Lori

Yes, i see stuff like this all the time. Often worse than your picture. I always wonder how in the he** anyone can be so stupid. But, obviously, there are plenty of stupid people out there. I remember one guy that was working on an exterior wall at our house in Bédoin with a power tool and no eye protection. The blade on the tool flew off - apparently not attached correctly. Missed his eye by a few centimeters. Scared the he** out of me. Off to the hospital he went. I never saw him again. He was a worker for the macon. I always wondered if, after that, the guy learned to use face protection. Somehow, I kinda doubt it.

I think I'll pass, but thank you for posting all the info. as I might have considered them otherwise.

Yes, we had mist and fog yesterday and a bit this morning. I'm not quite ready for the cold weather to begin. And, for heaven's sake, please not another Fall and Winter with non-stop rain, floods and rock slides... As for Labor Day, it was just a day off of work when I was working. If not working, a day like any other, unless you needed a bank or government service. I don't really think about the U.S. holidays anymore.

Heaven forbid ! And I dare describe myself at all these days. All this, IMO, has lowered the frequency of verbal communications with other people. Sad.

The entire world has gone mad ! I find it all very sad. I am no longer young, but I do have a few years left (unless I'm hit by a bus or fall terribly ill). I find all this craziness hard to watch and extremely depressing. It has a direct negative impact on life and the outlook of happiness.

Yes, they are already using that excuse. Look at the Taxe Fonciere on properties in Brive, among others.

I always figured they'd find and/or implement ways to recover the loss of the Taxe d'Hab. It was inevitable. So they are and they have begun. The trash collection fees are, IMO, just the beginning. In the end, I suspect the Taxe Fonc. will have increases that will come close to the removed Taxe d'Hab. Am I a negative Nelly. Yes, probably, but I guess we'll see in the coming years.

Yes, I have heard of the reflex maladie you mention. Well, I guess you could focus on what you can creatively come up with using fresh vegetables that you can eat. The lack of onions and garlic will create a challenge. I guess you can use creams in place of the citrus fruits. A touch of dijon with some cream and basic seasoning is usually good with a variety of different vegetables and meats. Maybe add a variety of cheeses to give more flavor to a meal. We recently tried roasting diced summer squash in the air fryer. After it is nicely roasted, we crack a couple of eggs on top of the cooked squash and cook it an additional 10 minutes for the eggs to set. Only seasoned with salt and pepper. It turned out pretty good. You could use a skillet if you don't have an air fryer. You'll have to get creative.

That is a very strange list of things. Have you been eating these things up to now ? It sounds like you have. And, you've been feeling fine except for the cough. Without asking too many personal questions - of course don't answer if I'm delving too far - but what will happen to you if you eat these things ? Will it impact your lungs/breathing/coughing? Is he/she implying you are allergic to these things? Can you not have them in limitation? I mean they cover a large swath of foods and I don't see a direct connection from one group to the other. No menthe, but basil is not on the list, nor is oregano, etc. No spicy foods - okay, you'd have to define spicy for me as the French seem to have a very low tolerance of spice. Does it mean no curry or hot peppers ? No onions - does this include ALL onions, meaning no green onions or chives or anything in the onion family ? I don't understand.

I don't know. I took maybe 200 sample written tests on various online sites before taking the actual test at La Poste. There were many questions that seemed completely ridiculous. It is what it is. You do learn to read the questions very carefully and look at any photos/videos extremely carefully. I don't really see the point in trick questions, but there are PLENTY of them possible on the French Code de la Route test. It makes the U.S. driving test look like kindergarten work.

If there is a child/pedestrian on the road or giving the appearance that he/she is going into the road, they would be your first attention zone. If the child is simply walking along the sidewalk with no obvious indication that they are going onto the road, then the first attention zone would be your rear view mirror as you cannot go around the truck if someone behind you was already making an attempt to go around. After the child issue, the rear view, then the zone of the lane you need to use to overtake - to ensure no one is coming towards you in that lane (it is free to overtake).

Yes, these are trick questions. There are plenty of them on the various Code de la Route tests. They are testing your aptitude to detail; you'll need to look at every detail of the photo and/or video.

I have SOOOOOO many courgettes this year. I have made several courgette bread/cakes (the sweet variety). They have been absolutely fantastic. I do add chopped nuts, a good chopped dark chocolate, golden raisins and some spices. Sometimes, if I have an over ripe banana or two, I will add those also. Each time they have turned out so well. Next on the agenda will be the over abundance of fresh figs.... Not to mention the apples!

I've made home made pumpkin purée before. You can use a regular potiron (or parts of one if it is big) or a potimarron. I prefer the potimarron over the potiron. However, both would need to have the peel removed, which I find a pain in the a**. You can pierce it and microwave it for about 8 minutes to soften it. Let it cool, then it is easier (somewhat) to peel, but really I am not overly fond of pumpkin cake, so I am not willing to go through the long drawn out effort to make it with fresh pumpkins. The tinned pumpkin in the U.S. is typically used for making pumpkin pies, not cakes. Or, perhaps pumpkin bars. I've read the tinned stuff it isn't actually made from a pumpkin but some other form of a squash. It is much harder to perfect a pumpkin pie made from fresh pumpkins. Getting it to thicken and set in the center is a challenge. I'm far too lazy for any of this.

I do the same thing. Works well.

All purpose flour in France is the the type 45. The 'fluide 45' is nice as it has been sifted. You can also use T-65. If you choose to use farine à gâteaux you would not add the salt, baking powder or baking soda that is in the recipe (assuming the recipe calls for it). I don't know UK flours, but of the two you listed, it would have to be Plain, not self-raising.

I have several different brownie recipes. I like these two. I will say that I never use chocolate chips. I always use a decent dark chocolate bar and roughly chop it. I also will add nuts to most brownies as we really like that. Most often it is Pecans. https://www.twosisterscrafting.com/frosted-brownies/#mv-creation-455-jtr I like this one too with the chocolate mint icing. I like brownies with or without icing. https://www.twosisterscrafting.com/homemade-brownies-with-chocolate-mint-frosting/ And I agree about using oils for fruit based baking. I will often use half sunflower oil and half plain applesauce with very good results.

Great video Norman. That is a fancy looking ride.

Well these vehicles don't seem to go beyond 50 km and often stay at 45 km. Even on 80 km roads, that is really annoying, especially when there is too much traffic to pass them, or the road is a no pass zone.

I'm seeing more and more of these tiny (new looking) vehicles on the roads around here. It is one thing to find them on city/village streets where the maximum speed limit is either 30 or 50. However, being stuck behind one on a 90 km road is extremely annoying. It also seems incredibly dangerous to drive 40 or 45 on a 90 km road. I can't quite figure out what would possess a person to want a vehicle like these.

It's a very quiet place. I don't know where all the old timers have gone, but they have gone. Why ? I think there are likely many reasons and they are not here to ask.

Well that might explain it.

Don't just check them out. We did that before our move from the Vaucluse to the Dordogne. We thought locating the multiple hospitals in the region and noting that there were literally dozens and dozens of all types of doctors/specialists all over the region was sufficient research. Not on your life (again literally). It is one thing to know they are all there. It is quite another to know if they are accepting new patients. THAT was our major fail. We did not call them all to ask. Major, major mistake. Of course, had we done that, we likely would have learned that no where in France (short of its major cities - where we didn't want to live) would we find doctors accepting new patients.

Hopefully they will find doctors once they arrive. If it is anything like us, it will take a long time and a LOT of phone calling - delving out a good distance. I never did find a GYN taking new patients. I see a Sage Femme. Our MT and our Dentist - who took us on (thank God) upon my begging having called dozens and dozens with no luck, are not young either. God forbid they should retire. Heaven help us. It really is VERY bad. I wish the OP luck as finding medical care is extremely difficult and sometimes just plain impossible.

Ahh, yes, I imagine that sauce was really good. I think they'd be good for that type of thing. Then, perhaps add the sauce as a complement to a nice piece of fish. To me, the crayfish just weren't worth the hassle. However, for a sauce, I think they would be.