naps
-
Posts
323 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Never
Posts posted by naps
-
-
Go for it!
I only wish we had some form of air conditioning. It's been two very hot days (and yes, I know we've more to come in July/August), and the house is hot, despite the shutters . The children are now sleeping in their beds with hair which is soaked through from perspiration.
Off to buy a mobile unit this week.
-
Thanks so much for your advice.
Before we moved here our daughter was in a pre-school group of 15 which was supervised by one teacher and one parent (on a rotational basis) - the class was small and I always felt happy with it. We'd registered her at a 'proper' school and had taken a look around it and we both felt really good about it, so it was a shock to suddenly have a negative gut feeling about the school here. Having not much experience with schools I was wondering if I was being overprotective, but now I think you're right in that we should follow our gut feeling.
We'll take a look at some more schools this week. Does anyone know where I can get a list of schools?
Thanks.
-
We moved to Deux Sevres 2 weeks ago and visited the local maternelle yesterday with our daughter who will be 4 years old in October. She's now due to start on September 2nd, but I didn't get a great feeling about the school.
The Head Mistress was proud to announce they are the largest maternelle in the area with 250+ children aged between 3 and 6 years old. They are then split into 8 classes. It all sounds over subscribed - how are the schools in the other areas? Is there anyone else in Deux Sevres who can recommend a maternelle anywhere in the Niort-La Creche region?
Plus, do they all have open toilets with a huge gaping gap into the corridor? Just a side note, but I found it a little off putting, I know kids have no inhibitions, but can't they even have a little privacy at the toilet? I've spent the past year convincing my child that she can go alone and asking her to close the door so we're not all having to watch her.
-
After a two week absence I'm back.
The move went well, and two weeks into French life we're up and running with the computer again - so all is well.
I wish I could say the same for my diet, but there was just far too much temptation - trying to get that back on track too, but we'll see how it goes!
-
Hi, now we're finally here in France, I think it's time to push forward with a French language course. Does anyone know of anything in Deux Sevres (79), near Niort if possible, which would suit an absolute beginner?
Alternatively, is there anyone out there who can offer French lessons.
-
Been in 79 for 2 weeks and 1 day!
The Wanadoo live box arrived about an hour ago and even though I can't speak/read/write a word of French the installation instructions were simple enough for me! So we're up and running again.
-
Ok, so it looks like my car will be ok because I have the certificate of conformity from when I brought it over from the UK. The OH's car may take longer, but we'll phone around to get his send on to us. The temporary plates must be returned within 2 weeks of being given them so I figure the cars will just have to stay in the garage until we get the French side sorted out.
No doubt the motorbike will prove the biggest problem!
I'll let you know how we get on!
Thanks for the replies.
-
Thank you after 100+ readers I was beginning to give up hope!
-
Is this possible? We're leaving Holland next week and have to hand in the dutch plates which our cars currently carry. We'll be given temporary export plates which are valid for two weeks, in which time we are expected to get the new French plates. The temporary plates then have to be posted back to a garage in Holland.
The question... has anyone ever imported their car within a two week time period?
-
Didn't know where to post this one, but here it goes...
Here in Holland we've a freestanding fire, with surround which we fill with logs (made from some sort of stone) and little tin pots into which we pour a clear odourless gel - this is then lit and burns giving the affect of a real fire - without smoke/emissions and therefore without the requirement for a flue and chimmney.
The question... is this available in France? The reason... we're packing a half dozen or so bottles of the gel, but once this runs out we won't be able to bring any more from Holland unless we drive because it's a flammable product - it's a long trip just to pick up fire gel!
Does anyone know a stockist of this gel in France?
-
Thanks - I can't see anything on the Deux Sevres site, but my French is non-existent, so perhaps the OH will see something.
-
We're moving to Deux Sevres June 1st and I've heard that there is a school in Niort which caters for English children who can't speak French to bring them up to speed with the other children - does anyone know of it and can offer advice?
Our little girl will be 4 in October, so I was thinking of keeping her out of the school system until after the summer holidays and spending the time up until then with some private lessons at home for the pair of us, but obviously a city school with more english kids may be a good starting point when the time comes.
-
Hi,
I wasn't sure where to post this, but thought you should all be aware of the following message which my husband's company have just sent to us:-----------------
Notice To Expatriates from the UK
It has recently come to our attention that there have been attempts to
fraudulently obtain personal information from certain groups of
expatriates. To date only those with UK bank accounts have been affected.
Expatriates in other companies have received a letter claiming to be from
the UK Inland Revenue, which asks them to provide information concerning
their status as "Not Ordinarily Resident in the UK". The letter encloses
a form P86 which is not the standard IR form and which asks for personal
Bank Account and Sort Code details.
Please note that these letters have not been issued by the Inland Revenue
and are clearly false. The letter is signed by a Fiona Delaney but there
is no such person working within the Inland Revenue. The IR logo, the
phone and fax numbers and the address on the letterhead, are all fake.
Please be careful when handing out any personal information------------------
As it came from the Human Resources department of his company I don't think this one is just a circular, hopefully this warning will prevent problems for some of you.
-
Lorna - thanks for making me feel much better! So, we're about level pegging still and we'll both be spending a great deal of time in France in the next 4+ weeks, so how about a new goal? A good weight loss is 1.5 kg per week, so trying hard should see us lose over 6kgs each - but being realistic, how about 4kgs by 21 June?
Hope you enjoy the trip and everything works out well for you.
-
Not a good week, but I knew that being in France would be hard! We had a really hectic trip with little time to eat, so the sandwich stops at all the train stations were just toooo handy.
That and the extra wine (not that the nibbles with all the wine had anything to do with it)!
Up again to 78.9 kgs - failed to meet the target well and truely!!!
Hopefully it will drop off as quick as it came on, but it won't be easy - we've a moving date of 31st May - that leaves less than 2 weeks to say all my goodbye's here, and each goodbye will be accompanied with tea/coffee + biscuits, etc., etc.
-
Oops posted a topic instead of a reply - deleted!
-
Thanks for all the comments. We made it to Deux Sevres and viewed a house in La Creche which is just perfect for us. The village itself may not be fantastic or quaint, but the location of the house and it's distance from the office are great. It's modern, clean, a good size, with a large secure garden, and available immediately - so it ticked all our boxes. It's ours from 1 June!!
Perhaps if this 3 year secondment turns permanent we'll look for something which we'd prefer to own, but for now we're happy with our rental in La Creche.
-
Message removed to cover up a totally stupid question and a total act of dumbness on my behalf!
Translate that as - I figured out the problem immediately after I'd posted.
-
First in line today - so you can tell I've been good ALL week!
We went Japanese for my birthday with a set teppenaki(?) meal and I skipped the noodles and left between the main meal and dessert - so no temptation. I felt I deserved to lose a few pounds for that.
If that wasn't enough, I baked a chocolate birthday cake with the kids and decorated it with strawberries and chocolate frosting (and didn't lick the bowl, spoon or even fingers). The kids had a couple of slices each, the babysitter one, and my sister another - then yesterday I put the rest in the dog's bowl. Now I'm not asking for a medal, but hitting goal weight would have been appreciated!!!
I have been rewarded though, ok so I haven't turned into Cindy Crawford overnight, but I weighed in at 76.9 kgs.
Lorna, don't worry - I'm happy to keep the goal weight of 77kgs for the 17th as we're off to France tomorrow through to Sunday, and I know it's going to be impossible for me to follow this diet, just maintaining will be a miracle.
Hope everyone else had a good week.
-
Thank you - accommodation found and booked.
-
Thank you - accommodation found & booked.
-
I'm still on catch up on this thread, so I may have missed it - but have to ask, which diet are you doing? Rosemary Conely has some great prepare ahead low fat treats.
-
We are only going to be renting as we're planning to be in France for only 3 years and we have only just got on the property ladder here in Holland a year ago. All the available properties seem to be in La Creche - we're looking for 4 bedrooms and a garden and it seems to be a high demand.
We've struggled to find accommodation for this trip so have provisionally booked a hotel in Niort, in hope that some gite accommodation may be available and are planning viewings for all day Thursday and Friday.
Let's hope it all falls into place eventually.
-
Hi, I've already posted in Western France & Gite Owners, but thought it best to cover this section too....
Things are finally moving for us (a little too fast now!).
We've been asked to pop down to France this coming week to look at some available houses. My OH's company are happy enough to put us up in a hotel, but with two kids under 4 years old I'd rather stay somewhere with a little more space than a hotel room. Anywhere considered - gite, B&B, etc.
Is there anyone out there who has space for 3 adults and two kids from Wednesday 11th May to Wednesday 18th May in the Deux Sevres region (as near to Niort/La Creche as possible - although I do realise that beggars can't be choosers, so we'll consider anything available).
Maternelle
in French Education
Posted
thanks - 'hopefully' I don't have to take college into the plan. We're here on a 2 - 3 year assignment. If however, we're still here in 3+ years, I may start to think differently!