Richard51

I have googled. I think the story is that he "retired" from motor racing at the grand age of 81 on Friday. The picture from Cooperola is hot off the press.

As good old Winston said:  "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter".   Just take a walk down most city streets to see the 'average voter'.  Nuff said. I haven't voted for 10+ years - there's no point in our area with FPTP voting. Mrs R51

By depriving water (without killing the plants of course) you 'stress' the plants so they reproduce in expectation of their imminent demise (flowers > seeds).  As long as you remove the fading flowers so the seeds never set, the plant will continue to try to reproduce.  Also use potassium rather than nitrogen based feed (tomato feed is good). Mrs R 51 As with most plants, knowing country of origin and thus natural habitat gives a clue on care.  Geraniums (or more correctly pelargoniums) originate from South Africa, Madagascar and Egypt so they like dry, hot conditions.  Petunias originate from South America and closely related to tobacco, tomato and potato.   These also tolerate quite dry conditions.  Petunias can be trimmed back if they get leggy and will flower again. 

It has been pointed out that it is St Catherine's day today - please message me for Paypal instructions for donations.....Mrs R51 (aka Catherine)

Thanks Minnie.  We weren't planning to do it on-line but we were told by the non resident bit of the tax office in Niort what our options were, which forms to complete and they suggested we print off the ones from the website (viz - the missing forms!).  We don't have a tax number yet.  I have emailed the tax office and asked them if they can send a pdf of the missing form but no reply yet.... Mrs R51

This will be our first return - and I've changed jobs twice so two lots of salaries, sick pay and JSA for a few weeks. [:(] I will probably be back with loads of dumb questions...  Good luck Sweet and Idun - and any others in the same boat...

Does anyone know when the 2010 tax forms are available on line?  At the moment it seems to be a bit of a mishmash.  The 2010 version of form 2044 is available but the latest version of form 2042 is for 2009? Mrs R51

Because they are royal / infamous doesn't mean they are also intelligent.  Maybe they can't remember the words?   Remember Diana's cock up?  She couldn't even remember who it was she was marrying - even after all the rehearsals! Personally, I am planning a good day's gardening - well away from the TV. Mrs R51

Thanks, I'm on board now. Richard

How silly: of course Ryanair don't get the on-going charges, but I'm sure they are getting a considerable payment from the company that are, and they will be well aware of the aim of the said company!! Not rocket science. Richard

Pac Sorry, but I'm winding down (with vino) from a long week - but what are you talking about? Richard

Mel Thanks for the warning. I can, perhaps, understand the one-off extra charges for the unaware, but I do think that getting into the ongoing  monthly charges scenario is a little too much, even for such a forward looking company as Ryanair. Richard.

S*d the three wheelers, my ambition from about 15 yr was for a Morgan : still to be achieved, but getting more unlikely with competing priorities. Two wheelers even worse - my father lost a leg after an accident during WW2 on a motorbike and subsequently, after producing me and bro, died from PEs. I can recollect as a child an interesting journey to the Norfolk Broads in a Bond three-wheeler "van" where my family (2 adults and three children, plus luggage) piled in and drove there. As the smallest, and youngest, I was placed on the mound between the driver (rider) and passenger seat - I can still remember the roasting my backside got by sitting there above the engine for so long. {I must say, though, wonderful times given to me by my mother (and step-father, later divorced - not so good!) doing "their" best for the kids}. Sorry for the even more off topic, but my real reason for posting is that I'm intrigued by the second photo in the opening post. I'm convinced that it's at the crossroads before dropping down into the village/town of Thenon. OH disagrees. John, could you put us out of my misery? Richard.

Sent you a pm

I work as a business advisor working in international tax - and our rule of thumb is 'avoid, at all costs, being deemed to have a business in France'.  Aside from, say, Russia, China or India it is one of the most bureaucratic jurisdictions to operate in.   It is also one of the most expensive. Mrs R51

If you take a deposit from a tenant in France, then article 1730 of the Code Civil requires that both the renter and the lessee sign an etat des lieux.  This is both an inventory of the property and a statement of the condition of the property at the start and end of the letting.  On exit, any damages should be identified and agreed between landlord and tenant (with photos is necessary).  Only those breakages identified and agreed at the signing of the etat des lieux on exit (and supported by invoices) can be deducted from the deposit. If no inventory is establish then (unless the damage is general wear and tear / force majeure) if the lessor declined to offer an inventory on entry and exit, then it's up to the lessor to prove the tenant caused the damage.  If lessor and tenant disagree then a bailiff (appointed public officer) can be appointed to arbitrate (cost shared between the two parties).  His decision is binding on both parties. http://droit-finances.commentcamarche.net/contents/immobilier-location/l20-etat-des-lieux-une-formalite-a-ne-pas-negliger.php3 Mrs R51

[quote user="idun"] I would suggest that the macho-ness of french society has it's appeal to mens consience or maybe just their sub consience. And the macho-ness of french society is the reason why I would never have lived there alone. [/quote]  Absolutely!  The french blokes really don't like it when women aren't traditional. We worked out pretty early on the 24/7 together didn't work for us (I married my boss) and, since then, we have negotiated the 'togetherness' thing quite well....I go off travelling and leave him behind [;-)] Mrs R51

[quote user="Daft Doctor"] (I presume Sky would pick up that there were 2 subscriptions for the same household?). [/quote] Well Sky managed to set us up with a separate account at the same address rather than upgrade our existing account - and then proceeded to take two sets of subscriptions for several months before we realised.  (They also refused to refund the amounts taken in error - even though it amounted to several hundreds of pounds!).  So in answer to your question - their accounting systems are rubbish. (Personally, I would love to dump Sky (I would actually love to get rid of the TV as well as I never watch it) but have been over-ruled by Mr R51 and sons.  They wouldn't even let me threaten to close the account to try to recover the money taken in error!)

Interesting to see how different peoples careers have developed. I fear that in this day and age it will not be as easy to get such  jobs as it was in the past. However, I'm sure some people will make it satisfying/big with enough entrepreneurial spirit (or cash) - please forgive my cynicism. "It was the middle of the night and I found myself careering across Ireland (right across) towards Galway with a totally unknown francophone Roumanian archbishop." - if this were a novel I would be very tempted to skip to the end to see how this wonderful scenario came to be!! Surely not the average night out down the pub for the average person? Please tell more. I suppose the path of life is full of unknown twists and turns - I was just giving my opinion to an obviously able person based on my particular path. I certainly benefited, compared to my peer group, by going to university and that was all those years ago. Nowadays all the peer group are going to university as well. Richard. NB its also interesting to see that the "normal/average" requirement for the CELTA is a degree, you pay for it and its over in a few weeks.  

Emma-Louise Congratulations on your excellent A level results. I would suggest that opportunities in France are very much the same as in England for the subjects chosen. - i.e. very little without further education to degree level. Being very blunt, France is a closed shop. Without intimate knowledge of the language you will struggle. I don't know your individual background, especially as 2013 seems to be a particular aim, but I'd advise going for a degree course in the subject that interests you most. It may be that the university has an arrangement within ERASMUS that would enable you to study in France as part of the degree, but again this would depend on you having sufficient language skills. Apologies if you are a mature (age) student.

Fair comment at the moment

Sorry - forgot that north of the Watford Gap doesn't really exist Richard

OH has been saying what lovely weather she has had for the last couple of days at our house in 24. I can report that its cloudy and cold here in UK!! Richard

[quote user="sweet 17"]I have always hoovered, cleaned the loo, the shower, the kitchen, the everything and OH has polished the glass in the woodburner and emptied out the rubbish.[/quote] You sound like us Sweet :). We also leave all the herbs, condiments, oil, flour, tea, coffee, milk, bread and even stuff for a basic meal in case they didn't have chance to go to the supermarket etc.  We also leave washing up liquid and washing machine /  dishwasher tabs etc.

That's wonderful news!