Insignificant Things That Make You Happy.

[Noggin]

Can sympathise with that.

When you get a phone call to say that, when reviewing an MRI, they have noticed an abnormality in your brain and you are being referred to neurologists. Immediately think the worst.

Yes indeed.
They walked me through each test and every one pointed to something quite bad, right up until it didn't. At one point I was lying on my bed talking to the doctor (who was trying to keep me positive) and I listed what we knew so far and he sighed and said yes, it did suggest a troublesome outcome.

Turns out I just have an unusual thing that tricks the less sophisticated tests and it can be managed, it's still a thing but it's not going to kill me any time soon or possibly ever if we manage it properly.

I've had a couple of scares lately that turned out to be actual things but not as bad as first thought, before Christmas it was skin cancer but it was removed and I'm ok now. Getting old is not something I planned on and it's interfering with my peace.

Still, I get to see another sunrise, so I'll take what I can get

You can take a 3* pension now.
Or chase a 5* pension that you might not see.

I get the impression he isn't chasing. Seems to really enjoy his quality of life, so no real need to change

I know what you mean, and if he gave teh impression of working like a nutter to the detriment of the rest of life, I'd agree. But I don't think that's the case. Could be wrong of course

[Noggin]

Thanks for the tip about the FB group - I've registered and found out that post-Brexit I can no longer register a vehicle as a non-resident. Prior to Brexit I could (and did). So that's a real bummer. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to keep my French registration for the car - and that would be a real PITA ...

So questions about insuring a bike in France are a bit pointless, really.

That hillclimb sounds bonkers (in a good way). Not keen on taking a long dive into the sea though...

TBF, you weren't 'supposed' to register as a non resident before, but there was less talked about it, so few people realised. If you know anyone who is a good friend and is a resident, then it could be worth talking to them about transferring ownership and have it insured for you to drive. Bit of a faff, but it is an option.

But the B stuff means people learned more about the stuff we could and couldn't do!!


The hillclimb was awesome - not much chance of going over the edge whilst racing up!!! So that was alright!!

[mangocrazy]

Can sympathise with that.

When you get a phone call to say that, when reviewing an MRI, they have noticed an abnormality in your brain and you are being referred to neurologists. Immediately think the worst.

Yes indeed.
They walked me through each test and every one pointed to something quite bad, right up until it didn't. At one point I was lying on my bed talking to the doctor (who was trying to keep me positive) and I listed what we knew so far and he sighed and said yes, it did suggest a troublesome outcome.

Turns out I just have an unusual thing that tricks the less sophisticated tests and it can be managed, it's still a thing but it's not going to kill me any time soon or possibly ever if we manage it properly.

I've had a couple of scares lately that turned out to be actual things but not as bad as first thought, before Christmas it was skin cancer but it was removed and I'm ok now. Getting old is not something I planned on and it's interfering with my peace.

Still, I get to see another sunrise, so I'll take what I can get

Any day above ground is a good day... (he said cheerfully)

[mangocrazy]

TBF, you weren't 'supposed' to register as a non resident before, but there was less talked about it, so few people realised. If you know anyone who is a good friend and is a resident, then it could be worth talking to them about transferring ownership and have it insured for you to drive. Bit of a faff, but it is an option.

But the B stuff means people learned more about the stuff we could and couldn't do!!

Everywhere I go, i get conflicting information. On the Registering a Vehicle in France forum I got told in no uncertain terms that registering a vehicle as a non-resident is a no-no, had the thread locked that I'd started and another thread that I'd started with follow-up questions deleted without any explanation.

Then this morning I got a private message from one of the members saying that he couldn't say this on the open forum or he'd be kicked off, but a lot of people are questioning the legality of that standpoint, and gave me the name of an expat resident who works for Axa motor insurance in France who disagrees with that ruling and reckons that doing what I want to do is legal. So I've sent her a PM and will await her response (if any).

I suppose I should expect nothing less from French bureaucracy...

If I can't register the VFR in France I'll just carry on doing what I've been doing for over 10 years - tax and MoT it in the UK, bring it or ride it over and keep it in France for a couple of years before ferrying it back to the UK in the van ready to repeat the cycle. As there's no tax or MoT for motos in France, and as it's always insured I'm adhering to the spirit (if not the letter) of the law... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

[Mussels]

Kicked off a forum for questioning a vague law, is it a state run forum?

[Yorick]

Kicked off a forum for questioning a vague law, is it a state run forum?

Eh?

[mangocrazy]

Kicked off a forum for questioning a vague law, is it a state run forum?

Nope. I can only assume the forum owner/mods have a fairly short fuse. But that's only based on one day's worth of experience.

[DefTrap]

Everywhere I go, i get conflicting information. On the Registering a Vehicle in France forum I got told in no uncertain terms that registering a vehicle as a non-resident is a no-no, had the thread locked that I'd started and another thread that I'd started with follow-up questions deleted without any explanation.

Then this morning I got a private message from one of the members saying that he couldn't say this on the open forum or he'd be kicked off, but a lot of people are questioning the legality of that standpoint, and gave me the name of an expat resident who works for Axa motor insurance in France who disagrees with that ruling and reckons that doing what I want to do is legal. So I've sent her a PM and will await her response (if any).

I suppose I should expect nothing less from French bureaucracy...

If I can't register the VFR in France I'll just carry on doing what I've been doing for over 10 years - tax and MoT it in the UK, bring it or ride it over and keep it in France for a couple of years before ferrying it back to the UK in the van ready to repeat the cycle. As there's no tax or MoT for motos in France, and as it's always insured I'm adhering to the spirit (if not the letter) of the law... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

I've had a run-in (maybe not that particular group but almost certainly the same individuals) with them before and they had a really short fuse. Like you say, didn't want any follow-up what-if clarifications and rather arsey. I think they're probably right about the insurance issue, mind. My French insurance co insured me on a UK-plated car for a month whilst I got it imported/re-regged - but they were really nervous about it and wouldn't do it for longer. Never had the opportunity to test a claim on it.

btw I rode my UK plated (insured in the UK) bike for 6 years in France with a trip back to the UK every June for a laugh and an MOT. So as a French resident really not allowed. So basically it was only on UK soil for a week every year. It didn't make me super nervous of law breaking but then I never got a chance to test whether a pull or an accident would expose my terrible, terrible naughtiness. I got bored of making the trip in the end.

[mangocrazy]

I've had a run-in (maybe not that particular group but almost certainly the same individuals) with them before and they had a really short fuse. Like you say, didn't want any follow-up what-if clarifications and rather arsey. I think they're probably right about the insurance issue, mind. My French insurance co insured me on a UK-plated car for a month whilst I got it imported/re-regged - but they were really nervous about it and wouldn't do it for longer. Never had the opportunity to test a claim on it.

btw I rode my UK plated (insured in the UK) bike for 6 years in France with a trip back to the UK every June for a laugh and an MOT. So as a French resident really not allowed. So basically it was only on UK soil for a week every year. It didn't make me super nervous of law breaking but then I never got a chance to test whether a pull or an accident would expose my terrible, terrible naughtiness. I got bored of making the trip in the end.

Yeah, it would just make life easier if I could register it in France and not have to ship it or ride it back and forth every year (or two - I have been known to push it a bit). I got my old Lancia Beta Spider registered in France as a classic before Brexit hit, and was waiting for the clock to tick over to 30 years old on the VFR and then do the same. But when Brexit became a thing I was told that registration requests were being suspended (dunno how true that was). And then of course Covid hit and I couldn't get out there for most of two years. So I suspect that particular boat has sailed. Just have to continue the old back and forth, I guess.

Whereabouts in France are you? We're in the Languedoc, about 15kms NE of Beziers.

Graham

[DefTrap]

Whereabouts in France are you? We're in the Languedoc, about 15kms NE of Beziers.

Charente Maritime

[mangocrazy]

Whereabouts in France are you? We're in the Languedoc, about 15kms NE of Beziers.

Charente Maritime

Nice. Easy access to Bordeaux, La Rochelle and the Cognac region.

[Yorick]

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This is a simple picture, but it’s the happiest photo of my life, apart from my wedding photo.

It’s me and my younger brother at my nephew’s wedding on Saturday.

Why ? let me explain.

Our dad was always an arsehole. Put my mum in hospital and always beating me and my older brother. Many on here have met me and seen the scar above my right temple. That’s from him beating me as a small child.

I remember him leaving us when I was 11 and thinking the beating would stop. No. He bullied me until 2 years before he died when he started to lose the plot. Horribly so

When Penny first met him 18 years ago, her first words after were “you’re still scared of him”

My older brother was a drugged up arsehole who was in the Satan’s Slaves and had little man syndrome. He attacked me and bullied me all me life, until I finally cast him out of my life 8 years ago after he threatened to really hurt me after I asked for the 2 grand he owed me..

My younger brother is 8 years younger and I always tried to shield him from all the shite. But it always had an effect on us.

Anyway. The wedding last weekend in Truro was a great affair. Me and younger bro didn’t need to say anything as we were so happy for the newly weds. But there was an unsaid feeling that we can move on, now we’ve lost the shit side of the family.

When I first saw this pic, I cried, imagining how proud my mum would have been.

I’m crying writing this as I now know we now have normality. Most folk take this for granted

All bullies are arseholes. School bullies. Family bullies. Internet bullies. Arseholes


Younger bro went the next day and got it printed out and framed. It meant a lot to him as well..

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[Noggin]

Everywhere I go, i get conflicting information. On the Registering a Vehicle in France forum I got told in no uncertain terms that registering a vehicle as a non-resident is a no-no, had the thread locked that I'd started and another thread that I'd started with follow-up questions deleted without any explanation.

Then this morning I got a private message from one of the members saying that he couldn't say this on the open forum or he'd be kicked off, but a lot of people are questioning the legality of that standpoint, and gave me the name of an expat resident who works for Axa motor insurance in France who disagrees with that ruling and reckons that doing what I want to do is legal. So I've sent her a PM and will await her response (if any).

I suppose I should expect nothing less from French bureaucracy...

If I can't register the VFR in France I'll just carry on doing what I've been doing for over 10 years - tax and MoT it in the UK, bring it or ride it over and keep it in France for a couple of years before ferrying it back to the UK in the van ready to repeat the cycle. As there's no tax or MoT for motos in France, and as it's always insured I'm adhering to the spirit (if not the letter) of the law... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

I think there has been an issue on that page, one woman left and set up her own but various people have caused issues for the people who set up the original since the split.

I suspect that they give a flat answer and then close otherwise they have the same discussion/argument happen every time.

From my understanding it isn't legal for a non resident to register and insure a vehicle. Some insurance companies are happy to insure a non residents French vehicle despite this. I've never quite worked out how they see it as legal but they must have a different understanding of the rules?

I know loads of people that haven't been fully resident who have french vehicles, but as DefTrap says, I don't know what would happen if you needed the insurance!!!

But, hopefully the person you PMd will have more info

Kicked off a forum for questioning a vague law, is it a state run forum?

Some of the FB pages do get proper arsy. The woman I mention above has no life (it seems) except to be active on all expat/advice/help pages and her word IS LAW!!! I raised a question on the health page as I needed transport to a check up with the surgeon. Most people said it was possible, need to ask the surgeon. She said it wasn't possible and I'd have to pay, even though she'd linked to a page on the french health site that confirmed I was entitled!!! Then she locked the thread (she is admin on almost every 'help' page). I actually left the health help page after another interaction with her on the same topic, different thread because she had locked it! She put up a snotty comment that I'd likely still have to pay for the taxi and then locked the thread so I couldn't respond - my response could be useful to others, wouldn't have been having a go at her

So, sadly, like all walks of life, FB pages have their own short fuses!!! LOL

[Asian Boss]

If I encounter any bullies I neutralise them using a combination of krav maga and copeira. Then acknowledge the audience.

Maybe try that next time.

[Noggin]

I've jsut been out. Properly out!! I mean, I've been to a couple of bars here and even out for pizza soon after I got back from hospital. But have had to avoid (or leave early) bars with bands as they are all too crowded.

This afternoon a band I have only seen once but really love was playing in a village just down from me - in a marquee; cold, but plenty of space! A friend said he likes rockabilly so he came too (luckily as there were no chairs, so he 'borrowed' one from the bar by the marquee!!)

Well, turns out the lead singer was ill and they managed to get a stand in who is apparently quite famous (the only singer in france to be sponsored by Harley Davison!! LOL Sadly I can't get his website to work, but he was a good replacement) so they didn't play as much rockabilly as usual but did do mostly rock n roll.

I sat and chair danced whilst singing along (awesome or sad when you know all the words to all the songs?) for almost two hours!!! Then my friend walked me back up the road to the bus stop (he'd come and picked me up, but had a few beers, so bus back!!).

I've missed live music. Gutted I can't dance, but so so happy to have been and watched, sung to and chair danced to an awesome rock n roll band

[DefTrap]

IMG-20220326-WA0014.jpg

Not insignificant at all. Pleased for you and that's a blinding keepsake.

[gremlin]

Gremlinette reading her tribute to her nan yesterday. It was very eloquent. She wobbled when she first started reading, but then pulled it back and read beautifully.

So proud of her.

[Taipan]

Dry cured bacon medallions, topped with a runny, old cotswold legbar egg, served in a soft bap. This is not just any breakfast, this is Taipan's premium breakfast!

[Count Steer]

Dry cured bacon medallions, topped with a runny, old cotswold legbar egg, served in a soft bap. This is not just any breakfast, this is Taipan's premium breakfast!

<HomerSimpson>Mmmmmm...egg and bacon bap</HS>

*sigh*

[Taipan]

Found a big old bumble bee laying on its back in the garden. Got the recommended saucer of sugary water and gently put said Bee in it the right way up. Not much seemed to happen for a few minutes, then I could see it stand. Then it walked a few steps. Then the wings moved a bit. Then it flew off!!