robin1234

Interesting! Because of the pandemic, I missed out on the English winter, 2020-21.

Helen1964

“Being at home from dusk to dawn as if you venture out on foot during these times you could invite a passer-by to stab,kick or use some other form of sport on your person.”

Dougal, where on earth have you moved to? I thought you were supposed to be in Scotland but you seem to have gone south.

I’m still in France. I like it very much. But I also visit Northern Ireland several times a year and that’s great too. My family have had good experiences with the NHS there. People are generally very friendly and considerate towards others. The towns are generally clean and litter free. The food is good (better and more adventurous than France to be honest).
Yes, modern life and having to do everything online and not being able to speak to a human is a major pain in the a*se but it’s the same everywhere, France included. At least when I DO get through to a human in the UK they’re unfailingly pleasant.

It’s hard to know sometimes which aspects of life are genuinely worse than before and which bits only seem worse to me because my best years are behind me. Presumably every generation goes through this.

Can you go back to Spain or were you curmudgeonly there too?

Derrygal

My thoughts - exactly!

Pollyana

C;early it is a different process when returning home from SPain than from anywhere else in the world as in my 20 years on BE I have never heard of anyone else having to destroy their paperwork before returning to live in the UK, no matter where they were coming from!

I'm wondering that too! I have friends and relatives in many parts of the UK and none of them are scared of going out between dusk and dawn (except possibly my elderly mother, but she lives in the middle of nowhere and s is worried about falling over a sleeping sheep!

Helen1964

Poor Dougal. I hope he perks up soon.

Shard

Why did he have to destroy his paperwork? Was it destroying Spanish residency papers?

robin1234

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I wish someone would do me a favor and destroy most of my paperwork. We’ve got several filing cabinets full of it in the under stairs cupboard.

Shard

I'm trying to decide what to do with papers and books. 20+ years into the internet/digital world they seem far less essential than they used to. In the past we would keep printed items as that was the only way to easily re-access the information, but now most things are available digitally. I'm thinking I could cut my book collection in half (at least) without shedding any real tears.

dougal03

To answer some more of your questions- Yes I probably am just as grumpy.But for much of my adult life,after the AirForce,I have run my own business in Scotland,England south coast & Midlands & lastly in Spain until I retired.You quickly learn that your success depends on your ability to provide a competent satisfactory service for your clients.In fact,you can go under despite this as so many have discovered.Maybe my family were lucky.But when we arrived which was prior to Spain joining the EU(& that´s so different to later times)our competitors were mostly established non-British enterprises.My experience was that other Northern Europeans are much smarter than us which you may dispute no doubt but maybe some of that rubbed off on us as we prospered despite starting from scratch,just the correct licence to operate in place.Perhaps wrongly,I expect others especially Govn ones,to deliver the service properly that is needed & not give some lame excuse when that does not happen.3 years ago without warning my pension in my Spanish Bank was stopped by DWP.Later ,after numerous phone calls & a personal letter sent to T.Coffey requesting an explanation,it was credited & re-instated but still waiting for that explanation.Helen,I did originally stay for a few months in Scotland because once my papers were gone I had no ID left,no Bank card so had to carry cash.Then I had to find a suitable place to isolate which would take cash & it so happened,in the places I knew,it was Scotland.Couldn´t even buy a coffee on the plane which only took card payment but saved by kind flight attendant who helped.Perhaps this gives you an insight into why I find our Govn.are idiots. Many more other details getting there including when I tried to open a Bank account,another idiotic scenario, but to answer Shard´s query.Yes it was my residency that was cancelled.The green foolscap page(no longer for Brits the original plastic card which showed our thumb print) our "certificado de registro de ciudadano de la union" & authorised our "Numero de Identidad de Extranjero"(NIE).Now replaced after Brexit with TIE.The old meaning stated(& I can´t truthfully now say where I had that)"You have the full security & protection of the EU",the new one after Brexit simply "You are a National of a non-EU member"the reason that British Nationals now can only depend on Britain ,the EU has been blocked out.When I left on Jan.30th 2021 no Brit.that I knew had been re-issued their promised health card which had been invalid since previous Dec.31st.I could have had my Covid 1st jab done in my town but no-one could say if we were going to be charged as "private patient".I´m sure that by now it´s OK though.Likewise for the shipping companies.Mine was,like all from EU,shunted to the side as British Customs hadn´t known about the new paperwork.The Company I used says they are giving up coming to UK they can get plenty of business around europe without the hassle.And this was a legal British firm!

SanDiegogirl

Dougal03,
Could you please insert paragraphs in your long postings - would make it so much easier to read....

Helen1964

You’re a very exasperating man, Dougal. Half of me wants to slap you and the other half wants to take you to my bosom and make you a cup of tea.

Helen1964

Incidentally, where is this hellhole on the south coast where you can’t go out at night for fear of being stabbed? Portsmouth? Brighton? Surely not BUDLEIGH SALTERTON. We’re all agog.

Shard

I'd like to show Dougal the big square button on the keyboard than creates a new paragraph. Fantastic invention that.

robin1234

He uses the space bar rather idiosyncratically too. Or, fails to use it.

Helen1964

I quite like it. He’s in expostulating mode.