Still Pending practical frustrations!

Life in France always sounds so ideal... until you actually live it and then you have to realise the real frustrations presented to you with a country that barely manages work on a Monday and always stops between 12 and 2 every day, sometimes longer when its too hot.

When describing how french systems and administrative bodies in france work the words flow, momentum, continuity, actually getting anything done... are totally unheard of...

The practicalities of getting stuff done can be very draining.

Frustrating examples of the week - my daughter still isnt able to start the school yet - why? its all a paperwork issue...
i visited the mairies special office for people who want to register their children in schools here - this is back in December - around the 20th i think, they demanded a some paperwork, assuring me that they are open until 6pm on the friday and as long as i return with that and the special letter of radiation from her old school (which fortunately i had managed to get from the teacher on the last day of school there), yes as long as i return, they will give me the name of the school that has a place for her and all the stuff for her to start in January (TODAY)... So, i revert with everything that day before lunchtime, and they say sorry the person to sign the paper isnt available until January, i revert there again before school started (last week) to see if its been signed - oh sorry no not yet - i call today - the day she should have started at school and it MIGHT yes might get signed today....
my daughter is currently reading and writing and doing her own home schooling in her room!

The the bank - the bank who had some kind of mix up and decided to block my account before christmas, they arent sure why they did it and it was impossible for them - a small mountain branch to do anything about it - even when i phoned them the cashier said - im sorry im serving a customer you will have to call back in 10 minutes - the bank yes the bank said that!!!
I went to the local bank here and thankfully they were more than helpful and managed to deblock my account immediately. Needless to say i have changed my account - well am in the process of doing so - apparently it will take 2 to 3 weeks.

The notaire - he should be named and shamed really - Monsieur Lemarque of Belveze who took nearly four weeks to pay me the money from my house sale - who was very unattentive during the sale when i had questions that needed answering and eventually had to bypass him who was supposed to help me and go directly to the authorities concerned for help and n0w he has taken nearly a month's interest from my tidy sum - its no wonder these notaires dress from head to foot in versace huh! I have my money now and will never recommend his service to another.

EDF - after four phone calls to EDF to open my new account here they finally decide that they can manage it. WOO HOO!

France Telecom - 20 minutes passing from one number to another just to order a phone book - the direct number you need for that is 0810 810 767 - i hope i save someone 20 minutes.

There are countless other professional bodies who really should feature on this list but i need to open some more files and start some more frustrating processes now, like getting listed at the Doctors etc.

So now onto the niceties... im planning a holiday in February - looking for flights to the UK to use the family babysitting services and then my man and I are flying off somewhere warmer (without the kids) - can't wait!