Lilly

Is it me (my computer!) or it seems that the spell check facility appears to show an error on page every time I go to use it and looking at my last post lord knows I need it! I wrote it in a bit of a panick ( excuses, excuses ) Any light on this?

Ok I've read this on a different topic, looks like I'm up s*** creak, not suprising as I am having a bit of a struggle with everything at the moment, but I suspect I'll get a ripping off which I can well do without,can anyone tell my gently what the outcome for missing the boat is? Thank you in advance for all gentle answers.

Sorry I'm very stupid but can you use this facility for the first time? I have only just found out (last night) that we needed to send in a tax return, we did not recieve one by post.I knew it was going to come but have not been aware when. I think I understand on this site that there are delay dates for internet applications so I might be alright.

We have a son who is 14 he moved here last April we did this in a couple of stages and tried to time it so that he had a (get to know where the loo is)time before starting a new term afresh. He had a smuttering of French, he now since Christmas has 5 hours extra French per week outside school including 2 hours intense French grammer. He made friends quickly and I was astonished at how a few lads seemed to take him under their wing immediatly so not alone at breaks etc and I'm talking French lads!! The school is big with over 1200 pupils, bigger than in his UK school. He now has pretty good spoken French and can converse easily, he works very hard at writing and reading could do with more practice at home but with returning home quite late and these extra lessons not alot of time for more. He is getting good grades in the technical subjects and sciences but poor grades in Maths, French and Music and not enough work handed in for Art!! He was in the top groups for these subjects in England, but Maths has alot of unique vocabulary at this stage not just equations or numerical problems and this is what is proving to be so hard.We think he is going to redouble this year which I am both pleased and at the same time disapointed about, but I do truly feel that it will give him a good chance to get the best result he can in his Brevy. We have a friend who moved here at a slightly later stage than us with a daughter who has not been redoubled and has sailed through her education here, has gone on to the Lycee and wants to study Law (French of course)I think that is both sides of the story and either way it is going to be very hard but in my opinion it matters a great deal why you are coming to France and what you are wanting to offer your children, I want my children to be well educated to be able to have options even if it takes slightly longer to get there, to be able to appreciate a life different to the mind set in the UK, I know its coming and is already here in the metropolis's but I hope that we can give then a head start on that and understand that there are different ways of conducting your life and make a choice. We all have reasons why we come when we come and it is not always as cut and dry to wait for your child to be at the best age possible if you can wait, wait if you can't it will take alot from all of you but there are good things to achieve also. Good luck

Do you need to have the second part to be able to ride a less than 50cc moto at age 14.5??my son sat part 1 last week under the understanding from the principle that he can sit the second bit this week as he is older that 14 BUT it transpires that his birthday being 2.10.90 is too late for this years sitting ,As all you parents of 14+'s who have moved to France fairley recently I'm sure you understand that I am here at home sitting on an UXB and I'm very fwitened!!!A friend has phoned a couple of auto ecoles and has been told you don't need the second part to ride a less than 50cc just to take the lessons, con some one please alluminate me on this geyish area!! It's due home at about 6pm tonight Help!!

Anyone out there no somat about these frustrating things, We bought my son for Christmas a petrol remote control 4x4 it has never been able to properly start dispite 2 return trips to the shop. Not even for its first using up of the petrol tank before you are allowed to run it properly, it takes so many pulls on the start cord with the bougie in place we give it oodles of time to discharge the excess fuel but the cord breaks. The shop tells me you have to be a bricolure (sorry don't know if thats spellt correctly)yes I can fully appreciate that BUT if you can't get it to run how can you adjust all the thingys that you need to turn to get it to run continuosly in the first place, as you can tell it is me Mum that is typing this and my knowedge of machanics is ziltch mon hubby is better but not much of a machanic and I'm sure that a level of common sense and a smuttering of machanical understanding is really all that should be required and not be shumachers (sorry can't spell that either)right hand man. OK,OK I'll burn my bra if that helps!! Any contact will be very greatfully appreciated. Oh anyone noticed that the spell check icon don't werk.

I have a 10 year old son soon to be 11 and a 14 year old at the lycee, it appears a little more the other way round for my two but I know exactly how you feel. If your little boy is allowed home for lunch how about inviting a friend also. Have a couple of weeks where you invite one or two for the afternoon perhaps on a Wednesday or weekends, bribery is the best policy when it comes to breaking ice with kids, if your little boy can't think of someone ask his teacher as if he's any thing like mine was he won't want to decide and or think there is no one. My personal opinion in England would have been let them sort it out by themselves, but here is too difficult and they need a hand. My son was 9 3/4 when he came here, his reading is just starting to be at the same age group as his class mates his writing is beautiful and he chatters away without an accent so I am told, belive me when I say it will come right, he will be fine you however will have a few more tears yet, but smiles do follow. Best wishes.

We need a new foss due to a large extension to the property, our maire gave us the details of a company that basically gives the advice and surveys the terrain for your fosse and controls the sanitation, I belive that as from this Febuary this is the new method for who monitors and gives advice in our area of the Dordogne it is abreviated to be SPANC ( no giggles please!!) Yesterday they came gave a soil test for drainage etc and gave very helpfull advice as to the size and type of fosse, where to lay drains and length of the said drains required, this service was free incidently, they also helped me complete the application for the permit to install the fosse. I hope this helps a bit.

sorry the information i gave you wasn't much help I'm only basing my experience of a Rayburn on the one I had in Scotland, it supplied us with shed loads of hot water ran 8 radiators and granted after a period of apprenticeship with regard to cooking and getting the temperature right proved to be well worth its cost. I did however use mostly pine and peat which it guzzled so may be this time I will have to re learn my techniques. Best of luck Lilley

We've got our Aga/Rayburn arriving in 2 weeks time and I can't wait as they are fantastic, we have some woodland so wood is a fairly reasonable fuel for us however until recently we bought and the price was 30euro per metre cube/ stair for cut to 50cm, Charme and or Chene (hornbeam ? and Oak). It is easier to cut metre lengths than to cut 50cm and cheaper. You can also you cut it to a length that fits your stove Charm burns hotter and faster than oak so is good for starting up the fire (after kindling).Oak is good for keeping the fire in at night and or when you are out during the day. Wood needs to be at least 2 years old to be good and dry and it is better to cover up your wood in the garden so that your supply stays dry. Incidently we bought last year 20 metre cube 10 of charme and 10 of oak but we have got 2 wood burners so perhaps we are a bit heavy on the wood, however I think Rayburns are also greedy but they do heat water, radiators and cook the diner!! There are heaps of Aga/Rayburn fanatics out there with clubs and allsorts!! Good tips and recipes can be found on the Aga/Rayburn website (sorry don't do links) Best wishes Lilley