Moving 'abroad'.

I took this photo of Lady M on the very day we left to live in France, in September 1972. Buying our house hadn't been easy; it was still pre-Common Market days, and they made things as difficult as possible. 

To buy property in France, I was forced to buy 'Investment Dollars' in order to buy French Francs; this was known as The Dollar Premium, and it didn't come cheap!

It must be remembered that in 1972 the UK was still regarded as the enemy by France. Having captured little Napoleon back in 1815; they'd never really forgiven us. 

We had stuffed a rental Transit Van full of all our goods and chattels, and filled my VW Beetle with two children and our scruffy mongrel 'Hamlet'. With not a care in the world, we set off on an adventure.

At Dieppe I was ordered to park overnight, then was literally conned out of about £50 (a lot in 1972) the following morning, in order that I could continue my journey South. Lady M, the children, and the dog, also spent the night at the port as I was 'leading the way'. It wasn't a good introduction to our life in France.

The big old Farmhouse that I'd bought hadn't been empty for too long. It had water and electricity, but no bathroom. Luckily there was a room that was perfect to create one, and that was my first task.

On the day we arrived at the house (above), the previous owner's wife was there. She fetched a bale of hay from the huge stone barn, stuck it in the 'inglenook', and lit it. I honestly though the whole house would burn down, but she just laughed and said it would warm the house quicker that way. We were being introduced to a very different way of life.

Lady M learned to bathe the children in the kitchen sink, and we quickly bought oil filled radiators, and a few 'storage heaters'. We visited a local 'white goods' shop and bought cooker, fridge, and a freezer. It didn't take long to get things in shape, and comfortable. Luckily the previous owners had left behind a huge kitchen table, and several big cupboards. Our own furniture filled the rest of the house. 

It was quite a big property, and luckily all the roofs were OK. There was just over one hectare of land and a small wood of Grafted Chestnuts. I just needed to establish my vegetable plot, build a chicken run, and plant fruit trees. By the following Spring of '73 we were in business.

Lady M mostly looked after what was indoors, and I looked after the outside. The children just played amongst the hay in the barn, with the dog. Life was quite idyllic. It was exactly what I wanted for my growing family. We had one lovely farming family as neighbours, and hundreds of acres of open countryside to play in.

Was I bonkers? No, just foolhardy and adventurous.

Eventually we joined the Common Market, and subsequently the EU, and life became easier. Then in 2020 the British people decided that the EU was becoming too bureaucratic, and we should go it alone. We, of course, voted to 'remain', but the 'leavers' won. Luckily we had still a couple of homes back in Blighty so we now spend our time between the two countries. Three months in Southern France, and nine in Southern England.

Lady M puts-up with all this madness, and Billy our current dog (who is French) takes it all in his stride. The children (now adults) all speak French, and over the past 50 years (more than half my life) we have adopted French ways. Our strange life now seems perfectly normal, and we hardly think about it. I even have another building project for France in 2026. I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

Aldi Shmaldi

A new big Aldi store has just opened in Hove. It replaces a dreadful DIY store; Homebase.

It just happens to be en route to my usual shopping destination; Sainsbury's. So yesterday I popped-in to see what it was like. It had been open for just two days.

It was all a bit confusing with row upon row of chilled cabinets, which makes it difficult to see what's what. No doubt if I became a regular customer I would soon get to know my way around, but for a new-boy it wasn't particularly 'user-friendly'.

I bought a big Cauliflower, 2 bottles of Prosecco, a bottle of Aussie red, and some Bok Choi. The very pretty slightly-Oriental-looking checkout girl was nice, and nobody stabbed me or hurled abuse. I shall return when I've got more time to have a really good look around, but I don't think it'll ever replace my usual destination.

I was pleased to get to Sainsbury's where the layout is so much friendlier. And, frankly, if things cost a tiny bit more than they do at Aldi; I really don't mind. As usual, I filled my trolly.

Maybe I'll go to Aldi again on Tuesday and do a proper assessment. I know it's good for fruit and vegs, but I'm a bit more suspect about cheese, dairy, tinned things, and meat. I prefer quality than 'cheap'.

I now have a choice of four supermarkets on the road to Sainsbury's. Lidl, Aldi, Waitrose, and Sainsbury's itself. No prizes for guessing which two I prefer.

 

Afternoon TV

 

Fans of Crossroads Motel, will love this equally intriguing programme which airs on BBC1 on Friday afternoons. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, up pops 'Hope Street'; an Irish 'soap'.

As with all 'soaps', life circles around an empty Pub. As with the much-missed 'Heartbeat' it also involves a Police Station, with the cops solving silly weekly mysteries.  

Hope Street really should be called Hopeless Street. Not only are the story-lines absurd, but the acting is dreadful; all reminiscent of Crossroads. The only thing it lacks are the wobbly sets.

Since 'Doctors' (and its permanently empty surgery) disappeared, there has been a vacuum in the 'Cheap, badly acted, badly written, and badly produced' afternoon TV slot. Hope Street is doing its best to fill the gap, and one has to admire their determination to keep us groaning. It's a laugh a minute.

I don't want you to think that I actually watch this drivel. I always have a short nap after lunch, and the BBC News. And now on Fridays (when I wake) I'm treated to Hope Street, The empty Commodore Pub, and a few hapless 'Guards'. "Turn that bloody thing OFF". 

Verdict: 1/10. Dreadful; the end credits are the best bit! 

Doctor's appointment.

 

Firstly I must say that I hate visiting the Doctor, but not as much as the Dentist.

I reluctantly agreed to a Diabetes Review appointment for 8.15 am on Thursday the 4th of December 2025 (yesterday).

As I always do on such occasions I prepared myself well in advance. I made sure my feet were well scrubbed and my toenails cut (they always look at my feet), all my underwear was clean, my hair washed and brushed, and that I was in an overall presentable state. 

It was pouring, so I got soaked as I walked the kilometer or so to the surgery. I arrived a tiny bit early and the door was still locked.

When I was allowed inside, the receptionist couldn't find any reference to my appointment; eventually discovering that it had been cancelled. 

"Didn't they inform you?" he asked.

"No!" I replied, biting my tongue.

"I'll make another one for you" he said in his thick Indian accent, and scrolled down his computer screen for about 5 minutes. "How about 10th December at 9.10 am?"

"That'll be fine" I replied. He then gave me a piece of paper noting the date and time.

When I returned home I looked at the bit of paper and saw that he'd written 4th December 9.10 am. 

I instantly wrote an Email to them to confirm that my appointment was actually for the 10th. A reply came quite quickly, and confirmed that it definitely was for the 10th. They failed to mention that the receptionist was an illiterate plonker.

I really wish they would leave me alone, and devote their time to people who actually need to see a Doctor. As long as I have my pills, my Diabetes is fine. 

I shall go back, reluctantly, on the 10th. I'll sit in their horrible waiting room, filled with cough and sneeze, then have my feet pricked, my blood pressure taken, and (if they remember) to have my Flu Jab. 

After all that I should be good for another 12 months.

Logic!

 

I think I missed my true vocation as a 'Project Manager'.

We've had pipe-laying road works in the road behind the church since September (although it feels like much longer). I walk past here twice every day, so it's been a bit of a pain!

The men seem to work to a very bizarre pattern. They started at one end of the street, did some more at the bottom end, then fiddled about in the middle (where they are now), and they've been doing bits and pieces everywhere else in between. There has been no logic to their progression whatsoever, and no certainty about when (or if) they show-up. The photo below was taken at 9.30 am yesterday, and not a soul in sight.

Had I been in charge (and thank goodness for the men that I'm not), I would have made a logical progression from the top to bottom of the road.

Dig, lay pipe, back-fill, top with asphalt, roller. Then continue on to the end. Of course, by using my method the work would have been completed in a week, and they wouldn't have been able to claim all their 'time off' and triple-pay weekends. 

The other bizarre aspect to their work is that when they dig the metre-deep trenches, they take away all the detritus to dump somewhere, then refill with lorry loads of newly brought-in gravel. The old stuff they dug out was just as good as the new, but 'bureaucrats' don't think like that. They like to do things the 'official jobsworth way'. And 'The National Road Diggers and Fillers Union' (of which there must be a Union Steward on site) makes sure that everything is done the slowest and most expensive way possible.

I get on with the workmen quite well, and they all love Billy. I recently asked one of them if they'll be finished by the end of December, and he replied that he hoped so, as he was off to his villa in Tenerife for Christmas. It's a grand life!

Lost and Found.

 

I must be becoming absent minded. I recently lost a SECOND umbrella, in exactly the same way as with the first one.

A few years ago I lost a VERY EXPENSIVE umbrella in France. It had been on my shopping trolly, and I failed to retrieve it after putting my shopping in the back of the car. Someone had a very nice find.

Last Saturday I did exactly the same thing again, although it was in England, at Sainsbury's, and the umbrella was a cheap one! Even so, I was very annoyed with myself.

However, not everything is doom and gloom, I recently found a brand new fiver (£5), with King Charles's head on the front, and Churchill's on the back. The banknote was lying in full view on the ground outside our bijou home; I was very lucky to be the first to spot it!

In general I do seem to be more absent minded that before. I know it's a natural part of the ageing process, but it's a very annoying one.

One of my worst failings is thinking of something I need to put on my shopping list, then by the time I get to write it down, I've forgotten what it was. This happens quite often, so I now have a pen and pad by my side at all times, and write everything down in advance.

Does this mean that I no longer forget things? Does it hell!

p.s. I'm still struggling to think of what I'll spend my unexpected £5 on!

Fun in UK Politics.

 

There's a new political party in the UK, which for the moment is vying for 'The UK's silliest party' versus 'The Monster Raving Loony Party'. And I think the new one is winning!

They've just had a so-called 'conference', where they voted on the party's new name. It is to remain as 'Your Party'. A snappy name, I'm sure you agree!

The party has just two major players; it's founder Jeremy Corbyn, and his hated sidekick Zarah Sultana (both above). At the 'conference' they voted that Comrade Corbyn should not automatically become the leader of the party, but it should be run by some sort of interim Socialist worker's co-operative, until time comes to vote for a pukka figurehead.

Politically, they are Marxist-Leninist-Socialists with Communist leanings. At the 'conference', the fragrant Ms Sultana declared the new strict policies of the new party to be anti-semitism and anti-royalty. I presume they will also continue to support the politics of the IRA, Hamas, and the late great, and much-missed, Hugo Chavez.

People may consider The Monster Raving Loony Party to be eccentric and unelectable, but they ain't seen nuffin yet! Saying that Corbyn has all his marbles is like saying that Reeves is honest, and supports hard-workers.

And who said Politics wasn't FUN!

STOP PRESS: I know you've all been wondering what happened to Labour MP Tulip Siddiq (above left). 

Well, Sir Keith's ex-Anti Corruption Minister has just been found guilty of Corruption in Bangladesh, and sentenced to Two Years in Prison. 

Life isn't fair, is it. I'm sure the very appealing Ms Siddiq will appeal.