Well, it keeps the politicians on the back foot ... not necessarily a bad thing 😉
No doubt after we get "Brexit sorted out" it'll all be tickity boo and dandy and strikes at ferry ports and air traffic control will be a thing of the past
We've also walked in the rain to vote. Seemed fairly busy. Looking forward to our Gardening Club Xmas social tonight, lots of quizzes, a few carols plus buffet & booze for those who like it.
I remember being completely caught out by petrol stations being shut on Sundays in France. You get used to 24 hour service, and it becomes a habit to rely on it - saves you planning at all. But our local village shops all close half day on Saturdays as well as Sundays and the butcher is shut on Mondays. It's never been a problem or put me off shopping there. You just have to remember on Saturday morning that if you don't go now, you'll have to wait til Tuesday. They don't seem to be struggling for business.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The big supermarkets are open at lunch time and so are the clothes shops in Périgueux. The clothes shops realised they were missing the teenage market who were allowed out of school for lunch. Garden centres shut for lunch and they don't have coffee shops or restaurants. Everywhere shuts 12 - 2pm, even 3pm in small towns but are usually open until 7pm. Actually I find it's a pain in the neck, I'm not a morning person so I'm always too late to get everything done before French lunch time and in town you need to avoid afternoon rush hour which starts around 4pm and goes on until after 7pm.
One thing that is very obvious when you go to an English SM or DIY place there are plenty of staff, check out and to help. Only a few of the many check outs are manned in France and there is rarely anyone spare to help in a DIY shop. It is very expensive to employ people here, 80% employment tax.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
When we first moved to Belgium in 1991 it took me ages to get used to shops closing at lunchtime but the SMs all stay open. Some of the medium ones are open on Sunday morning but then have to close Monday morning.
In this part of France lunch break is a serious affair with all but the big SMs and DIYs closing for lunch except in purpose built shopping centres. Doesn't take long to change your habits to be sure to get there before or after their lunch break and yes, it does make for better staff and social cohesion. Never had a problem finding staff to help in DIY or SMs.
Shops that are closing down are usually those run by people reaching retirement age. Their offspring have other jobs or other ambitions.
As Rick has pointed out, the French are very good at the social forms - saying hello as you enter a shop or PO whether they know you or not, always a handhsake or kiss depending on who you are and always a farewell greeting.
They are also good at "revolting" but then so were the Brits. Do none of you remember unions downing tools at the drop of a hat? 3-day weeks? Random rail strikes etc? Seems to me the French have calmed down a lot until the gilets jaunes emerged last year and the much needed pension reforms being protested against at the mo.
Southern Rail anybody?
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
foot ... not necessarily a bad thing 😉
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'm fed up with these sorts of a***holes. The mods obviously agreed.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Actually I find it's a pain in the neck, I'm not a morning person so I'm always too late to get everything done before French lunch time and in town you need to avoid afternoon rush hour which starts around 4pm and goes on until after 7pm.
One thing that is very obvious when you go to an English SM or DIY place there are plenty of staff, check out and to help. Only a few of the many check outs are manned in France and there is rarely anyone spare to help in a DIY shop. It is very expensive to employ people here, 80% employment tax.
In this part of France lunch break is a serious affair with all but the big SMs and DIYs closing for lunch except in purpose built shopping centres. Doesn't take long to change your habits to be sure to get there before or after their lunch break and yes, it does make for better staff and social cohesion. Never had a problem finding staff to help in DIY or SMs.
Shops that are closing down are usually those run by people reaching retirement age. Their offspring have other jobs or other ambitions.
As Rick has pointed out, the French are very good at the social forms - saying hello as you enter a shop or PO whether they know you or not, always a handhsake or kiss depending on who you are and always a farewell greeting.
They are also good at "revolting" but then so were the Brits. Do none of you remember unions downing tools at the drop of a hat? 3-day weeks? Random rail strikes etc? Seems to me the French have calmed down a lot until the gilets jaunes emerged last year and the much needed pension reforms being protested against at the mo.
Southern Rail anybody?