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06/12/2007

Bureaucracy is a French word

Had a bad week with officials last week first Paulien was booked to go to the UK by Flybe ( Brest to Exeter ) but her passport had expired so as most French people just use their ID cards to go the UK we assumed ( foolishly ) the "Carte de Sejour " would have the same status as it has the same info ( domicile details and Prefecture stamp ) but no they turned her away so we had to spend a day in Brest at the Consulate renewing her passport which only last 5 years. I enquired about getting a British one as they are for 10yrs but she was rejected as latest regs are you have to be living in the UK for 3yrs currently to get a passport. She has lived in the UK 16yrs , 5 married to me but that doesn't count it wasn't a big deal just more convenient to have a 10yr one.
Max has been in the process of becoming French we started Sept 05 nearly finished the paper work June 06 then the cival servant had an accident so telephoned in Sept 06 , they had lost the file but by last Easter he just needed to have an interview so he explained he was at uni and wouldn't be able to go to St Brieuc until June. Which was accepted then they wrote in May that because he hadn't made the interview the case had defaulted and he must start again, and when we telephoned the person responsible she just lied on the phone saying she hadn't received various pieces of information. Its a case of job preservation moving paper around the desk to justify their job I'll have to volunteer her name to Sarko for early redundancy.
The week finished even better a pump on one of the septic tanks packed up so I ( no one else volunteers ) had to take the cover and put a new pump in. Its amazing nobody wants to shake your hand after doing that job.The Friday evening was good as we had gig at the Pixie (the bar at the local youth hostel in Lannion ) with the jazz fanfare and they even gave me a solo in one number !!!

13:05 Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this | Tags: brittany, gite, holiday

Comments

Sorry Simon but that's a sitter ..... do you really think it's a coincidence that the band gave you your first solo the day after you went diving in the spetic tank.... couldn't wait to get off the stage fast enough by the sounds of it ! All you have to do is roll in the nearest cow field before the next gig and see if I'm wrong ?! P x

Posted by: Peter | 06/17/2007