We are driving down to Puglia to arrive by Easter and want to stop off to see Venice. We have just lost our dog and thought we would make the most of the journey as I don't think it will be long before we get another.
I keep coming back to the community and trying again but I have no idea how to 'post'. I try to reply to things but although I can type in my message I can't work out how to 'send' it. I was an avid reader of the previous forum but cannot get my
As already said, the situation is not really any different in the UK. If you have your own house or any savings you are basically on your own. It is quite often difficult even to get advice in these circumstances. The actual situation varies widely throughout England - what is actually promised by the politicians is very rarely delivered to those that need it. Although social services will arrange home helps, personal care, etc - it all has to be paid for by the recipient - and often at quite high rates. There is a big difference in England between those that need 'care from a registered nurse' and those that need personal care. The former are the responsibility of the NHS and such care is 'free at the point of deleivery'. However, things that the lay person would consider 'nursing' are not considered as such by the NHS and come under Social Services - and have to be paid for. Don't get me started on how Scotland gets things for free that have to be paid for in England!
I would suggest that if you get a car in the centre in the morning you will still be trying to find your way out of the centre at night! How about getting the bus to the airport and going from there. The main highways are clearly signposted and although it sounds a roundabout route it will probably be quicker and certainly less stressful.
I agree that most of us haven't been taught English grammar. I am in my fifties, went to grammar school but only picked up the basics of English grammar through learning Latin. My Italian teacher said that before she could teach Italian she had to first teach us all the grammar of our own language!
This is really the base for all the English cooking I do too. For sheperd's/cottage pie and casseroles I slice the onions and chop the carrots/celery plus anything else around into more chunky pieces. For a bolognese sauce I chop the veg very finely in a Magimix before frying so it is more of a sauce. But basically it all starts the same - heat the oil, slowly fry the onion, add the garlic and carrot, then celery and other veg if available, then brown the meat and add whatever else is going into the sauce/casserole - tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, wine, stock, etc. Even if I start following a receipe I usually find I am missing some ingredient and then add whatever is to hand.A good hearty beef casserole cannot be beaten on a cold evening. I have cooked my best ones in Italy - probably better because I am not so mean with the red wine! I also think that Italian meat is much better in quality than that available in the UK (although more expensive).I'm probably thinking about this as England has turned so wet and cold today - temperature down about 10 degrees from a few days ago!
My daughter had her account stopped and when she phoned up (when back in the UK) was actually told this is what the computer would do and they could do nothing about it.I was in my local branch one day complaining that my official complaint about my account being stopped (another issue, not abroad) had not been addressed - two people in the queue behind me heard me and said their accounts had been stopped while abroad and they were left without funds - a good natured discussion ensued - as we all appreciated that it was not the fault of the cashiers. It does appear that it is quite a common problem.We never go abroad without a selection of cards/methods of access to cash - and we are going back to carrying a lot more actgual cash with us than we want to. Is this progress? Do you remember the days when we could use a eurocheque card and actually cash a cheque abroad?
I am being very thick - and finding many of the relevant posts so technical that although I read nothing goes in!With groups - am I now right in thinking that when I log on and see those first 16 or so pages I am not seeing all the posts? I use this in the same way as the old forum. I look at all the new posts and judge whether they interest me or not. Am I missing out?I don't know what groups I am interested in specifically. I enjoy reading all posts, specifically those by very knowledgeable members. They can fire my interest in a subject or I can have useful information for someone about something we have achieved/investigated - probably long forgotten in my mind until I read something about it. I do not want to have to join and go into every group to see this - I know I won't bother. Just because I don't live in Tuscany doesn't mean I don't enjoy reading about it when I have the time, although probably would not contribute enough to justify joining a specific group.
Take care if you use a Lloyds account. We have been advised by them that even if we advise them we will be abroad they have no way of stopping their anti-fraud computer cancelling the card.
Comments posted
There is a post on www.pugliachat.co.uk which should be helpful - someone in San Vito looking after dogs in their own home.
There is a post on www.pugliachat.co.uk which should be helpful - someone in San Vito looking after dogs in their own home.
Hi cossagirlWhat product did you use for cleaning? Was it a case of good old elbow grease as well?
As already said, the situation is not really any different in the UK. If you have your own house or any savings you are basically on your own. It is quite often difficult even to get advice in these circumstances. The actual situation varies widely throughout England - what is actually promised by the politicians is very rarely delivered to those that need it. Although social services will arrange home helps, personal care, etc - it all has to be paid for by the recipient - and often at quite high rates. There is a big difference in England between those that need 'care from a registered nurse' and those that need personal care. The former are the responsibility of the NHS and such care is 'free at the point of deleivery'. However, things that the lay person would consider 'nursing' are not considered as such by the NHS and come under Social Services - and have to be paid for. Don't get me started on how Scotland gets things for free that have to be paid for in England!
I would suggest that if you get a car in the centre in the morning you will still be trying to find your way out of the centre at night! How about getting the bus to the airport and going from there. The main highways are clearly signposted and although it sounds a roundabout route it will probably be quicker and certainly less stressful.
I agree that most of us haven't been taught English grammar. I am in my fifties, went to grammar school but only picked up the basics of English grammar through learning Latin. My Italian teacher said that before she could teach Italian she had to first teach us all the grammar of our own language!
This is really the base for all the English cooking I do too. For sheperd's/cottage pie and casseroles I slice the onions and chop the carrots/celery plus anything else around into more chunky pieces. For a bolognese sauce I chop the veg very finely in a Magimix before frying so it is more of a sauce. But basically it all starts the same - heat the oil, slowly fry the onion, add the garlic and carrot, then celery and other veg if available, then brown the meat and add whatever else is going into the sauce/casserole - tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, wine, stock, etc. Even if I start following a receipe I usually find I am missing some ingredient and then add whatever is to hand.A good hearty beef casserole cannot be beaten on a cold evening. I have cooked my best ones in Italy - probably better because I am not so mean with the red wine! I also think that Italian meat is much better in quality than that available in the UK (although more expensive).I'm probably thinking about this as England has turned so wet and cold today - temperature down about 10 degrees from a few days ago!
My daughter had her account stopped and when she phoned up (when back in the UK) was actually told this is what the computer would do and they could do nothing about it.I was in my local branch one day complaining that my official complaint about my account being stopped (another issue, not abroad) had not been addressed - two people in the queue behind me heard me and said their accounts had been stopped while abroad and they were left without funds - a good natured discussion ensued - as we all appreciated that it was not the fault of the cashiers. It does appear that it is quite a common problem.We never go abroad without a selection of cards/methods of access to cash - and we are going back to carrying a lot more actgual cash with us than we want to. Is this progress? Do you remember the days when we could use a eurocheque card and actually cash a cheque abroad?
I am being very thick - and finding many of the relevant posts so technical that although I read nothing goes in!With groups - am I now right in thinking that when I log on and see those first 16 or so pages I am not seeing all the posts? I use this in the same way as the old forum. I look at all the new posts and judge whether they interest me or not. Am I missing out?I don't know what groups I am interested in specifically. I enjoy reading all posts, specifically those by very knowledgeable members. They can fire my interest in a subject or I can have useful information for someone about something we have achieved/investigated - probably long forgotten in my mind until I read something about it. I do not want to have to join and go into every group to see this - I know I won't bother. Just because I don't live in Tuscany doesn't mean I don't enjoy reading about it when I have the time, although probably would not contribute enough to justify joining a specific group.
Take care if you use a Lloyds account. We have been advised by them that even if we advise them we will be abroad they have no way of stopping their anti-fraud computer cancelling the card.