bit wireded out with you sending me kisses though…
Well we are in France Harry, not so unusual between men 
well men I do not know tend to offer hand shakes.
first time ive been given kisses on the end of a convo though…
I have some sympathy with the bulk of your comments here - the question of leaving the EU would be easier if the Irish border question had not arisen or if the Irish were willing to accept that the process needed revision of the GFA.
However, like it or not we have a binding agreement with the Irish (North and South) and if they wish that to continue unaltered that is their prerogative - bilateral agreements need bilateral agreement for change, after all.
I would disagree with “The EU want…”, I don’t think the EU wants anything per se - they would, I am sure, like clarity from us, they certainly want a relationship with us going forward which is compatible with the GFA (because the Irish want that and they have a veto), they want us to understand that access to the market comes with acceptance of the four freedoms and paying into the EU budget but outwith the Irish issue I am sure that they would be happy with us trading with them on WTO terms, if that is what we want; it’s just that we can’t agree that because the implications for the border between NI & Ireland aren’t acceptable to the Irish.
Si nous ne nous connaissons pas maintenant ça n’arrivera jamais, mon cher Harry. Lors en France, agit comme les Français. Je crois c’est OK offrir bisous à un ami, quand même à la distance. Pourquoi pas ?
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Ticklish tummy, Simon? Poor dear…now be Mummy’s brave little soldier 
My French ‘partner’ was born in Paris, raised in the Lorraine and worked in Nice when he was young. He returned to Paris to live and worked all over France and into Germany. His best friend ‘Tony’, black belt judo and a strapping man, moved years later down to Marseille. I will never forget the look on my partners face when we visited his friend a few years ago and Tony pulled my partner into his arms and gave a kiss on each cheek. Wish I had a camera handy, a priceless moment !
I’ve always firmly believed it’s the recipient of any ‘advances’ or gestures that gets to decide if they are acceptable - not the instigator.
Sometimes Simon it’s too late … I’ve been ‘bear-hugged’ on occasions before I’ve had time to draw breath (in the nicest possible way of course) and say Hello !
Lol I know what you mean Ann! Apologies my reply wasn’t aimed at you - it was aimed at the person patently unable to accept feedback.
No problems Simon, apologies not needed, I will just have a big hug from you instead 
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Not only did I not invite you to accept an amiable greeting addressed to Harry, Simon, neither can you expect me to be well disposed to your third-party insult which was not invited either.
Of course, you are free to throw up anytime and anywhere you like. Like Violet Elizabeth in the ‘Just William’ serial on Childrens’ Hour: “I’ll thcream and thcream till I make myself thick!!” she would warn.
She usually got her own way, like you do, sometimes.
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It used to make me smile when I saw high ranking, male NATO Army officers (of Mediterranean descent) in full uniform, greet each other with hugs and kisses. So far removed from the hard man image normally expected from soldiers.
Harry, I shan’t repeat the gesture and I am sorry that it disconcerted you. It was intended as a light-hearted gesture only, as my message was also an effort at being supportive of you and your earnestness about facts. I doubt that if we were ever to meet I would go beyond a handshake, but social media are rather different. Few of us would actually laugh at each other’s mild witticisms until we cried, or express heartfelt love for each others comments.
Be sure that I shall not use emoticons in any future communication we have with each other, lest I put myself at risk of being a source of embarrassment to you. I don’t consider myself incapable of recognising and accepting feedback, but I’m human and prone to error. Simon Armstrong clearly doesn’t think I’m immune to feedback, which is perhaps why he only used three vomiting images and not five or six to convey his contempt.
But I am by now used to it, and only refer to it here to underscore my apology to you, Harry.
From bad to worse…pass the shovel someone!
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With the people I know around here I am very friendly. I do try to be the last at school for kids otherwise you spend 20 minutes just saying hello to everyone. For people i know personally yes, but for clients its a big no no as its expected of me to shake hands. \it keeps the personal away from professional. No offence but the only thing I have to do with Most English folks is on a professional basis. I do have English friends but they are far fewer in number than French friends.
I will take you up on that tomorrow when I see you Simon hahahahahaha
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if you are of the right, vote Lib Dem. If you are of the left vote Green.