Chrissie

Sorry, this is probably a really silly question.  We have been looking for a high-seated vehicle and this afternoon saw a nice 2nd hand Berlingo, which we will consider.  Only now remembered that it had roof bars.  Would these normally be removable?  It's just that we have a really good top box with lateral bars which I would like to keep if poss......... Thanks in advance Chrissie (81)

We live just north of Mazamet, Victor.  For us it was a good choice as there was a terrific golf club very close by, but that is clearly not an important factor for you! By "down on the plain" I meant places at the foot of the Montagne Noire, heading from Mazamet towards Toulouse.  Hence the references toplaces like Revel. I always think of Castres as being that bit more elevated - well, we have to climb when driving there! Sorry to have caused confusion.  We like it here as we tend to avoid the really wet spells they have east of us towards St Pons.  We can also walk our dogs all over and are not worried by great agricultural areas or vineyards as round here it is woods and lakes and lots of free walking esp if you go into the National Park.  Winters can indeed be wet and as Dave said, Jan and Feb can be bitterly cold, but I think you will find that is true in most places around the area you are looking at.  I agree with you entirely about the wind - living on the Carcassonne side of the Montagne Noire would drive me crazy in a week.  On this side, it is important to be sure you are placed to get adequate sunshine in the winter months. You said Mazamet looked a bit sad - well, it has gone through some hard times since its heyday in the 1970s, but I do think things are improving, and a lot of upgrading has taken place in the central areas.  We do have our share of cafés to sit at and natter(!), but I agree that there is little to do in town of an evening except the cinema or theatre (main complex undergoing renovations at present), outside of the summer holiday months when we have evening markets and street entertainments.   Anyway, give our town a looksee on your way through! Of course we have just had a lovely warm sunny week and next week it is to get colder! Good luck Chrissie (81)

Agree with everything Dave said.  Probably worth checking out places such as Revel (brilliant market but can get touristy, also slightly nearer Toulouse), Labruguiere (small but has a lot going on) and Mazamet/Aussillon (better value on house prices and brilliant for access to beautiful walking areas. Also good selection of supermarkets.  Mazamet market is poor but Aussillon is vg - every Thurs morning) I find Castres can get a little colder in winter and a little hotter in summer than the places down on the plain. Happy hunting. Chrissie (81)

Nothing for us yet either - I wonder what they are going to take out of the  bank account on 15th October.........  Normally this delay means that they are going to send me a "you owe us x thousand euros" threatening letter, stemming from the fact they cannot seem to get their heads around my husband's UK Govt pension not being taxable in France.  This has happened three times in 12 years, every time a new broom arrives in the tax office....... Chrissie (81)

Yes, sounds like Pineau Charente, not dissimilar to a sweet but fruity sherry......? Chrissie (81)

A French friend of a friend wants to sell an agricultural property/business, and thinks it would be a good idea to advertise where British buyers might look.  As I am English, I am the obvious first place to ask for advice..............[:D]   Anyone got some suitable suggestions? Chrissie (81)

On a slightly different track - has anyone tried going to comparethemeerkat.com?....... I did once (very sad, I know) and the result was surprising! Chrissie (81)

Our Orange addresses are still working 2 months after we cancelled our agreement, although I think (!) we have changed everyone we care about to new addresses.  I think I read somewhere that you get approx. 90 days before it is cut off. Chrissie (81)

I think there are a lot of us who would like the text of that email, if that is possible, please. Chrissie (81)

I have been busy the last few days, looking at more cupboards etc, and can report as follows, for anyone who is in the same boat: Found a cupboard that will do for my utility area at Ikea, the PAX range, reasonable quality and robust.  Total cost including doors, hinges, shelves and doorhandles is under 170 euros although I will have to pay for delivery (so am taking advantage of that to get a couple of other things at the same time.)  There are only top shelves in it but I can put an old chest of drawers at one side to give side "shelving". Found a set of attractive wardrobes at not bad prices, including doors, on La Redoute, although I am always a bit wary of buying things sight unseen........  They had a recent promo offering free delivery, including lugging stuff upstairs, so next time they do that I shall probably pounce.  I have reluctantly abandoned the notion of having sliding doors with one of them mirrored, as that gets me into a whole new price range. Something I have become very aware of is that promo cupboards often have fixed shelves, but these being adjustable is a very important factor to me. Thanks for all your useful comments, and hope this is helpful to others. Chrissie (81)

In our last house we had the same sort of antique doors all over the place, fronting the recesses.  I loved it.  Unfortunately in the new place everything is v. modern.  Also the spaces are not recessed and the utility room space is not standard at all, although the upstairs run of wardrobes would be simple, no curves or corners.  Will look at Leroy Merlin, but I also think I will see what our local menuisier can suggest.......  As a final resort I could order the actual cupboard for the utility space and cover the front with a curtain, but not too keen on that.   Really irritates me to think of paying such steep prices when it is just a rip-off and all you are getting at the end of it all is fancy chipboard-y stuff. [+o(] Off to have a restorative glass of plonk.... Chrissie (81)

Decided to trudge around getting quotes for a custom-built cupboard for our utility area, and at same time thinking ahead to a fitted wardrobe span in one bedroom. Considering we are talking pretty basic materials, I was horrified by the prices and especially the cost of the DOORS.  Whether sliding or outward-opening, they all seem to cost hundreds - high hundreds at that.  Is there any large nationwide chain similar to the old Sharps wardrobes people in the UK, who will fit cupboards in your home at a reasonable cost?  (I browsed but got nowhere useful.) Chrissie (81)

I tried several times this morning and it all just went dead.  Have only just tried again now...... Chrissie (81)

OH considered Synvisc about 10 years ago, but was told that this might prejudice any later need to have a knee replacement (something along the lines of the joint being too gunged up to be able to accept the new ball joint, but this is my totally untechnical memory of what was said.)  Presumably would be wise to check if Synvisc in your case is seen as a long-term solution or merely a temporary one. Chrissie (81)

Thanks for all that - sounds as though the SCART to HDMI adaptor is just what we will need to keep our current set-up going for a while.  As for the French TV - we are promised up to 20Mb....... we shall wait and see! Chrissie (81)

Yes, but both the Skybox and the DVD recorder have SCARTs......... Chrissie (81)

An additional question - we are in the same boat, about to buy a new TV and they all seem to have just one SCART.  We have a Skybox and a DVD recorder which use the two sockets on the current TV.  How can we get round that?  I browsed for SCART adaptors and there seem to be all sorts of switching devices, but do any of them work at the same time as each other so we could record a Sky prog? On a slightly different tack - if we get an Orange Livebox with the TV option, does it send (French) programmes wirelessly to the new TV?  Or does it have to be plugged in?  And does the included offer of "TV enregistreur 80Go" mean that we can record/save French progs but not Sky ones? Thanks in advance Chrissie (81)

In the early 1980s I started travelling widely with my job and was surprised (as a rather unpolitical person) to hear from virtually every foreigner I met, from Norway to Papua New Guinea, how much they admired Margaret Thatcher, not necessarily for her policies but rather for her sheer determination to get things done, and get changes passed, and not take s*h*i*t from anyone.  Almost without exception they were fed up with the slowness of reform in their own countries and said "If only we had someone courageous and determined like that, think what we could do."  She certainly left her mark on the world, so I say good for her. Chrissie (81)  

Totally baffled by the ending, but stuck with it just for the pleasure of seeing a rather grubby, hairy Emun Elliott.  [:)]   They also seemed to have been bulk buying the artificial gore...... Chrissie (81)

Well, I live in the south-west and never look at the geographical forum area posts - like others I use the Active feature.   As for lack of activity here, I would guess that we are all struggling out of a long wet, cold winter, trying to get the garden into shape and prepare for our Easter and post-Easter visitors.  I have no problem with the animal rescue messages, except I wish they would avoid links (Chats du Quercy, bow your heads in shame[:)]) and show pics.  I agree that having the location in the post title would help people to filter a little, but it's not a big deal to skip the messages totally if you don't like them.  Cannot imagine why anyone would avoid an area just because the inhabitants seemingly try to help animals! Chrissie (81)

I have heard that Nancy Wake's ashes will be scattered on Sunday 10 March 2013 at Verneix in central France.   The Mayor will lead a small procession to the grounds of the nearby chateau where Nancy was based in 1944, where her ashes will be scattered in accordance with her wishes. The event will commence at 1000 hrs.  I have no more information.   I just wondered whether anyone who lives nearby might like to attend, in reflection of the fact that it is only owing to people like Nancy that we are able to live the life here that we do.   Chrissie(81)  

Oh dear, very wearying for you - and probably for him as well.  I think you are right - it is better to return home, and clear up the pee, or whatever, at home, than sit and worry about someone else's house!  Also, he may be freaked out at being taken to yet another new house.......  Has he yet accepted you as his new home and looks forward to the cuddles and talking?  It took our latest little one a good 7-10 days before he (quite clearly) decided I wasn't going to beat him or eat him but just hold him loosely and witter on in my strange silent foreign language.....! Chrissie (81)

Just wondering how Nelson was getting on?  Hope he is still improving. Chrissie (81)

If he has a peeing problem, I would confine him to a small space - only one room or perhaps two - in the house until he is used to them and no longer pees there.  Meanwhile, go through the usual routine of giving some sort of peeing command outside and then repeating it with reward if he does pee e.g. "busy boy, busy boy,......yeeessss!  GOOD BUSY BOY!"  etc etc.  Dogs rarely pee where they eat or sleep, so if he is doing this he may have a medical problem.  We have had a couple of deaf dogs and would advise just using simple handsignals* (visible on his good seeing side) with every command - he will cotton on in the same way as a hearing dog. *We were taught what I believe are standard hand signals in the UK: Sit:             Clenched hands on chest Come:         Arms stretched wide Good boy: Thumb up Stay:       Hand held up palm towards dog Our French deaf dog learnt them within a couple of days and has never looked back. Well done you for taking on this poor little soul - he will soon feel very grateful and happy. Chrissie (81)

I often use the free site www.zamzar.com which is simple to use and they don't follow up with pestering emails or spam or whatever.  No subscription or sign-up needed. They will convert any file you have to the format of your choice, so all you have to do is save the file to your hard drive (or a disc drive) and then upload it to their site.  They guarantee it will be returned to you by email in the new format within 24 hours, I think, but it normally only takes 30 mins or so. Chrissie (81)