optimista

Could you arrange to take a week's intensive driving course out of town?

Life's too short to ponder the wacky decisions of Those With The Power To Delete...

Indeed.

Flummoxed that on a chat forum posts are deleted and topics blocked because the conversation meanders into territory not covered by the title... Germanic rigidity perhaps? If so, a little Germanic consistency would be appreciated. That comment about weird smelling menstrual cups on the how to keep a friend is downright deviant.

A well known Swiss bank which will remain nameless and to whom I have paid thousands in bank fees while my capital has crashed and languished over the last 30 years are now actively trying their obtuse utmost to prevent me from withdrawing my own money. Bastards.

You can see the end of the tunnel. Hang on in there. Time will fly. You are in one phase of a tried and tested classic course of culture shock already well documented on TT. Top right hand corner search function will give you plenty of reading.

Latin was good fun 40 years ago. And that's a good enough reason to learn it. It is a brilliant aid to learning other languages.

Never assume anything, Sherlock

Not sure how I am going to be able to implement that one, but thanks for the advice. I will give it some thought.

Opino. I opine.

She may not be dismissed but getting them to pay her for being at home might not be cheap or easy. She might get offered something so bad she will just resign anyway. IME agencies ruthlessly exploit the ignorant. Have the T-shirt. You are going to need a lawyer if you want the agency to toe the line. Hope you have insurance. ZF has a point when it comes to practice.

You are on very boggy ground telling someone what they "appear" to be implying. Misinterpretation? There is a difference between actively turning children into... and passively depriving them of the opportunity to become capable of...

Exactly. Same in Italy. But not in Bavaria

I think I am being coerced (difficult to refuse to participate without being branded - and I was wondering why hubby was being so forthcoming and helpful in another situation when it did not even occur to me to ask for help). I am being inveigled into an upcoming situation simply by being invited to participate... suddenly I am part of the picture... They only give you part of the story, you agree to be there and suddenly it is a different exercise and you have a different role.   Grooming is a very subtle art. When I was growing up and for a long time after, it meant getting a regular haircut and keeping your shoes polished.

When I was pregnant I read two philosophical bits of sage advice that have stuck.   Good parents gradually move out of their children's lives. (The second part of the poetic image of giving our children roots to anchor them and wings to fly.)   Then the one that says our children come through us, and are of us, but they are not ours.   By extension it applies to other poeple. You have to give them a long leash and sometimes let go for them to be happy. (Easily said, painfully done.) You never own someone. Certainly not when married or even if they are flesh and blood. This comes as news to some people.   Relationships are elastic. Sometimes you move in, sometimes there is distance. Doesn't mean the relationship is dead, just dynamic. But not everyone can cope with that thought.