Any cheerful news today? (Nothing negative please! 🙂) (Part 2)

Well God allegedly made it so if he wants it back I think it would be down to them.

Aye.
Dust to dust.
Ashes to ashes.
Seashells to sea.

As an aside, I look at chalk cliffs and know how they were formed, but I do find the timescales difficult to get my head around.

For our return from a wonderful holiday in Corsica yesterday, OH managed to change the tickets from Ajaccio - Toulon to Ajaccio - Sète. We were worried a few days ago because the fishermen had blocked the port at Sète and we could have been diverted to Toulon, but luckily that was lifted and we arrived in Sète bang on time this morning.

It was a one hour drift down the motorway to Narbonne, far more relaxing than the three and a half hours from Toulon. Corsica Ferries seem to be doing more crossings from Sète now which would suit anyone in the Hérault, Aude or further afield like Toulouse. We’re already looking at next year. :slight_smile:

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I did not know that, but I did know tmesis, which is similar.

I have booked 2 trips to France for next year before anymore price increases. 88 days out of the 90 allowed. After our long break this year it was wonderful if a little warm.

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Going through my late father-in-law’s personal effects, we have come across a Roman bronze coin, apparently genuine, that appears to be from the reign of Emperor Vespasian (who built the Colosseum in Rome). Courtesy of Google Gemini and Copilot, the coin dates from the Fall of Jerusalem around AD 70, and shows a bound prisoner on the left, and a seated female on the right - representing the defeated ‘Judea’ under a palm tree, representing the Roman province of Palestine. We may well keep it, as it’s not often you have in your possession something that may be 2000 years old - if genuine. We have no idea how it came to be in my FILs possession, though he visited Israel in the 1960s.

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At last! An answer to what did the Romans…oh never mind :joy:

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Emperor Vespasian - scooters too??

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To learn more, I found this (no AI required, DDG search) :slightly_smiling_face:

https://fr.timesofisrael.com/des-pieces-en-bronze-datant-des-revolte-juives-deterrees-pres-du-mont-du-temple/

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I think I od’d on Lidl bulbs today. I bought 4 different packs of narciccus, 4 different packs of tulips and two boxes of mixed ‘5 months of flowering’ bulbs. I pity Stuart having to plant the hundreds we already have plus this lot. (Then in the Spring, I’ve got to lift them all and store them) but I just couldn’t resist them. They were a bargain. Buy 1 get 2nd one half price.

Also (especially for @toryroo ) I bought 2 pastel de nata. I had one and allowed Stuart to have the other. I was hoping he didn’t like it cos he is a fussy sod, but he said they were great and I must buy some again. I told him I had a recipe to make some and he said ‘get to it woman then’. :pink_heart:

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The French version is called “flan pâtissier.” Get ready for the next national competition :blush: !

Not even close! Yes some make good flans, but i’ve never had one that is close to a pastel de nata. Possibly a good crème pat filled choux is a better competitor.

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I do like custard, so a pastel de nata is enjoyable, but never has quite enough custard. A good custard slice, however, has lots. The ultimate custard pastry has to be the Catalan xuxu.

Made only for the Asian market… the Roman Legions rode Lambrettas,

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When they met up on the front in Brightonius probably.

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If anyone’s in the market for a very nice sans fil 20 v drill-screwdriver there are 2 excellent ones (identical) in their Lidl.fr Flash Sale today.

List price 55 euros which is already very decent.

Flash sale (for once, genuine chez Lidl) 25% off that.

5 euros off + free shipping if you spend 49 - 54 euros, more off still free shipping if you see more.

Adding a vwry small cashback would take it down to about 36 euros whjch for the quality, is ridiculously cheap. I have the drill (rated 4.8/5.0) so I know.

Also quite a few other 20 V batteries and a lot of their 12 V ones and many battery chargers if you’re looking for a spare. All 25% off the displayed price then more off as above.

Quite a few other bits in the DIY line, some kitchen gadgets, odd bits of clothing.

Most very good value and genuine pricing then discounts. Except one item they increased tbe price of to 82 euros when it was only ever sold at 70 euros before and is currently discounted in shops to 59 euros. Would have worked out to 45 euros instead of 70 if Lidl hadn’t done this sharp practice. You have to watch Lidl for that it’s not the first time. The price suddenly went up to an unheard-of 82 euro base price from 69 when I had it in my basket and was checking details to buy.

But there are some real bargains there especially in DIY and battery stuff.

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We have various Parkside garden tools and I’ve been impressed with the quality considering the price.

And of course, once we’d started buying Parkside for sans fil items, it made sense to stick with that brand to avoid having to buy more batteries.

I kinda wish the EU had insisted all batteries be interchangeable between brands sold here.

And to add my cheerful news… I’ve received confirmation that my new carte de séjour with my new address is ready for collection. It’s only taken almost 18 months :grin:

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Apparently adapters can be purchased to allow sans fil batteries to be used on other makes - I gather there are a few adapters to Parkside.

Congratulations Gareth !!

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I spent Saturday afternoon picking up litter (as part of the national ‘Nettoyons la nature’ day) in and around estates in the nearby small town. The cheerful news is that compared to 20 years of picking up litter in and around an equivalent small town in Essex (UK) there was hardly any litter at all. I was impressed. One other encouraging thing was the number of young children out and about collecting litter. The day was intentionally framed to raise awareness of litter amongst the young.

The less good news was that 95% of what I picked up was cigarette butts, the quantities growing the nearer we got to the primary school. I wonder if people think they’re either biodegradable, or too small to worry about - or (most likely) just don’t think.

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