idun

I agree, I have met some lovely belgians. One of the most beautiful parts of the world, IMO, bien sur, is the view from the autoroute between Liege and Bastogne.

Poor Belgium[:(]

 And Belgium, they didn't have a government for quite a long time, maybe still have not? haven't looked. And Scotland, did that vote really mean that the scots actually want independence? Go on Boris, let them vote again, and see how the Sturgeon does. As I said I don't really care that much, I just get so sick of her angry face all the time, maybe it is unfortunate that she has such thin lips that look like gashes with that bright red lipstick, it doesn't help her 'look'.

Would that I could believe in proportional representation, but I don't think that it could actually work in the UK, or England at least. We have first past the post and that is it. Look at the mess we have had over the last few years with parliaments that have not had a proper majority. It has been dreadful. We simply are not the germans and the other countries who manage well with coalitions, although some do not, do they. That people chose not to vote is something that I would actually legislate for, just vote, I don't care if they invalidate their vote, but vote people should. And be fined if they don't.

Well I thought that it came in in 1999 and everything was marked in french francs and € from then on, and then the actual currency came in a bit later. In the early 2000's I reckon that the exchange rate was even 'worse' or 'good' depending on where one's income is from ie around 1.75 for a little while. OR have I misremembered that??? I don't think so.

Ah the roller coasters of the exchange rate. We have had good exchange rates since we moved back, rarely exceeding 1.20 and often a lot less than that. But we chose to move back with french income and will live on whatsoever we get in the future. So for us, cheering would be inappropriate, although we do pay less tax when we get less income.... every cloud nez pah!

The freedom of movement as it is now, has not been in place  for that long. Rules used to be strict and I know brits in France who moved when there was no inkling that it was heading to be the  path towards the US of E, and they moved in the early 70's and when they moved to France, had to jump through pretty much the same hoops we had to in the early 80's. It was what it was, we chose to live in France, and France had it's own rules, c'est tout! So as far as I am concerned, it is rollocks to imagine that people cannot move, they always have and always will.  I have had many debates, probably arguments more like, with Quillan who loved the EU, and I hate it, I always have and more so in it's current form, and yet in spite of that, I did move to France and stayed a very long time. I cannot think of much to say that is good about  the EU. I know people in business, and some of the actual things that happen with EU rules, beggars belief. As actually too many EU rules, are interpreted by each country in their own sweet way AND sometimes not even put through into their laws until they can be bothered, however, there is a fast track in the UK, so even nonsense goes through, maybe we have been the best of europeans?? All I know  is that it is a nightmare for at least two people I know trying to deal with other EU countries. And problematic for some others. Trade is fine. And I don't believe that any of the peoples of the EU will 'ever' think along the same lines, they don't now and I doubt that they ever will. Yes, I am sure it will change things, but we had already decided in a referendum, it is just these last three years of nonsense that means that it has not gone through already.  The Liberal Party, dare to call itself 'democratic' and ignored a referendum, and I am not the only one that thinks it is GREAT that Joe Swinson lost her seat,  in fact, what joy! AND if Scotland votes to leave the Union, well, so be it, and I live in the NE of England, not as if I am at the other end of the country. I do wonder if the EU would welcome Scotland, but who knows, and frankly I don't really care if they leave the Union and just to join another or maybe not. edit, on the news there was a lady who said she just wanted us out of the EU,because that was how democracy worked  and that, in spite of voting to remain and IF the referendum had said to remain, I would have accepted it.

ROFL Last time we discussed pensions he was convinced he'd have to be 80 before he got one the way things are going....... if at all.[:-))] He pays into the french pension scheme, but paying in and getting back are two different things as far as he can currently imagine. I am trying to think how it worked out for us, that year post retirement, but it was OK. The hardest thing is getting them to actually pay the pension in France, now that was and still is hard to do, for us, in spite of having ALL the paperwork duly done months in advance and the initial stuff being done several years in advance, still took them months and months to pay and that was only because 'I' menaced them. To which I was told I was being unreasonable as there were plenty who had been waiting even longer... which was not my problem, but theirs. However, such was my 'menace, that they got the it all sorted within a week.[:D]

Re Diane Abbott, she did herself no favours a few years ago by stating figures that were so far from reality that it was obvious that she had not a clue as to what she was talking about. Surely it would have been better to have faced the wrath of the journalist asking why she didn't know, than to have been mocked like that. Human yes, but that was not the only time she was so ill prepared and it just has made her look rather half-baked. And today, Corbyn and his acolytes have been using Trump like blaming against the press, 'never' has a leader been so assailed by the press, especially the BBC......... which is strange, because I have lots of staunch Tory friends and they believe the BBC to only have a leftie bias and pro Corbyn........ not that I can see that myself. Corbyn views were pretty much like mine when I was 16, as probably were his..... thing is, fifty years on  and the realities of life have changed mine.......... and the other thing about him is that some of the things he bangs on about, were done when he was a bit of a renagade  MP in the Blair government. So Labour was those what did it, or started it. Years ago, I used to ask family members who lived in Sedgefield to vote old Tony out and they said that they loved him.... for me, and never having lived in the country during his reign, he was Thatcher in a suit. And from my point of view, an awful lot of the bad things that are happening now, go back to that 'Blair' time, for me a black time in british politics as I cannot 'see' how he was in any way a socialist. Me, I am a socialist at heart, with a few extremist views and for the first time in my life, I voted Tory this time to get our DREADFUL DREADFUL Labour MP out and others obviously felt the same.........[:D]

For my son it made not one iota of difference. He paid his impots by  monthly prelevement, and then it came off his pay from last January instead, and that was kif kif for him. For those who paid alternatively ie 'three monthly' was it, with interim payments, I suppose that they felt worse off, perhaps. It is only the likes of yourself wooly who are not actually in the new PAYE system and pay later after that are affected. Still it is nice to have a free year, in that I do agree. Must have felt like that first year when we finished our mortgage..... but......... unfortunately for you, it will restart again in 2020[:(]

I realise that you have employed someone, but couldn't youtry and work it all out yourself using a simulateur on the impots web site. There is quite a choice of simulateurs to use. This link should be live: https://www.impots.gouv.fr/portail/simulateurs

My son and a good friend, both in France, now have land line numbers that start with 09. My son 098 and my friend 096. But still 09 numbers.

I have noted that there is now a new presenter on Money for Nothing, Jay Blades who I first saw in The Repair Shop. Did not like the female presenter of Money for Nothing, and would only see some of it if OH had it on, I have not watched since Jay Blades is on it. Turn krap into krap... unbelieveable what some folks will actually buy. As I said, I do not watch UK news, but I do watch that tragicomedy which is american politics at the moment. So I watch a lot of CNN, and frankly if I could, I would watch Fox news too, I would, to see the other side, of things.

Of this 'type' ....... anything they do......... Michael McIntyre, John Bishop, Sara Pascoe and Susan Calman. Refuse to watch any UK politics at the moment........ There are a few people on tv and everytime I see them I wonder 'why' and sometimes I even hear it said, that they are national treasures like Joanna Lumley....... I really cannot stand her, but she is far from the only one. And sometimes there are unlikely folk on tv and radio, that I end up, I suppose, the best description is, being fond of. edit, the above I do not like are often on hour long tv programs[:D]

 I can safely say that as soon as I can I switch all british politicians off as soon as they come on the tv or radio. I just don't read or watch now. I sincerely hope our local MP gets the boot, because they are as awful as the last Labour one we had.  I don't know who I am going to vote for, but I shall be voting and shall have to have a little look at who is on our list before next Thursday. I have no interest in the party leaders at all and there are a three I particularly dislike intensely.

I knew about this, as my son has mentioned it and he shops in all sorts of cooperative things and farmers market type stuff. Along with using his local artisanal butcher. However, I am shocked about is, the average consumer, which I would take meaning the shopper in the household, buys 50 litres of milk a year?????????????????????? Yes, endless question marks, because I do not understand that. When my children were children I used to get through 120litres of whole milk a month. Even now I buy about 5 litres of whole milk a week, sometimes we use a bit more, sometimes a little less, but that is what I buy and more often than not, milk with an extra 25p per 4 pint bottle added for the farmers, which I shouldn't have to. I find it disgusting that the price of milk should reflect what milk costs to produce. We should all be paying more.

We could vote for 20 years and then in our last very few years could vote in EU and local elections. In the end we could no longer vote in UK elections. Did any of you who moved well after us, ie in the late 20th century, and 2000's ever think to protect our 20 year rights or do anything about it when you were not living in France???? Even get them extended. I rather think that  no one gave it a thought to our being disenfranchised. OR did you??? Were you campaigning the unfairness..... or did you not even notice when it was reduced. I am interested in the replies, as it is all very well to 'blame' the UK government, but the people of a country have to care, have to have some input and declare their displeasure at such a change. And frankly as I have said before, I simply accepted that our votes were lost.... and we had chosen to move to France. None of us are 'made' to move to France, we have had to accept french rules and laws and my goodness some of them beggar belief, so that my own country has it's own laws and rules that don't suit is simply how it is. The choice at the moment, is ofcourse, move back..... and I still see the most awful comments about the UK on here, and yet, our lives are perfectly fine and relaxed......well as much as ours can ever be anywhere, bearing in mind we have some problems that will always be with us. Quality of life, ours is probably better here in many ways.

I wonder if the complainant would have complained if the expression, talking out of your hat had been used. I am sick to death of every last thing being used as a 'tool' to accuse others of being racist, sexist etc.

IF you mean the big sale day, then it is good. Sales have been far too regulated in France as it is, and a bargain is a bargain, especially as people are xmas shopping. These deputes should get their heads out of their culs and understand that lots of people should be able to get a bargain.

  Mint......in my opinion I really do not consider Hellman's  is  a proper mayonnaise. Taste is simply creamy, and no mustard in it. I find it sickly and fad. Can't you buy melasse anywhere??? Just found this: https://naturalia.fr/melasse-noire-450g

   Since we returned to the UK, we have had to register every single year, along with everyone else. That is apparently how it works here. And will be the same for eligible non residents too. I have no idea if this system is recent'ish, but I know that we have had to do it.

I think he means the same people who catch planes to go and visit the arctic etc to see for themselves. And all these folk who have their meetings all over the world and fly there to discuss global warming. So ALBF, cotton washable couche or disposable???? Because that is one thing that drives me BONKERS, they take at least 200 years to decompose and that is not even mentioning wipes too. And the number of parents I currently know who have three year olds who are not potty trained is also BONKERS! Trouble is you open a can of worms and the whole subject is HUGE, and we all have things that drive us crazy. And we all, I suppose act with some hypocrisy, me included, as I am not perfect and no one else is.

 I remember my early thoughts about the french people I was starting to know well, was that when it came to illness, they generally made ordinary things out to be worse than they really were. ie a simple cold, miserable ofcourse, was ALWAYS La Grippe, and getting proper flu is not a simple cold......... and look at the crise de foie,  I personally do not know of one french person who does not consider this a serious complaint. So what would I say for 'under the weather' in french..... 'pas dans mon assiette? All those childhood illnesses that were best to get at the time as a child. And why people do not vaccinate against as many of them as they can these days is beyond me. My husband only ever had measles as a child and consequently caught chicken pox in his forties.......and boy was he ill with it. Not sure if he caught mumps too, but I do remember the chicken pox. I had everything as a child and was always in bed until deemed fit enough to get up. Yes, my Dad's great coat on the bed in mid winter, and what with all the blankets, and the eiderdown, and that, you have reminded me that I could hardly move. We only had one fire lit in winter in a small sitting room, so the bedrooms were glacial and ice on the windows. And it was true, we didn't catch colds, although I remember my mother and I catching proper flu and Dad putting me in bed with her, so that he only had one bedroom to deal with and one lot of bedding. My cold is worse today, I coughed the night away and feel awful. Voice about gone now and am exhausted, but it is not life threatening, just miserable and it is only a cold. The lemon drink was sliced lemons put into a big bowl, with a spoon on honey and some sugar and then boiling water poured onto it slowly and stirred and stirred. It was never too sweet, nor bitter, so I take it my Dad would taste it to get it just right. In fact I think I shall make some now. [:D]

We called having a cold etc being poorly when I was a kid. I have a rotten lousy cold, bit of a sore throat and cough and it is not dire, simply miserable and I am hardly sleeping.  Having had a couple of very bad nights I stayed in bed until about lunch time yesterday and today. Which made me think about being poorly when I was a kid. Firstly, I would have had to be at death's door before a doctor was called. Poorly meant staying in bed, not allowed in the living areas until just about better, 'perking up'.  And I have wondered about this, was it a sort of quarantine so no one else caught it?? Or knowing that at least being in bed was warm, where as most of our house, was not, apart from the stove being on in a small living room. And my parents would also make up a fresh lemon cordial for me, which frankly I think I might make today, as my memory of it was that it was lovely and soothing. Was bed rest enforced for you other 'older' folk on here too?? I never made my kids stay in bed, they would be up and if they were tired, might go to bed or doze on the couch.

Are the americans still there??? If so, who is going to get them out?