Chrissie

Good grief, how complicated (and worrying).  I find it tiresome enough to go through the straightforward business of advertising and communicating and selling (and packing), but these people are obviously driven to make money at all costs.  I guess you just have to take a chance on most people being normal and honest, and write the occasional loss down to bad luck.  By the way, I will make sure I KNOW where Norman lives!!![:D] Chrissie (81)

I liked the sound of the "mandat cash" but then I noticed that the info sent with every email offer via Le Bon Coin says "Le virement bancaire par Western Union ou Mandat Cash proposé risque bien d'être factice."................. I have given the buyer for the book the details that are on my RIB, and we'll see what happens.  Since then I have been asked to post two very fragile items to other buyers.  [:'(]  I will certainly be putting "collection only" on such things in future!  But I am pleasantly surprised by the interest my things have received. As an aside, does anyone know where I can buy plain brown wrapping paper?...... Chrissie (81)

Inspired by recent postings, I recent'y put some articles up for sale on Le Bon Coin.  One of these is a very heavy "coffee table" book of photos for which I was asking only 10 euros.  I asked for contacts by email only and someone came in last night asking what style of payment I required, so I said "cash".  This morning he came back and said he lives a long way away and could I work out the cost plus postage and then he would credit my bank account...... I am always reluctant to give out any details of my bank in case this gives someone access to my pitiful savings!   Not sure how much detail someone needs for a transfer anyway.  Also, I feel it is strange to want to buy a book at such cost - I imagine the postage would be horrendously expensive.  So my instinct is to say no.  But as I have lots of things I could sell and the situation may arise again - what does anyone think? Chrissie (81)

Hi Angelina I only top up my mobile every now and again using one of the SFR options you get from phoning 952.  We do not have a subscription.  Some of the options now give you this "3 free numbers" thing.  Once you have done the top-up you get a confirming text and it tells you to phone a certain number within the next 48 hours or so to register those numbers (they must be French mainland numbers or french mobiles).  It seemed to work OK when I finally did it, but as I make very few calls anyway, I never bothered again. Hope this helps. Chrissie (81)

What a good site that is, Norman.  Thank you.  And it may help me do further searches via the Web using some of the info given Chrissie (81)

Thanks, but that's not it.  I have searched all over the Web and cannot find anything so far that fits the bill. Chrissie (81)

Apparently there is a new book out, written by a woman, about the SOE in the Carcassonne area during WWII.  The author was interviewed on UK breakfast-ish television recently and OH was interested, so I thought I'd get it as a pressie.  But I didn't see the interview.  Anyone got any ideas what it is called? Chrissie (81)

Yaaaay! Good news on a cold wet evening.   Hope we get some updates later. Chrissie (81)

Moving the discussion up to a later level of education, surely the absolute aim of it all is to get young people coming out of education at a stage appropriate to their abilities and also equipped to do a job which will be needed by the community and will provide them with a decent wage. I lived in a Scandinavian country once where the number of University places was limited/related to the perceived future requirement for people with those qualifications.  i.e. a fairly steady if not rising demand for engineers, chemists, doctors and the like, but restricted funds/places available for budding politicians/graphic designers/ economists..............  Everyone accepted this without seeming perturbed.  The best applicants for the number of places available were chosen and the others went on to other things on a sort of preference system.  I assume the same sort of thing went for technical qualifications such as, er, piano tuners, plumbers (struggling a bit with ideas here, but you get the general principle.)  And on a purely personal note, at the end of a long, hard-working Saturday, I have to say that if I hear one more young adult, with little apparent ability or application, tell me they want to run a sports centre or want to be "in the meejah" I may have to kill them. Chrissie (81)

I have started getting several calls a day on our (SFR) mobile phone from 0010023200100 - when I answer there is never anyone there.  Googling this shows that it is some sort of international outfit that tries to sell you pets/pet insurance, which I find weird.  When I just let their call ring out, they then leave messages on the service - but these messages consist only of the word "goodbye" or more silence.  In order to erase them I have to start to listen to them.  Can this be scamming me in some way?  Even if it isn't, it is getting on my wick and I wondered what if anything I can do to put an end to it. Chrissie (81)

I have a friend in almost identical circumstances to yours, despite letting her property through an immobilier.  She has still to get her tenant out although she has never received a cent in rent.  It made me determined never to rent out any property here in France. Chrissie (81)

Why not move slightly westwards and go to the Carcassonne area? - bursting with history, and vineyards, and the Canal du Midi and......... Chrissie (81)

Thank you all for that - I'm now a bit confused (not difficult.) I am using a steamer and it seems to be doing OK.  The plasterboard surface seems pretty smooth and not warping or anything with the steam.  There are very few screwholes etc and they are easily filled and sanded, I hope.  I can't see the point of having to paper again - is it really necessary???? just to paint on top.  I might presumably just choose to put a decorative paper on and save myself the trouble of painting.  The only reason I stripped the wallpaper off at all was because it is shiny and "washproof" and I was assured by everyone who saw it (including the local paint shop) that it wouldn't take painting on top.  I am anxious to get this right as there are at least 3 other rooms with hideous equally shiny wallpaper.....  I suppose I could just see how a paint of undercoat (watered down emulsion) does, but dont' want to waste time and money trying different things.  It is about 25 years since I last papered and it wasn't brilliant.  I like the idea of paint as then you can change it easily whenever you want! Chrissie (81)

A very basic question, I'm afraid - decorating is one of my (many) vague areas. Am laboriously stripping wallpaper and liner from what turns out to be a plasterboard wall ( I was expecting plaster).  As I only want a plain painted finish, is there some product I would have to use to seal or treat the plasterboard in some way, before just using ordinary emulsion?  Obviously I don't want all the pencil marks and joins etc to show through. Thanks in advance Chrissie (81)

Gulli has given me a bit more info on ELMO - that's his name, and a new pic which I shall add at the bottom.  It is such a moving story.  Can no-one offer this amazing dog a new home after his early sad start in life?  This is what Gulli told me: His first owner was French, in Vendée, and kept him on a chain with shelter and food but no company at all, human or animal, until he was 17 months old.  I've heard of people doing this kind of thing to make a dog aggressive, when they want a guard dog.  Obviously, this was a total non-starter with Elmo who just loves everybody.  Then, he was abandoned, his owner denying that Elmo was his dog, although he had already been to the vet with him for his vaccinations!  After 2 weeks in the fourrière he was taken to the vets for euthanasia.  The vet refused to put him to sleep, saying he was healthy, very good-natured and, despite being chained 24/7 until then, very well-balanced.  He called NALA, a newly-formed association who brought him to me. You can imagine, when he arrived Elmo was like a giant puppy, flying around, chewing everything, never had any cuddles before, never been inside a house before so the first few weeks were difficult.  All worth it, seeing him now.  Let's hope a lovely family/person who can keep him safe come forward.   [IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/chrissie_081/002a.jpg[/IMG]   Chrissie (81)

And here he is - what a lovely calm-looking boy: [IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/chrissie_081/009.jpg[/IMG] Chrissie (81)

Hi I can't adopt your dog, but a photo of him might help his chances - have pm'd you about this. Chrissie (81)

I've been away for a few days and was startled to find this thread. Coops has given so much useful information and helpful encouragement to others on this Forum. Tell her to get back here immediately as we all need her! Chrissie (81)

We had the same thing - were told that it is pre-set to combat Legionaire's disease etc.  A mixer tap on each bath/sink etc is therefore an absolute must..... Chrissie (81)

Strelitzia? Chrissie (81)  

We have loads of these in the garden and I just call them wild plums.  I can eat them by the bucketload.  They also make delicious tangy jelly to serve with meats such as lamb or duck.  Sadly our mirabelle tree didn't survive the harsh winter. Chrissie (81)

Thanks for those replies - I thought it must have moved on and then.........today it's back!  Making an awful racket and diving from tree to tree[:D] . Lovely! I hope he comes back each year. Chrissie (81)  

Having successfully tracked down the new bird "song" (more of a grating cry really) and dug out the binoculars, I was thrilled to find that we had a strange and very beautiful bird in the trees.  The books identified it as a golden oriole.  After about 10 days of constant presence, it seemed to disappear a few days ago.  Is this to be expected?  Are they something that just passes through?  We are going through an extremely hot spell here, if that is relevant.  I would hate to think something had killed it. Chrissie (81)

We had exactly the same problem - things like the washing machine/hot water heater were coming on, but only at the daytime rate.  Our electrician advised it was nothing to do with the switches in the fuse box, so I contacted EDF and they came and replaced the little sealed box connected to the meter.  In addition, they gave us a fairly generous refund for the estimated difference in the charges. Chrissie (81)

So pleased to see you back on the Forum again, and glad the news is good. Chrissie (81)