Alex H

If you type "75 35'S,26 34'W" into Google Earth Search then a blue dot appears in a sea of white - containing 2 photos of what appears to be the Laws Building - thats all I could find[:(] Howver more here http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_stations/halley/index.php on the base itself. Great pictures - keep them coming!

chaux and water - mixed to consistency of 'single cream' (as taught to us on the course at Ty-Mawr Lime [:)])

In our renovation 'project' the previous owners has painted the kitchen a nice shade of blue (gloss) over the stone walls http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/house_first_4.html We decided that this had to come off as we would like the traditional pointed stone look. However after removing a lot of the surface we could see the stones underneath were in not particularly nice to look at and pointing made not a lot of differance. There were just too many small stones in there http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/house6_8.html So we have now pointed the stones up to a reasonably flat finish using the usual chaux mix and then limewashed the whole surface giving us this http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/house11_19.html Do not try to seal the wall with anything, stone walls are meant to breath Just remove the damged and loose pointing and a bit of the surface before going over it. We took off too much the first time and it takes an awful long time to put back[:)]

Thanks all, I'll try again when I return to France - at least I've got some idea now

how do i enable voicemail? when i call 888 in france i get a voice with 3 options in french, unfortunately too fast and complex for my limited language skills, although there is something about a 'code secret'. I did take the phone to an Orange shop in france, where a nice young lady did lots of typing and then told me it was OK, but the problem remains [:(]

Thanks both - that explains it - a bit of pronuciation confusion [:D][:D]

My neighbour says its Teal, but I can't find any info in French or English [8-)] http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/alexhudghton/july2007010.jpg

Thanks Benjamin - will do [:D]

OK We went to the FT office in Limoges, as it is now our nearest office. Went through screens of computer with an english speaking assistant, until it came to the bit about the primary line. Then we had to get the supervisor, who told us this was not possible unless we had the primary line in France [8-)] So its back to Limoges on our next trip then [:D]

Only possible if your primary residence is in France   [:(][:(][:(]

Why not leave it at the airport - it seems like everyone else does [:)][:)][:)] (small airport - free parking - although there are rumours that charges are on the way due to this very problem)

Dug up this to reply to just so others are aware. Some insurance companies in the UK only offer 90 days green card within 1 year. I've just fallen foul of this - booked Le Shuttle for a month+ in the Limousin and found I only have 17 days left of my green card allowance. Insurance is due to be renewed on 28th July, but they are 'not allowed' to bring the date forward. Something to do with fraud. So, either I move the dates or move the company - I'm examining the latter [:)]  

Because that 'summer' uniform looks fairly unsafe to me - short sleeved cotton shirt ! Is that really the official uniform?

John Do you have any idea of costs? I'm going to have to do this as well as our land is disconnected from our barn

Great, thanks both

I have been told by a friend that it is possible to have a phone in my French house which can be connected while I'm there and then disconnected while I'm in the UK, after giving suitable notice to the phone company. However I cannot find any details anywhere and the friend is relaying the information via someone else (!) My local France Telecom office no longer exists, so, has anyone any idea if this is possible? 

You mean one of these then   http://www.nightsearcher.co.uk/acatalog/Focus1.html

They are very common for use in computer rooms / data centres if theres a power outage.   try here http://www.cybermarket.co.uk/ishop/923/shopscr3332.html

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I was thinking mainly on these lines, however, there is no floor above, the timber holds up the barn roof. This http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/house9_4.html is a better photo of the complete thing Is it possible to support the roof while a timber of that size is 'fixed'?  

There is a possibility that we may want to extend our house into the rear of our barn. As you can see from http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/34.html there is a large roof supporting timber in the way. The floor would probably have to be levelled to the concrete in the lower left of the photo and here is where the problem is. The timber is resting on a large lump of rock (outlined in red here http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/36.html) which then sits directly on the earth. I must say at this point the earth is extremely compacted. It took me an hour to dig out the channel for the waste pipe using an SDS chisel. Does anyone have any idea how a builder would overcome this? Reinforced concrete collar perhaps?  

Link works now - a problem with lower / upper case !!!!

Anyone recognise these? http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/004a.jpg They are made of thin glass, about 6cm long, the ends are broken off and I suspect something to do with drugs [:)] They keep appearing from the rubbish tip that is part of my neighbours garden.  

Anyone recognise these? http://www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/004.html They are made of thin glass, about 6cm long, the ends are broken off and I suspect something to do with drugs [:)] They keep appearing from the rubbish tip that is part of my neighbours garden.  

There ia a reclamation yard in Confolens run by a British guy who may be able to help. The yard in on the north bank of the river to the west of the town. Take the road from Rochechouart, when you get into Confolens there is a T junction - left is the bridge, straight on the town. Take the bridge and turn left after you have crossed it. About 1 1/2 k down the road there is what appears to be a large factory on the left - thats it. The odd thing is, most of his reclaimed flooring comes from the UK!!

Dick I wasn't going to freeze it in the jar, merely the contents of the jar [:D]