn't that.  I think we can rule out option 2 now as well; I'm sure if you were a superior being you would have guessed the phrase.  Sooooo, that just leaves option 3.  Ho hummm.[:D]

Nah!  (although that does give credence to my suspicion regarding untermenschen).  Let's try psychic for starters, 's only fair....What well known phrase am I thinking of now..?[:D]

Are you a psychic?!  Higher up the evolutionary tree?  Or is it because I can read?[:D]

Yes plod, I remember the Torygraph days.  Frightening isn't it - when you look back with nostalgia to something as tedious as that, because the new, improved version is even worse! Wilco Sweet![:D]

[quote user="Scooby"][quote user="buelligan"] Could I drop in for a mo' and just try a teeny logic test here?[:D]  Why would one bemoan the loss of cheaper menus in restaurants but avoid shopping in cheaper supermarkets?[8-)]   [/quote] The point I was making is that NickP could only get his lamb at a half reasonable price by shopping at Lidl - i.e. he was not comparing like (Sainsburys, Waitrose etc) with like (Lidl) [/quote] Silly me, I should have read it properly!  I thought you just didn't like the idea of shopping with us untermenschen![:D]

Could I drop in for a mo' and just try a teeny logic test here?[:D]  Why would one bemoan the loss of cheaper menus in restaurants but avoid shopping in cheaper supermarkets?[8-)]  

I imagine many on this forum may, at the time of reading this, cast a doleful eye across the room at their own special version and be reminded of the incredible similarities between homo sapiens and sus scrofa domesticus...[;-)] BTW Wooly, as I was reading your link, I couldn't help noticing some of the other topics listed including; [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/bulgaria/6650677/Aliens-already-exist-on-earth-Bulgarian-scientists-claim.html[/url], something about the latest sleep-inducing episode in the Katie Price/Peter Andre pay-per-view-docu-drama and an in-depth investigation into a revealing Russian wedding dress.  Has there been a coup at the Telegraph? 

I've got no sympathy selfish Teapot, mine are lovely and toasty! [:D]  The sun is shining here (again), it's warm - haven't bothered to light the poele (again) and I have no other heating.  Everything is looking pretty great!  Think I'll get the washing out and then indulge in a spot of weeding in the veggie garden .[:D]

That does sound utterly bonkers Sweet!  Stick to your guns.  Remain calm and keep looking.  He'll probably do a quick about turn when he realises you are not to be toyed with.  Best of luck![:D] ...actually, I remember when I bought this house, I asked for a second view a week after the first one.  On the day of the visit, the agent rang me and told me the house was sold - I was rather cross that they had wasted my time.  After about 4 months, they phoned me and asked me if I was still interested.  There's nowt so queer as folk as they say....[8-)]

MMMMMMarmite!  How lovely!   I am greatly tempted to become a  Marmite thief myself but the pickings are too slim round here.[:(]  Glad to see you're back and glad to be back.  Get well soon![:D]

Yes Driver!  The RHS link definitely shows a medlar and the French Wiki link shows one too!  If you check the latin name for loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) on French Wiki you get [url]http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriobotrya_japonica[/url] - a nefle du Japon.  The latin name for medlar (Mespilus germanica) in French Wiki produces [url]http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus_germanica[/url].  Both nefles then, but, I imagine, from Evianers' description that it was the medlar not the loquat he/she saw.[:D]

Methinks you need a softer cushion on that bike of yours...[:D]

How incredibly strange Clair!  I rarely visit the "Regions" boards but, if I do, it's almost always the South East (because that's where I live).  It must have been involuntary sleight of  mouse on my part.[:D]  The oddest thing is, I distinctly remember seeing the "Fig Fete" thread (which is definitely on the SE board), below the thread I am talking about. Very weird...but not very important..![:D]

Thanks Pickles!  I did check the "Holidays" board (thinking it might have moved there) but didn't think of a "location" relocation!  Thanks again [:D]

I posted something on a thread yesterday.  The subject was something like "boating holiday ideas" and it was posted on the Languedoc etc board.  There were five or six other posts on the thread.  It has disappeared!  Why?[8-)]

Around here (Corbieres), "nefles" are like this; [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat[/url].  Medlars are these; [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus[/url].  As you say Hoddy, they are mentioned in Shakespeare (and other British literature).  Often in a rather rude way (see link)! [:D] There are medlar trees growing wild on the hills here.  In Basque country (and some other parts of the Pyrenees), medlar wood was used for making beautiful carved weapon/walking sticks by shepherds and the like. Edit:  BTW, kumquats or cumquats are something else again..[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumquat[/url]..and I think I'm going to try growing one next year![:D]

Worry not Sweet!  I have long been reconciled to my ball-less state... and who knows... with the passage of time, I may get some...[blink][:D]

If you fly with Ryanair you can get to Carcassonne from a variety of UK airports pretty cheaply.  Stay a night there and visit La Cite [url]http://www.carcassonne.org/carcassonne_EN.nsf/vuetitre/docpgeIntroVisiter[/url] the next day. Then, maybe, get a taxi to Trebes (about 5 minutes) and collect your boat.  I know Le Boat have a base there [url]http://www.leboat.co.uk/bases/france/midi/trbes#[/url] - I've never used them but I've seen a lot of their boats on the water and they all look good from the towpath. Aigues Mortes [url]http://www.ot-aiguesmortes.fr/UK/Monuments.htm[/url] (right at the end of the Canal du Midi) is a really great place to visit.  I think it might take too long to get there from Trebes but, if you fancy a look at the Camargue [url]http://www.languedoc-france.info/07020201_camargue.htm[/url] I know you can get boats there too (there are some on the tourist office site and Le Boat have a depot on the Canal du Rhone nearby).  You could try browsing through Rick Steins' French Odyssey for inspiration. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time![:D]

Think yourself lucky GG, it's even worse for those of us with no balls at all![:D]

[img]http://www.greatmyspacecomments.com/Images/Funny_Small_Myspace_Images/images/Mutley345.gif[/img] Welcome back BTW![:D]

Hope this helps Kevin.  [url]http://www.franceforfreebooters.com/living/travellingplants.htm[/url]  Read it all or skip to the end where you will find the information you are looking for (there are no rules yet governing the movement of plants, seeds and bulbs for personal use within the EU).  BTW, I think you should really have planted this in the "Gardening" section.[:D]

Thanks powerdesal - mighty decent of you![:D]