Geranium flowerGuess what! It's raining. Well, misting, really. It's just damp and windy enough that you don't want to go outside. I walked Callie this morning, before the mist started blowing down out of the clouds. Walt is cooking a coq au vin — actually, it's a poulet cuit au vin rouge, since he's using a chicken, not a rooster. That's wintertime food, but it seems appropriate on a gray, windy, misty day.
Geraniums in a window boxI'm now patiently waiting to get my new camera. Some of the comments on my topic a couple of days ago pointed out that there is a lot of fraud committed by people placing orders internationally. Somebody said you wouldn't want to accept payment by credit cards issued by banks in certain countries. Fair enough, I guess.
Dahlias by the garden shedI think certain Internet vendors should make an effort to refine their policies regarding credit card payments, and educate their sales and customer service agents. They ought to recognize when a card is issued by and U.S. bank, at least. Don't they want to sell the merchandise they advertise? I know, I'm just ranting.
Blackberries by the pond, not yet ripeSomebody else said all this a good argument for maintaining a billing address in the U.S., but I'm not sure whether that's kosher. My primary address is in France. I guess I should just buy things in France, and I do buy most things in France. My new computer speaks French. You probably can't tell, because the computer doesn't talk to you. To me, it says things like Réorganiser les icône par... and Vérouiller les éléments sur le bureau.
The gravel road through the vineyardMy computer sweet-talks me in French. C'est fantastique. I also have a camera that speaks and, I assume, sees the world, in French. I used it to take some of these pictures. Can you tell?
I can't tell! Pictures are such an international language! ;)
ReplyDeleteWe're having a lot of wind, I would even say a storm this morning. I was planning on driving back to Paris today, but I think I'll wait a bit till the wind subsides.
It seems to me you'll have blackberries by the pound when they are ripe. CHM
ReplyDeleteZut alors, I hope the new camera comes soon. Then you can get back to food! ;>
ReplyDeleteReally, it does reflect poorly on Buy.com that they cannot handle international sales. In fact, I have found other limits in shopping carts.
Consider that many vendors have not the technical skills to master such detailsI go to dealnews.com often for bargains, but sometimes the coupon codes are not stackable, or some other damned thing; and they will not fulfill the order by phone. They are slaves to the technology.
My reflection on international fraud might be valid, but if Amazon can do it, I would certainly hope to be able to manage it, even if some kind of red tape (escrow?) were involved and increased, say, S&H costs to compensate.
If you are looking for topics, I have one. How to prepare for a visit to France. If you have general tips and thoughts, well and good; but in particular I have been asked to deal with the cell phones.
If you could describe how it would work to rent cell phones for a fortnight or a month; whether and how one can use one's US phone in France, switch SIM cards, etc.; whether Sprint or Verizon CDMA is supported (I assume not);
this would be helpful.
But so many other reflections doubtless would occur to you that you might think cell phones the least important thing. However, I could use the help, all the same.