Catalpa
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Posts posted by Catalpa
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++ Old hands know, however, that nothing beats an old electricity bill. ++Brilliant!
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<< However, I can truthfully say that in our case we moved in October 02 with an E106 in our pocket which should have expired in Jan 04 but that we were given another to take us up to Jan 05. I think now that we were lucky and it must have been an error by DWP. >>I wonder if it is something to do with the October arrival date as we have friends whose E106 was issued October 2003 and expires 01 January 2006, ie 2years 3 months.
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[quote]It is interesting, Pat. I've heard of experiments like this before, not to do with Hitler, but to do with torture, where people find themselves surprisingly willing to inflict torture on others if t...[/quote]
I think there was a tv programme recently based on this premise, possibly commissioned in the US, but I'm not sure. As I recall, it had to be cancelled a few episodes in because the participants showed themselves far too willing to inflict escalating levels of pains on each other. Criteria for participant selection might have had something to do with this, of course. I don't think it was subsequently broadcast but can't at the moment remember any of the details about the channel, production company, etc to back up my recollection. -
I think the major newspapers such as figaro and le monde have online forums and I would imagine the participants are predominantly French citizens. That might be a better route to obtaining the information you want.
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Furrynix said: ** Do you think one would survive in Normandie? I would love to have one. ** We had one in Wiltshire and it flowered beautifully in warm summers. It really is a stunning tree. As we're now 200 or so miles south of Wiltshire I would guess that climate won't be a problem so I plan to plant several - post renovation - because we're on a south-facing hillside and need terrace shade in summer. The catalpa has the additional benefit of coming into leaf comparatively late and shedding it's leaves quite early so when we want the sun in the colder months, the trees won't obscure it. I've recently discovered there's a purple version as well as the bog-standard green and 'aurea' versions. The Wiltshire catalpa had a fully mature copper beech as a foil in the background. Both looked stunning with the sun filtering through the beech leaves. The new owners will die if anything happens to either tree! We had no pangs selling the house, but the trees...Thanks Coco (so nice to see your name is no longer censored!) I've not heard of the restaurant at La Graverie but last I heard the fish and chip van still goes to Mortain on a Saturday evening though we've never been motivated to go find it.
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One of us cooks from scratch for a main meal every day - though might also make soup or a pasta dish for the other 'lighter' meal. We're not usually organised (disciplined!) enough to make double or triple quantities and then freeze the extra because the labels come off (or never go on) so we don't retrieve the plastic bag with indeterminate contents... but as there are two of us, if we do a casserole or a roast, we're likely to eat the same meal (as it were) on consecutive days but with different vegetables. If we've had a stew and there's goo left (read 'gravy') we use that as a soup base which is then jazzed up with lentils, rice, vegetables and lardons or chopped chorizo or meguez...whatever. Hmmmm. I think we eat too much!
Yes, Alexis - we buy "eat today or die tomorrow" offers too.Does anyone else still make their own stock?
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[quote]That the little cafe just outside Vire has stopped serving fish&chips on Fridays- due to damage done to the place by drunken Brits fighting! Anyone know anything about this??[/quote]
which cafe was this? Which road out of Vire? -
quote: ** I'm sure DickSmith will be along soon to tell me I'm talking rubbish as usual ** Just console yourself with the thought that you're a part of a select but not particularly small group, Alcazar! At such times I always think of Elgar - marching.Our stonemasons laughed when we asked them about the 35-hour week. They tell us that they normally work 40-45 hours, though somewhat dependent on the weather - paricularly in winter. Still, they would say that to their client, wouldn't they?? This week they start work 7.30am-ish with a floodlight.
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[quote]Thank you all for the recommendations. We're going to the Maritza tonight and will try the others soon. There is a restaurant in Cherbourg that I think is great, simple. limited choice but assured co...[/quote]
quote ** My tartiflette is great and I got the recipe from the River Cottage cookbook. **I was looking for a tartiflette recipe recently and found Hugh F-W's version. But it's lacking the *vital* ingredient of a glass of white wine thrown over the completed dish before baking. It really takes the dish to a different level. I usually use a wine from Alsace - and a large glass! - but I think it's supposed to be a vin blanc de Savoie. -
I've bought several sets of Laguiole knives from the wondrous retail temple that is TKMAXX - at somewhere in the region of 60% off. But... someone was quite correct that the quality can vary. AFAIK, if the bee is embossed on forks, the place of manufacture is likely to be outside France (didn't know it was China) but if the bee is 'attached' to the side it's made in France. I've read this somewhere though can't now remember where. They're not dishwasher-proof... or at any rate, it's not recommended. Bummer!For good quality pans, I only buy at John Lewis... or, of course, TKMAXX. I think it's TJMaxx in the US... maybe they'll target France one day. TFMAXX?
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Our two chocolate labs have been to Emma at Acorn on 4 / 5 occasions now. I thoroughly recommend these kennels. Over the years, we've judged the quality of care by how calm and relaxed our dogs are when we collect them. Yes they're pleased to see us when we arrive to collect them (ie, leap around like puppies - they're 11!) but do they then hop into the car and settle down? Or are they hyper, whiny and unable to settle? They're completely calm and relaxed when we collect them from Emma; I'm really pleased and relieved we've got excellent kennels so close. Carole...who used to be 2heads but now wants to be a tree
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Our form completion wasn't officially overseen either. Our neighbour yelled across the field to go and collect ours from her - she'd taken delivery as we weren't in - and she told us to drop them off at the Mairie after we'd finished with them. I agree with... Alexis was it? - I'm surprised the questions are quite so detailed and personal. And no opportunity here to play the 'Jedi Knight' game either.
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Quote** Incidentally, I heard on the radio the other day (Radio 4 so it must be true) that London is technically a desert. Although Britain gets lots of rainfall, London is in the 'rain-shadow' of the hills to the west. London gets less rain than Madrid and other cities I have forgotten. Who'd have thought it? **It’s true. Years ago I lived in London (Earls Court) and walked to work (Westminster). If it rained, I took the tube. Over a year, I took the tube on maybe half a dozen occasions. It’s an incredibly dry city. Usually incredibly cloudy and humid too. I wish Normandy was a bit brighter. Ratio sun to grey is roughly 1:10 this winter. But I know it'll reverse soon. Always the optimist! Oh... potential for another name change I think.
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Quote:** Different matter with the people who run 2 or more id's seperately, and post under each of them, sometimes in response to their own posting, or someone very close to them **nooooooooooooo! Please don't say things like that! You'll start them off again!catalpawho got bored being 2heads and now wants to be a tree
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I love love love my digital camera. But it's very distressing when the battery fails just as the sunset turns particularly spectacular or two swallowtail butterflies are flitting elegantly on the lavender flowers. And the little movies seem to drain batteries quite quickly. Recommendation: buy a second battery and carry it with you.
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The old Swissbarry wouldn't have worried about the seniority of his member. I'm a bit suspicious.
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It's fun, isn't it, TUNever again, that old ennui...
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Maybe we should **all** change our screen names - and then spend February trying to figure out who's who - number of posts will be a clue. The mods could monitor correct guesses and award a prize. They'd enjoy that. They wouldn't be allowed to play, of course, because they have insider information. Hmmmm... who shall I be now...
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We recently fitted an 80cm motorized dish - 'Etap' brand - with analog / digital receiver. We've managed to get the BBC and ITV free to air channels including radio from Astra 2B but have totally failed to acquire the French channels from the many satellites programmed into the receiver - including Hotbird. Atlantic3 wasn't in the memory SO we went looking manually but as we couldn't get a signal, we don't know whether we ever found it. Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm currently missing out on Inspecteur Derrick. (kidding!)
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This must be an example of every department doing things differently. In Manche (50) we got our carte vitales in November (stupidly we applied during August ) - attestation arrived in October followed by CV. CPAM Manche now has an English-speaking helpline. If you're not in Manche, you could still call and see what they say about issuing CVs to immigrants.CPAM Manche French Health Insurance Advice Hot-Line (English)Tel: 0820 904 212 Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00
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but before you had a go at Mazan for expressing a personal opinion, you did at least send a PM to Hugh giving him some guidance and information, didn't you...? no?
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hi Val -thanks for the info. I can go back and make the case for 5.5%.Yes, we have a permis de construire for the whole renovation - we even bothered to get a variance when we decided to install solar panels on the roof. The renovation is for us, not - assuming no future tragedies or disasters - for re-sale. The company who did the installation is large, local and reputable having done work for the commune itself.Thanks again.
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Val - if you wouldn't mind giving your opinion on a new fosse TVA question:we have an ancient house (total renovation project) with accompanying ancient 1cu metre fosse - not even slightly toutes eaux. We've just had a 5cu metre fosses toutes everything with sand filter bed installed. Originally the company thought it qualified for the 5.5% TVA rate but now say it is 19.6% TVA because there was a fosse in existence, it's conformity to the new regs being irrelevant.In your experience would you agree with that interpretation?
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I prefer isolated farm gates and the edges of woodland personally - it seems an ecologically sound way to disperse DNA. And there's always that frisson of danger...
Parsnips!!
in French Food and Wine
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