tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18056644602220842172024-02-22T07:54:09.994-08:00Perpignan PostCarolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-13621923392743582502023-01-19T09:38:00.005-08:002023-01-19T09:38:48.376-08:00Happy New Mayor<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknrc1zWPyTt-aHco0Xjdt817J1EDh1vtw0SCaZNC6NwOQK93-vOTHRidOCJnGT_eFEqZZ2sD3etlBZbmuP4_2_BQ3pQZyklsNAJuOwnJmRPP3GEnelhtiy2l_bk0eg7QEeKYYtrwq3FrKiLoti8kCcWbIoYuBJuVsKEt0s-ooZFPqlWrndXUP7jMdqw/s1280/new-years-eve-g92dbd77c1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1280" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknrc1zWPyTt-aHco0Xjdt817J1EDh1vtw0SCaZNC6NwOQK93-vOTHRidOCJnGT_eFEqZZ2sD3etlBZbmuP4_2_BQ3pQZyklsNAJuOwnJmRPP3GEnelhtiy2l_bk0eg7QEeKYYtrwq3FrKiLoti8kCcWbIoYuBJuVsKEt0s-ooZFPqlWrndXUP7jMdqw/s320/new-years-eve-g92dbd77c1_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">One of January’s highlights (mainly because there aren’t many) is the Cérémonié des Voeux held by the Mairie. This is where they present their best wishes for the New Year and invite us to share a ‘moment of sharing and exchange’. No it’s not one of ‘those’ evenings (the village hall is far too cold!) but there is food and wine, so we went.</span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">There seemed to be a particularly good turnout this year and our village is increasing in population every year so it is always good to see the arrival of young families but, as ever, perhaps 70 - 80% of the people there were over 70 or 80 years old. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The evening started as it always does, with the microphone not working, then working at 70 decibels with a cacophony of static and feedback, and then at last all was sorted and our new Madame Mayor could begin her welcome speech. She gave us a review of what she had spent our taxes on last year, and what she was going to spend them on this year, and then thanked her team for helping her spend our money. (To be fair, the village now has an excellent new school, revamped ‘youth club’ and a new washbasin in the village hall so they seem to be doing a good job). </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJx3XkMEy-uaPtVT-07gFMkwYrglWuBhIZMbBxUEM_dn72WLIjOsDfOG-pC0EGJ9_zq4DxSJDAbMyPSu8bdqVPOyt1ubP-zqEXGVMqaNqDHAk7wQe7LMYpBZHVSw850ggpf9Ms73LDVHaWhxLeW3qt7TbGASbdX2_TipcE6eN1tzc_v0ZAaLrefg7rg/s4032/IMG_4124.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJx3XkMEy-uaPtVT-07gFMkwYrglWuBhIZMbBxUEM_dn72WLIjOsDfOG-pC0EGJ9_zq4DxSJDAbMyPSu8bdqVPOyt1ubP-zqEXGVMqaNqDHAk7wQe7LMYpBZHVSw850ggpf9Ms73LDVHaWhxLeW3qt7TbGASbdX2_TipcE6eN1tzc_v0ZAaLrefg7rg/w150-h200/IMG_4124.jpeg" width="150" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">This was followed by a tribute to somebody called Helène who had just retired from the primary school. After several false starts when we saw what seemed to be the entire contents of somebody’s personal computer, a video was projected on a screen and we watched pupils and ex-pupils delivering messages of thanks and appreciation. We all applauded at the end, expecting to see the obviously much loved Helène arrive to receive a handshake and a bouquet of flowers from the Mayor. But nothing happened.</span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">And finally it was the moment we had all been waiting for - Madame the Mayor announc<br />ed the end of the formal part of the evening and invited us all to participate in the ‘glass of friendship’. It seemed only natural that we ‘young ones’ helped to stack the chairs vacated by the ‘old ones’. Big mistake. This gave them a head start towards the buffet and despite their age they all seemed capable of moving at very high speed and surrounded the tables like a flock of greedy seagulls.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">There was some food left by the time we got there and it was delicious. In previous years there were perhaps a few crisps, dried up bits of meat, tepid wine, but this year there was a wonderful spread of mini canapés, charcuterie, terrine, bread etc and lots of bottles of wine from the local Cave - and not the cheap stuff either, but the ‘La Reserve’! And just when it looked as if the food was nearly finished, the ‘Galettes des Rois’ arrived (the traditional frangipane pastry cakes), which meant that the flock of seagulls immediately surrounded the tables again. And to accompany this, they produced bottles of excellent sparkling wine. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Unfortunately, thanks to Brexit, I am no longer allowed to vote in local elections but if I could, this Mayor would definitely be re-elected - if only for her excellent choice in ‘refreshments’.</span></p><div><br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-13376868292057572242021-05-05T09:25:00.000-07:002021-05-05T09:25:33.806-07:00Is it over yet?<p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbFlr5zWOqWZB6B_Mz4zzcS2UfjNjcfIvFBkUMLBhgx0vVtD3l18H95UHF6yxFjsZYLQA5U4Uk4331Xc3_QIcc2Nqn07RNB9nCZyEkG5FW_mfF1doFBtIrMPYDY-AeXyNf3K6uSpr_SPI/s1280/house-4952681_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbFlr5zWOqWZB6B_Mz4zzcS2UfjNjcfIvFBkUMLBhgx0vVtD3l18H95UHF6yxFjsZYLQA5U4Uk4331Xc3_QIcc2Nqn07RNB9nCZyEkG5FW_mfF1doFBtIrMPYDY-AeXyNf3K6uSpr_SPI/w244-h162/house-4952681_1280.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I’ve been looking at the pictures of people in the UK celebrating their first outings since the lockdown was eased - sitting in pub beer gardens wrapped in thick coats with umbrellas protecting them from the traditional bank holiday weekend downpour - and I feel envious! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Here in France we are in what could be called ‘loose confinement’ - which sounds like a great description of the elastic-waisted jogging bottoms I have been living in all winter. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>From having been restricted to ‘free movement’ within a 10km radius (or 30km with an attestation proving we have a valid reason for the journey) we can now travel as far as we like.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Unfortunately there is no reason to do this - as there is nothing to do when you get there.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bars and restaurants are still closed, as are ’non-essential’ shops.</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YfhIQ2h5rfxJuMFpcwHkI7FQkMm78vtMvyoFVK8myvfSjHMvkKmDgrBVOkGYeJqemSY2UMgIV07jrmO7gZCiH3AHgw9mO6BuPoMEtBTwZaB3LZD5FPlOdhVM4jADHuIM_KS58YQHFmPz/s1280/crime-scene-999123_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1280" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YfhIQ2h5rfxJuMFpcwHkI7FQkMm78vtMvyoFVK8myvfSjHMvkKmDgrBVOkGYeJqemSY2UMgIV07jrmO7gZCiH3AHgw9mO6BuPoMEtBTwZaB3LZD5FPlOdhVM4jADHuIM_KS58YQHFmPz/w212-h114/crime-scene-999123_1280.png" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Nobody seems to know what is ‘essential’ or ‘non-essential’ at the moment and the decision seems to have been made by somebody just sticking a pin in certain words on a random list. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Clothes and shoe shops have been ordered to close but the wine shops remain open (this is France after all…)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In the supermarkets certain displays have been covered up so you won’t be tempted to buy ‘non-essential' items such as socks and pants but there is nothing to stop you buying tortilla chips and chocolate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It also seemed strange that one couldn’t buy toys for children but you could buy toys for dogs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I went to a large electrical store to buy printer ink, having used up all my supply printing out the endless travel attestations.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For some reason the fridge/freezer section was taped off like a crime scene - and yet there was nothing to stop you buying electric toothbrushes, beauty gadgets to make your face look younger, electric scented diffusers etc. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy8LwkORhypF6uCpLMEJXi6E6YGevy9TVzXN8BuhdPZDrzl-1eDYJYPp_m-MKc12Uo60P6sTNjYdmTR5kuJKQ7wIugkr_Ai9MzEiVGAsrlQvS083N1r_3kyJUNig0ZUd9LGY3Gxm0UXmF/s1280/ban-4950429_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy8LwkORhypF6uCpLMEJXi6E6YGevy9TVzXN8BuhdPZDrzl-1eDYJYPp_m-MKc12Uo60P6sTNjYdmTR5kuJKQ7wIugkr_Ai9MzEiVGAsrlQvS083N1r_3kyJUNig0ZUd9LGY3Gxm0UXmF/w253-h168/ban-4950429_1280.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">F</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">or the moment we are still under a strict curfew and cannot leave our homes after 7pm, unless we have a fantastically valid reason for needing to do so, and have filled out yet another attestation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I am still not entirely sure why there is more chance of catching Covid-19 at night, but as the restaurants are still closed there is not much reason to venture out in the evenings anyway.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This curfew will gradually be pushed back to 9pm (when outdoor terraces reopen) and then 11pm towards the end of June when everything should be fully functioning again. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The only bonus to all this is that I have learnt something that is glaringly obviously once you know it - the word Curfew comes from the french Couvre-feu (cover your fire). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently it was a law created by William the Conqueror to ensure that everybody put their fires out by 8pm so that the old timber buildings wouldn’t catch fire.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>No doubt if their houses had caught fire and people had to leave their burning homes they would have needed an attestation…..</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></span><p></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-31345731080062219872021-04-06T08:50:00.000-07:002021-04-06T08:50:58.155-07:00How Life in France Works - Part 2 - Driving<p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToplhKz8AMjLrlgDg9nSb3UBEXI_Fve61Dp1o-bld7fZNfnzDFk3Uy5GSx9V3Pmqf5tlMTrJngNiLmHu0C5ubbOjMRdzhIyYO5lbxVo9k8NtbdgDlyjGD1bw0fdN9X037SMfko7sn0GU5/s1280/cars-5970663_1280.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToplhKz8AMjLrlgDg9nSb3UBEXI_Fve61Dp1o-bld7fZNfnzDFk3Uy5GSx9V3Pmqf5tlMTrJngNiLmHu0C5ubbOjMRdzhIyYO5lbxVo9k8NtbdgDlyjGD1bw0fdN9X037SMfko7sn0GU5/w195-h195/cars-5970663_1280.png" width="195" /></a></div></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My car has many dents and scrapes but none of them were my fault but caused by badly placed pillars in car parks, or having to scrape the front gate in an effort to avoid running over my dog (for example).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It appears that many people have the same problems with car park pillars and gateposts as I do as it is rare to see a car in pristine condition - we get odd sitings of immaculate cars in the summer but they are usually driven by tourists.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You can tell where each car is from as the Department number is marked either on, or just beside the number plate (depending on the age of the car), so cars here in the Pyrénées-Orientales are marked 66 - and anybody else is a ‘foreigner’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This system is also useful for the police during the Covid confinement as it is easy to see who is where they shouldn’t be!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f7XzM5AaF7flHdpn_1NrH5uBg45FJ7a39DfnP8o4EuM2I8on6_f46hR1c_AJas0jeRhcWdEyrg5673EL8QQgGXUHkiX1e5sfGOFC58oj8ny9RxM4JsIYrCrpJT7E-pZ4mcWUS3MhZZAQ/s1280/stop-355294_1280.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f7XzM5AaF7flHdpn_1NrH5uBg45FJ7a39DfnP8o4EuM2I8on6_f46hR1c_AJas0jeRhcWdEyrg5673EL8QQgGXUHkiX1e5sfGOFC58oj8ny9RxM4JsIYrCrpJT7E-pZ4mcWUS3MhZZAQ/w145-h200/stop-355294_1280.png" width="145" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Apart from the obvious difference about driving on the right and not the left, there are other things that you need to bear in mind. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>STOP signs mean that you must actually Stop and not just roll forward while checking for traffic, White Lines are to be respected as if they are a river of lava and never to be crossed, Cyclists are king, and have priority everywhere (this is not from official sources, just the impression they give…).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Other differences that I think are a great idea are the traffic lights for roadworks that have a countdown timer on them, and the unofficial system of putting your hazard lights on when you find yourself approaching a traffic jam, giving a warning to the person behind you that they need to slow down. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Speed limits are generally well-respected in France and it is pretty easy to stick to the limit on the motorways but sometimes you can get caught out when approaching villages as you have to quickly slow down from 80kmh to 50 or 30kmh as soon as you pass the sign giving the name of the village and then in the centre it can be reduced to 20kmh.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As I can never remember what speed I’m supposed to be doing I now stick to 3rd gear on the outskirts of a village and 2nd gear driving through a village.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And just on the subject of gears, perhaps now is the time to admit that I had my car for well over a year before I realised it had 6 gears... <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The biggest surprise to me has been the fact that ‘Priority to the Right’ was not a myth, but a reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You can be driving merrily on a main road and somebody on a side road can just pull out in front of you - and they have the perfect right to do so!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently there are signs on these roads advising you that you are on a ‘Priorité a droite’ road and they are more common in rural areas but they do exist.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently the sign is a black cross in a red triangle (I thought it meant cross-roads ahead).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But if the Highway Code is a mystery to you, or you have never learned to drive, or even if you have lost your licence, there is nothing to stop you driving in France -you can just buy a VSP (Voiture sans Permit).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is exactly as it sounds, a little 2-seater car with a restricted speed of 45kmh that you can drive without a licence!</span></p><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-84003949910507482522021-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:002021-01-28T09:00:03.840-08:00How life in france works - Part 1 - Banking<p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>This is the first of a series of articles about general stuff that I wish I’d known when I first moved to France. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This week - Banks.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxJ3TvViIX3vkeKbK7fr7EJXt4RDucXfsjcyjoyR4TCywOhzfNNgmXOTGpGpQtP9NswJZNXTx0RPLHkZHD1rP4r74wtpeNPDwGtgfbEecZ4o3WOg9vn_qpWr3iWr-pYAPVO6e_CyvImOM/s1280/save-3451075_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxJ3TvViIX3vkeKbK7fr7EJXt4RDucXfsjcyjoyR4TCywOhzfNNgmXOTGpGpQtP9NswJZNXTx0RPLHkZHD1rP4r74wtpeNPDwGtgfbEecZ4o3WOg9vn_qpWr3iWr-pYAPVO6e_CyvImOM/s320/save-3451075_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">You will need to open a bank account, and this will involve a ton of paperwork, because this is France.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They will ask for proof of ID (with photo), proof of address (recent utility bill, rent statement), proof of funding (previous bank statements, wage slips or tax return if self-employed).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These are just the basics and different banks have different requirements so keep your 10-metre swimming diploma and ‘O’ level certificates to hand, just in case!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They will often ask more detailed questions about your other savings accounts and how much you think you will spend each year or, in the case of a business account, how much you think you will earn.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Feel free to ‘guesstimate’ as it just seems important that they have something to fill in the boxes.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">If you are opening a joint account be sure you know how you want the account to operate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If the account is in the name of M. <b>et</b> Madame Clooney it means that both account holders have to sign cheques or other documents; but if it is M. <b>ou</b> Madame Clooney, only one of their signatures is required so Mrs Clooney could clean out the account!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">There is no such thing as ‘free’<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>banking in France and charges can vary wildly and for all sorts of different things, whether it is for the cheque book, debit card, internet transactions, standing orders, and/or the little gadget they give you for internet banking that you stick your card in to receive a confirmation code.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Check around but you are highly unlikely to pay less than 100€ per year.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFySD_-qAca0qUeplTgPqZoz_gIxYHuchIl_m41-I1kXtxtrw9JBPCNPlrEb3TFzkFXCA30GpWlSDuiLFAXwS0gZIa1DpqmRfqR2pduShnUe2NymRTXYPmZOUTgk2hslTtYJqYjWITXge/s1280/atm-3077727_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNj0uJkABzMURU7iy5wnVI_nKLuuXRnjmQYyno439RpT64vLhPRgmn29xWjFCIU1k4ncSUbfymRYtXxOXuMJqZXTcAvOwD2Wi2Vy73iAqtAFbhklpAr5DiV7cZW1lxQ-PXhqLL162VYqR/s1280/atm-3077727_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1081" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNj0uJkABzMURU7iy5wnVI_nKLuuXRnjmQYyno439RpT64vLhPRgmn29xWjFCIU1k4ncSUbfymRYtXxOXuMJqZXTcAvOwD2Wi2Vy73iAqtAFbhklpAr5DiV7cZW1lxQ-PXhqLL162VYqR/w169-h200/atm-3077727_1280.png" width="169" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br />Once you have your shiny new debit card, do not be tempted to rush out and spend all your money at once - there is a limit to the amount that you can spend each month, even if you have the funds available in your account.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You can draw cash out of the ATM or pay by cheque, but can only use your debit card up to a certain limit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have no idea why.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">DO NOT, under any circumstances, spend more than you have in your account.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bouncing cheques is not just ‘frowned upon’ but is a criminal offence and you can be black-listed from banking for 5 years.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In reality the bank will most likely honour the cheque but charge you an arm and a leg in interest and fines.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">Talking of body parts you will often be asked for a RIB when setting up direct debits or arranging transfers to your account.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This stands for Rélévè d’Identité Bancaire and is a slip of paper which gives the coordinates of your bank account and branch details.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It’s a good idea to carry a copy of your RIB in your wallet as you never know when you will feel the urge to open a mobile phone account.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You will usually find this slip tucked away at the back of your cheque book, or you can print one out at the ATM, or if you are clever enough to negotiate Internet Banking you can download copies from your client account page.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">PS.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have no idea why the man withdrawing money from the ATM is wearing a dressing-gown - this is not obligatory.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">PPS.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>To open an account with a utility company you will need a bank account, and to open a bank account you will need to show proof of your account with a utility company.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Welcome to France!</span></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-63020112144087410312020-11-05T09:31:00.000-08:002020-11-05T09:31:29.861-08:00Let sleeping dogs lie ...<p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YhfFFMMm28bb3JIRSN0rHZig-Kjeasi4IjS0lGlzLuaxdH9vvQxbP7tkh04Hx71kDetXGUKsg5dyc3RlAd_quKnVjdH8O2Wf2pKtdzOms1Cw15KmoYpfrhMoL_4JaSLnmHCM_AN6wewm/s541/IMG_0753.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="472" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YhfFFMMm28bb3JIRSN0rHZig-Kjeasi4IjS0lGlzLuaxdH9vvQxbP7tkh04Hx71kDetXGUKsg5dyc3RlAd_quKnVjdH8O2Wf2pKtdzOms1Cw15KmoYpfrhMoL_4JaSLnmHCM_AN6wewm/w210-h241/IMG_0753.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Due to various ‘incidents’ over the years I have had some experience of the french medical system, and the fact that while some doctors will prescribe vast quantities of strong medicines, others will recommend homeopathic and alternative remedies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Which is why I should not have been at all surprised when the vet suggested I take my dog to a physiotherapist!</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve had Loulou, my border collie, for over 8 years now and as she was from a shelter it is hard to know how old she is but the vet reckons she must be at least 12 years old, if not more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have no idea how old I am in ‘dog years’ but we both seem to be a similar age.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We sleep more than we used to, have difficulty getting up in the morning, can’t walk as far as we used to, need to get up in the middle of the night, often find ourselves in the kitchen wondering what we went there for, and have a bit of arthritis.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The only differences between us are that I don’t fall over when I sneeze, she has to be lifted in and out of the car (I can do it on my own!), and she has a heart condition.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The last time we went to the vet for her heart pills I asked for some general advice on how to help an ‘old’ dog (obviously not to try to teach it new tricks would be the most important!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I thought he was joking when he mentioned physiotherapy but apparently it is really a ‘thing’ and he told me about a place which specialises in ‘complementary medicine’ so I made an appointment.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The waiting room was very ‘Zen’ and peaceful - no smell of incense burning but there was relaxing music playing, pictures of nature and happy horses, and potted plants (on shelves, not at floor level for obvious reasons).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We were welcomed by the Dogteur who asked some general questions and then gave her a very thorough 45 minute massage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At the end of it Loulou was fast asleep and snoring gently - and I was so jealous!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We were advised to keep her ‘quiet’ for the next couple of days, which was absolutely no problem as she showed no signs of wanting to exercise but just seemed to want to sleep under a tree in the garden - which is quite scary as she is also pretty deaf and doesn’t respond when you call so you have to keep going to check that she is still breathing!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I can’t say that she is a ‘new’ dog since the visit but it has certainly helped - and we will definitely be making a return visit as I see they also offer acupuncture, osteopathy, chinese remedies and psychology treatments.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But sadly only for animals…</span><br /></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-12018303321069022332020-10-08T01:46:00.002-07:002020-10-08T01:46:28.459-07:00A matter of life and death<p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Cambria; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUFY_5fdytbAtXLvOMAbwLyTicLc_wJ6RRHbzvKFdseKNYNFKtUxCy3yQwSXQ7evZlw8WwqIQKbkaz7os_18Ji8MVtAmQ01k0pItxPxmK4KpDQZP_vExubAc2ZkoRj6STj898l-4patrh/s2048/DSCF5080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUFY_5fdytbAtXLvOMAbwLyTicLc_wJ6RRHbzvKFdseKNYNFKtUxCy3yQwSXQ7evZlw8WwqIQKbkaz7os_18Ji8MVtAmQ01k0pItxPxmK4KpDQZP_vExubAc2ZkoRj6STj898l-4patrh/s320/DSCF5080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">At 3.30pm yesterday I was doing a property viewing with clients and was showing them the spectacular view from the roof terrace.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I looked down onto the street below where a group of mourners were chatting outside the church, and discreetly waved to my partner, who had also attended the funeral with me….</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yesterday my friend Francis died.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He was the man who persuaded me to start playing tennis with the team of ‘old’ men in the village and made me feel so welcome.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As he lived alone (apart from his dog) I had called him in April to see how he was coping with the ‘confinement’ and he told me that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and that his ex-wife had come back to look after him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>All the family were with him when he died, and they asked us to come to the house to talk about him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I didn’t want to intrude but they really enjoyed hearing anecdotes about Francis - particularly the time he entered me for the village tennis tournament - in the men’s doubles team! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was to be a church service for him at 3pm that very afternoon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I wasn’t overly keen on the idea as I hate public goodbyes and also had the excuse of a property visit scheduled at 3.30pm but as the house just happened to be opposite the church, I realised that a) I would have time to do both and b) it would look bad if I said no and was then seen sneaking past the church later. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I wish I could explain a little about what a french funeral is like but due to the fact the two priests were wearing masks I couldn’t understand a word they said and just kept standing up, sitting down and saying Amen whenever anybody else did. As we were sitting at the back I managed to sneak out as soon as the service ended and walked round the corner to meet my clients. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So that is how I said my final goodbye to Francis, at a respectful ‘social’ distance - 4 storey’s up - and I know he would have been amused.</span><br /></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-87640585978098796722020-09-23T08:43:00.000-07:002020-09-23T08:43:19.468-07:00Still enjoying Summer!<p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8b8qCRBR_z8Eeror2TjdvXmDVrPAmurn4ahFEFcNZdyxbBeHFiXxdUEhG-MikWCm6GCOKH_00Y7YM0_NBnhWAgvfXr_jMEsm-eCANU3bbgEm6E1Z9ntexXv21uv2Rub0dMvv1f5jmrU1x/s1280/pool-690034_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8b8qCRBR_z8Eeror2TjdvXmDVrPAmurn4ahFEFcNZdyxbBeHFiXxdUEhG-MikWCm6GCOKH_00Y7YM0_NBnhWAgvfXr_jMEsm-eCANU3bbgEm6E1Z9ntexXv21uv2Rub0dMvv1f5jmrU1x/s320/pool-690034_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have been spending most of September lying on a sun-lounger by the pool (and to be honest, most of July and August too…!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Normally I think of my September ‘holiday’ as a well-earned break after a hectic summer of running holiday rental properties.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Most Saturdays would find me hurtling between several villas checking that the cleaners had turned up, making sure there were enough basic provisions for guests (loo rolls & washing up liquid for the 3* properties, welcome packs of cheese and wine for the 4* properties), doing ‘meet and greets’ or making sure the keys were hidden in the right place etc.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On Sundays I would usually get at least 1 ‘call-out’ from a guest who had already lost the key or lacked the basic skills to work the washing machine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>During the week I would call in to meet the guests I hadn’t met on the Saturday, picking my way around shiny sun-burned bodies and beer bottles scattered around the pools. But not this year…</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To start with I had less properties to run - 2 of the larger villas had been sold and I had resigned from the 3rd because the owner would never pay for any maintenance issues and after ‘sewage-gate’ and an incident with a hornet’s nest I decided to call it a day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The main flurry of bookings for the summer normally arrive in March, but this year, due to the lockdown, there was just a flurry of cancellations from the few who had already booked.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So, when I could drag myself away from making banana-bread and tidying cupboards I contacted all my ‘owners’ and suggested they drop their prices and offer longer-stay discounts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Success! Most of the summer visitors were French or Belgian (less affected by travel restrictions) but some of the other renters were what I would call ‘Covid Refugees’ including a family unable to get back to America who were delighted to rent for one month, and a couple whose house purchase had been delayed until September. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The one thing that has really surprised me this year is the clients’ attitude to the virus.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It doesn’t seem to exist for them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have made sure that every property is kept empty for several days between clients, that everything is disinfected and the cleaners wear masks; when I meet the clients I wear a mask and hand over the disinfected keys in a plastic bag and explain all the precautions we have taken - and they cheerfully say ‘oh, we’re not worried’ and seem surprised that I don’t go in with them to show them around!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So perhaps I can’t quite justify my September idleness as being a reward for hard work over the summer, but I can at least relax knowing that I haven’t put anybody’s health at risk - and especially not my own!<br /></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-1426752175201768002020-09-09T08:40:00.000-07:002020-09-09T08:40:03.136-07:00Fully 'Fully-furnished'<div class="separator"><p class="p2" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdQcAxLrPG9-dhtrGcRjsbHxiIu3KC6fDlPUVWM1KTbwWziVAalBhvSoJR95QK6mfiy2-rcFwkluN7MkgZegCiR54z7NjjmkBOkj4prCAP_-fFxw1RToMG7jEFLdalBc0nXkkBtqsU7Wr/w320-h240/DSCF5099.JPG" width="320" /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">I have just been asked to put a property on the market on behalf of the owners who live in Scotland.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I’m always pleased to be asked to sell a house (particularly when there are no agents involved!) but this time I’m feeling a bit sad for the owners.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The house was a holiday home and because of Covid-19 and all the uncertainty over travel restrictions they realise they won’t be able to visit and enjoy the house as much as they used to so have decided to sell. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">When I went to check out the house it was as if they had just popped out for a while - the beds were made up, towels were on a drying rack in the bathroom, bicycles in the hall, food in the cupboards and a half-finished book was on the table.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As it is uncertain whether they will be able to come down and recuperate any of their possessions I am selling it fully-furnished, down to every last plate, saucepan, sun-lounger and opened bottle of Gin!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So, if you are looking for a well-maintained 3-bed, 2 living room 3 storey village house with panoramic views from the roof terrace and a well-stocked drinks cupboard just give me a call. (And if you're wondering - it's just 155k).</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3550LUIWYa0I1utYt2Mnzj6F2dbHvBgppcLkndE9BUxMBPcqwqQWQ0i3w1CBnxr9NTFwCoKvcyWAZgh46RBGEXcKe8p3-ieQLBhsA2EDWKB6muz6RoYQ4jtNPjwSVM8OkAfGJ6r0YgCQo/s2048/DSCF5089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3550LUIWYa0I1utYt2Mnzj6F2dbHvBgppcLkndE9BUxMBPcqwqQWQ0i3w1CBnxr9NTFwCoKvcyWAZgh46RBGEXcKe8p3-ieQLBhsA2EDWKB6muz6RoYQ4jtNPjwSVM8OkAfGJ6r0YgCQo/w256-h192/DSCF5089.JPG" width="256" /></a></div> <img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfJnPuzwuAbJGPY0Rw-0SvS8qy16z1up1WxhCcHE1It5PgbaKD91YK3sN1hBSqptYoVpKzzn2mCGoT8t9Rxfne0ZB9TbpcuwXugjSiIzbp5N1ImoPnppQzJ3xbWyFYvkJMM-ulay-jxWY/w256-h192/DSCF5078.JPG" width="256" />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-28584922421138490222020-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:002020-09-01T09:44:17.839-07:00Yet another medical story...<div class="separator"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1pyZ-m6oGDrqGqbFHJ5NDPJNIVGuuCe2TsZDT7HtonPv08Wlw-Tk7i3EmyfNmJVcMModPU4m3txV9GhZ48oGSRhyp2ZQA1cbAvFZh4fexrBit9Zr-VUDXGO7CPNiQgVIe6-H7rwgYHeW/s1280/medical-5459630_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1245" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1pyZ-m6oGDrqGqbFHJ5NDPJNIVGuuCe2TsZDT7HtonPv08Wlw-Tk7i3EmyfNmJVcMModPU4m3txV9GhZ48oGSRhyp2ZQA1cbAvFZh4fexrBit9Zr-VUDXGO7CPNiQgVIe6-H7rwgYHeW/w203-h210/medical-5459630_1280.png" width="203" /></a></div><br />During this pandemic it is perhaps best to avoid any public medical facilities, unless absolutely necessary.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That was my plan - but due to yet another alcohol related incident, I can now write about what it is like to have a medical problem during this Covid-19 situation!<p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">When I say ‘alcohol-related’, in fact not a drop had passed my lips, I was just preparing for having the neighbours over for an apero.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I went down to the cellar to bring up some bottles and as I was walking back up I slightly mis-judged the step and my foot slipped a little, twisting my big toe and causing a fair amount of pain.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I sat with my foot in the pool for a while and then when the neighbours turned up applied ice (externally) and alcohol (internally) and for most of the evening it felt better.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The next morning it was swollen and painful to walk on, so there was no option but to go and see the Doctor.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Normally you just turn up and wait for hours but at the moment she is operating an appointment system only so I rang -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and got a recorded message saying that the surgery was closed all day on the 15th.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As this was, in fact, the 20th, there didn’t seem much option but to just go there and hope for the best.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I prepared well, taking with me a mask, a book, and a big bottle of water.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The book was a great idea but what hadn’t crossed my mind was that if I wanted to drink the water I would have to remove the mask!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This didn’t seem to bother the other people in the waiting room who were constantly removing their masks to chat, drink or wipe their sweaty faces!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eventually I got to see the Doctor, who took one look and said ‘Ooh La La’ - although I think that was more to do with the state of my pedicure.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She said that even if it was broken there wasn’t much they could do by way of treatment, then she showed me a picture of some very flat and bulky orthopaedic shoes, and we both laughed, and I hobbled out with a prescription for an X-Ray.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Getting anything done in France in August is a trial.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The first place I called<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>offered me an appointment for a week on Friday, but the 4th one said I could go the next morning at 11am.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They warned me it would be busy as it is holiday<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>season and tourists seem to spend more time falling over and breaking limbs than lying on beaches.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I turned up imagining I would find a tv ‘sit-com’ style scenario of a waiting room full of people in wheelchairs and full body casts, but in fact, there were just 2 people waiting.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The chairs were taped off so you couldn’t sit too close to anybody, and my partner was ordered to wait outside - which he did with unseemly haste!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As with any medical appointment you are asked to hand over your Carte Vitale - and as usual mine was not ‘up to date’ - apparently you are supposed to regularly insert your card into a machine in the pharmacy so that it remains updated, but as I am British and we tend to treat even a missing limb as ‘just a flesh wound’, I hadn’t used it for a while.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">After just 10 minutes I was called into the X-Ray room and had my foot painfully man-handled while they took pictures of various angles, then I was sent back to the waiting room.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The technician made a big show of spraying down the table and chair that I had used, so I made a big show of applying gel to my hands and wiping the door handle on my way out.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">10 minutes later I was called to the counter, charged 6€ (the difference between the actual cost and what is included under the state health system) and given the results.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Luckily it turned out not to be broken - which fact made no difference to the amount of pain I was feeling - so no treatment apart from just to rest it as much as possible, and keep applying ice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So, the point of this story is just to say don’t worry if you need medical attention at the moment - everything is very well regulated and I felt perfectly ‘safe’.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeBV3iOueHUiiX6u9kpqmdZTSyWN51SeRIXVcswJ7AzUSiOCV8t5hfi-i89qhgj0L9dtyU9FpC0GTX4pPq2b8DSAeENzs_6RmvjpbEXWm8PkSAlNpDNMP2CE708rSeMXDc3Fjl_LjLRAh/s1280/feet-42939_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1280" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeBV3iOueHUiiX6u9kpqmdZTSyWN51SeRIXVcswJ7AzUSiOCV8t5hfi-i89qhgj0L9dtyU9FpC0GTX4pPq2b8DSAeENzs_6RmvjpbEXWm8PkSAlNpDNMP2CE708rSeMXDc3Fjl_LjLRAh/w210-h183/feet-42939_1280.png" width="210" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-23148069423211628672020-08-06T08:25:00.001-07:002020-08-06T08:25:20.316-07:00No News is Good News<div class="separator"><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VaLQ9anwwofwB-7ru7oowlU0OseSq7bZH_MWdbOuyiaS33BYaxVfgW6b8PnPc4q5sLG-modw-pSC-ohcWTFQJsj849c7ozdXiwciyQ-TSOSgsmtkLhbl31nuVGmS91xlZspG2nV5IGEN/s1280/newspaper-154444_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1280" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VaLQ9anwwofwB-7ru7oowlU0OseSq7bZH_MWdbOuyiaS33BYaxVfgW6b8PnPc4q5sLG-modw-pSC-ohcWTFQJsj849c7ozdXiwciyQ-TSOSgsmtkLhbl31nuVGmS91xlZspG2nV5IGEN/w262-h226/newspaper-154444_1280.png" width="262" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every 2 weeks I write an update of the local news stories, translated from french media, and it is published in a newsletter/facebook page/forum for the english-speaking community.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I do it a) Out of the goodness of my heart, b) It is good for my language skills and c) Because the Editor adds a link to my website at the bottom.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>OK, mainly c), but I also enjoy doing it!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQOYziE5qPQEzNDYMfTlycQ3cSOs5ueAm44SkiunWwAFysT0sqqUeaZ11M0BpMKSkebOVUM6ieWDNiXEA3p7WT7xS8DDFc2PlkjQWtUKHPhJgCvZHHGN2JNoiNrpMQRp5fslaQmhxz7v_/s1920/stamp-114438_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1920" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQOYziE5qPQEzNDYMfTlycQ3cSOs5ueAm44SkiunWwAFysT0sqqUeaZ11M0BpMKSkebOVUM6ieWDNiXEA3p7WT7xS8DDFc2PlkjQWtUKHPhJgCvZHHGN2JNoiNrpMQRp5fslaQmhxz7v_/w262-h186/stamp-114438_1920.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">The problem is that I am starting to get complaints that there is too much bad news!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> We</span> even had to change the title from ‘A Light Look at the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Latest Local News’ to ‘A Quick look’ because someone wrote to the Editor complaining that reporting on cr</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ime and violence was hardly ‘light’ (this from a gentleman who lives in inner-city London…).</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It also back-fired on me when a client who contacted me to ask for help looking for a property here mentioned he had read the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">News Reports on the local forum and it seemed to be a dangerous area to live in!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, are we all in danger of being murdered in our beds? No.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is usually a peaceful laid-back sort of region where the biggest excitement is the fact that Ikea ‘might’ be opening here (<i>they aren’t</i>) or that somebody ‘might’ have seen a dolphin off the coast (<i>very possible</i>).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Unfortunately, due to ‘circumstances beyond our control’ there is slightly more happening than usual and not much of it is good - there is Covid-19 for a start, it is the peak <br />of the Tourist Season so there are more people getting into difficulty in the sea (<i>ok - drownings</i>), and it is very hot so there are more drink/drive car accidents and domestic violence incidents.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Also this Department borders Spain so there will always be stories about drug/tobacco smuggling - even though there were slightly less during lock-down when the border was closed! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But generally so little happens here that I have had to change from writing once a week to once a fortnight - and even then I am often scratching about trying to find something more interesting to write about than the forthcoming Snail Festival or whether this year’s Cherry production was good or bad. So I can hand on heart assure anybody who is thinking of coming to the area that there is no need to panic, there are not gangs of gun-wielding criminals around every corner, and the only danger is that you will fall in love with the place and not want to leave….</span></p></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-61276759629986650402020-07-01T07:20:00.000-07:002020-07-01T07:20:02.862-07:00Suffering from Wind ....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY7M_2_KRWcS5dhA6qeYsuiz5GgNZ65EoKMMhD6x6Oe_fuW1xQKezw20UUagxMmRuZgqUO65teREwHy8wu23rTmMsFrqz3ETPZugAbpVRguPTpvXGv78JM5c2o5u6sCDYyZL5ULtfv7gN/s1600/wind-149701_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1280" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY7M_2_KRWcS5dhA6qeYsuiz5GgNZ65EoKMMhD6x6Oe_fuW1xQKezw20UUagxMmRuZgqUO65teREwHy8wu23rTmMsFrqz3ETPZugAbpVRguPTpvXGv78JM5c2o5u6sCDYyZL5ULtfv7gN/s200/wind-149701_1280.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I can only assume there is a website somewhere that says that this region is a hurricane zone because I regularly get asked whether the wind is a problem here. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The answer is not a simple yes or no.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But first, some background information (I’ve actually done some research for once!)</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Apparently we get 4 types of wind here (no hurricanes), so in reverse order we begin with:</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Scirocco - This is the hot, dry wind that blows up from North Africa and deposits orange sand on your car.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This very rarely happens so is not a problem - apart from having to clean your car (which I regularly do once a year whether it is dirty or not…)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuS-gDIu3eGSGJTZdHZb-inYdWs4-vT88wDH6-NaAUlmvExZNon7hgDHs8NWurqas-PnSGB4he6OI41opm_-94Sjiu7_e_4ro26rN2TuHamC2pyh3wz5NgbeDeev5yHvf6U3Air3Dtmi5/s1600/edward-lear-1823617_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1280" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuS-gDIu3eGSGJTZdHZb-inYdWs4-vT88wDH6-NaAUlmvExZNon7hgDHs8NWurqas-PnSGB4he6OI41opm_-94Sjiu7_e_4ro26rN2TuHamC2pyh3wz5NgbeDeev5yHvf6U3Air3Dtmi5/s200/edward-lear-1823617_1280.png" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Levant - A hot and very humid wind which blows in across the Mediterranean from the South-East.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Again, pretty rare and not a problem (unless you have hair that curls at the slightest trace of humidity …)</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Marin - Very similar to the Levant but this one is more likely to bring clouds and rain with it - and, again, gives me an instant unwanted perm.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Tramontane - Yes, this is the one that everyone talks about.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently it is ‘powerful, dry and cold and blows from the north or northwest’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Gusts can reach over 100kmh.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3MN1gwEJEH0pYrTw5IRfN7W4kt9UwNEozpg6VOkI8C5yH34Ukb6Fy9IhZNLs-Ng2XDiYQdI6PGK75cDfGAiusn7gTSbhPawYv3YgmK1UHsROGOkfEGw0zv7r9-Wnh3WfOfyo9QzDceXE/s1600/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3MN1gwEJEH0pYrTw5IRfN7W4kt9UwNEozpg6VOkI8C5yH34Ukb6Fy9IhZNLs-Ng2XDiYQdI6PGK75cDfGAiusn7gTSbhPawYv3YgmK1UHsROGOkfEGw0zv7r9-Wnh3WfOfyo9QzDceXE/s200/sunset.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">So, the only wind we really need to talk about is the Tramontane, and in fact we are ‘suffering’ from it today as I write.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>All it means is that I’ve had to thoroughly peg-down the washing on the line, take down the parasols, and I am making sure that the sun-lounger cushions don’t fly into the pool by regularly lying there to keep a close eye on things (a tough job but somebody has to do it!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So it is by no means a huge problem, and it only ever lasts for a few days at most.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In fact I would say it is a good thing - we get spectacular sunsets with ‘spaceship’ style clouds, it keeps the skies clear and blue so we can enjoy our reputation as the sunniest region in France - and laundry dries within 5 minutes of being pegged out!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">(<i>Thank you to Gilly J-f for the photo</i>)</span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-66408538444851551722020-06-18T01:57:00.000-07:002020-06-18T01:57:00.678-07:00It's life - but not as we know it ...<div class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqkf9fbnS2Hzu4VSNkMhyphenhyphenKg4d8V9TijFF1PoMzbRTFxJN_VqbSzoaYSz3Agkk2NNb0nGDM15GNmOEB0EeZbnGggzTOMzjuRjvtkZLLOGYHs3N6_GRQKdwwsYtWNHyJb5oh-4LHlKaKdvd/s1600/IMG_2826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqkf9fbnS2Hzu4VSNkMhyphenhyphenKg4d8V9TijFF1PoMzbRTFxJN_VqbSzoaYSz3Agkk2NNb0nGDM15GNmOEB0EeZbnGggzTOMzjuRjvtkZLLOGYHs3N6_GRQKdwwsYtWNHyJb5oh-4LHlKaKdvd/s200/IMG_2826.JPG" width="150" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">It’s 3 months since France went into Lockdown and we are now in the early stages of ‘Deconfinement’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I feel like a prisoner who, because of good behaviour, has been let out of solitary confinement and is now on ‘Day-Release’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And I have been ‘Good’ and followed all the advice and government guidelines because (to quote a well-known song) ‘At first I was afraid, I was petrified’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The idea that we were in danger of catching a lethal virus with no known cure and it wasn’t just a scary film scenario very much focuses the mind!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The fact that I took it all so seriously at the beginning means that for me, not a lot has changed - except I no longer feel the urge to bake bread or tidy cupboards! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I’m still being very careful - wearing my mask any time I go into an enclosed space, not going to the shops unless I have to and just spending time with friends outside rather than in their houses. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Even though the restaurants are now open I have yet to visit (somehow the idea of being served by people in masks doesn’t appeal), I didn’t rush to the beach (because actually it rained for 3 days!), and I am resisting the urge to go to a big shopping centre.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I don’t even know what the exact rules and regulations are at the moment but it just seems to be a matter of continuing to be careful and basically just using your common sense. It doesn’t surprise me that it was a Frenchman (Voltaire) who said ‘Common sense is not so common’ as there didn’t seem to much of it in evidence in London on Monday when hordes of people were queuing outside Primark and the Nike Store.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Is a pair of £5 Lycra leggings (or a £400 pair of designer trainers) really worth risking your health for? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq1F17tGbipOBa3l9_sHvpv3SlyNb2zkzAheYDp9-ar0AP7rFZfGQJEPcfcC_KWjj4KAxgn7SvvEf3gid1m2S_lmUmgBDCs8YuhHC8B6e3KWXX50BKfSZpqGy0Frzwc5KKdcIzyfW_SJ1/s1600/man-4151006_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1280" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq1F17tGbipOBa3l9_sHvpv3SlyNb2zkzAheYDp9-ar0AP7rFZfGQJEPcfcC_KWjj4KAxgn7SvvEf3gid1m2S_lmUmgBDCs8YuhHC8B6e3KWXX50BKfSZpqGy0Frzwc5KKdcIzyfW_SJ1/s200/man-4151006_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn2WxK37esBidrbql6_Y_cD1VFtdCDXfOg17UF_O9v5WYeX-T4s8zly0ElRzwBt2HOLZit570RDf_nf3zQ3gEd7mHHUgvTCQHULuxw1JNNKw4TnoPfHLWtrS_vZhu3HT0_DHChkSigKeC/s1600/women-at-cafe-3751070_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1280" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn2WxK37esBidrbql6_Y_cD1VFtdCDXfOg17UF_O9v5WYeX-T4s8zly0ElRzwBt2HOLZit570RDf_nf3zQ3gEd7mHHUgvTCQHULuxw1JNNKw4TnoPfHLWtrS_vZhu3HT0_DHChkSigKeC/s200/women-at-cafe-3751070_1280.png" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">My only ‘unnecessary’ outing was last Saturday when I decided that I very much needed to buy Geraniums for my terrace planters, so off I went to the local market. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And it was wonderful!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Not a lot different to the way it always is except they had created a sort of Entrance in one corner with a bottle of hand sanitiser on a table and most stall-holders were wearing masks (but kept taking them off to talk to the customers!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On the way back to my car I spotted a friend sitting at a café table in the square, so I joined her for a coffee, and we sat in the sunshine, and watched the world go by, while we listened to the accordionist …. and I realised it wasn’t Geraniums that I had been missing - I just needed a ‘fix’ of ‘french-life’…</span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-20412864333211009382020-06-04T03:00:00.000-07:002020-06-04T03:00:28.002-07:00Call the Manager<div class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCSEGlTHE3sRRN3d_QxE7dbJQe39hqHvCiQtGd-WHk_96d5IbSAXWeIfB_H0WGnjUIOXE3yKxEuZHGE0PBm0NRPJL8Um8kFmxEdZAaIziCTUU0oHuH8qr1J9GduALnKjlZplVjtkfKwcW/s1600/swimming-pool-3652690_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCSEGlTHE3sRRN3d_QxE7dbJQe39hqHvCiQtGd-WHk_96d5IbSAXWeIfB_H0WGnjUIOXE3yKxEuZHGE0PBm0NRPJL8Um8kFmxEdZAaIziCTUU0oHuH8qr1J9GduALnKjlZplVjtkfKwcW/s200/swimming-pool-3652690_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I don’t think anybody, whether owners or renters, realise quite how much hard work running rental properties can be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So I will tell you!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Most of the properties I manage are ‘second-homes’ belonging to people who want to earn a bit of money from them while they are not using them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They hand me the keys, tell me which months/weeks are available, and I sort everything out for them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If the properties are empty (ie often over the winter) it is simply a question of making regular visits to check that all is well and to sort out any maintenance issues, summer is a different matter!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClXSwFdFpTyZoajoVf55KFpSH_ZaWf1OQL3DCeYkVttTgMUpoI6zPV7pdX1lNJfz7AB2mMaPGtKxVZLuCKMD_wvQCvv7J5GS3QgYsf61rZ3QnNf-HPhWC6fZQOkkZeo0vW-BWikfbYphN/s1600/cartoon-2029192_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1280" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClXSwFdFpTyZoajoVf55KFpSH_ZaWf1OQL3DCeYkVttTgMUpoI6zPV7pdX1lNJfz7AB2mMaPGtKxVZLuCKMD_wvQCvv7J5GS3QgYsf61rZ3QnNf-HPhWC6fZQOkkZeo0vW-BWikfbYphN/s200/cartoon-2029192_1280.png" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">As this is such a lovely region, holiday villas are usually pretty well-booked from June to September so I try to prepare as well in advance as possible.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In Spring I take the cleaners to each property to give them a thorough pre-season blitz (the villas, not the ladies!) and to show the new ones what standards we are aiming for (some of the ‘5 star villa’ owners expect their towels to be folded in a certain way!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The gardeners garden, the pool-men work their magic, the outdoor furniture is jet-washed (or teak-oiled) and everything is perfect for the guests, who will have a wonderful stay, except for ….</span></div>
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<ul class="ul1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTglLRBtw0jRZrV44wixglkzjP_Og5o9phX-v-_ntMePNfw5vWdB-vy-cod_LnVdUYp2O7q_qbb7RdkrakG57wOW07n1e67FtjTlJnTwEo61HuPVlpRe2njx_qHrp0Oyo0y-W_SLPGQqG/s1600/key-safe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="330" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTglLRBtw0jRZrV44wixglkzjP_Og5o9phX-v-_ntMePNfw5vWdB-vy-cod_LnVdUYp2O7q_qbb7RdkrakG57wOW07n1e67FtjTlJnTwEo61HuPVlpRe2njx_qHrp0Oyo0y-W_SLPGQqG/s200/key-safe.jpeg" width="200" /></a>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The lady who sent a long email complaining that there was no upright reclining garden chair for her elderly father, and that there were no UK tv channels (despite the fact this had been highlighted on the booking form).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Within hours I turned up with one of my own chairs, and a gadget to connect an iPad to the TV and left him happily watching the news.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The next day she sent another long email to thank me and apologise for the complaints - she was stressed after a long journey and her mother had died recently so this was her father’s first holiday without her.</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The client (renting an apartment in Perpignan centre) who complained about the colour of the dust that blew in- it was grey but apparently in Texas it is white ….</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The clients who asked if it was OK to bring two small dogs, which turned out to be Dobermans, and left the garden in a bad state.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They lost their deposit because of their dogs’ deposits!</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The family who telephoned me to say they had arrived at the villa but the key-safe wasn’t working.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Some villas don’t require a ‘Meet and Greet’ service but they keys are left in a key-safe on the wall outside, they dial in the code I have sent them, retrieve the keys and let themselves in).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I went straight over and found absolutely no problem - except that they didn’t realise they had to actually open the box and take keys out rather than just tapping in the code and expecting the gate to automatically open!</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The group renting a 7-bed villa who pretended not to know that check-out time was 10am -and were splashing around in the pool and in no way ready to leave when I turned up with the cleaners.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Finally managed to evict them at noon, having started to ‘clean’ around them.</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">And last but not least, this one is mainly my fault as I didn’t take proper references - I just believed the story of the young couple, expecting a baby, who needed to rent the town apartment for one month as they had given notice on their current rental and their ‘new-build’ house was delayed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>2 weeks into the rental one of the neighbours in the building contacted me to let me know that there was much ‘activity’ going on in the apartment and that men were ringing the door buzzers at all times of the day and night, asking for ‘les filles’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They had been running the place as a brothel ….!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(NB.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is apparently quite common now, even with bookings taken via sites such as AirBNB - so owners beware - you never know where that money comes from!)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2yO3L9Tekmd_LFNzg0QSsPupDAEHXVUa2QpAx_vMG5ZSr4VEpkMrPQ27JwwSAhXrYRPuwE2RzeqxVaKh9WQ_QalCIMl_zAHKZ557X-xZPKoo4MYQF9aGvxIRHv7YskMgcm0GbOgS9EOW/s1600/girl-114441_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="640" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2yO3L9Tekmd_LFNzg0QSsPupDAEHXVUa2QpAx_vMG5ZSr4VEpkMrPQ27JwwSAhXrYRPuwE2RzeqxVaKh9WQ_QalCIMl_zAHKZ557X-xZPKoo4MYQF9aGvxIRHv7YskMgcm0GbOgS9EOW/s200/girl-114441_640.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-79212842783581789922020-05-14T10:48:00.000-07:002020-05-14T10:48:35.711-07:00The customer is always right - unless they are wrong!<div class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Having all this time being unable to work has given me the opportunity to reflect on some of the things that I didn’t like about work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Namely, certain clients!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I don’t know what the statute of limitations for libel is, so I will try to keep this as anonymous as possible:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG00M5TmAFBzeUJHDDr1cuVA625gZpq9f1Aw8Elq8khzh2-FP-hxhX-grG0w2EO-7F5WHu5fyYQS2f3qhVPB40h9DN62to1Xo3gk1jbjDovNb2xO084x9QnpCoK1WG_RZG9YmVP7Wr9Yq/s1600/930590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="500" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG00M5TmAFBzeUJHDDr1cuVA625gZpq9f1Aw8Elq8khzh2-FP-hxhX-grG0w2EO-7F5WHu5fyYQS2f3qhVPB40h9DN62to1Xo3gk1jbjDovNb2xO084x9QnpCoK1WG_RZG9YmVP7Wr9Yq/s200/930590.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Firstly, viewing a villa with a group of 7 people (2 families who wanted to buy a large property together to share holidays). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We arrived at the house of Monsieur Propriètaire in a convoy of cars, I introduced everybody, and the problems started. Two of the group started wandering around the garden and Monsieur P (quite rightly) wanted everybody to stay together for the grand tour.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I rounded everyone up, we started the tour, they began snapping photos (without asking) and two of them stayed downstairs while the rest of us continued the tour.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Monsieur P was becoming more and more agitated and said that if they didn’t stay together he would have to ask me to cancel the viewing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I explained the situation and one of the couples decided to take this as an insult and said they would go and wait in their car.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The tour continued but then Monsieur P looked out of the window and spotted that they were using a laptop in the car and convinced himself they were part of a gang of international criminals who were checking out his property with a view to robbing it later.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The tour ended.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They did not buy the house - or burgle it! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiuLULqvTpVXDPmkFwkRPeBRVGZoFrtolBlge_goaZRAL7M_0IeJPQIKWSwhpZGlYQvDZyunx2JTvXEijmys7GLv6FO182lW4ULLl8fyGluMsZS7WjtsXUDuVJe_hMdg5D9WYntM6NA0I/s1600/1871147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="497" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiuLULqvTpVXDPmkFwkRPeBRVGZoFrtolBlge_goaZRAL7M_0IeJPQIKWSwhpZGlYQvDZyunx2JTvXEijmys7GLv6FO182lW4ULLl8fyGluMsZS7WjtsXUDuVJe_hMdg5D9WYntM6NA0I/s200/1871147.jpg" width="198" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sNpolkd4gHS1wZf6sn6B4HHMx00dzUC6c4UUtkTKTPnwvzryZ1qVLx4jO-9dxB5li_LXODCT7g3F3H3PmWdd0ntAdPOgeAKC5cX7QR4FgGiL5l60Z4YoiBCaVJ5zWcMXO8LBNt-wMgDK/s1600/1126508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="410" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sNpolkd4gHS1wZf6sn6B4HHMx00dzUC6c4UUtkTKTPnwvzryZ1qVLx4jO-9dxB5li_LXODCT7g3F3H3PmWdd0ntAdPOgeAKC5cX7QR4FgGiL5l60Z4YoiBCaVJ5zWcMXO8LBNt-wMgDK/s200/1126508.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Usually I ask as many questions as possible so that I can match the right properties to the right clients, but there are two questions that I would love to ask but daren’t - in this day and age asking about height and weight would not be politically correct but it is actually pretty important!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A few years ago my old agency sent me to meet a couple who had asked to view 2 specific properties they had seen on the website.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>To say Mrs Client was plump would be an under-statement, and she also used 2 walking sticks.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The first property just happened to be a bungalow which seemed perfect for them but even that was too much for her and she parked herself at the kitchen table while her husband visited the house with me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I then very tactfully tried to explain that I didn’t think the second property would suit them (it was a 3 storey village house with very steep steps) but they insisted on seeing it -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>she didn’t even get out of the car!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A funnier experience happened with another couple - the husband was an extremely ‘well-built’ ex rugby-player and despite my warning to be careful of the raised doorstep, he toppled over in slow motion and rolled gracefully into the hall.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Luckily his beer-belly cushioned his fall.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(If ever I give up this job I will become an actress as I managed to express concern despite the fact I was inwardly crying with laughter!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Very tall clients can also cause problems - ‘Character Stone-built Village Houses’ are often a maze of different levels and low beamed ceilings and nobody over 6’ tall should even think about living in one - I now carry plasters and arnica gel in my handbag.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Other problematic client</span>s are the ones who know exactly what they want - they turn up armed with maps, compasses, rejecting anything that isn’t facing the right direction (naturally at my old agency all the properties faced South or South-East…) and one couple were so fixed on buying a house with blue shutters that I was tempted to buy a pot of paint.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And then there are the clients who have no idea what they want - very recently I spent 3 days <span class="Apple-converted-space"> with a couple who wanted a 2 bed house near the sea, </span>then decided that because of global warming (ie raised sea levels in 50 years time) they preferred to be in Perpignan centre, then they wanted an extra bedroom for work, then they decided that a smaller town would be better but it had to have a train station, and finally they added that they needed secure parking.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Needless to say, despite several viewings I didn’t manage to find what they were looking for - and I don’t think I ever will!</div>
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So that is a brief look at the worst side of property finding; next time - rental nightmares!</div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-49980204120671073362020-04-24T09:53:00.000-07:002020-04-24T09:53:00.989-07:00Still trapped in Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAR7oAtpWgqOmoP21vV-LD6aQ7rv01hHwDJAl7ym4k7LJlaYUKhjEsz9Zm7JhhWeY9liuW1UDerynYMEeLo3axxJyTVmwqkrlkxeL4HmE0Omft9MM-3lw00vLTYbRHwqixpVoXavPLh8Y/s1600/apartment-162212_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1280" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAR7oAtpWgqOmoP21vV-LD6aQ7rv01hHwDJAl7ym4k7LJlaYUKhjEsz9Zm7JhhWeY9liuW1UDerynYMEeLo3axxJyTVmwqkrlkxeL4HmE0Omft9MM-3lw00vLTYbRHwqixpVoXavPLh8Y/s200/apartment-162212_1280.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Confinement started pretty well for me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I sorted out several cupboards, completely cleaned the kitchen, made 35 face-masks, painted lots of furniture, filed (and read) my bank statements, exercised, weeded the garden and made chicken stock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Didn’t do so much the next day …<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(!) Now we are on Day 40 of lockdown and (to quote my Granny), my Get Up And Go has Got Up and Went.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When you don’t know whether it’s Christmas or Tuesday as every day is the same, it’s hard to get motivated and it is too easy to just put jobs off until the next day, and the next day …</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">But this is also a time of ‘self-discovery’ - so here is what I have discovered:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7OVTKSLWpEIDyAAkk36srMi8xvRHTBvm7KhnDHCuLNwvSslJ1SIotmdArXxVnVnR5cPjgTThFi8gRDkDr-pi0JSxEKIInvjoNvfsaD71z5aTWcCT4xVeu4srQNnFDxDhzbaJbkDjGrWN/s1600/IMG_2762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7OVTKSLWpEIDyAAkk36srMi8xvRHTBvm7KhnDHCuLNwvSslJ1SIotmdArXxVnVnR5cPjgTThFi8gRDkDr-pi0JSxEKIInvjoNvfsaD71z5aTWcCT4xVeu4srQNnFDxDhzbaJbkDjGrWN/s200/IMG_2762.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<ol class="ol1"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3VG-On13N6ttTIRTDYNsqUr2NdPw8ij-8DWo1VRpXxfs_Al_dfSVOOA0iCyYydsPsZ44-D9ewbdQFO37GP-W2DSQTJmPAtevBYfslqwvu24D4OjWhMptRTH5pKcPteTGmDJA7DX3FVMy/s1600/IMG_2737.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3VG-On13N6ttTIRTDYNsqUr2NdPw8ij-8DWo1VRpXxfs_Al_dfSVOOA0iCyYydsPsZ44-D9ewbdQFO37GP-W2DSQTJmPAtevBYfslqwvu24D4OjWhMptRTH5pKcPteTGmDJA7DX3FVMy/s200/IMG_2737.jpeg" width="150" /></a>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I don’t like cleaning!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You make the bed, wash the floors, dust, clean, drag the hoover around, but it doesn’t last for long and just a few days later you have to do it all over again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I do, however, find myself strangely drawn to the adverts showing miracle gadgets that clean venetian blinds (even though I haven’t got any) and whiten the grout in the bathroom, but more in the way one watches films of people sky-diving - fascinating to watch but not something I would consider doing myself.</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I quite like cooking! There is a certain satisfaction in making something from scratch (I have at last mastered apple crumble) but it’s not something you should have to do every day and I miss being able to say ‘to hell with it, let’s eat out’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It’s also difficult trying to make meals from whatever you find in the cupboard (see Item 5) and I very much regret not labelling stuff I put in the freezer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Stewed apple looks very much like mashed potato..)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I miss my family!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But then again, this applies to everybody and the fact that I am here in France and they are in the UK makes no difference as they can’t see each other either. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I am becoming English again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I used to spend most of my time with french friends or french clients or driving around listening to french radio.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Now I listen to UK podcasts and spend a lot of time on the phone chatting to family or english friends (but the chats are becoming shorter and shorter as there are only 3 main topics of conversation now - a) How are you, b) What is the weather like, and c) what are you having for supper!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I should be able to stay fluent as I live with my french partner but we have barely spoken since Day 9….</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I don’t like Lentils.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On Day 9 my partner decided to make a rare visit to the supermarket as I think he considers me to be ‘elderly and vulnerable’ so need to stay in the house.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I gave him the list of staples such as cheese, bread, crisps and chocolate but he proudly returned with jars and cans of kidney beans, pois chiches, green beans, white beans (thank goodness I kept a couple of face-masks), and lots of lentils.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Nothing Edible!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have since taken back control of shopping and normal meal service has been resumed. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I can’t live without the internet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Here in our little village, the internet is very much a hit and miss affair and the slightest breeze seems to affect it - and I never understand that when I ring the helpline, their first suggestion is that I go onto their website.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If I could do that I wouldn’t be making the call.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I love the daily contact with friends via Whatsapp, or seeing what everybody is doing on Facebook; I can ‘travel the world’ or ‘see’ plays and concerts without leaving the house, and Google the answer to pretty much anything.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently the most popular Google searches during the confinement have been:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Buzzcuts, Animal Crossing, Tiger King, Banana cake, Bread-making, Coronavirus cure, home workout, Zoom, Home birth and Hair tutorial.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On checking my own search history I see that as well as checking the banana cake and bread recipes (not the others) I have also queried ‘How to remove oil-based paint from jeans’, ‘Recipes using chicken stock’, ‘How to clip dog’s nails’, and ‘What to do with Lentils’ (although I was surprised to see that the obvious response of ‘throw them away’ didn’t appear).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Amazon has also been a lifeline but they are only delivering ‘essentials’ - which for me consisted of Hair Dye (no explanation needed), Vitamins (because I don’t eat Lentils or Beans), Print Cartridge (for all the paperwork you have to print and take out to explain why you are out) and Dog Nail-Clippers (although I have yet to use them as I don’t want to make a mistake and have to go to the emergency vet) (and it is quite useful to be able to hear Loulou the Dog ‘ticking’ down the corridor in the middle of the night to tell us she needs to go out!)</span></li>
<li class="li1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I miss working!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The government may not consider the work of a Property Consultant ‘essential’, but it is to me!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>There is only so much that I can do from home - which is essentially ‘Not Very Much’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I miss driving round the region, meeting new clients, seeing different houses, matching the right people to the right properties and watching them fall in love with the region and starting new lives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(I can almost hear the violins playing in the background as I write this …!)</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcEmoQhrSnAD6ujFJR2ovajPl5rnVbgBVxawOerCmgYxIiTbCXjX_komuR3asO0IscJLcw91nuPfSRYukoJkXhUDIbVdpUA4Pqm5jWKLHGxwcMIOLGo113pDtSzQiX97rhe8K55TjrOeP/s1600/DSCF4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcEmoQhrSnAD6ujFJR2ovajPl5rnVbgBVxawOerCmgYxIiTbCXjX_komuR3asO0IscJLcw91nuPfSRYukoJkXhUDIbVdpUA4Pqm5jWKLHGxwcMIOLGo113pDtSzQiX97rhe8K55TjrOeP/s200/DSCF4120.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I shall sign off now as my Fitbit alarm has just gone off telling me it is time to move.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I thought it was broken as it hasn’t done the buzzing/flashing thing to celebrate the fact that I have achieved my 10,000 steps recently.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Perhaps you are supposed to do them all in one day …!</span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-9726923575746590112020-04-01T02:33:00.000-07:002020-04-01T02:33:57.707-07:00Log Blog<div class="p1" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9blul5MMsvvKByUe6Lu1eHU3hIFAsZuYPglDO0xPQ4AEboi_5YEoavdJ79ETPnVNJKQHuF_V4NithhYaOe-8d5wZNlCt916fGFQDxXECrlwUf63Mqh-mczN4irA6Gb_T6Yuo9tUarekS/s1600/IMG_2743.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9blul5MMsvvKByUe6Lu1eHU3hIFAsZuYPglDO0xPQ4AEboi_5YEoavdJ79ETPnVNJKQHuF_V4NithhYaOe-8d5wZNlCt916fGFQDxXECrlwUf63Mqh-mczN4irA6Gb_T6Yuo9tUarekS/s320/IMG_2743.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none;">At the risk of being accused of ‘stock-piling’ here is my stock of piled wood!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And the best thing about it is that it hasn’t cost a penny.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>There was a very high price to pay physically ‘though - sore muscles, broken fingernails, blood, sweat, tears - I was exhausted just watching him!</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none;">Apparently I am not very gifted at ‘logging’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>’Useless’, ‘Incompetent’ and ‘Dangerous’ were just a few of the words that I heard that I managed to translate from ‘shouty’ french.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But despite not having any of the necessary qualities to be a lumberjack (apart from a rather nice checked shirt) I did do my very best to help.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I wasn’t allowed to touch the chain-saw (to be honest, I didn’t volunteer), was briefly allowed to play with the log-splitter, (but was fired from that job because I wasn’t strong enough to lift whole logs onto the table),<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and eventually found my true vocation was hurling vine roots on top of the stacked logs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Unfortunately selecting logs for the chimney has now turned into a very dangerous game of Jenga!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none;">The wood has come from various sources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The large logs are mainly from oak trees that are cut down by the local farmers and seem to be left lying around (we always ask permission, rather than just turning up with the chainsaw as some of the farmers are quite big and scary looking.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The twisty ones are old grapevine stumps (souches) - you often see piles of them as you drive by the vineyards, with a sign saying ‘Servez-vous’ - so we do!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The rest of the pile also includes old bits of wooden furniture, fence posts and generally anything we find that can be burnt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none;">I just hope my clients Mr and Mrs P aren’t reading this as they recently emailed me to ask if I knew where they could buy firewood.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Ironic as they had just moved into a beautiful stone mas with 7 hectares of woodland. To be fair, the previous owner had obviously decided that as the house was going to be sold, there was little point preparing a big stock for the winter, and even if they could find where the removals men had stored their Axe and Wheelbarrow, anything they cut now would not be ready to burn until next year (wow, never knew I would know things like that!). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Luckily I was able to give them a supplier’s number, but it made me realise how important ‘the woodshed’ is - particularly as the boiler is now out of fuel....</span></div>
Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-3095107994364188052020-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:002020-03-23T09:14:02.013-07:00Trapped in Paradise
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowrIiT7wfABEG_xGQLVG6i45XGL4rPNfQbpWIVV2FDkyENjOpAfN2pZ5duFk7ES42rQGEQx4T1ReuPBWuYDGSkdejhsgFVmgjtjF7cQDg4KJDOVPy_unVR1iSiYAjrpiFRw6s4ZC3auqt/s1600/monalisa-4893660_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1075" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowrIiT7wfABEG_xGQLVG6i45XGL4rPNfQbpWIVV2FDkyENjOpAfN2pZ5duFk7ES42rQGEQx4T1ReuPBWuYDGSkdejhsgFVmgjtjF7cQDg4KJDOVPy_unVR1iSiYAjrpiFRw6s4ZC3auqt/s320/monalisa-4893660_1920.jpg" width="214" /></a><span class="s1">Usually I write about the nice things that happen in the South of France - visits to local markets, restaurants, vineyards, funny experiences etc.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Occasionally I write about the ‘not so nice’ things such as accidents, caterpillars and Brexit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I could never have imagined I would be writing about something as shocking as Coronavirus. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Although I was aware of its existence, I certainly didn’t take it seriously enough at first.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It was just amusing that the hugely important french custom of a physical greeting (hand-shake or kiss) was no longer permitted and we had to mutually agree which ‘non-skin’ part of our body to ‘bump’ with the other person.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Even when it was announced that the schools would be closing, all I felt like doing was putting a picture of a large wine box on Facebook, showing how ‘prepared’ I was. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">But that was all one week BC.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Before Covid 19.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Before Confinement.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Who would have believed that we are now in virtual ‘lock-down’,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>not allowed to leave the house unless for a very valid reason, risking huge fines if we haven’t printed out and filled in the required form justifying our ‘sortie’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Even if we could go out, the beaches are closed, bars and restaurants are closed, so there is no reason to go anywhere except for ‘essential’ food shopping, and only 1 person is allowed to go.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It now seems ironic that just a few weeks ago I wrote a blogpost about the difficulties of working from home, as now I have absolutely no choice, and it is definitely not working!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Although much of what I do is for clients at a distance, it is pretty impossible to sell, rent or search for properties without physically being there and with so much uncertainty around, nobody is booking holiday villas for this summer either.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Obviously my main worry at the moment (apart from the lack of work = lack of income situation) is that I have no idea when I’ll be able to see my family in the UK again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But there are definitely some positives to come out of this:</span></div>
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<li><span class="s1">My filing cabinet and paperwork have never been in such good order!</span></li>
<li>The dogs are happy as we are around all day</li>
<li>I have enough wine</li>
<li>The french have learned how to form orderly queues</li>
<li>There is plenty of time to catch up with all the old friends I promised to stay in touch with</li>
<li>It is really really peaceful outside with hardly any traffic, no noisy microlights and just the occasional jet passing overhead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
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<span class="s1">I realise that there are considerably worse places to be confined than in a villa with a big garden in the South of France, but despite still being able to enjoy the views, the sunshine and the vineyard walks, I can’t help but feel worried.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is a long way from being over.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photocredit:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sumanley at Pixabay</span></span></div>
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Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-21925904910642688622020-03-03T02:56:00.001-08:002020-03-03T02:56:02.243-08:00Troc around the clock
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pB7GMp2sHiKwqRgk15AMAa2CMt1kMhMPxTxz1Eq2QRVO1Z0nqLhunyHykl4unmXU97pzhQAxfk-Ayh3cr6IZDzIsgTUSe-TchKajzWIHxbQwo-PHGOICooXOImfPGXQ1Eoz-wCcSSle8/s1600/IMG_2694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pB7GMp2sHiKwqRgk15AMAa2CMt1kMhMPxTxz1Eq2QRVO1Z0nqLhunyHykl4unmXU97pzhQAxfk-Ayh3cr6IZDzIsgTUSe-TchKajzWIHxbQwo-PHGOICooXOImfPGXQ1Eoz-wCcSSle8/s320/IMG_2694.JPG" width="240" /></a><span class="s1">I love a bargain - it gives me a warm fuzzy glow to find something I need at a very much reduced price - but generally if you want something brand new at a good price you need to wait for the ‘sales’. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sale-time in France occurs just twice a year, and for very restricted periods - Allied Carpets would definitely struggle to hold their year-long closing down sale.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>However, if you are looking for a warm fuzzy glow at other times of the year,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>may I point you in the direction of the Troc.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GDYw1UMXnVUmCtK4a2rXXPjaP2MAzh3VD7E67m7mCNc0RKu0WUnyclJEdmtkmlPJsuiFW0tFGjacPiXvw9qBllUe_ep_xHyMOr6rGzZzcbD8GTha_eq2nhle1g5Qt5TqzIpmpLIca2ge/s1600/IMG_2689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GDYw1UMXnVUmCtK4a2rXXPjaP2MAzh3VD7E67m7mCNc0RKu0WUnyclJEdmtkmlPJsuiFW0tFGjacPiXvw9qBllUe_ep_xHyMOr6rGzZzcbD8GTha_eq2nhle1g5Qt5TqzIpmpLIca2ge/s200/IMG_2689.JPG" width="150" /></a><span class="s1">Troc comes from the french word ‘Troquer’ which means to exchange or barter goods or services.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Nowadays you exchange money for the goods, but the name remains the same.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These are usually to be found in large industrial units on the outskirts of towns and are full of strange and wonderful things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sellers leave their goods ‘on consignment’, the Troc sells the goods and takes a pretty chunky commission, but there is a real mix of second-hand ‘junk’ (old bicycles, large ‘brown’ furniture, kitchen units and appliances), and also some brand new items from (I imagine) bankrupt shops.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If ever you need a rail of carpet samples, a 3 metre run of metal shelving or 50 pots of paint in garish colours I can point you in the right direction.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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We also have charity shops here but they are nothing like the lavender-scented shops run by lavender-scented old ladies that you find on every High Street in the UK (obviously I’m talking about places like Dorset!).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These ones are, again, in out of town areas in purpose built units.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The biggest one is Emmaus and the concept is to help people on the outskirts of society (ex-offenders for example) to find their place in the world by living and working as a community recycling people’s unwanted goods.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Everything is neatly presented in 4 large sheds and it is a great place for a bargain (I came away with a rotary clothes dryer for just 4€).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>There is also another place I’ve just discovered (the Recyclerie d’Elne) but they seem to go one step beyond recycling - rather than just cleaning and repairing items for sale they completely convert them and I was very tempted by a piano which had been turned into a drinks cabinet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And if anybody has every heard me play the piano, you will understand!<br />
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<span class="s1">And finally, we can’t forget the french equivalent of the Car-Boot sale - known as Vide-Greniers (literal translation is ‘empty attics’).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This appears to be a national pastime with lists published in the newspapers of where they will be held.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You don’t have to drive to a muddy field in the rain, these events are held in the streets of the villages (hopefully closed to traffic), (usually on a Sunday morning), and trestle tables are set up on the pavements outside the houses.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These can be very social affairs - sometimes there will be musicians and often there will be the ‘wine-man’ selling plastic glasses of dubious quality wine from a large box.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICSJgXCHe14VPIuyenbBZ4L2kRrqH46EyzP9jbIJgXLy9VGy3isyu78OBiUWw_bkXcFVVKOKXpEIE-YilKKmJS-w8LiaT71InypTMS9CV_mR-xyQ1A-meHl8wC1m8VNe_ZgOMNokWqDHI/s1600/IMG_2692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICSJgXCHe14VPIuyenbBZ4L2kRrqH46EyzP9jbIJgXLy9VGy3isyu78OBiUWw_bkXcFVVKOKXpEIE-YilKKmJS-w8LiaT71InypTMS9CV_mR-xyQ1A-meHl8wC1m8VNe_ZgOMNokWqDHI/s200/IMG_2692.JPG" width="150" /></a><span class="s1">So, if you have romantic ideas about strolling around a typical french flea-market with an accordionist playing ‘La Vie en Rose’ in the background, forget it - but if you are searching for a bargain, there are lots of places to choose from.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>One man’s trash is another man’s treasure - and I am very proud of my clothes airer (and the cushions, the vase, the wine glasses, the slightly cracked mirror, the rug and the pot of shocking pink paint)!</span></div>
<br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-23934696627327563112020-02-05T10:29:00.000-08:002020-02-05T10:29:04.180-08:00(Not) Working from Home<style type="text/css">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiTPWalETeU2h2PM8LoeNzkD0REEuvreQT7nzKwQ-vOJVavQLxSAb06jkRbpj5nnLLdZZx5gUWS8Nvukc-vLFmsfStimTenqdwhUHkM3KwNZDf3ZNDgDxK3mVvhACO6KFZ_vbA8Qi1pnP/s1600/laptop-3317007_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiTPWalETeU2h2PM8LoeNzkD0REEuvreQT7nzKwQ-vOJVavQLxSAb06jkRbpj5nnLLdZZx5gUWS8Nvukc-vLFmsfStimTenqdwhUHkM3KwNZDf3ZNDgDxK3mVvhACO6KFZ_vbA8Qi1pnP/s200/laptop-3317007_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: center;">Working from home is never easy, but today looks as if it will be even worse than usual as it is 11.49 and so far I have done just 35 minutes work.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I try to keep the balance right by designating certain days as ‘work’ days, and on those days I aim to be smartly dressed (scruffy jeans for ‘home’ days only), and if I have no appointments, am at my desk by 9am.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">My ‘office’ is a room in the back part of the house, just the other side of the living room, next to the laundry/boiler room area. I only mention this so you know that I have the minimum of distractions there (far from the coffee machine and no view of the pool), and that my commute to work is not too arduous.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">09.00 - At desk, raring to go.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.15 - Finish catching up on the gossip on Facebook and Twitter and open email page.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.25 - Finish deleting all the spam (I don’t want my loft insulating, or to help Reverend Mbawe get his millions out of Nigeria, or have my penis enlarged (?!)), and finally open an enquiry from a client who asks…</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.26 - Dogs want to go outside.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.31 - Cat appears on window-sill wanting to come in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently not.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Maybe later.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.32 - Pick up all the papers that have blown onto the floor when window was opened.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Back to the email from the client who wants to know if….<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.34 - Cat reappears and seems to be starving to death.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently his bowl is not completely full.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I remedy the situation.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.37 - Back to desk and the client who wants to know if I can help with renting out his holiday villa.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Google the address and it looks a good property so I start typing a reply with the list of…. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.45 - Doorbell rings and I fight my way past the dogs who still believe they can get out through a door before it is fully opened.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Postman is at the gate and needs a signature for a parcel delivery.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUchyphenhypheniVXsqFlhcdFwDiBS5xj2Up9pUz2M4E8M93QA6dhzI514Qkf0MkAMYdHPf1sliiUeIVDp5I2Y5X-LJi23X9v9Ryv9M1Q5Ydq5_3K-aWBHv4zaz1Sld79hqQGYAebQkPK3EuMPo-_hq/s1600/dog-41039_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUchyphenhypheniVXsqFlhcdFwDiBS5xj2Up9pUz2M4E8M93QA6dhzI514Qkf0MkAMYdHPf1sliiUeIVDp5I2Y5X-LJi23X9v9Ryv9M1Q5Ydq5_3K-aWBHv4zaz1Sld79hqQGYAebQkPK3EuMPo-_hq/s200/dog-41039_1280.png" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.47 - In bathroom running arm under cold water until the bleeding stops and then applying a plaster to the scratch I received when a dog managed to push me into the rose-bush so he could be first to greet the postman.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>NB. Possibly not deliberate.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">09.55 - Back to the enquiry and I manage to send the reply, ask for a convenient time to visit, send a list of questions, and also to….<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">10.15 -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Partner turns up as he was ‘just passing’ en route to another appointment and thought it would be nice to have coffee together.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">10.25 - Spend 30 minutes sitting in the garden having coffee together (see my Blogpost of 12th Jan re not drinking coffee at desks).</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">10.55 - Partner leaves, informs me that he will be back for lunch.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>How nice.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDAyMtv1AiYGXdSaxY2GQgwnDONPEgwiMr_GoCRrt1Fy9n-m_aWO6jH4jJcppBn_6W9DtLxaHo_cHquzSJEtITzFXVtjSnQ8k0BsdIUkTb4yIdxv5azNH6X6xVPwLhk5yefJaazgfY4xv/s1600/frog-220275_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="640" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDAyMtv1AiYGXdSaxY2GQgwnDONPEgwiMr_GoCRrt1Fy9n-m_aWO6jH4jJcppBn_6W9DtLxaHo_cHquzSJEtITzFXVtjSnQ8k0BsdIUkTb4yIdxv5azNH6X6xVPwLhk5yefJaazgfY4xv/s200/frog-220275_640.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">11.00 - Delete two more spam emails then spend several minutes trying to work out how to block them, discover an important email in ‘Junk Mail’ folder, write apologetic email explaining the delay, continue replying to…</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">11.17 - Go outside to see why dogs are barking crazily.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Remove frog from pool and return it to pond.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">11.29 - Finish last email then print out a document ready for a visit this afternoon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Google ‘Why is my printer not responding’.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do not understand explanation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Unplug printer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Plug printer back in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Print document.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">11.43 - Telephone call.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently it is my lucky day - a technician is in my area and can give me a quote for loft insulation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I teach them a few English words they may not have heard before.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">11.49 - Give up and write blogpost.</span></div>
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</style>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-37418533647422654562020-01-27T01:18:00.000-08:002020-01-27T01:18:04.977-08:00When property finding works too well.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">I have just been the victim of my own success<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- and it is not often I can say that!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Towards the end of last year I received an enquiry from a client in Australia, wanting help and advice on relocating to Perpignan.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He wanted a very specific type of property, so before making any reckless promises I did a bit of research and was able to confirm that yes, I thought I could find some suitable properties for him, within his budget.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It wasn’t an easy search but I produced a short list of 5 and he flew over for a viewing trip in November.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He actually liked all of them, but loved the final 2 and flew back home to weigh up the pros and cons.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He also needed tax and legal advice as he has triple nationality and wanted to set up his business here too so I put him in touch with two local experts so he could get the right information. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zBxadAV2NOgX25YLCeUGBRTA6AA3I1oM2oQmrW3Df2qfOk7BUXg14P1G8RY0gQ-6j5Sjk2P6p03jfKIeT-wRyet_kL7QI5qKcSDdz8xhjNEveMMdbFhyphenhyphenLSrQJh0-aX627ikdKHfu9ezK/s1600/girl-308981_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1139" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zBxadAV2NOgX25YLCeUGBRTA6AA3I1oM2oQmrW3Df2qfOk7BUXg14P1G8RY0gQ-6j5Sjk2P6p03jfKIeT-wRyet_kL7QI5qKcSDdz8xhjNEveMMdbFhyphenhyphenLSrQJh0-aX627ikdKHfu9ezK/s200/girl-308981_1280.png" width="177" /></a><span class="s1">Last week he was ready to make his offer - and last week the agent told me that the property was sold, and even worse than that, his second choice was also under offer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Now not only am I furious with the agent, who promised that she would let me know if there was any interest in the properties we viewed, I am also furious with myself - for doing my job too well!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The client admitted that he was very surprised that we had seen so many ‘good’ properties and that he had envisaged that it would take at least a couple of trips to find what he was looking for and had planned to sort out his legal and financial questions in the interim.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So the moral of this story is (Warning - Blatant Advertisement on way!): If you enjoy being frustrated by viewing properties that look nothing like their internet details, working with agents who don’t seem interested, and spending time and money on several trips, then don’t call me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>However, if you want to spend a day or two viewing a small selection of properties that tick all the boxes on your ‘wish-list’, then please call me!</span></div>
<br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-14901833052804165752020-01-12T03:58:00.000-08:002020-01-12T03:58:15.912-08:00Cheers!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI-dN8LLxLNTlfLxeaM18xVnVNUlovYNR_xDaw7bTUpds6L7038D6ss48BBlXxFiM7x1Fz2i3xz9Iioydvi6018OVBgt5nn16bLvP3TD0J4tKhcTFNAalew7U232BzSYhOfv0gCrnRrX5/s1600/glass-306282_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1235" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI-dN8LLxLNTlfLxeaM18xVnVNUlovYNR_xDaw7bTUpds6L7038D6ss48BBlXxFiM7x1Fz2i3xz9Iioydvi6018OVBgt5nn16bLvP3TD0J4tKhcTFNAalew7U232BzSYhOfv0gCrnRrX5/s200/glass-306282_1280.png" width="192" /></a><span class="s1">My partner has just walked into the kitchen and remarked ‘oh, I see you’ve already poured yourself an ‘apero’. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Given that it is 7.45pm and I’ve been cooking for over an hour I see no need to explain that in fact I am on glass number 2, and that ‘cooking with wine’ is a very important English custom!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Drinking is very important to the french and there are many unwritten laws about it, the main one being that you never drink alone but wait to share the moment with somebody.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Even on one of those ‘I’m a celebrity’ type programmes (The Island), I noticed that when a young man won the ‘reward’ of a tropical breakfast, his first reaction on being given a glass of orange juice was to express his disappointment that there was nobody to share the moment with - and this was despite the fact he had been living on water and rice for several days!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz8o7WsyhZDK1NHcgb2HyGCLRQeLO7efjODqkAUHKRejsDUZu-iuvGtK9fAIKrVIeK7JADocZdMqvdUkVASBXLQdSY4o8XIhvdJ8CrxcWHm_L1cwQNNie9BKKWgRbIqQE3Wy9gXk55QvT/s1600/silhouette-2402991_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz8o7WsyhZDK1NHcgb2HyGCLRQeLO7efjODqkAUHKRejsDUZu-iuvGtK9fAIKrVIeK7JADocZdMqvdUkVASBXLQdSY4o8XIhvdJ8CrxcWHm_L1cwQNNie9BKKWgRbIqQE3Wy9gXk55QvT/s200/silhouette-2402991_1280.png" width="200" /></a><span class="s1">But it’s not just aperos that have their little ritual, coffee time can be a nightmare too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In the UK if you are going to make yourself a coffee and ask if anybody else would like one, it is quite normal just to place the drink next to them and then carry on doing whatever you were doing before.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I like a coffee on my desk while I work, or in the morning while doing my make-up, but oh no, not in France.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When you arrive with the coffee the discussion of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>‘where shall we have it’ begins.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do we sit in the kitchen, in the lounge, outside in the garden but in the shade or in the sun, by the pool or on the terrace etc etc. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>By the time we finally sit down, the coffee is usually cold. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcL34No8yMlOBAcDyDhunUqGpHp4-MFfuWWzQDOJocfNifO1S2lGTIbjSwyTb3gnrFKl61-KkYFsY144RdfPalK3lhLkdXjUngf_DulVvjXPk2aimi1kMSPLntbK-9Zg4mclzbHML-dIh6/s1600/canapes-2947979_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcL34No8yMlOBAcDyDhunUqGpHp4-MFfuWWzQDOJocfNifO1S2lGTIbjSwyTb3gnrFKl61-KkYFsY144RdfPalK3lhLkdXjUngf_DulVvjXPk2aimi1kMSPLntbK-9Zg4mclzbHML-dIh6/s200/canapes-2947979_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1">And back to aperos (I’m assuming that everybody knows this is the shortened version of Aperitif?).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Various ‘rules’ apply here: Firstly, asking for a glass of wine is generally frowned upon, sometimes champagne will be offered but more usually spirits or those drinks we used to enjoy in the 70s (not Babycham!). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Secondly, Aperos are always served with nibbles, which need to involve olives, cheese or charcuterie - and not a packet of crisps. In fact there is a ‘new’ phenomenon here called the ‘Apero Dinatoire’ where you are given more substantial nibbles and this replaces the need to cater for a full-blown dinner party. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But the most important rule is not to drink before anybody else: you should always pour the drink for the other person before filling your own glass, then you must clink glasses and say ‘santé’ before taking a sip while looking the other person in the eyes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Apparently this is to prove that you haven’t poisoned the other persons drink – and if my partner ever again mentions the fact that I started drinking before him, he is right to be wary…!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-45534372404665536532020-01-02T01:30:00.001-08:002020-01-02T01:30:14.587-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajBbdvJkxJ6uAo-p-rVuKFZN2hbhSkgX6byr-Q65NetvZTLKxcb7pWU8W4zmVThtpr-S6cnyER9nJZ_A23HfuSkP8zyvzbeLEMZkgGFbGUXwLehkMbpRISv7onydwcZvfmgbibZBWe8LQ/s1600/IMG_2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajBbdvJkxJ6uAo-p-rVuKFZN2hbhSkgX6byr-Q65NetvZTLKxcb7pWU8W4zmVThtpr-S6cnyER9nJZ_A23HfuSkP8zyvzbeLEMZkgGFbGUXwLehkMbpRISv7onydwcZvfmgbibZBWe8LQ/s320/IMG_2619.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">What a lovely start to the New Year. We were walking in the vineyards yesterday and passed our neighbours farm where they were cutting branches of Mimosa, which is already in full bloom, and they handed us this lovely bunch, together with their ‘best wishes’ for 2020. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">So, this is more of a Greetings Card than a Blogpost today, but I just wanted to share this photo and the little story behind it - and to wish you all a very Happy New Year too.</span></div>
<br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-3412037933566514582019-11-26T05:37:00.000-08:002019-11-26T05:37:27.853-08:00The key to my success<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjstMUM7mXR2FDz_gpnAQ8D7DxgWZD70UnYDOC2QPTUCXBVyIawcn7lvlQw6yaTzROB_Pt4TFd2Q0CIYVO0BUumlNkcdeux5otYW12HZ0RjS2Envi5LJ9bhiZH7wnl0D7noEMsvCBGz9ou/s1600/IMG_2483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjstMUM7mXR2FDz_gpnAQ8D7DxgWZD70UnYDOC2QPTUCXBVyIawcn7lvlQw6yaTzROB_Pt4TFd2Q0CIYVO0BUumlNkcdeux5otYW12HZ0RjS2Envi5LJ9bhiZH7wnl0D7noEMsvCBGz9ou/s200/IMG_2483.jpg" width="150" /></a>When you have guests in a rental property, it is always a
good idea to be there when they leave so they drive off smiling and thinking
what a lovely polite host you are - and you can check that they haven’t trashed
the place!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously when their travel
plans involve leaving at stupid o’clock in the morning I tend to trust to luck
(and their security deposit!) and ask them to leave the keys in a safe
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the case of an apartment in
Perpignan, that safe place is the letter-box in the main hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are 40 letter-boxes, arranged in 4
horizontal rows of 10, and mine is clearly marked as being the one on the top
right of the set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The system has worked perfectly
except for 6 weeks ago when I found 27 items of junk mail but no keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly got hold of the clients who assured
me that they had posted the keys inside and they could not understand what had
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRmsTKyYmufABODdXuSSUBpul09qz1OmbDhfDe7f9KK6jv1tOKX4ACayVDQNYlHpNg1UYm0uxedNTM6qwK305w2xaZigXe7dR7hyphenhyphenPo6ipoAIjYUAqcfPjlQLbnu7BXoOf-YoO_B2L0ys-/s1600/IMG_2480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRmsTKyYmufABODdXuSSUBpul09qz1OmbDhfDe7f9KK6jv1tOKX4ACayVDQNYlHpNg1UYm0uxedNTM6qwK305w2xaZigXe7dR7hyphenhyphenPo6ipoAIjYUAqcfPjlQLbnu7BXoOf-YoO_B2L0ys-/s200/IMG_2480.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Unfortunately I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you open the letter-box there are 2
holes at the front and I could only guess that the keys had slid off the pile
of junk mail, down a hole and into the box below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peering in I could see that it was full to
the brim with junk mail so obviously belonged to an unused apartment -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so no chance of ringing the owner to ask them
to open the box and check for my key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
next option was to try to open it myself but none of my keys fitted and
unfortunately I don’t carry safe-cracking equipment or a crowbar in my
handbag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I then went upstairs to the apartment (I had the spare keys
– I’m not completely stupid!) and panicked for a while, then had the brilliant
idea of ringing the Concièrge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10
minutes later he called back to say he had managed to get into the box below
mine and yes, he had retrieved the keys!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I dashed downstairs and nearly kissed him – but he seemed happier to
accept a bottle of red wine!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DHCFsVRRuqAaJeJ3snhcc7yN5f3et34pUj8WRblW3vBLKDC125iW5tAsLat_XFcEDFaMLM1G6C_PyZHhR78OAGu_2CXjr_lgvbHBksBC_MYycfe1xrCkc_-zewHZgKHxueiC7dYUu1aT/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DHCFsVRRuqAaJeJ3snhcc7yN5f3et34pUj8WRblW3vBLKDC125iW5tAsLat_XFcEDFaMLM1G6C_PyZHhR78OAGu_2CXjr_lgvbHBksBC_MYycfe1xrCkc_-zewHZgKHxueiC7dYUu1aT/s200/IMG_2479.jpg" width="150" /></a>So that should be the end of the story, except I am ashamed
to say that this week I found myself in exactly the same situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes I had followed his advice and stuck tape
over the holes, but it was just normal sellotape and the apartment keys are
quite heavy so unbelievably they had managed to unstick the tape and drop
through again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even worse, they
weren’t in the box below mine (which was wide open because ‘somebody’ had
damaged the lock …).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cue another urgent
(and very embarrassing) call to the concierge who once again saved the day -
the keys had somehow dropped all the way down into the 3<sup>rd</sup> row of
boxes! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He accepted my effusive gratitude
and several euros, and also very kindly lent me a big roll of orange gaffer
tape and some scissors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope never to
have to call him out again, but who knows …<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-20576587959173042632019-11-18T08:08:00.000-08:002019-11-18T08:08:58.908-08:00Out to lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1Ay10pZOj15Mr6iFeu-dlvBuVrXBkuyrvJZH10Za9nD4qsqsDV1QFxQn21D1AIrcE7f1sJJSIRvcv-Z4xTuq8M9_wKtxK5Kznn_5yRqBKOCJA_8TsVHikAGtMnZcsTlT05jZQHjDYZwp/s1600/restaurant-4117005_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1166" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1Ay10pZOj15Mr6iFeu-dlvBuVrXBkuyrvJZH10Za9nD4qsqsDV1QFxQn21D1AIrcE7f1sJJSIRvcv-Z4xTuq8M9_wKtxK5Kznn_5yRqBKOCJA_8TsVHikAGtMnZcsTlT05jZQHjDYZwp/s200/restaurant-4117005_1280.png" width="181" /></a></div>
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It is very unusual for me to write a bad restaurant review
on Trip Advisor but I was so furious yesterday that I could not stop
myself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just for a change of scene we
sometimes go to Narbonne for the Sunday market; there are some great street
stalls and also Les Halles, the indoor food market with tapas bars etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then like to have lunch in a nice
restaurant on the canal bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
restaurants are often busy on Market days so as we were passing one of our
favourite places we thought we would stop and reserve a table for 1pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 11.50, there were tables laid out
outside, lights were on inside, but the door was firmly shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another couple turned up with the same idea
and we all peered in and could see the staff eating their pre-service lunch at
the back of the restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could
clearly see us and hear us when we knocked on the door to ask if they were
open, but totally ignored us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other
couple started noting down the telephone number so they could ring and reserve
but we decided nothing would induce us to eat there after such an unfriendly
and rude reaction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcSMqFXxnaW3NExrBGOmDNchsOmprXauJML5L3oMqFI0ly8OCdsbVqBzqsfw3F7HpsxY0PCifZ8_gJq1hrQjbfbOQ5g1zToiyLJZYzrvvYwZzzVZ71HPlFAoIbkQFQJb1NK7RPpCbGrri/s1600/IMG_2470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcSMqFXxnaW3NExrBGOmDNchsOmprXauJML5L3oMqFI0ly8OCdsbVqBzqsfw3F7HpsxY0PCifZ8_gJq1hrQjbfbOQ5g1zToiyLJZYzrvvYwZzzVZ71HPlFAoIbkQFQJb1NK7RPpCbGrri/s320/IMG_2470.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We ended up in a new place that we had never tried before –
nothing to write home about, and nothing to write to Trip Advisor about – but a
good atmosphere and not bad food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was what happened after the meal that made my day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an elderly lady eating alone at the
table next to us and when she got up to leave, she flung her scarf around her
neck with such a flourish that it knocked my wine glass over, drenching the
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was absolutely mortified but
we assured her that it was absolutely no problem and when my partner jokingly
said that the ‘punishment’ would be a ‘bise’, she kissed us both on the cheek
and left the restaurant smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10
minutes later she returned with a little posy of flowers that she had picked in
her garden, tied up with a pretty red ribbon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1805664460222084217.post-58484370224981108862019-10-23T10:28:00.000-07:002019-10-23T10:28:06.270-07:00Raining Cats and Dogs
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQ54avfTvGfOVhW9BN0wD6f__3alfcYUeAEV3n3BHe3LB6oOT3KO49SxguBpx-2NJ2DzfMD2XqiXa8tmNjVV2XfOiqCaiaY0D6Ti-Gii90KMJOcadtjOUnFtGQXiDwMP06YUWrM6gZ4E9/s1600/weather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="454" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQ54avfTvGfOVhW9BN0wD6f__3alfcYUeAEV3n3BHe3LB6oOT3KO49SxguBpx-2NJ2DzfMD2XqiXa8tmNjVV2XfOiqCaiaY0D6Ti-Gii90KMJOcadtjOUnFtGQXiDwMP06YUWrM6gZ4E9/s320/weather.jpg" width="151" /></a>For several days now I’ve been seeing warnings that there
was an ‘Episode Mediterranean’ on the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To me that sounded like something to do with sun-loungers and a day at
the beach but apparently it is some sort of meteorological phenomenon (I had to
look that up) involving heavy rain and very serious storms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMl52yEx1EvJleMCY64ttzwCjOpnKrBBvDAaHDeKqg0DJ0qQE0cmfhNspujzRHdTBYDUz-iUhQ7Ix-mo-8B4YZWZkqzWl6JUdh-NJpeyoiyuJV3As3osCKEEwunpTz4fHPm7b3xk6Ic8H/s1600/dog-160561__340.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="281" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMl52yEx1EvJleMCY64ttzwCjOpnKrBBvDAaHDeKqg0DJ0qQE0cmfhNspujzRHdTBYDUz-iUhQ7Ix-mo-8B4YZWZkqzWl6JUdh-NJpeyoiyuJV3As3osCKEEwunpTz4fHPm7b3xk6Ic8H/s200/dog-160561__340.png" width="165" /></a>On Tuesday it rained all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so bad that I didn’t even have to
explain to the dogs that nobody was going out for a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Orange sent their usual text message warning
that a storm was coming and to unplug the Livebox – seriously, it’s raining and they expect me not to watch tv, work on the computer and make phone calls? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSGPuRBVd6sLMRCXrFxZKEI-L-2pVgwkTSsnY685YGyDovzCq-MVFSbeBzfYtABw7x2OIAHQWwsBJCuM-ZQaK1IgH8Tbdo2fIgAPkaotLyhwPm-wnK8_gDmZ9bufqTEIP1kxZn1DAwoKa/s1600/cat-1287594__340.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="283" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSGPuRBVd6sLMRCXrFxZKEI-L-2pVgwkTSsnY685YGyDovzCq-MVFSbeBzfYtABw7x2OIAHQWwsBJCuM-ZQaK1IgH8Tbdo2fIgAPkaotLyhwPm-wnK8_gDmZ9bufqTEIP1kxZn1DAwoKa/s200/cat-1287594__340.png" width="166" /></a>We had been warned to expect 3 months of rain in just 2
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I think we received our
quota over a period of just 2 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
woken at 3am thinking that a helicopter was landing outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have never seen a storm like it – non-stop
thunder, constant sheet lightening (think strobe lighting in a 70s disco) and
rain lashing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I briefly saw the cat
waiting to be let in but even in torrential rain, when I opened the door he
decided to run off and take his chances!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaXVTJPtmpRHa2-lNIjCBKws7myUN8_iqYaTC6ZVoowUQTYlAmEsbnFuQy8We4CtCiQa5dq0Cozu5TX96Q5aGXM5MVU8TlPGTGsFgHjM8hhVmk8EjkSXun4tjzbw8Ib_qTeE7Ux2v3a3z/s1600/flood-24420__340.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="384" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaXVTJPtmpRHa2-lNIjCBKws7myUN8_iqYaTC6ZVoowUQTYlAmEsbnFuQy8We4CtCiQa5dq0Cozu5TX96Q5aGXM5MVU8TlPGTGsFgHjM8hhVmk8EjkSXun4tjzbw8Ib_qTeE7Ux2v3a3z/s200/flood-24420__340.png" width="200" /></a>This afternoon the rain has finally stopped, and apart from
spending most of the day mopping up minor leaks, resetting the clock on the
cooker (due to a power cut) (and yes I had finally unplugged the Livebox!), sorting out the fact we now have an ‘infinity’
pool, constantly drying wet dogs (and the cat, when he finally turned up)
everything is getting back to normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
apparently we got off lightly as there were also mini-tornadoes – trees and
walls have fallen, roads are closed, rivers have flooded and many people have
had to be evacuated from their properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I do feel extremely sorry (and ridiculously responsible) for
some clients of mine who had flown over for a 2 day viewing trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had spent Monday visiting properties and I
had left Tuesday free for them to drive around the region, visit the beaches
and admire our wonderful scenery. This is the sunniest region in France with over
300 days of sunshine here and it hardly ever rains – honestly!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<!--EndFragment--><br />Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06393735386014500399noreply@blogger.com2