Well, I don't know whether anyone still checks this out, but I thought I'd post anyway.
We have now been living in France for just over a year and loving it.
Firstly we were in a very run-down cottage with a huge garden and right out in the middle of nowhere, but had to leave as the owner is now trying to sell (for more than it's worth in my opinion) and we can't afford to buy it.
We are now renting a house in a little village with everything within walking distance but unfortunately no attached garden. We have, in typical French syle, a piece of land that goes with the house but is down the lane on the other side... not so good for our poor cat, who'd got used to his freedom.
I know my French has improved, but not as fast as I'd hoped as we had very little contact with anyone at all at the last place. Our neighbours were friendly enough, but not particularly outgoing; I guess we were very much the outsiders in a hamlet where evrybody was related and the house next door was empty - had been for years, hence the steady influx of mice through the bathroom wall... and no, the cats were no deterrent, apart from one who adopted us and used to spend hours squatting on the bathroom carpet waiting to pounce. She used to bring us lovely presents too; a decapitated mouse with entrails laid out neatly on the doorstep, ditto a skinned baby rabbit ...
I realise this is not very well written but what the hell, if no-one reads it it doesn't matter!
I'm still struggling to use this French keyboard on my English pc; the letters and symbols are in different places.
