Cerise

Morning - it's me.  Well done to you both for losing weight, especially Lynda 'cos it's awful when you get stuck.  Good News -hooray I've lost 2lb[:D].  Thanks all for giving me the motivation to get started. Can't say it has been easy - I'm the nominated driver for the rest of the summer so I can use that as an excuse for not drinking when we go out - though plain water is pretty boring and as I don't drink fizz that is about all that is on offer.  Fruit juice is higher calorie than wine so not a lot of point!  Have actually resorted to only eating fruit unless I am eating with guests etc.  Perhaps not the best way but anything to get a kick start and the only way I can stay anywhere near a sensible number of calories.  This week will not start well, as today is our wedding anniversary and I can hardly refuse offer to go to restaurant, especially as I've been cooking non-stop since Thursday.  Will stick to fish (which I love) and not have cheese so hopefully it won't be too disastrous - but somehow it spoils the pleasure having to think like that. French women don't get fat???  Plenty of hefty country ladies round here and the thin ones all seem to chain smoke and take anti-depressants!  I'd rather be fat and cheerful than that as an alternative.  I also know that some slim French ladies take various drugs/substances which they obtain from their doctors to help weight loss.  I find that positively scary.  there was a big scandal last year about some of the weight loss products which pharmacies were selling - it is a huge market here, but it isn't a substitute for eating properly. And actually all these books lie.  One square of chocolate is nowhere near as nice as half a bar, and one manky gherkin with your aperitifs is not an adequate substitute for several slices of delicious saucisson, a few olives and some of those gorgeous cheesy things.  It may be what I need to do but I don't believe I'll ever get to enjoy dieting.  For me it is not a case of eating more healthily as we eat very healthily anyway, simply a case of realising that my metabolism can't cope with eating as much as some others.  Anyway not too much doom and gloom - we've all managed to lose weight and the sun is shining.  Guests ahve just left and there are 3 bedrooms to change and the tx return to do and the dogs want to go for a walk.  Keep smiling and perhaps slimming   Maggi      

Well done Aly - it really is difficult and you've done it!  Bit miserable about the pay though isn't it.  My OH tries desperately not to mind that he is paid less as an electrician than our teenage nephew is paid for pushing trollies round Sainsbury's car park - but like you we're very proud he has CDI.

I'd go for bringing a cooker.  The only thing that I really regret not bringing from England is my lovely double oven.  My very expensive French thing is **** useless as the grill is in the oven so not only is there only one oven, but you can't use the grill at the same time as the oven.  If you do bring a decent electric oven you may have to get the power rating for the house bumped up as otherwise every time you have a roast dinner all the lights go out![:)]  The problem could be if it goes wrong I supose.

Thanks ladies for your welcome and support.  I try not to mention the diet in public as it usually results in me wishing to smack some skinny size 8 stuffing her face and telling me I don't need to lose weight (I do!).  It also irritates the hell out of my husband and to be fair when I met him he told me he couldn't bear women who were obsessed by their appearance and kept wittering on about diets and he just preferred people who enjoyed their food and their lives and accepted themselves how they are - so he would be quite angry if I said the doctor thing as he knows it is untrue and that I'm healthy.  He would, of course, be concerned if my weight was a health issue - but  when I spoke to our doctor he simply said that I could probably lose a few pounds but as I was very healthy and fit and didn't put weight on easily either he didn't feel it was a major issue. I will however resort to the pushing things round my (smaller) plate and trying desperately to not eat nice things.  I'm afraid I'm never going to be a 'born again dieter' who says how much happier they are eating only one lettuce leaf and a slice of cucumber.  I like wine, cheese, chocolate, potatoes, charcuterie, red meat, nuts, biscuits, cake, custard, cream, butter etc as well as fruit, veg etc.  I don't want to be Twiggy (my skeleton is bigger than a size 8!)  but I really do want to get rid of the excess which makes buying nice clothes so difficult so eating less it is and see you all next week.  Hope you are feeling slimmer already[:)]

Thanks for the support Joy and I will try, the main problem - perhaps I didn't make this clear - is that I have to eat what the guests are eating plus or minus and they don't want to eat low-fat, calorie conscious meals.  For example Sunday's dinner asked for (nay DEMANDED) by returning guests.   Smoked salmon quiche, gigot of lamb with dauphinois potatoes and veg (I don't think she is getting the carrots in crème fraiche even though she has asked), cheese, and raspberry and white chocolate tiamisu.  Not a lot of non-fattening in there.  I can't start serving myself different things as that will start various people off wanting choices and it is difficult enough doing table d'hôte meals and pleasing everyone anyway.  I could ignore their request, but as they are a whole bunch of Aussies returning to the CdH and therefore my bread and butter (ooh sorry only bread not allowed butter[:)]) it is a bit tricky.  I really do try not to eat large portions, but if I don't have anything will have to shut myself up in the kennel with the dogs to stop myself drooling.  I am beginning to think the only thing to do is not eat except when others are here - i.e. a lot of the time.  But the problem with that is I'm starving if I miss meals.  I think it is quite easy for people who live alone to diet, but when you are constantly eating in public it is a great deal more difficult.  I WILL MAKE A BIG EFFORT

Ok you lot you've convinced me.  I've got 11 kg of unsightly fat hanging around (well it sounds better than 25 lbs doesn't it) and am despairing of shifting it.  The problem is I am surrounded by food - run a B & B and have to eat with the customers, and they are on holiday and want to eat and drink all sorts of lovely things.  My other problem is (I know, already sounds like a heap of excuses) that I already take lots of exercise, walking, yoga, swimming, aqua aerobics plus I run up and down our 66 stairs all day so bumping up exercise is hard.   I LOATHE keep fit/gym type things so know I will never stick to that.  I'm trying not to drink or eat any apero nibbles(but that is pretty difficult) and yesterday when refusing slice of my neighbour's delicious cake felt enormously  guilty as her wails of 'Il n'est pas bon, mon gateau?' filled my ears.  I'm tall 5' 8" and big boned so I guess I don't look enormously fat but I would like to be a great deal slimmer and actually be able to buy clothes here in France without being made to feel like small elephant.  Hope that you lot might have some ideas for me and also motivate me to keep going.  I lose weight so slowly that all the effort doesn't seem worth it. This week schedule - tonight aperos with husband's boss, Wednesday - meeting at library (fatal always cakes) Thursday, Friday customers for dinner.   Saturday - out to dinner friends' house so no option to chose low fat things. Sunday, Monday customers for dinner.  Customers dinners are 4 course with aperos, wine and coffee - I try to miss out cheese (hard cos I love it) and only drink one glass of wine.  I don't drink any fizzy drinks (not even champagne!) and all the low calorie options seem to be fizzy.  If I say I don't want alcohol I seem to be offered even sweeter and more sickly things. Help - any ideas???  Maggi PS Husband is unfairly slim - he is Indian with hugely sweet tooth and endless appetite for scrummy high fat curries etc.  He is not very supportive of slimming thing, simply says that as I am quite fit I don't need to worry.  OK for him to say as he scoffs another bar of chocolate or bag of pick and mix!    

Sounds like it - so long as discharge is clear or white there is usually blood after a few days - first day of bleeding is normally first day of season.   To check for blood dab dogs parts with white tissue/toilet paper after she has been out for a wee as it is not always apparent.  Sometimes not much blood for a first season and it may not last as long as normal - normal is about 3 weeks.   The dog will probably wee a great deal more than usual, marking the territory    If gunky, green or smelly discharge then trip to vet in case of an infection - but don't worry all sound normal.  If you are having a panic then pm me if you need any more advice.  If she is in season do not leave her outside unattended even if your garden is fenced.  Some of those local Lothario's have ladders!!  She is not ready for mating until the second/third week of the season so you have a few days to batten down the hatches.

Normally it is e-mail addess

Hi - try this site and go on 'trouver un cours' www.lemondeduyoga.org    

Aly - I go to a yoga class in Cordes (Tarn) run by a French lady and most of the members are French and not very 'sect' like!  No class this week as we are having a 'pont' but I believe there is a federation which gives a list of all classes.  I'll see if I can find out whether there are any near you when I go next Monday.   Maggi

Just a quick line to cheer you all up.  Four months ago I turned on my computer one morning and and saw a post from the lovely Mrs Animal asking for help in the Vaucluse and showing a sad, shaved, chained up dalmatian.  Poor old Trevor had been in the SPA for 13 months and on the streets for several months before that.  A couple of weeks later we collected him - he weighed only 18 kg, had an infected paw, was too feeble even to have his vaccinations, not house trained and very unsure of himself. On Saturday we returned to the Vaucluse as by chance the Dalmatian Club of France regional show was taking place there.  I asked special permission to show Trevor (as he is castrated and non-LOF) and as the show is a special for ALL dalmatians permission was granted.  To my huge delight Trevor - now weighing 26 kgs and with his coat shining and little sign of his scars - was given an 'Excellent' and a third place.  He returned home with a cup, a big bag of dog food and a wagging tail.  The judge commented on his wonderful temperament and and exceptionally good behaviour.  Best of all Arlette from the SPA who, along with Eliana and Christine, was instrumental in saving his life, was there with her husband and dogs to cheer him on. [IMG]http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q89/cerise_2007/Trevorshowingforum.jpg[/IMG] We are so happy we took Trevor in.  He gives us and Kiri - our other dalmatian - so much pleasure and I hope that anyone thinking of getting a rescue dog will take a look at his picture and see how much can be acheived in such a short time with a lot of patience and love.

You don't need to take Tempo to the vet.  If you just go in and ask the receptionist for a wormer for him, telling them his weight, they will sell you the necessary.  No need for an appointment or a consultation fee.  Different vets use different brands and much depends on whether there are heatworms presentin your area or whether you just need for tapworm and round worm.  Vet will know and give you the right thing. Maggi

Anne - only just read your post - I'm so sorry for both you and Utopie.  Dogs do miss their friends so - I hope you'll both feel a bit better soon. Love Maggi & snuffles and licks from Kiri and Trevor  

Anyone with a French bank account can get the Cheque Emploi chequebook.  If they are not French resident they will not get the tax relief so will pay the whole amount i.e. what they pay you plus cotisations.

Edit - missed some messages so what I wrote didn't make sense.

We have the same wages as our French colleagues and neighbours - we hate that part of living in France!  Sorry but for me 'better life' does not mean being poor.  Love my home, wide open spaces, lots of other things but scrimping and saving no fun.  Oh and guess what - most of my French friends think it is pretty rubbish too.  Guess that is why most of the youngsters here are thinking of heading of to other countries to earn a living.  All our French neighbours who can afford it have holidays - we've even been on holiday with some of them ourselves.  Don't feel guilty Zeb - if you are managing to have holidays while you live here - enjoy it.

As we wanted to be absolutely sure that we had the inheritance things tied up properly and at the time my husband spoke no French we used an English speaking notaire as well as the vendors notaire.  No extra cost, the notaires share the fee, no hassle - if vendors notaire had spoken English and/or understood what we wanted to do we wouldn't have bothered and would have simply used the same one.

Same here - we give room and house key.  Am not staying up all night for boozy wedding guests or staying in for someone who has forgotten their cardigan during the day.  So far, so good - a couple of keys have gone to far flung parts but have come back by return post.  I would actually be more worried with the key pad thing that someone might give out the number to all and sundry.  I know they could always get extra keys cut etc, but if you do Ch d H you take some risks and maybe we are just lucky but most of our guests are nice.

Hi Faye We run B & B and OH (who had no French on arrival) has a full time job, CDI but rubbish pay.  We get by, but I would not want to be doing this with a mortgage.  B & B is up and down and often last minute so you don't have a predictable income from that and the kind of house you would need to do B & B i.e. large, takes up a lot of money in bills etc.  If you need to have a mortgage I wouldn't recommend doing it as I think it would be a fast track to huge anxiety.  You are supposed to be moving for a better life not a worse one.  In my view you would be better off renting to start with and both looking for jobs.  if you don't have the worry of regular loan repayments life is great deal easier and you can always change track once you are installed and your OH has some language skills. Good luck Maggi

Aly - it wasn't meant personally and I know what you mean as my husband had exactly the same problems as you - could do things but no piece of paper.  Incidentally if you want to set up wallpapering etc, believe it or not you can if you call yourself an interior designer rather than a decorator!!  You don't need qualifications for that??!    Chapeau to you for getting the job - exactly what other half has done too. No, my comments were really because although I know it is the law, and actually I do try to employ registered folk myself, the reality is that it often doesn't happen and I for one genuinely believe that you can do good wallpapering without being a fully fledged decorator.  I certainly wouldn't risk employing someone uninsured to do something as dangerous as putting scaffolding up the outside of my four storey house, and a lot depends on what people want done. 

Sorry to be flippant - but I can't imagine anyone gives 10 year guarantees on wallpapering (not by the state of some of it I've seen round here) and as my 81 year old dad is a great wallpaperer despite never having been to college don't reckon it is too difficult.  While I applaud everyone's desire to be legal - I wonder how most people paid their window cleaners/cleaning ladies/dog walkers/gardeners in UK.  Wasn't in the dreaded CASH was it. By all means only recommend legal people, but surely it is up to each person and their own conscience who they employ - particularly as if they ask their French neighbour for a recommendation as opposed to this forum they will almost certainly get someone working cheque emploi service at best and on the black at worst. We do our own wallpapering (and have also not been to college) and I'm not recommending people working on the black but I do find it a bit astounding that everyone on this forum gets so worked up about formalities that most of my French friends and neighbours couldn't care less about.  they too would (mostly) employ someone legal to wire their house or fix their roof but ask locally who to get to do your decorating and most people will recommend a certain off-duty gendarme!

Ask the kennels - ours insist yearly as that is the rule for resident dogs.  Your passport will only stay in date if you return to UK for your 2 yearly jab (bizarre I know)  If it is done in France it must be annually and not one day over.

Just giving him a little boost - we are still sponsoring him.  If you know anyone who needs a nice dog?????????

They came my way - 3 rolls in 2 days.  Delightful people.  No visible signs of health problems.  They moved on to Andorra -expect to hear of chronic paper shortages in principality.  Some more guests have eaten a further 2 rolls - perhaps it is new diet - Andrex rather than Atkins!

The 10% can be deducted by all employees regardless of how far they live and  how they get to work.  It covers all sorts of expenses like lunch etc.  The frais réel is for if you feel that your expenses are more than  10% in which case you have to justify.  Mr C works less than 15 km from the house but 10% deducted by the nice man at the tax office - I'm not confident enough to fill ion my own forms!