The little things that make a big difference

[gh]

but the feeling of 'belonging' was immense!

We were totally amazed by the kindness of our neighbours last week.

Our place is in a small hamlet of houses and we had a local artisan repairing the kitchen chimney when we were over.

He had finished for the day and an hour or so later, we set about making a meal for us and quests; our cleaner with her husband arrived at 7pm, she is local and an absolute gem, when the heavens opened and water started to come in.

Christian (husband) went to fetch a tarp, we got buckets and mops out, he returned with 3 other neighbours to help, the men managed to get on the roof and secure the tarp in the howlling wind and torrential rain without a by your leave.

As they finished we both looked at each other in amazement of their concern and attitude to help; we asked if they would like to have dinner with us tomorrow with their wifes over a very big 'thank you drink'.

The following night we had 10 for dinner and one of the most enjoyable evenings at our second home.

Know what you mean Stu about 'belonging' .

Our roofer did wonder why we had a tarp when he came to finnish the chimney and our guests agreed he did a good job.

France, eh , you gotta love and understand her.

[Alan Knighting]

Paul,

Yes, but those clauses only to apply to the Edison screw type of bulb. We will need at least as many in addition to deal with the contingency of the bulb being of the bayonet variety.

“Now say that in French� To obtain an acceptable translation I would have to submit the document to an official translator whose hourly charge is even greater than mine.

Fluffy

[Jimbo]

Enid wrote:

I have several times been at another house in the village and the facteur has come in with some post for me as he saw my car there - great isn't it.

Hi Enid

Yes, we have the same. Our kindly post lady (who drives her little yellow van at Schumacher pace along our tiny lanes) always chases after us if she sees us in the village, collects mail from our box and chats to the dogs (their French isn't too hot but they appreciate the effort). We see this cloud of dust approaching as she nears our house - like Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia. She just seems to go out of her way to make her job fun.

Jim

[garlic]

How about this for warm and fluffy: Last year two of my llamas escaped as they do, normally they head into the hills I track em and catch em but this day I couldn't find them so I went home for breakfast. Whilst I'd been out my son had taken a phone call form the pompiers saying that my llamas had been spotted by someone outside the school in town. I headed of to get them but hadn't even got out of my village when I was greeted by the sight of my llamas trotting on home followed by three bemused herding pompiers and the town fire truck. Thank you I said, it's nothing they said. People still stop me to say they remember the day the pompiers herded my boys across town.

And the other side: Trying to rereg one of our cars and a visit to the impot center. Handed over our paperwork only to be told we had to have a recipt for the purchase. But we don't have one the car only cost 500 quid and it was ages ago and we don't even remember who we bought it from and he's in England anyway. But you have to have it she says, but we can't it's impossible we say. She shrugs, you know that shrug, we shrug but not so shruggily and and leave. The next day we return with a printed piece of paper saying in English car sold for 500quid or words to that effect. Thank you she says, that's fine...see if you need a bit of paper you need it final

[Rocket Rab]

see if you need a bit of paper you need it final

one of the (many) joys of living in France, eh Garlic?!

[enid]

My hubby always says that although France is so beaurocratic they are pragmatic and find some way round the paper work if they can. (Well that's our experience) We had a company do our pool who didn't tell us we needed a declaration de travaux - I was in the Mairie one day behind someone asking what they needed to build a pool - when she answered then I realised that we had done ours without the permission. I told her and she replied ' and when exactly is the starting date of this work?' - I looked at her blankly and she named a date a couple of months in the furture ' didn't you mention the such and such date she said' - that's it said I and went home to get K to draw up the plans

[mpprh]

I've just had the sort of experience that restores your faith in humanity.

The alternator on my boat had fresh water vapour sprayed onto it due to a missing exchange header tank breather pipe.

The pipe was replaced and all seemed to be OK. Then the engine apparently wouldn't turn over - this was traced to a seized up alternator.
I guessed the bearings were seized and needed replacing, but was prepared for having to replace it. I looked it up and it was probably going to cost around Euro 450 to replace.

I found there was a Mr le Bobbinage (man who rewinds and restores electrical equipment) nearby. I phoned him and struggled with a bad line and heavy accent. He told me that he couldn't do this and gave me a number to call.

I rang the number, and by coincidence we were both in Montpellier on the same day. We duly met and the alternator handed over. The new Mr le Bobbinage was driving a 70's VW beetle he was restoring. Strange. He asked me a few questions and laughed.

He told me that he wasn't a Mr le Bobbinage, but an IT software engineer. The original contact was his neighbour, and he must have misunderstood ordinateur for alternateur ! But, No problem, he used another Mr le Bobbinage who had done work on the VW electric bits (it was salvaged after the floods).

One week later I met Mr le IT software engineer on a roundabout in Sommieres. The alternator was handed over, repaired at no charge.

I owe him a drink !

Peter

[Giddy Goat]

What lovely stories you're all relating - apart from the odd one, and there's always an exception, wherever you are; I envy you being rooted in France now, and can't wait to join you! No, not wearing rose coloured specs, and we do have good'uns in the UK too, but no-one has the time here to think about others to quite the same degree, and to cherish the small moments....