I must say everything is so much more personable in France... something that has evaporated in recent times in the UK
You get about 60% back depending on what your problem is. A long running complaint and you pay nothing. If you buy top up insurance of course you pay nothing.
Not in Wales - you would take the car in and collect it and they would let you have the bill when you were next around; at the doctors we turned up once when they were closed for a meeting - someone came out and dispensed medication as the trip was a few miles - personal and friendly - like going back in time
Yes was thinking still apparent in parts of UK. Living here on the edge of a big city not so. As the small businesses close down there is rarely the same sense of identity for an employee in a chain....
We live near Berkhamsted and have a great service from a local chemist, the prescriptions are free and they deliver 3 months worth at a time.
A combination of high taxes and competition from the big chain stores has seen many small businesses close. Eight years ago we had four bakers in the nearest small town, today there is one. There were two butchers and now none. Two chemists and now just the one, and the petrol station has closed. The hardware store where you could buy six screws, a pair of wellies or a piece for your tractor has been taken over by someone who thought it old fashioned so has modernized the place and sells little I find useful. This is happening everywhere, but is a great shame as it means we all have to travel further to buy even basic items. "Buy French" is the slogan, but when people who are hard pressed to make ends meet have the choice, what are they to do when they can get a similar item from China at half the price?
I was up at my sister's this weekend - it's a small village in between Milton Keynes and Bedford and the difference between there and my little enclave of sunny NW London is quite noticable. Mind you, having lived and worked all my life in the cpaital I tend to regard any signs of friendliness with suspicion these days....
I lived up that way recently in Burton Latimer, where they make weekabix. I must say the locals were a very friendly bunch. The only problem was it seemed to be acceptable to drive their cars with only one headlight, very dangerous.
Selsey is in a time warp - at nearly 65 I am known as "junior" and here cars do not have to have lights at any time, driving is best down the middle of the road and as it is a holiday place people can walk straight out into the road anywhere anytime without looking
Good morning all from a wet and cold Weston-super-Mare, though it should be dry by 9 am ! Have a good day!
Morning all, the first heavy frost of autumn overnight and despite the lack of wind it feels very cold outside. Unfortunately the friend who has been helping me with the building works on my daughter's house has had to return to England as his father died last Friday. I don't know how long it will be before his return, so meanwhile I will have to start insulating the roof, a job I am not looking forward to. We have a different material to use, that on paper looks fine, but how easy it will be to install I don't know. Rather a case of trial and error I think. Rather similar to a football match. Sometimes the plan works and others you have to change things round at half time.
Good old Belgium - fighting terrorism with surrealism http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34897645
