So how many of us are still out there

[Sprogster]

Sorry to hear about Sunday Driver.

I sold my house in France three years ago, so have not posted for quite a while, as my French experiences are probably out of date and now being in the USA, am too far away.

This is the first year in decades I have not been in France, so occasionally I have a peak at the Forum, to reminisce, as it is still bookmarked on my computer.

Take care and keep safe everyone!

[Lori]

So sorry to hear this news.  SD shared so much information on the forum.  Reading some of those old posts reminds me how knowledgeable and helpful he was.

May he rest in peace.

[ericd]

I must add my condolences to Sunday Driver's family. I can't say that I've had much to do with him and the help he offered to Forum members but I do remember his name and it is always sad to hear that a person you might have had an exchange with for some years has passed away.

[chessie]

Idun - just come across your post - don't like the sound of 'not so good things...'

Whatever they are I hope they are resolved in a good way fairly soon.

I just want to say 'thank you' for the help and advice you gave me earlier this year - it was a very kind gesture on your part, and I appreciated your helping hand.

Please don't 'log out' for too long.

A bientot - Chessie

[Antonia]

Dear Caroline,

I am so sorry for your loss. Your father was just the sort of helpful member I was referring to in my original post. I know I followed his advice when registering our cars and would occasionally print out advice he gave to others for future reference. I owe him, along with other members of the forum, a great debt.

Take care of yourself,

Antonia

[sid]

Duplicate post

[sid]

I must add my condolences too !

A group of us from the motorcycling section went up to SD's house to visit after his accident. I say "up" as he and his wife lived north from our base in south79/86.

What I liked was his considered replies to queries, I have a photograph which includes SD taken in Rochefort on one one of our earlier rides (March 2007 !)

RIP SD

[Hoddy]

Caroline as you can see from the posts on this thread your father was held in very high regard here. It wasn’t just that he was willing to share his extensive knowledge, but that he always delivered it in an understandable way which didn’t belittle the questioner. The forum is poorer without him. Please accept my condolences.

[mogs]

I'm still around although I rarely post on here these days but when I needed help this forum was here for me, so thank you for your help.

I remember Sunday Driver, and would like to send my best wishes to Caroline and the rest of his family. It's a cruel disease which I am currently experiencing with my own Mum, who will be 94 tomorrow.

Keep safe everyone

[minnie]

I'm still here though not as frequently. Very sad to hear about Sunday Driver, sympathies Caroline and thanks for posting. Another great loss was Cooperlola who was a great force in 2007 in promoting our healthcare entitlements. We none of us know what's around the corner and all we can do is make the most of every day. Take care and keep safe all.

[Debra]

I'm still around and have popped in a few times but usually to find nobody has posted for a long time so I was surprised to see this thread - is it asking how many are still using the forum or how many have survived this dreadful year?!

So sorry to hear about Sunday Driver having passed. I've often wondered where he was and whether he would pop back up on a forum or if he'd migrated to Facebook or something. My condolences, Caroline - and thanks for updating us.

Are there plans to close the forum? That would be sad.

[[email protected]]

Debra I think part of the reason for this thread was the stirrings of a kind of use it or lose it feeling which arose out of something somebody said.

And I think the forum has be a tad livelier of late, more threads being started and more people contributing.

[Debra]

I'll keep popping in then. I miss this kind of forum format and though there are lots of useful groups on Facebook I don't feel they are as useful as forums like this at all. Really hard to search on stuff so you get far too many repeats of the same questions, for instance. Google searches still bring up useful info on this forum and it would be a real shame if it disappeared. So yes, let's use it and not lose it.

[NormanH]

I also think that there has been an outbreak of better-tempered discussion, and helpful hints[:D]

[chessie]

Norman - '....better tempered discussion....' - OK, possibly.

Maybe most of us have now lived in France for quite a while, so all the 'help and advice' questions when one first moves to France have been answered, and coped with, and we've all adapted.

Or maybe we're all that bit older, and not quite so quick to argue.

But, of course, if we want to keep this forum going then there's nothing like throwing out a contentious topic which can get a bit heated.

Anyone want to start ? !!

Seriously, I'd be very sad if we didn't keep this forum going - I've found it very helpful at times, especially when I've been feeling really stressed and just need to 'chat' to someone.  Facebook - what's that, can't be bothered, not the same.

Chessie

[mint]

I agree with most of what you have said except for the bit about asking for advice and getting answers.  Whilst most of the questions I have ever asked have been thoroughly answered and even detailed explanations given, I think the forum is for a LOT more than just asking questions about living in a "strange" country.

The forum allows us to talk about and share our experience, to play word games, to share newspaper articles, tv shows, music, gardening tips, cooking recipes, driving around France and beyond and, indeed, like you have expressed, to de-stress, indulge in a bit of listening/talking therapy, to research pointers to where best to shop for difficult to obtain items and, oh, a thousand other things.

I LOVE the forum, as though that isn't evident already[:-))]  What deflates me is when people come on to ask for info they need, then they don't take the trouble to return and say whether they have followed the advice, etc.  Also, you can easily find all the posts where it's always the same people who come to ask for this, that and the other and we don't see them again until the next time they are up the creek without a paddle and need answers to their dilemmas.

I could wish people were a bit more polite.  But I don't mind people having a good old ding-dong.  It always surprises me how much you can find out about someone just by reading the stuff they write on here[:D]

[sueyh]

This forum has been my go to place for answers to questions. cooperlola made me laugh out loud with her hospital experiences when she had her ovaries removed at the same time as me. It hurt so much to laugh ?. Sunday Driver and Parsnips have been life savers in the past. My sincerest condolences to Caroline, your dad was a goodun. Take care all and stay safe and well x x

Kindest regards

Suey

[[email protected]]

There have been some great characters. And a few still left.

Sadly I don't find this forum a friendly place to visit any more. But that's probably just me getting crabbier as I get older.

[Judith-aka-Judith]

Not been posting much recently, too many other happenings, and these last few days, none of the postings have been of great interest.

I've no idea how many are out there, though I do think there are many lurkers who rarely post unless they need some advice ..

[anotherbanana]

Judging by the numbers of people who read my Memories there are up to 130 folk who look in and dont post too often but the average is around 60 which seems ok.

Many of us have been around France a long time and are well able to manage in France and to offer help to others.

It is a pity we dont get to discuss France and French mattes more but that is a matter of choice, I guess.

And yes, we have had some great characters but it isnt forever. Old furts like Norman and I seem to have been here since the start of the dinosaur age.