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I'll show you how it's done

 As usual I am fighting fires on all fronts.  Sewage,  bureaucracy, not to mention sorting out my son's problems  in the UK.  French regulations state that I have to change my address on the Identity  Card within 3 months of moving.  Pushing a truck uphill would be easier.  I have tried websites, prefectures, messages to the government, but all attempts have failed.  On Saturday I went to the Mairie in Saumur and explained the problem.  The woman asked, 'Are you French?'  'No,' I replied 'but it is a French Identity Card.'  She shooed me away, saying if I wasn't French then she  couldn't help.  Three times I tried and three times she shooed.  I stood my ground.  I noticed that the old lady next to me was signing in with the date 24 June 2024.  Finally the receptionist relented and said she would go  and get someone's advice.  While she was gone I tried to help the old lady change the date but she said she preferred the one she had written.

I was ushered into an office where a man offered to help.  He took my card and went on to the website that tells you that you can change your address details on-line.  How many times had I tried to do just that?  'You just click on this,' he said, 'enter your name and then click here.' I nodded, waiting for the next screen which would destroy his faith in the website.  And there it was.  He entered my name again, date of birth and voila, nothing. No  progress, no changing the address, just the brick wall I have been hitting for 4 weeks.  After several attempts he gave up and said he would try and phone the Prefecture on Tuesday.  Good luck with that,  I thought, but smiled, thanked him and left.  Did I hear him  mutter something about French bureaucracy as I closed the door?

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