Thursday 24 January 2013

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Monday 21 January 2013


This evening, for some unknown reason, I got embroiled in the most amazing argument on the LIFT Facebook page.

A member asked the question about offering ready to heat meals, mainly curries, for sale to members of the public and whether they would be interested.

There were a few responses before I replied.

This lady had all the necessary catering qualifications (English) but they are different here in France. I just endeavoured to point her in the right direction so I suggested that the ‘poster’ created a business and then went through the proper channels to be legitimate in France, even giving her a link to someone selling food here.

Another person said ‘Are you taking the Mick & etc.?’

Well this comment opened all sorts of responses, bearing in mind that there are now over 1000 members on this particular site
.
A lot of people agreed with the fact that she needed to be legal. After all I was only trying to help her, heaven forbid that she goes down the wrong route and ends up being closed down and fined a lot of money that she cannot afford.

There were a couple out here who ran a pork business; oh you know,   “We breed rare breed pigs and make sausages, pies, sell chops, piglets etc.”  Yes, they got caught out and had to pay an enormous amount in fines and eventually left the country. Yes, they were running the business without the necessary permissions! 

Don’t like to see that happening to someone wanting to make a living out here.

Eventually the posting acquired around 150 comments before admin deleted it.

There was a lot of vitriol.

So there is, out there, the occasional person that will stir up something innocuous and turn it into a storm.

I was quite surprised at the response from this particular person, I just could not understand why she had responded in such a way. 

Maybe she had had too much to drink, she did sound a little ‘slurred’ with her comments. 

Am I making excuses for someone with issues?

I have had support from people that I know as well as those that I don’t know.

I won’t keep my mouth shut when there is knowledge to share. 

I do not like to see people get the wrong sort of advice.

If I don’t know then I won’t say but if I do then I will and on this occasion I did.

Monday 14 January 2013

Protests are afoot in Gay Paree - it seems that the 'ordinary' folk are not so happy about the proposals of  M. Hollande to allow same-sex marriage. I hear all the shouting on the news and see the images in the press.

Trains, buses and other alternative transport was laid on to allow the protesters, for and against, to congregate and make their stand.

I will just stay here in the relative comfort of my home and observe from the sidelines.

It will another one of M. Hollands plans to bite the dust, peut etre.

At least the Justice Dept. are happy to throw out his ideas.

We are in the process of decorating, this has been an ongoing task for around 6 months now. It is only the hallway being done but it is looking very nice, almost finished I am pleased to say.

Himself has been papering, I did a little but found that up and down the ladder did me no good and put me in pain for a few days. It is all to do, I hope, with the arthritis in the base of my spine and how affects my hip. Referred pain can be a bit of a nuisance as you are not sure what area to treat. I did have a cortisone injection a couple of years ago and that made no difference whatsoever. I do hate to take painkillers and want to go for the natural approach to pain when possible.

The local ladies group is now in four figures, not bad in four years but it seems that a little friction is making its way in.

I suppose it is a bit like a large all girls school, you either get on or you don't, sometimes you argue, call each other names or even tell someone exactly what you think of them. You fall out and then make up and remain friends or never speak to the other party again. So far this year there have been two nasty spats.. oh dear!

The 'headmistress' has been very diplomatic over these 'infantile' postings.

There is also the lady who's house bounds on a farmers field, they had a falling out a while back, over something minor, and now the farmer is building a shed against their house. Lady and husband are now selling up, if they can.

I think that this year there will be quite a few changes here, some people will find that life is not all it's cut up to be and will be opting out and trying somewhere else.

Wheat and Chaff come to mind.