idun

double post

mint, do you watch french tv, this sort of stuff is so easy pick up, watching nature, gardening programs etc etc. And I used to love a lot of french docs, bit different angle often from UK ones, and I enjoyed the variety they offered. I need to start watching more french tv again. Since sky stopped tv5 monde, which was actually an awful thing to do I have hardly watched any....... which is very bad for me.

I have been looking at the Pride of York in Hull and Pride of Bruges, which should be the Hull/Zeebrugge ferry which is in Rotterdam at the moment. Neither have moved as yet.

I agree about being financially better off. Never the less we could have saved more, but I have bought a few things that were in sales, and we did order some stuff for a biggish job here, which is keeping my husband busy. My shopping bills have been ok, only when I go to one supermarket every week or ten days, I buy quite a lot for the food bank. I haven't sent money off for any other charity, but probably will at some point, helping very locally is currently my 'thing'. I haven't filled up the car for a long time either. It could do with a good run out.......... and I think I could too![Www]

Lehaut, I haven't seen that word before. At the time I was worried about stalking, which certainly existed then, both the word and the act. Be cautious folks, is all I can say.

Younger, hmmmm, I wouldn't use that criteria unless someone was under 20. And I wouldn't use it on a BCBG youngster either.[Www]

https://www.impots.gouv.fr/portail/particulier/questions/jai-fait-des-dons-une-association-que-puis-je-deduire A live link. There is quite a big reduction. The first time we did this, it felt like we hadn't really given much... which had not been our intention. So after that, we gave extra as we knew we were going  to claim money back, OK so it was a year later, but we were more in keeping with our original intention.

I know in some regions of France, vous'ing is quite common even in families, but I didn't live somewhere like that, and it feels distant and it would just feel too formal and just plain 'cold' to vous those I like and feel comfortable with. What I don't like is being 'tu'd' inappropriately, now that does get my hackles up. And therein lies that invisible line as to when it is used.  IF I am 'tu'd' inappropriately then there will be  an emphatic 'VOUS' in my reply. 

We have been back for ages now and are fine living here. No idea how this person got my details. Maybe in the old days the profiles on here left enough bits of information to simply check the Pages Blanches. Archant were very good  and quick about deleting the post, which I appreciated. A lesson learned about personal information.

LOL I call many friends and our son regularly in France, so in my old neck of the woods, it would cause much upset if I went all 'cold' on them with vous'ing! Now wouldn't it. [blink]

OH sails, so I use this more than flights.

 I too would like to know what is happening. I have looked at their site and it doesn't look like they are taking any bookings for private passengers as it says that there is no sailing for several of the dates I have looked at. And I suppose, you like me, would like to know if the ships really are sailing, because I can imagine that changing from Freight, which I suspect they could be transporting at the moment, it would be easy enough to open to passengers and cars. As I often have a 'different' way of looking at things, one of the ships that travels between Hull and Zeebrugge is docked in Hull docks at the moment, the Pride of York. I have put a live link below, and maybe you can look later maybe an hour after it should be sailing and see if it has left for Zeebrugge. You can also look up the boat concerned on this site. So the Pride of Bruges and Pride of York will show where they are and if they are sailing. https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:373909/zoom:16

 Didn't cerise leave France?? I cannot remember now, maybe went to the West Country? Eric I now live on the coast in the NE of England, and to the south of you. And I lived in the Alpes when in France. That is as far as I am prepared to go, and there is a good reason for it. In 2000 when I found this board, for all there were with a few exceptions, it was simply full of posts about France and how absolutely everything was fabulous and it was so cheap etc etc. Rose coloured spectacles about it all. I had already lived in France for almost twenty years then, and I posted saying that I could not believe what I was reading, in fact was incredulous about most of the posts and that they were far from the reality of actually living in France long term. And that France was just a country, with good, bad and indifferent about most things, and I still stick by that. There is good, bad and indifferent in France. For my post I was accused of being a troll trying to cause trouble and this person had the audacity to disgracefully post my full name, address and phone number. How they had got hold of these details, I have no idea, but I was furious and frightened actually. That a person could post with such venom and go looking for a persons personal details was horrific. I called Archant's offices and explained and had the post deleted immediately and got an apology of sorts from the person concerned. Was not what I would call a proper apology, but it was all I was going to get. So no, that is all you are getting about me on here. And I know some of you don't mind dishing out details, but if you do worry about doing that....... just remain anonymous as you always have been. I would rather you posted than know exactly where you live.[:)]

At the moment two to three weeks seems to be pretty normal. Some of the companies like Hermes are being pretty quick, but not all. Of the french 'normal' postal system I have little good to say. Our son was in a college in the neighbouring dept and important letters would take 10 days to travel those 18kms. The consequences were that these letters would arrive to too late for say parents meetings.

Yes, you can, but if memory serves it depends who to. There used to be a list of recognised of recognised charities.

We had heavier rain during the night, so I do hope that those hours of that gentle rain, like the 'mist' type setting I would have on my garden hose, has softened the ground. A lot cooler here today, but not cold either. Just nice and we have blue skies and clouds for the moment. Wishing everywhere that needs it some 'good' rain and not torrential storms.

I can only usually manage two courses, so always always look at the puddings first.... that is my decider as to what the main, or perhaps just a starter will be before my pudding, if there is something I fancy on the menu.

And there are those who spit with every word! Masks would help with this surely. No, I shall not be vous'ing those I care about. We won't be able to hug, or bisous, it would all get far too  impersonal if I did that.

We had hours and hours of very fine rain. I swear that all the plants just 'perked' up. I was dreading the rain being too heavy and running off the very dry ground, but no, this surely is what all gardeners have been hoping for. I hope it continues for a couple of days at least. A lot cooler, but that is OK, I have warm clothes.

That is interesting Judith, just how does a restaurant serve a take away? and what price difference. A restaurant we used to go to often has been doing take aways. We didn't take this up as the last time we were there, there was a new chef and we frankly had the worst meal we have ever had there, it was not nice. bon appetit anyway. I love the whole experience of eating out, food is very important, but it is so much than that.

Bon appetit!

Did you think/hope that you had had it NH? And this test needs to be 100% doesn't it, how efficacious is it?

Any frying pan will do as long as it doesn't stick. You could use a skillet ofcourse, but it is not necessary. Just looked on youtube but cannot find the best original video. There are lots of videos, but none that I thought as good as that one.

I bought a pizza stone years ago, and a slider thing to get a pizza off it too. I even made the fine semoule to go on it to stop it sticking. Once I start baking though, I bake a lot, so  don't bake just one pizza and I usually make six or 8 pizzas as they freeze well. My stone still gets used but wasn't right for me for pizzas as I found it difficult to use the stone for several pizzas, but do bake some pies on, to make sure there are no soggy bottoms so it serves me well.

I use a non stick frying pan and do not grease it. I also make sure the pan is hot before I put the thin dough in, and roll it slightly larger so it comes up the sides slightly, then I turn it down to medium heat. Once the underneath looks cooked, almost dark spotted, I then put it under the grill. I just lift the edge gently with a spatula to do this, that is after a few minutes cooking. With so much topping, I can only manage a half, so that is a quarter a cup of flour for half a pizza........ is that a lot of carbs for a full meal???? I have never carb counted, so have no idea what so ever. I use one of those individual mozarellas per pizza and then the rest is up to what ever we want. Ham, pepperoni, peppers, onions etc. Always with a thin layer of italian tomato sauce on it first. Usually I put more cheese on top and olives and a drizzle of olive oil. Ofcourse I love a proper pizza baked in a wood oven, what could be better, but this does me / us and guests fine.