Same with people eating alone in restaurants or cafés. Pretty normal in France.
Don’t let being alone put you off eating out ( or doing anything else) I’ve been doing it all my life since I was a child, in France and GB and it is no problem 
I went to a Viêt restaurant by myself for Christmas dinner (Fr) when I was 10 (and it was on the house which was particularly good!)
3 Likes
Topbox, you know it makes sense 
1 Like
No, not even a mount for such, but the heated handlebars still work 
No need, you simply train the dog to lean out over the sidecar wheel or the pillion seat as required.
BTW, on the security front, my back door is always open all night long, Jules’ wolf howl would scare any miscreant off.
Take a Kindle (more anonymous than a book jacket) and people will just think, 'Oh look, there’s another one of our French intellectuals."
2 Likes
That’s one of my treats! I love going to a restaurant of my choice, eating exactly what I want (even if 2 starters and a dessert), quietly watching the world go by, and leaving when I want to leave unbothered by anyone else. For much of my working life travelling alone was part of the job, so now enjoy the opportunity.
But of course I have the choice, so very different from having little choice but to eat alone.
6 Likes
Thats my problem, never been alone in all my life until OH passed so no confidence whatsoever to go out alone, even shopping sends me into a panic sometimes as I think people are staring at me because I only have a few bits and pieces. This is also the main reason I have not been to see the family in the US, couldn’t cope with travelling all that way alone, let alone tackling big airports - Stansted this year put me off for life it was like a madhouse and people drinking alcohol at 4am too!
1 Like
I had no idea, as I was reading my Kindle while waiting to get my haircut at Salon de Chloe yesterday, how intellectual I must look to her. 
3 Likes
I’ve never seen a Kindle, what exactly is it?
An electronic book/reader from Amazon.uk to which can be downloaded a choice from thousands of books, usually very cheaply. My normal aquisitions cost me about £0.99 or £1.99, although from time to time I have ventured a fiver. 
Thanks. I don’t do Amazon myself but I have loads and loads of real books already so don’t need to go buying gadgets to read them.
So have I, hidden behind cobwebs, the homes of my little 8 legged librarians. But I’ve read them all and, although there are some I would love to read again, the wear and tear on my poor old arthritic fingers makes that unlikely.
There are drawbacks with Kindles though, they don’t take kindly to pictures or charts, which can be a bit limiting.
1 Like
Oh Shiba, so sorry to hear that. In fact I can assure you people are taking much less notice of us than we tend to believe. Why? Because they too are in their own heads, thinking about their worries, problems, love life, what to have for lunch, whether I left the gas on, will I get that promotion, … ad nauseum. Is there a supermarket that you use which has a small bar/café where you could just stay for a bit having a tea or coffee? Certainly in our local Leclerc quite a lot of people are on their own in the café because they are just having a break before girding their loins to go home.
Another thing that can help is to arrange to meet someone at a cafe but arrive early and order something while you wait - I often do that because the cafe I like gets busy, so I arrive 15 minutes before our time so I’ve managed to grab a table.
A lot of developing more confidence is about moving slightly out of one’s comfort zone and finding it’s ok. I watched a small child do that in an airport queue - he moved away from his parents and got under a roped barrier and then quickly ran back, but then did it again and each time went a bit further. But needed to come back to his “comfort zone” of his parents each time.
From your other posts you sound such a confident woman and have obviously done so much here in France with your business and the length of time you’ve been here, you sound really well integrated. I can’t help feeling that confident woman would cope really well.
5 Likes
I love walking, it’s as good for mental health as for physical health !
3 Likes
Well I did go out today and walked for about an hour, stopping at a local SuperU and getting a few bits. New trainers need breaking in so operation sites a bit sore when I got in but will go out againtomorrow as have found a nice Paillotte down at the beach with sofas looking out to sea and will have a nice big capuccino and then do the dune walk to the nudist beach and back. What I love about France is that the parking is always free outside of big towns and cities unlike the UK where you pay and arm and a leg for just an hour.
7 Likes
I have decided to adopt a dog when we move to France 
The kids will finally have their dream fulfilled.
6 Likes
Loads need rehoming at the SPA’s. I believe they do a home check now to make sure you and your home are suitable, maybe someone else can confirm this.
3 Likes
It sounds similar to the shelters here in Denmark. You literally need to go through a couple interviews before they decide you’re suitable But I totally understand them. My cat was adopted like this a couple years ago 
3 Likes
Sounds like your family (plus new dog) will fit in just fine here
2 Likes