Iām feeling quite cheerful because Iām two appointments down in a month packed with medical rdvs of various sorts, and both have gone better than I expected! Only 4 more to go 
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That really is cheerful news.
Fingers crossed the others are good tooā¦ 
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there seems a plethora of cheerful news todayā¦
Me, Iāve just checked the bank account onlineā¦ and, hurrah, the UK Christmas Bonus has arrived.
OH has it earmarked for some Christmas edible naughties 
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It was a close friendās birthday last week and because I wanted to get her something for her garden but didnāt want to get it wrong gave her a Jardiland Carte Cadeau. Today we went to Jardiland to spend it. She knew exactly what she wanted and quickly found a lovely specimen. Five minutes later we had picked up a few more things and were slowly making way towards the till when one of the assistants asked if we needed any help. We explained we had found everything that we needed and he told us not to forget the 30% Black Friday reduction that ended today. How can you forget something you didnāt know about? There was a catch the reduction was only for loyalty card holders. My friend has a Jardiland loyalty card but not with her. Donāt worry, we were told, if you have a card your name will be on the system. It was and the 30% bought yet another plant for the garden.
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We paid the 400 ā¬ to validate the visas today.
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For France? Ouch!
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A lot cheaper than the UK, I think
True, cost my wife (us) nearly Ā£2000, although that was for nationality and enabled her to get a UK passport. But now itās become a source of embarrassment, so she wants a French one - never satisfied!
Though entirely understandable
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Yes, mine arrived too, all ā¬11,95 of it but as Tesco are always telling us, every little helps.
Be glad its not the US. My daughter and husband cost his firm thousands and thousands of dollars in fees for their green card several years back as the company attorney had to get involved and check the tax affairs of all the employees in the company worldwide first. They are now going for citizenship as its cheaper and with the orange one in charge, who knows if their cards will be renewed.
Excellent.
I have done both my specialists and just have my MT to go before Christmas.
I have knitted a stripey jumper for her new baby.
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Weāre quite chuffed because we got a call from the Gendarmerie this morning, who wanted us to help with a Brit who was there to register his gun collection and couldnāt really speak much, if any, French. My partner went along and it all seemed to go quite well, but we were particularly pleased because itās the first time weāve been called on for anything like that and are by no means the best anglophone French speakers in the village but are clearly seen as willing to help out.
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Shame it is after your nationality interview, as the gendarmeās report is usually before. But the fact they called on you is v positive!
Not my news but a happy story for all
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Yes, I read that too, brilliant. 
I managed to write our Christmas cards even though it wasnāt one of my good days.
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Christmas is coming early for us (London) as we wonāt all be together on the 25th. Our daughter and grandson are almost here and her brother and his family arrive tomorrow evening and her partner on Saturday . Weāll all have a family celebration meal with my SIL and nephews on Sunday with secret Santa !
Son and daughter are both hospital doctors so over the past 15 years weāve all got together when we can .
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YES to cheerful news today! My ask for my first place to hang mon chapeau in France was accepted just now, dogs welcomed! A lovely little in-town house on the hill in Castelnaudary starting June 1. Even though I have my two-week scouting trip throughout many areas in early February, I wanted to make sure I had something solid since Iām making a summer launch. Now I can truly enjoy my upcoming trip and really dig into all the long-term locale options, and start out in a place I want to be!
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If you have any questions please feel free to ask. My first 2 French homes were in villages outside Castelā -Montauriol and Gaja la Selve. My eldest was born there, by the time I had the 2nd I had to drive to Carcassonne!
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