Saturday, January 16, 2021

Coming to terms.


A six in the evening curfew now in place.  It was eight o'clock but with Covid case numbers  remaining obdurately high the government has sensibly decided to batten down the hatches .... again.  Vaccinations have started nationwide although the rate of roll out is painfully, and surprisingly, slow. Yesterday, the UK managed to do more in one day than France has in two weeks. We are coming to terms with the fact that it will be months before it's our turn.  The swimming pool repairman phones to say he'll be here next week to replace the pool liner. Mid-winter, mid-pandemic seems to be a strange time to do this but we've learnt never to reschedule a local tradesman. Sophie likes the pool man. He brings biscuits.

We are also coming to terms with the fact that our relationship with Volvo France is a loveless one. We had possession  of the new car for 50 days. They've had it in the garage for 52. The lawyers were instructed to send a letter pointing this out and moving things ' to the next level'. A court case in a foreign country has many unknowns and is never pursued lightly but there comes a time when decisions have to be made.


The Old Farmer has been staying at his lady friends home in the big market town. This morning he returns after a two week absence to take delivery of some heating oil. While he waits for the tanker to arrive  he drives the venerable Mercedes onto a set of ramps and busily gets to work adjusting his brake pads. Our neighbour will be 90 next month. ' When all this is over I'm going to have a huge party to celebrate' he tells me. He is a firm believer that 2021 will be  a year for the world to enjoy a 'fabulous renaissance'.



This is playing on the Toulouse radio station as Sophie and Angus head off to the river for their morning walk:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGQfFCFUn4

 

13 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Bertie wants to know if the curfew includes dogs being taken round the block for their pre- bedtime 'comfort' walk?

Kerrie Roberts said...

Have you written/emailed the customer service director or the CEO at Volvo in Sweden directly? It is surprising how often this works.

Angus said...

Yes but they passed it back to the French subsidiary who seem to have ignored it. Sigh !

Teena and Lala said...

Can you not shame them on Social Media?

A lovely song by Ed Sheeran. I saw him at Wembley a couple of years back. It was incredible how he alone with his guitar captivated the audience and made intimate such a huge space.

Coppa's girl said...

I'm surprised that Volvo Sweden haven't become involved with your case. Perhaps they lately they have had too many similar complaints and have washed their hands of the whole affair? Can you actually speak to the Service Director or CEO in Sweden?
Our pool man, who comes weekly to clean the pool during the winter, and twice a week in summer, never brings biscuits - and Inca wants to know why! I have suggested that her appetite for them might bankrupt the poor man, but she remains aloof to the suggestion!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Lovely - thanks for Ed - big fan here. I trust the poolman's biccies turn out to be Jaffa cakes... YAM xx

Angus said...

Tradesmen are ranked on their biscuit generosity. Top prize went to the window cleaners in Scotland who used to being Jaffa Cakes. The PONs were devotees.

Angus said...

I fear they are more likely to be of the dry Breton variety. Still, as all PONs know, better a dry biscuit than none at all.

Angus said...

I'm not sure social media is a big thing in the depths of France profonde. Paris , yes. Occitaine, maybe not.

Angus said...

Sophie and her owners are curfew 'breakers' in the sure and certain knowledge that meeting anyone walking round the village at night is most unlikely

Stephanie said...

A shameful performance by Volvo. I'm so sorry you are not receiving the assistance you deserve. What a frustrating experience to put it mildly.

The Life of Riley said...

Angus, If you haven't already done so, perhaps write to Volvo's Compliance and Ethics Office and officer, copying your email to Volvo's French and Sweedish head offices.

Volvo's "Our Code How We Act" is available online for all the world to see! Under the heading "We care about our customers" it states "Any potential concern about product safety or quality must be tackled without delay, and we continuously improve products, services and processes." There are other parts of their code which apply, including maintaining their reputation. Stating your concerns, for what started as a product failure and potentially serious safety issue, and then thier lack of timely aftersales service might be an email, on file, that can not be ignored or delayed indefinitely by Volvo's head office in Sweeden. See the last page of the PDF for contact details.
https://assets.volvocars.com/~/media/ccs/shared/code-of-conduct/volvo_code_of_conduct_en_print_2019.pdf

Hailey and Zaphod and their Lady said...

Canada is also having a painfully slow vaccine roll out . . .