Skip to main content

Rip off

 I don't use the phrase lightly but in the UK the biggest rip off is the cost of having a test for  covid 19.  I would like to  highlight a small but equally irritating rip off in France.  On Tuesday I bought a box of 50 Green Tea with mint teabags for 2,25€.  Yesterday in a café in Angers I was charged 3,90€ for 1 cup of green tea with mint using 1 teabag.  It is not much better in Saumur where the cost is 3,65€.  Nothing can justify this , absolutely nothing.

I was told yesterday that the doctors had removed all the cancerous cells along with the tumour during my operation two weeks ago.  Reprieve for me for a while, but not for a friend who sadly died this morning after deteriorating over several months.

I  have noticed that since companies have relied on the internet to  conduct their business they are asking the customer to do more and more of their work.  When I was looking for an estate agent one asked me to measure all the rooms, send a detailed description of the house and decide on a price.  No, that is their job.  Now I am finding that removal companies are doing the same.  I asked 2 companies to come and give me an estimate.  They said they don't come to properties anymore and that it is up to me to list in detail exactly what I want removed, take measurements and estimate the weight of the items.  They have to be kidding.  And the answer is still no.   That is their job.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Temper, Temper

I played tennis with Yvette today.  Yesterday I asked if we could play early before the day gets too hot.  She suggested 9.30am.  I was thinking of 8.00am but Yvette has been married 46 years and her husband still brings her breakfast in bed every morning so 9.30 is probably the crack of dawn. I thought I had got used to Yvette's little antics but this morning she behaved like John McEnroe.  I was 4-1 up in the first set when suddenly she announced that the score was 4-3.  I am used to these little tricks so I stood my ground.  She argued, she shouted.  I ignored her and took my position ready to receive serve but her shouting got louder, calling me a cheat and then using some choice words.  Her ploy worked.  I lost concentration and started to lose, eventually losing in a tie break.  I was not happy but said nothing. At the end of the set Yvette asked me if I was angry with her, using the expression 'tu me fais la tete?'  I sa...

What is normal?

The UK seems to be operating on the basis that there is no virus.  Masks are rarely seen, little is being reported in the papers,  it is not the main topic of conversation in the street and social distancing doesn't exist.  I did see a testing table set up in Chesham high street but it was for one day only and they didn't seem to be doing much business. I went to Brighton on Sunday with my son and sister.  The old 'Lanes' have been reduced to a few jewellery shops and lots of cafes and the town was packed.  Openly gay people walk hand in hand through the streets in great numbers while others stroll around in gold lurex dresses. As we were heading back to the station the police arrived and blocked the road for an approaching cycle rally.   Living in France I have seen many cycle races go past but not quite like this one.  Here were 200 totally naked cyclists pedalling by while people cheered them on enthusiastically.  Some of them had put on s...

The problem with language teaching

I volunteered in a French school yesterday.  The aim of the day was to engage French children in English conversation.  The children had questions written down which they had to ask in English.  They were aged between 12 and 16.  Faced with 2 pupils aged 15 I answered the first question clearly and simply but they didn't understand the answer.  A rapid conversation in French passed between them and they then asked me in French if I would write down the answer. 'If I write down the answer you won't learn anything,' I said in French.  They asked the teacher what to do. 'Of course you can write down the answers for them and they can study them  later'! Listening skills?  Speaking skills?  I give up