ADMINISTRATION

 A word that strikes terror into the heart.

I have various tasks to accomplish this week. The first is to apply to exchange my driving licence.

European citizens can use their driving licences in any country of Europe, but we recently ceased to be European citizens. We’ve all been told to continue to use our UK driving licence until it expires or until we commit some driving offence. My photo card licence expires in February so it’s time to exchange it for a French one.

This meant getting a passport photo done. I went to a booth that supplies the photo, transmits it to the préfecture, along with your signature and a special code that you can use in communication with the government. But could I get my signature to register on the screen? To ask the question is to answer it.

So I hied me to a photographic emporium. A nice lady sat me on a wobbly stool, told me to look straight ahead and to relax, then to sign and gave me the code in return for 15 euro-credits. So that stage is done. ‘You have to allow two days for the code to arrive at the prefecture’, she said. 

So I’ll be able to continue with my exchange on Friday.

Meanwhile I recently changed my phone, and unbeknownst to me, the system my card uses to authorise payments on Amazon is linked to your specific phone and not just your phone number. This means that for a couple weeks I have been unable to buy anything from Amazon. This is good news for your budget but has stopped us buying certain essential fripperies, so I have to get that sorted out with my ‘online counsellor’ - more words of terror…

Then I have to contact the bank about our loan to buy the flat, and about something else. They have tried to ring me about my professional insurance. So today is admin day.

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