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The Canary Dave

Discussion in 'Watford' started by geitungur akureyrar, Feb 1, 2014.

  1. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Afternoon all. A misty start to the day, but now a clear blue sky. Just back from taking my daughter into town to collect a new car. The computer in the one that her husband was using went bonkers, and despite searching the part is no longer available. While I was out Mme sent me a text to say that her car wouldn't start, battery problems, so she could not go and get some bread. I think that she will have to get a new battery as I am getting fed up with jump starting it as soon as we have a chilly night. €70 seems to be the going price for one, but I am not paying €27 to have it fitted. Despite her car being registered in 1997 at least you can still get one of the right size and power. Have a good day everyone. <ok>
     
    #21041
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  2. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Another misty start to the day, autumn approaches. The largest supermarket in town now has a scheme where you can choose to give a few cents to charity when you do your shop. If your bill is €49.53 for example, the card reader will ask you if you wish to round it up to €50 with the small amount going currently to cancer research. It seems a simple idea that over the course of a week could raise a decent sum as many people will not notice the difference and agree to pay it. Have a good day whatever you are doing. <ok>
     
    #21042
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  3. Bolton's Boots

    Bolton's Boots Well-Known Member

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    Much relieved - got my Covid test result this morning - negative. I can emerge into the sunlight again. :emoticon-0169-dance
     
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  4. yorkshirehornet

    yorkshirehornet Well-Known Member

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    Bonsoir..
    After a day painting the grenier....

    Baked camembert... Home made garlic bread.. Cornichons/gherkins. And a glass of red...
    In front of the wood burner.. Just lighting it after a sunny afternoon

    Say no more. My apologies to vegans and teetotalers...

    Allez les frelons.


    ..
     
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  5. andytoprankin

    andytoprankin Well-Known Member

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    I’m sure you know about this, but in case you or anybody else doesn’t:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015TKUPIC/?tag=not606-21
    And also:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FC42HAA/?tag=not606-21

    The latter recovers batteries and reconditions them, the former goes with Mrs Andy in case she ever has any problems - has saved the day more than once, stopping her from being stranded waiting for RAC. I think she enjoys popping the bonnet and showing she is capable too, mind you. ;)
     
    #21045
  6. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Grey and misty and so far the sun has not managed to break through. Yesterday it was dry enough finally to cut the grass down the far end of the fields. When I arrived down there was really pleased to see that the cyclamen bulbs I put in several years ago are really spreading out now. Maybe not a carpet of red, white and pink flowers yet, but certainly several good sized mats. Bulbs seem to like the woodland areas that I am keeping along with the semi-controlled fringe areas. Surprising is that the rodents don't go for them in the same way they will attack shallots. Must be flavour I guess. Have a good day whatever you will do. <ok>
     
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  7. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Overcast and doesn't feel very warm, but dry and no mist today. Had a good chat to my new next door neighbour yesterday. Clearly I am going to be more severely tested with my use of French than with the last one who enjoyed keeping his American English up to date. It is a large house, once three cottages, and has a very strange layout, and I wonder why single men would want such a property. Currently he is back and forth bringing his effects here in his car, but appears to be camping in there at present. Still it is better to have a property lived in rather than an empty space. Have a good day everyone. <ok>
     
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  8. yorkshirehornet

    yorkshirehornet Well-Known Member

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    Good afternoon..... on the French theme...we had lunch with our French neighbours yesterday..... and they wanted us to try a local specialty from their youth... looked like a pate..... but was made with ground bones, animal fat, herbs and who knows....luckily there was a lot of red wine....... They love it...... we... erm... tolerated a few tastes of it....... I guess comes from the days when the entire animal was used.

    The other big issue is that a house in the hamlet has been sold to two young artists who work in wrought iron and other materials....Maybe the tranquility will be invaded......

    At the moment of the 15 houses in the hamlet only three are occupied......
     
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  9. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Lovely blue sky and a gentle warm breeze here today. Like many other countries we have seen a real hike in the price of fuel at the service stations. There is plenty of it, it is just very expensive. The government suggested that the large retailers such as the supermarkets should cut their prices, but the owners claim that they only make €0.01 per litre, and are not allowed by law to sell below cost price. Pressure is now on the government to reduce the rate of VAT from 20% to 5% and maybe something will happen before too long. When you look at a pump and see that the delivery lorry in front of you has just put €350 of fuel into it's tank, you realise that delivery costs to the shops will rise, something that affects people who may not have a car, and are living with a very tight budget. Have a good day whatever you may be doing. <ok>
     
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  10. Bolton's Boots

    Bolton's Boots Well-Known Member

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    I put a tankful of diesel in my car last Sunday at the nearest Tesco - £1.34 per litre. Taking my dog to the vet this morning, I drove past the same outlet - it's now £1.41 per litre. With the amount of driving I actually do these days, that tankful should hopefully see me through to Xmas...
     
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  11. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Internet down and they HOPE to restore it by tomorrow evening. Given me 200 Gb of data. Now trying to figure out how to use phone as a modem. :emoticon-0101-sadsm
     
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  12. Toby

    Toby GC's Life Coach

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    PM me OFH <ok>
     
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  13. J T Bodbo

    J T Bodbo Well-Known Member

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    Would you describe the house you own in France as 'occupied ' ?
     
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  14. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Bright and a reasonable temperature so not complaining. Internet was restored yesterday evening, so I now have all these Gb of data on my phone that I can use over the next two months. Totally useless to me as I hardly ever use it to connect to the internet, and I don't walk along watching films or whatever. Still at 7.01 am today Orange did send me a text to say that my service was now restored, something I could have told them last night. Have a good day whatever you are up to. <ok>
     
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  15. yorkshirehornet

    yorkshirehornet Well-Known Member

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    Only when i am in it!
     
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  16. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    We have three houses in our hamlet owned by English that stand empty for a lot of the time. One couple haven't been to the one they own for nearly two years now, due mainly to the virus. It can be described as a work in progress as they started to add the attached barn to their living space, and although they had made good progress it is far from finished. Then we have the professional photographer who owns another one who used it as a base while he worked throughout Europe, but has found problems with work visas since the UK departed the EU and I haven't seen him this year. The third one is owned by two families who do use it quite often. They have been back and forth since travel restrictions were eased. The other house that is empty often is the large family home of Parisians. Unlike the English who carry out a lot of the building and maintenance themselves, they employ local labour to do the work, then turn up for a long weekend to make sure that it is to their liking.
     
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  17. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. A lovely sunny morning, but you can see that leaves on the trees are starting to change colour after a few chilly nights. These early kick offs are a bit of a pain. Starting at 1.30 pm and not finishing until 3.30 pm it takes a large chunk out of the day, and it is more difficult to start something then, whereas a normal finish of 6.00 pm is too late to get going anyway. The good thing though is that I can be almost certain of a decent stream from somewhere. Have a good day all. <ok>
     
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  18. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. A clear blue sky, no wind to speak of, dry and an expected temperature of 21°C. My youngest granddaughter is 14 today, and becoming very grown up, most of the time. She started school out here as a four year old and thinks and speaks in perfect French, which is not so surprising. She has more trouble using English, sometimes asking us to translate a French word for her, and although reading it is one thing, some words just don't have an exact translation. Still that is by the way, as we will be going off to share some of the day with her, and taking her some presents. Have a good day whatever you are doing. <ok>
     
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  19. andytoprankin

    andytoprankin Well-Known Member

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    Hope you all have a super day.
     
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  20. oldfrenchhorn

    oldfrenchhorn Well-Known Member
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    Morning all. Broken cloud meaning that the sun appears then disappears, so it is not quite as warm as it should be. Our local bank doesn't open on a Monday, but there is access to the cash machine. Wanted some cash this morning only to find that it has run out. The paper shop also has a cash machine, but that is still in pieces since the break in months ago, so no money there. I will therefore operate until tomorrow as a cashless person. Now I check my gmail account and find that there is a problem that they are working on to rectify. Seems to be one of those days. Enjoy yourselves no matter what befalls. <ok>
     
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