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Your post makes me smile, Harnser. Perhaps we should call you Handy Harnser😜

Idyllic, Lehaut. And that is before you mention the oysters in restos in Vannes😄

Yes, Gallois, I see what you are explaining. Lori, best to contact your impôts and ask them; that is really your best bet.

I really don't think you need to give any info on the tax declaration then. No tax involved so no declaration needed? Anyone else have experience that is different?

Yes, Gardian, Portugal were spirited and entertaining and I hoped and hoped they'd pull off some miracle! As for the red card, I think the ref these days just use the "bunker system" which debuted in the world cup this year. If they gave a red card first off, they get booed and called names. Must admit I am very much behind bunker. Does take the player off the field and the bunker judges can take their time (is it 10 minutes?) away from the noise and febrile atmosphere on the pitch, to make their decision. They can review the video from more angles than are shown to us and there are 3 of them to come to a decision. If they decide to upgrade the yellow card, the player can stay off and if not, then when their sin bin time is up, they can rejoin their team. That way, shouts like in the old days when they'd say things like "they was robbed" could be consigned to the history books. BTW, Gardian, did you hear? They say that Dupont could come back for the quarter finals!!!

Lori, as it's your first year, there is a column for declaring help around the house. Used to be a paper form but since I have been declaring on line, I just fill in the appropriate box. This year, I could not see a space for putting in the details of the worker so I just wrote down his name, address, social security number etc in the last page for additional information. Next year, I will just have to ask the services agency for an attestation for the amount I paid, number of hours worked etc. But, when the chaps come again later this month, the tax office will already know the details and the agency will be able to deal with claiming the cost upfront on my behalf. Sorry if this sounds a bit vague but URSSAF themselves have evolved the way they work so I haven't actually used them since.

Why don't you just drink the stuff neat? Save all the faffing about with mixing?😜

You need an aide domicile and if you find someone to work under the cheque emploi scheme, you will get 50% of the cost back via the tax office. In fact, recently the scheme is better than ever. Just had an email from the tax office to say that, based on my last tax declaration in spring of this year, they will put 60% of my expenditure by direct credit into our bank account so that we will not have to pay all of the cost up front. In my town, there is an agency who find the workers (hedge cutters in our case) and deal with the initial paperwork though I already had gardeners well before I found the agency and was registered with USSAF. Ask at your mairie, they will know of similar services in your town. At the moment, I don't have help in the house but I will not hesitate to use help should I need it. As for cost, the last time I had someone to clean, I paid her 12€ an hour and then the cotisations on top made it to about 21 or 22€ an hour. That was about 6 years ago. For hedge-cutting, I pay 26€ an hour all told but, after the reimbursement, that works out to only 13€ an hour for one man. We have 2 men because we have a lot of hedge and they do the hedge, cart all the stuff away, strim all round the base and leave it all looking neat and tidy. Haven't really found anyone to do the housework to a good enough standard so I hope you and Mrs G have better luck;

Yes Wools, I know Kia and Hyundai are the same company and that's why I mentioned Hyundai. I have had 2 Hyundais, the first one I sold here in France when it got to aged 22 and I was given a new Hyundai as a present. I still see my old bagnole looking nippy being driven around town. Have had Toyotas and Mazdas as well. Took me a while to convince OH that other cars than German ones are reliable but now even he has been won over. The reliablility is unbelievably good and they tend to come with extras, bells and whistles, as standard.

Thanks Banane. Looked at a hybrid Yaris and we hired an Aygo once, so will revisit. I do like Kia cars, my OTHER car is a Hyundai😆 The crazy thing is new cars now cost less than good little-used second-hand ones. A friend in Poole bought a new electric Leaf after getting quite a bit more for her old car than she paid for it. Wools, have you seen the prices on cars lately? I wonder if I waited a few months whether more used cars will come on the market and prices might be lower?

You know, Lori, you are not the first person to say that the Twingo is a very nice and useful little car. I'll deffo look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Since I managed to write off my car, I have felt at a loose end as it's the first time since my early 20s when I have no car of my own. It hasn't mattered the last 3 month as I have been medically advised not to drive. Now, I am hoping that in a few days' time I will be told that I will be able to drive again. So now looking for a small runaround. I still have access to the "family" car and therefore a little fun car will be just the ticket. Would like an automatic (have had an automatic for about 4 decades) and maybe an electric one though the latter is not essentialL If anyone has one to sell, please get in touch. If any car enthusiasts have suggestions as to the best small car, please let me know. As an aside, I bought my last car through someone on the forum. The owner of the car had died but someone knew which garage it was at so we took a long trip up to near Royan to get it.

Wow, Lehaut, just wow! Actually, I don't think he will use this amalgam stuff. Don't know what he will use instead, certainly something that won't show. He seems very fussy about the colour of the crown so I don't think he will fill it in with any old grotty amalgam!😳

All Blacks looking mighty dangerous again. As for France, how will they perform with the loss of both Ntamack and Dupont? Anyone else would like a 2-tier World Cup? I do think it will make the matches more interesting, going by the cricket match scores after a top team plays against ...er....a lesser, deffo 2nd-tier one?

Lehaut, please excuse my ignorance but....is mercury not even more poisonous than lead?😫

Gallois, when I said teeth, I used the word loosely. Actually I did think it was my tooth that had fallen out or sheered off. I wrapped it up very carefully and took it with me, thinking in my simple mind that maybe he could sort of stick or cement it back. When I unwrapped it to show the dentist, telling him it was a treasure, he said no, that is not your tooth and it's of no use. So you see, I was confused as well. Actually, now he's cleaned off all the filling and black (I presume lead) stuff, there is underneath a half nice white tooth stump. Certainly not an implant. I had 2 of those about 6 years ago and they cost about 2000 euroseach. That did not include the 100 euros I paid for a scan of my jaws. A friend in the UK is also now having tooth problems and would have liked an implant but apparently he does not have enough bone in his jaw. So it must be pretty routine to have a bone scan before taking it any further. My last crown done in France would have been about 12 years ago and I remember it cost well in excess of 700 euros. Seem to remember that, in those days, the contribution from CPAM was neglibible. I'm likely to have another crown redone but I have always promised myself that I'd pay whatever the cost to have whatever work is necessary for my teeth. After all, if you had something wrong with your house or your car or your dog, you'd just go ahead and get it done, wouldn't you?

Yes, arrived at that time in life when teeth fall out without any apparent reason. Got an appointment at very short notice.....nice, isn't it, but that's not the only nice surprise. The dentist is going to put in a crown for me and his assistant prepared the devis. She said because the crown will be visible when I smile, I will get the maximum remboursement from CPAM! I know that dental fees were recented altered but I have had no need to look at them too closely. Has this clause about visibility of a tooth when you smile always been there or is that new? I had a crown done about 10 years ago and the cost was nearly twice of what I am expecting to pay this time.

betise, I've just come back from my walk and was admiring the trees near where I live and I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as you. I wished the tree could have taken revenge on those thug/s

I have managed to correct all my former mistakes. I made a big pastry case in rectangular form, had plenty of sweet onions caramelised, BAKED the pastry beforehand (essential stage and not to be missed) and it was really yum. Quite an expensive tart because the candied clementines were expensive and I make the pastry using mascarpone cheese (would be cheaper to buy ready-made) but no bought pastry pleases me. But it was worth the cost!😄

Couldn't believe how well Wales played; their best showing for ages. But then Australia was terrible, couldn't seem to do anything right plus giving away penalties like sweeties.

Not just the amount of money, DL. You need to be able to forego the 80 grand in your account that is guaranteed by your UK bank should, perish the thought, anything go drastically wrong! 80 grand is more than many people's entire retirement pot.

Will tell you this little anecdote to illustrate that you have a valid point with which I fully agree🙂 Went to a meeting last weekend after which we went to a resto for a drink before dispersing. I hardly ever have a drink in a resto but equally I couldn't just go off, saying cheerio. I am still forbidden to drive until after the Cardiologue says so (I hope after next week) so I had no choice but go to the resto to wait for my husband to come and pick me up. I noticed the serving girl holding the glasses right near the rim where your lips would have to go. Also, she put out the empty glasses with her forefinger INSIDE the glass!! At that point, I declined all persuasion to "prendre quelque chose". I mentioned this resto to my hairdresser (on the same road as the resto) a couple of days later. She said that it was now sadly the case that resto staff are "mal formé".....not at all trained then?

I had so looked forward to Ireland vs S Africa but the match was hugely disappointing.....for many reasons which I won't set out because I think I am boring everyone already by introducing this topic. But I do wonder if you enjoyed it, Gardian?

DL thank you for your link. So now I can go and explain all to my OH! I don't do that for his benefit but, if I managed to explain the contents of your link, then I will know that I myself have understood it😄

As is obvious to me and others, there is much to do with personal expectations and preferences. As Lehaut has said, we have a perfectly reasonable life and have just about everything that we could personally want. Like Lori has mentioned holidays, what we do is that we don't go anywhere as a couple on holiday. My husband, at his age, much prefers the comfort and familiarity of his own home. And indeed, I am happy for that. I do read and hear of elderly people going on holiday and having accidents either in their cars, hotels, the beach, out and about on busy streets etc. If the familiar keeps my OH safe and well, I am happy about it. I do go away but only on walking holidays of a few days maximum. I love these too as I go with close and caring friends and I get to walk on mountains, my favourite thing to do. Don't go for too long for obvious reasons and perhaps the future approaches when I will not be going anywhere at all. But that's OK too, it's what I anticipate but that may or may not happen. We seldom eat out and that's fine by me too. We enjoy my own cooking and I like to know that the food we eat is of good quality and, above all, that the food is prepared in a clean environment and so are all the vessels properly hygienic! Crazy perhaps? It's strange I NEVER used to think like that. Must be getting crabby and old and stuck in my ways....even more so since Covid...urrgg... Also, once retired, you don't have commuting costs, "smart" clothes for work etc etc. I do think that in France there is less latent "competition" in social gatherings. There is nobody going on about how many rooms their house has and how big their swimming pool and the model of their latest car. In any all-British gatherings (of which I never go if avoidable) such topics of conversation are still rife! Not that our house is small but I'd like something smaller but the thought of moving is too great a task to contemplate.