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I agree about the hunters though, over the years, hunting is now increasingly rare where I live. Even at the height of the season, there are no sounds of guns going off. Still, they must hunt somewhere as the annual Hunt Dinner still takes place. That is one village event that we have NEVER attended.

Not to make excuses for shirking my daily cold showers. And no, I am not a masochist, it's just that I am convinced that the cold showers I have been taking since the end of summer have improved my asthma symptoms. Why am I convinced as this practice sounds counter intuitive? Because the showers have coincided with a huge reduction in my coughing and so as a consequence also improved my insomnia.

I love your story. Perhaps you could take a picture of Pomme's present to show us?

That is sort of "contrary" because in my experience and with our previous mutuelle, the premiums went up quite a bit every time we passed another milestone decade. By that measure, your son should not be getting a larger percentage increase. You know, at this rate, the mutuelle will be costing us a very large proportion of our total pensions....yikes!

DL, I haven't worked out the percentage because that will be truly horrifying. It's gone up by hundreds of euros anyway. Over two and a half times of what you pay, ALBF, but you are a young man so it's not a proper comparison.

Personally, I have never thought it worth buying a second home anywhere. Unless you want to make some money with it or use it to hedge against inflation (bricks and mortar apparently never lose you money in the long term). Instead of keeping a home permanently, I'd rather stay at some luxury hotel or rent a luxury gîte in a different place every year. Have someone do the maintenance, pool, garden, property. Enjoy myself there and pack up when the weather turns ropey and head off back to my own home. Plus, you'd still be quids in😆

ALBF, I have looked at the prices of cars and, as you say, secondhand ones have increased astronomically. For the moment therefore, we are managing on just the one car. Still getting used to not having my own set of wheels but I refuse to pay the prices asked. It's not as bad as all that. The unstopping rain has put paid to most outings and, as you say, food shopping is no great pleasure either so using the car has become a rare occurrence. To be fair, I don't think it's just France. All of Europe seems to be having economic problems and no government seems to be managing the rapid decline.

Well I WAS shocked though I was expecting a big rise as all the media have been warning for months. Just curious to know how others have fared. Yikes....!

This doesn't actually sound that hopeful for immigrants. https://www.sudouest.fr/politique/recit-loi-immigration-c-est-de-la-strategie-comment-la-manoeuvre-du-rn-a-mis-le-feu-a-la-majorite-17893629.php Some fire-fighting for Macron et his PM

You mean my recent hacker just did this and not remotely from Serbia or the Philipines as I'd thought?

Only 2 days ago, I was with some English and French friends and the subject of variety of vegetables came up. So, I am wondering whether anyone has ever seen those long stem broccoli anywhere in France? Just wondering because it's one of my favourite vegetables.

Depends, Wills, if you include the swimming part?

Gardian, you can imagine then the level of disbelief when we say we are not from England but from Wales. Still it's only non rugby fans that don't know le Pays de Galles😝 The rugby loving ones, many of those here in the south west, then usually follow by how do you think Wales is playing? At this point, I give an embarrassed sigh and say hélas not as well as les Bleus. But like you, I am amused and highly entertained rather than irritated.

No, I see him as a regular sort of chap despite or because of his penchant for older women. Nowt wrong with that, us older women are worth more than a second look?😆 On a more serious note, I have been worried about Attal being attacked by some crazed person. What with his homosexuality, his Jewish origins and his banning of that garment (can't think of its name) in schools. He is my favourite to succeed Macron though I understand he is third favourite in the polls with Edouard being in pole position.

Like crabtree, I have been with them right at the beginning and I also agree that their customer service is 5 star. If the online support does not meet your requirements, they will arrange a time to ring you and speak person to person. As there are no Orange boutiques anywhere near where I live, the online support is a purpose-fit option for me.

Yes, I also looked at Ireland as we have friends there, including a couple who went their at about the time of brexit. As you say, Lehaut, the weather is dire and I heard that medical provision was very expensive.

Lehaut, I learned about spécial very early on. In those innocent days (er..I was the innocent ignoramus), I suspected that a neighbour, a burly retired farmer type, was knocking his wife about. On my next visit to the doctor (same doctor as the neighbour's), I mentioned that I was worried about madame la voisine and that she was showing bruises and a broken wrist and was unable to provide a coherent reason for these injuries. The doctor, obviously on her best professional manner, just said oh that family is very "speciale". I was puzzled by the word but the context was unmistakable. It is a noncommital and nice way of saying someone is odd even subnormal. I have used the word myself a lot. I was reporting a neighbour in our present village to the maire about his out of control dog, a boxer who attacked my husband. Now I am very protective of my husband so I was a bit on my high horse. I explained about the dog and then I said en plus the man is très très special. The maire agreed with that assessment and said he would speak to the dog owner. Then I got worried about what other action he might take so I had to emphasise that I didn't want anything to happen to the dog just to get the owner to secure the dog well, especially when out walking with it. Fortunately, the man who has caused other sorts of problems in the community has been rehoused, voluntarily or otherwise I don't know.

ALBF, I didn't take you for one of those trans or whatever the correct term is. Nowadays I am nervous about addressing anybody with any reference whatsoever to their gender so Madame and Monsieur are out, just a bonjour or a tentative nod of the head. I DON'T like this craziness and poor old OH is forever asking me questions like why do they call actresses actors these days and so on. I am weary of answering these questions and I have to keep reminding myself he is not trying to be deliberately obtuse and that he was after all born in 1931!

Anyone up for a laugh? Had problems with phone line (la fixe) and went on the Orange site to test the line. Internet and phone line apparently in order. Unplugged the Livebox a couple of times, no joy. Was ages contacting someone who tried her best to fix the problems. Eventually, she offered me a RdV on the phone tomorrow with one of their specialist advisers. She asked would I be available "sur la plage" between 11 and 12 midday tomorrow. The first bit was fine, but what is this about being on the beach? Nevertheless, I said yes of course that will be perfect. All sorts of thoughts went through my head. Was she having me on, was she a scammer, did she not know I didn't live near the sea? Thanks to wordreference, I now know that "sur la plage" simply means within the time period", so in this case, I can expect a phone call on my mobile between 11 and 12😄 Come on, someone, anyone, tell us your most recent misunderstanding and whether there were unespected consequences as a result?

Hi Rose, lovely to see you here. Say bonjour to Greyman from me🙂

Poor old boy and poor old Wooly.... Nothing more to say because I am sure that all of us who have lost pets know only too well the grief that can follow and anything like your news makes us grieve all over again remembering......

Harnser, I wasn't thinking of buying one! And, like you, I wondered about safety and indeed whether a strong gust of wind could blow it over! I only put it out there to see what people who do know a great deal more about cars than I would say about it. In fact, I am still half thinking about an Aygo. Also I am testing out how it would be sharing just the one car.

https://www.wedemain.fr/inventer/la-gazelle-une-voiture-electrique-low-tech-made-in-france/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-fr-fr Maybe it's only a gazelle in name! However, it might suit us well enough. OH insisted on driving me to the dentist this morning and, because there is fog everywhere we made the whole journey at an average speed of about 50 kph. I was so nervous about missing my appointment, I suggested that I took over the driving several times during the journey. But no, one's masculine pride is at stake! Mind you, it's his car....not for the first time, I wished I still had my own wheels!

Judith, I didn't know that "lower temperatures do help breathing", so thank you for that. Yes, you guess it, I am trying to find reasons for carrying on with these cold showers. I do get an initial shock but, after that, and especially when I am towelling myself dry, I actually feel a glow of warmth all over. It IS very odd and I don't really know any scientific or other evidence for this but it is true that I enjoy the showers😀

Doesn't time "run out" for everybody? And can it not run out wherever you might be in the world? In France or Scotland or Khazahstan? Runs out whether you have a plan or not?