Insignificant Things That Make You Happy.

[Ian]

Eating something I've grown, I hate gardening with a passion but I've just ate my second chili and it was lovely ( I know you've been eating yours all year but I didn't plant the seeds until the end of June ).
Gardening, whoda think it ! Retirement is creeping up on me.

[Skub]

Eating something I've grown, I hate gardening with a passion but I've just ate my second chili and it was lovely ( I know you've been eating yours all year but I didn't plant the seeds until the end of June ).
Gardening, whoda think it ! Retirement is creeping up on me.

You'll be twirling your dibbler like a pro before you know it.

[Noggin]

I finally got the Releve Informations Restrainte - or something like that - today. The bit of paper that confirms your driving licence and points etc, from the equivalent of DVLA.

Basically, I was about to get thrown off the course as I couldn't get it

I couldn't get it because the DVLA equivalent, despite giving me my licence in my legal name, have kept my old name on their system.

So whenever/however I tried to get this info, the computer would say a big fat NO - usually with the comment, your licence doesn't match our info.


This morning I left the revision class to go to the prefecture to see if they could help but they said no.

Then one of the other students mentioned a system called "L'Identié Numerique". I hadn't realised that you could scan an approved ID and then your face and they would connect you. Luckily my residency card counted as the approved ID. Did that at lunchtime and the app said it could take 24h to confirm.

BUT - got a message about 2 hours later to say that I was confirmed in the system. Then tried to do the request for the RIR and -

Holy FUCK - it only worked (really didn't expect it to as nothing else had!!). I think I surprised everyone in the revision room cos I was very very happy! LOL LOL


Sooooo - can relax a bit now cos I'm staying on the course. Just got to try not to stress about all the learning I have to do!!

[Yorick]

Through situations out of my control and some choices, I was never able to have kids, and subsequently grandkids.

But I've always had a special bond with my only nephew.
Today his daughter was born and I'm beaming like a loon. And a few little tears..

I can nearly imagine what it feels like to have kids and grandkids.

[ChrisW]

My eldest daughter's had a rough 2 or 3 years but started a job recently - a massive positive change for her. I had a message from her a little while ago and she just seems so happy that I was sobbing for half an hour. There were times that I couldn't have imagined something like this happening for her.

Bloody kids.

[Skub]

My eldest daughter's had a rough 2 or 3 years but started a job recently - a massive positive change for her. I had a message from her a little while ago and she just seems so happy that I was sobbing for half an hour. There were times that I couldn't have imagined something like this happening for her.

Bloody kids.

You never stop worrying about them,it's the work of a lifetime. I was 67 when my da died and he still worried about me riding bikes!

[gremlin]

I can nearly imagine what it feels like to have kids and grandkids.

To complete your experience I'm sending the Gremlinette over, so stock the fridge with wine and snacks, get ready to hand over cash and be prepared to acknowledge that you know virtually nothing and you have no taste in neither clothes nor music.

[demographic]

Walking past the mosque near my daughters house and its the first time since the Farage/Tommy Robinson induced riots when they haven't felt the need to have a couple of security guards outside the mosque to protect it from possible racist attack.
Well that and the fact that there was as much local support to them.
Well, it kind of reinforced my faith in humanity anyway

[Yorick]

Walking past the mosque near my daughters house and its the first time since the Farage/Tommy Robinson induced riots when they haven't felt the need to have a couple of security guards outside the mosque to protect it from possible racist attack.
Well that and the fact that there was as much local support to them.
Well, it kind of reinforced my faith in humanity anyway

I sort of infiltrated a scumbags racist FB group. They were all moaning about the police defending the mosques. They hadn't the brains to see why.
I waited a few days to learn a few things.
When I blurted out the obvious, they all turned nasty and I was banned.

Their hatred almost matched their stupidity.

[weeksy]

Through situations out of my control and some choices, I was never able to have kids, and subsequently grandkids.

But I've always had a special bond with my only nephew.
Today his daughter was born and I'm beaming like a loon. And a few little tears..

I can nearly imagine what it feels like to have kids and grandkids.

Don't be so harsh on yourself, we're not magicians or superbeings us parents, all we did was stick ourselves inside

By having that bond you're already an equal to the parents, i'd even argue better than a fair few based upon society today.

Take your win and run with it...

[Cousin Jack]

To complete your experience I'm sending the Gremlinette over, so stock the fridge with wine and snacks, get ready to hand over cash and be prepared to acknowledge that you know virtually nothing and you have no taste in neither clothes nor music.

Thanks but NO! Been there, done that, got one of my own!

Seriously she is still a teenager (or thereabouts). IME they get MUCH better with age.

[Pirahna]

Don't be so harsh on yourself

It's Yorick, be as harsh as you like.

[Yorick]

Don't be so harsh on yourself

It's Yorick, be as harsh as you like.

I'll get you at playtime.

[Noggin]

This morning I left the revision class to go to the prefecture to see if they could help but they said no.

Well, miracles happen - on top of the plan that worked, yesterday I got an email from the prefecture that had attached, not only a copy of the RIR (which I had from the day before) but also the RII (The RII is a bit more detailed and lists the points you have left - turns out I currently have 11, but should get the 12th one back soon )

Haven't passed on the RII (school only wanted the RIR), but it's handy to have

Through situations out of my control and some choices, I was never able to have kids, and subsequently grandkids.

But I've always had a special bond with my only nephew.
Today his daughter was born and I'm beaming like a loon. And a few little tears..

I can nearly imagine what it feels like to have kids and grandkids.

Don't be so harsh on yourself, we're not magicians or superbeings us parents, all we did was stick ourselves inside

By having that bond you're already an equal to the parents, i'd even argue better than a fair few based upon society today.

Take your win and run with it...

@Yorick What he says up there ^^^

My non biological Dad has been as much a Dad to me as my bio one was. In a different way, but he's been there all my life and he's awesome. Some humans shouldn't be parents. Some people should have been parents.

The really special people are the ones that choose to have a family type relationship with a child when they don't have to. Step parents (not the ones out of stories that are horrible, the good ones!) and friends/family that step into an aunt/uncle type role when it's not expected but it IS appreciated

My biggest regret in life is not having kids (and not being in a position to foster them - yet!). BUT my god daughter insisted that I was at her wedding because she considers me her Auntie as much as just her Mum's best mate. I've always been around, albeit at a distance, but she's always known I was there for her if she wanted to talk to someone other than her mum. On the flip side - back a while when she was having some issues, I was able to say stuff to her in a slightly more 'straight' way than her mum could. Not harsh (and cleared with Mum first!) but just straight to the point with love. (the other awesome thing about the wedding was that she wanted my step dad there too - she doesn't have any grandparents and he's been her 'Grandpa' since she met him when she was about 13. )


Hopefully my niece and nephew will always remember that I'm here and they can call/turn up if they need me.


The fact that you have that bond with your nephew will, I'm sure, mean LOADS to him too. And you can be a granduncle to his daughter. She'll love that and so will your nephew.

Enjoy your new granduncle status - celebrate and remember to buy stupid stuff for her and break some (not really bad) rules that her parents can't do with her! (kids love that!!)

[Ian]

Haslet and Chine. Riding 160 miles in the pouring rain to fetch it from Sutton on Sea only goes to show how nice Bennett's Haslet and Chine is. Om nom nom

[Felix]

My non biological Dad has been as much a Dad to me as my bio one was. In a different way, but he's been there all my life and he's awesome.

I get that from the step daughter. Not that she tells me but she tells her mum who cant keep a secret Her real dad is not that far away but works awkward shift. As she had not long had her first kid (7 Month) I hate the fact her real dad does not visit much as i think i am turning into grandad faster than her dad should be.

[gremlin]

I believe it was it Shakespeare who once wrote...

To be a father you just need to spaff your seed up some bird. To be a proper dad takes years of commitment, making things better, unconditional loving, quiet counsel, giving hugs, listening and just being there.

if you've done all the latter, but not necessarily the former, then you're the dad and worthy of carrying the moniker proudly.

[Mr. Dazzle]

if you've done all the latter, but not necessarily the former, then you're the dad and worthy of carrying the moniker proudly.

Not without cracking a few shit jokes you're not!

[gremlin]

if you've done all the latter, but not necessarily the former, then you're the dad and worthy of carrying the moniker proudly.

Not without cracking a few shit jokes you're not!

And if you can chuck in some embarrassingly dancing at family weddings, you've smashed it.

[Noggin]

Well I've had two awesome conversations today.

I got home and rushed to a mates cafe as I knew he wouldn't be open tomorrow evening. Chatted with a few peeps but mostly with his girlfriend. She remembers me from when I had to try to talk to her about parking (she's the manager) and neither of us spoke the other language!! LOL A few weeks ago we were in a group chatting over drinks one evening and she complemented me back then on how good my french is now. Tonight she said that I had improved even more since starting the course! Major happies.


But the absolute bestest is that my Aunt has just phoned me. It would have been my BDad's birthday today and I feel like there is only one other person in the world that remembers him with me, and it's my Aunt. She always gets in contact on this day and she did. We just chatted for about an hour about all sorts of things and it was great. Only a little bit of remembering but we both know that's why we were having the conversation, so it's all good. I do so love my non bio family!! My Aunt (ex to my mum's brother) my SDad and my SBrother are three of the most amazing family I have - and none are blood relatives!! You really do sometimes have to choose your family!!

So, on the conversation above. . . if you make someone feel as if they are important, if you care enough to be there (my Aunt and my SBrother were the only family that made any effort to keep in touch with me in the rehab place when I was so isolated due to surgery and covid!), if you love them because they are important to you - you ARE family. Dad, brother, aunt, Grandpa whatever. If you're there for someone and they think of you as family - you are! Blood really does NOT make family!!


Anyway, I started the day remembering my BDad and being a bit emotional. This evening I'm just appreciating the people that chose to actually be my family (And that my French has improved enough that some friends can now correct me a bit and I can remember it!!)