Lilly

Wicked!!

Very heavy sleat here in theSouth East Dordogne, everyone laughed at me yesterday when I said I thinks its gonna snow I checked the meteo last night and it from my understanding did'nt mention snow but maybe thats my error! and we've no logs cut and OH is at work till late tonight****!

Its sounds very much like a fosse problem as the smell sometimes can very ideed like a gas, it is in fact a gas of a kind, it will settle at lower point as it is heavier than air, so it may be leaking from the bathrooms or sinks etc and ending up more collected in the rooms that you mention. I would give the fosse a re start treatment you can buy these at most brico places and possible talk to your fosse installer for their advice. Another thought is may be you had SPANK involved in your planning for the fosse and for your certificate of conformity, they I'm sure would be able to advise if you contact them. Lilly

Thank you guy's (Gal's) They all sound good !   Lilly

I fancy making a nut roast in a loaf tin type of thing has anyone got a nice recipe? I used to like a bought one from Tescos with a piquant sauce but I want to have a go at making one. Also after seeing the other post on Polenta something like a Polenta loaf  for a veggie would be nice kisses Lilly

I sympathise greatly for you both that have lost your cats, its rotten I know. Last year my tom cat went missing, he never strayed much from the garden and we were convinced he wasn't that interested in Girly cats, but there we were calling him and searching the river banks all to no avail. We we at our french class some 8 days later when some one mentioned a friend of theirs had had the pompier round to try to get a cat out of thier chimney which they could'nt do as the cat had stopped crying and there was no assurity that it was still there.When I asked where this house was, it was about 500m as the crow flys through the woods from my house. My feet did'nt touch the ground, when we got there the couple let us in and I called up the chimney " Forest!" ( as in Forest Gump!) I got a weak little unmistable cry back and that was it. 36 hours later 3 holes in the wall on different levels through the stone to the chimney void anouther visit from the pompier who hadn't got a long enough ladder went away to get another managed to removed the capping from the chimney but still no sign of Forest. I came back from our house after feeding kids etc to see a black shadow outline of a cat sitting on the chimney top, the house was three storeys high! Our wonderful knows everyone neighbour was called and he managed to "borrow" a cherry picker lorry from the EDF and Forest was rescued and rushed to the vets, he was dehydrated etc but otherwise ok, he had been up the chimney for 9 days in total. We then had about a weeks work retifying the holes and decoration inside the house we were vey lucky that the couple in the house were cat lovers also and it was because of their pretty little cat that Forest had been visiting frequently and generally making a nuisance of himself, but he's been done now and hates the smell of the wood burner! I hope you both have a happy ending like ours and wish you all the best of luck.   Lilly

Buy some raw langustine tails (frozen or otherwise) flour them dip them in beaten egg and dip into bread crumbs, fry in hot oil until breadcrumbs are are a golden colour and voila better than nasty frozen scampi but the real thing.

Yep! Our vet said the same thing when we were in England and our vet here has said exactly the same thing , however one of the other vets at the same practice said a while ago that she felt it was ok to bath them after about a week as it should have well penetrated in to the skin and be in  their system by then. I have heard that the front line combo is getting known to be ineffective against fleas, and our own observations would bear this out, so we have currently changed to Advantige ( I think that is the spelling) but would reconsider the Frontline spot on next time. We have a highly allergic Parson Russell to a single flea and we have three cats so we have to stay on top of flea treatments and found that the allergie reappeared and a flea ( or fleas, if there's one there's gonna be more!) with the Frontline combo having used that for a couple of years satisfacterey (god I can't spell this morning) Lilly

I hate to see cries for help as it is so often a last resort to post on an open forum just to be able to have some communication. From reading between the lines you have had a very traumatic time that will of course have repercussions in your personal life as it is also hard for partners to be either sympathic or patient for very extended periods of time, please seak counselling now don't leave it any longer and try to involve your partner as they may well need guidance too, if they won't go go your self get some mental strength back, and start to regain the control over your life, don't STAY a victim, this is all easy to say I know but start with making a phone call. If necessary go back to the UK for some specific councelling, I only suggest this as it is necessary to have an indepth conversation with a trained counsellor that specialises in this kind of trauma and in your own tongue, there may well be some one here that can help if so great but start now. I hope you feel better with your self soon, you can change this spirral of unhappiness.  

My Husband the other day went to visit our nieghbour who is a local farmer, actually a machanic and makes anything you can think of and very professionally too, has an enourmous hanger with every type of machinery you can imagine. OH is there talking to Guy about all things interesting to men folk and work etc etc when distracted by a strange heavy breathing noise behind him turned to see Guy's Dad appearing round the corner ( he is quatre vingt something) it took a double take and a few moments to take in the vision of what he was faced with. Grandad had a length of very heavy duty cable with the internal wires spilt in two (hopefully curled over on the end!) hooking his nose up to appear a bit like a cochon with the cable stuck against his forehead by a plaster, this contraption was to aid his breathing OH was told in a very matter of fact way and conversation recommenced as if nothing was out of the ordinary at all, when he returned home shortly after, relaying the tale which took several efforts due to tears splitting laughter and to marvel at the shear ingeniosity of the French.

I have a friend in a similar situation, she would like to sell her house here in France to buy a smaller property, one of the"children" is currently going through bancrupcy in the UK would she loose this portion  as ideally I think the children would like her to keep the difference in price ( not really loads of money but a difference to be sure)  can anyone shine any light on this.   Lilly

Hi I have only just found this thread( I must read all the sections in future) and I am so sorry to hear of her nasty accident but am equally relieved to find that she is making good progress, best wishes to you both. xxx Lilly

There exsists a tool that I belive you can get from screw fix that is rather like a mastic gun but you fill up the compartment with the mortar and pump it in same principle as before that you leave it to dry of a bit then rub off with soft brush. hope this helps. Oh and wet slightly the gaps with a spray gun this helps it stick.

Wood dust can be really nasty and has been known about for years and cabnet makers etc have long suffered the consquenses of inhaling dust. OH has a problem now to oak dust and yew due to sensitization, but know has in his work shop proper dust extraction but has a nice new Trend repiration system still in its box so that it stays clean for his new work shop!!! ( mans logic or what!!) still not to push the panick buttons  use good quality dust masks and cover up when applying wood treatments if this is a one off job and you're not going to make a living at it.

Sorry I meant mix the ingrediants together in the warm water and wash with that. I also meant to say add also a drip of washing up liquid to the water to act as an emulsifier.   Good luck

Thank you John, It was made about two years ago and OH was not too happy with the form ( a bit dumpy, I however love it dumpy or not!) the lathe was actually playing up due to not being fixed to the floor and a shudder which can only be the bearings, still it has worked hard and is now in semi retirement no more big stuff thats now for the VB. The bowl is full of now crushed pine cones as the cat has claimed it as hers and I daren't re arrange the cones as she always seems so cumfy in it. Lilly 

Hi, Andy is dead write about finishing one side or the other of a wooden piece of furniture and it makes no difference whether the piece is old or new as wood will always react to its environment, sooo try a bowl of warm water with a sprinkle of bicarb in a solution, a drop of vinegar and a drop of olive or linsead oil, clean in the direction of the grain and immediatly wipe with a dryish cloth ,leave open to air dry you could add a drop of bleach but if this is a  treasured piece of furniture go easy on treating the inside, if not you will raise the grain and distroy any colouring on the surface. Try a small area first after its dry you could use a spray polish with some wax in it but this may require you to leave the doors open longer to get rid of the polish smell.  Good luck . 

Nice to here from you Jon I've been using it as my avitar for a little while but its hard to see so I'll have a go at posting a photo [IMG]http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk60/peachespuss/P1010015.jpg[/IMG]  

Thank you catalpa, you are very right in your advice, we have only just recieved the letter from the practice and we are waiting for another partner to call us back today with the results of his investigations. The accountant in question was  a French expert comptable highly recommended on another french forum although we took him on by personnal recommendation. It never ceases to amaze that you try to do everything by the book and over and above board and ****seems to fall any way I just hope that my worst fears are not realised and that our TVA returns have been dealt with correctly and worst case scenario lost as it was originals that have been sent with recommended post and as we have not made any profit yet are due a rather large cheque from the tax office, keep your fingers crossed but as I have a bad case of doom and gloom I fear the worst.

We have recieved a letter from our accountants stating they no longer wish to offer their services as we are English (along with all the rest of his English clientel), despite the fact that we do speak french we had opted to deal with their English speaking partner as as we are a new business REAL simplié we felt we may be out of our depth to start with, he has left the practice and has gone to the Alps so they tell us he and has been next to impossible to contact for nearly 3 months, we are now paniking as to whether our last 2 TVA returns have been dealt with and the practice is unsure about the dossier, we smelt a rat earlier on but tried to bare with him as we really liked him, if any one knows who I am talking about ( not sure whether I am allowed to mention it here) can help with finding him or can offer some advice and can any one really recommend a good expert comptable in the Dordogne area I would be eternally greatfull.

That was absolutely lovely!! made me weep and then to finish on an up a  wonderfull cartoon and soooo true!! Thanks to you both

Don't know if this helps at all really but, we have bought ours at the local quincaillerie ( god I cant spell it!) but much more expensive than the UK as are all Mastiks and silicons, Screw fix don't send to France even though I'm sure by now they have been asked millions of times, but when it come to flammable substances they cannot been sent by post anyway so best get someone to bring them over. Edit: just looked at point P' website and they charge for 750ml can e8.50ttc ( as assuming you won't get either trade discount or claim back TVA) screwfix £4.99inc vat so it depends on the quantity you need as is it worth the hassel of getting from the UK or not.

Thank you for your reply, I have tried googling but nothing regards oak in the tourbiere preseverd well not that I can find anyhow. I have used the phrase that Clair suggested and it did prompt a couple of good converstaions so it worked, thank you again.

I'm With JR on this, wood work tops are hygienic if left untreated and washed with hot soapy water after use, if "varnished" (Horrible) they are like any other damagable work surface  melamine etc. The worst has to be tiles with all that nasty food trapping grout. There is a stupid regulation on wood items (Not just boards) in professional kitchens but that is likely to be redressed as proof is available that if used correctly they are hygenic. Normaly a cutting block/board/surface is end grain and is much more forgiving when cut as the grains squish (technical term!) back together when a new cut is mad into them to use a surface which is side grain wood be quite distructive very quicky, but you may like that used look, Jamie Oliver has a chestnut work surface to use exactly how he pleases not for looks!! If you do wish to treat you wooden work surface and keep it attractive as lets face it we don't all want a beat up mistreated kitchen apperance Danish oil is very good and no it is not the same as teak oil or even raw linsead. Its has got boiled linsead oil in it as part of the make up.  Becareful of using food based oils ie: Peanut, sunflower, wheat as these go rancid after a while and also risk of food allegies come into play. Oil your worksurface everyday for 1 week then 1 a month for 3 months and then idealy every 6 months. There also some hardwax oils available which offer some heat protection also ( not for hot casseroles or coffee perculators!!) but as yet I cant find them in France and resort for spead to get them from the UK as I know where to get them and a friend brings them over as and when them come, as these products are not allowed by aircraft postage due to flammable nature. Baby oil is not recommend because of the high perfume it contains that wil transfer to food stuffs there are better things to do with that ..... like puttng on babies!  

Fandabbydozie!! Clair you're an Ange XXX