On 5 Jul, 20:56, "David \(Normandy\)"
wrote:

Bonsoir David!

I can never remember how to spell beaurocracy - it comes out different every
time and my spellchecker usually doesn't know what I'm trying to spell
either.

Don't change it. It's so cute. It's already gone around a few
friends ;o)

We are in very rural France in a small hamlet of half a dozen properties
scattered over a square mile in the middle of nowhere.

Ah! Well then I wouldn't worry at all. Exchanging food stuff and help
is part of life in rural France. Just pop to your neighbours with a
tray of 100 seedlings and see what you get in return. (Careful you
don't get a life pheasant ... and then they ask you how it tasted ..).

I've made a note of your links, thank you. I'm surprised the authorities
aren't hot on this - they seem to cover most angles where they can either
get any tax out of people or otherwise impose lots of 'nanny state'
restrictions - they are far worse than the UK in this respect.
Not complaining though. Life here is much better than it was in the UK
living in a jam jar with a postage stamp sized garden costing a fortune in
mortgage and driving (shuffling) along traffic jammed streets with impatient
and aggressive motorists, looking for none existent car parking spaces at
the crowded supermarkets with barely room to push a trolley down the aisles.
Life here is much more laid back. More space less people. Room to stretch
out and breath! Aaaaah! (Blissful sigh).

How could you be so cruel. I've lost the major part of my onions
because of this interminable rain ... I'm even considering giving up
half of our allotment because frankly this year has been so difficult.
Also there's the police everywhere we look with huge machine guns
throughout the city because of threats (even in Crewe, the station was
full of them on Monday). We've heard sirens all day long. I've even
asked myself, when sheltering this afternoon under a shop porch, why a
white van was standing still in the middle of the road of a few
seconds. It's ridiculous. I'm quite ready to go back home, beleive me,
even if it rains ...!