[1 Night Accommodation needed]

We're looking for one nights accommodation on 1st August, breakfast isn't essential. Somewhere between Boulogne and Rouen for 2 adults and 2 children - we would prefer a family room or adjoining rooms.

Anyone have anything available or able to point me in the right direction?

Thanks

[lentils!]

Thanks Val it'll be interesting to see how the market changes, it's all a learning curve at the moment

[lentils!]

Updating! I was in Plestin Market this morning and saw two stalls both selling Indian Spices - I've been there lots of times before but must've had my eyes shut as I passed those stalls!!

[lentils!]

Thanks both, that's great, I'll take a look soon. And I'll get my dictionary out to check the names of the spices too

[lentils!]

We are in the Lannion/Morlaix area. Does anyone know where I can buy red split lentils and oats (proper oats not the porridge ones in a box) and Indian spices?

I'm sure someone told me of somewhere but I seem to be storing so much new information in my head at the moment that some gets lost along the way!

[How much oil have you used this winter?]

We've used 700 litres since the beginning of November - running 10 radiators (but not all are on at the same time etc.). We paid .44 per litre plus TVA from a local company.

[Posting Parcels]

I've got a couple of parcels I need to post to the UK and the States. I've checked the price with La Poste and DHL - anyone know of any other services I could use?

Thanks

[Speedferries - online booking?]

I am using IE on the Mac No choice but to phone - 10th in the queue, took 20 minutes of holding to speak to someone - well I think they were human (another successful charisma bypass operation).

Yes they have a problem with Macs and they waived the 10.00 phone booking fee.

I'm really keen to support Speed Ferries, having watched 'Trouble at the Top' I want to put money their way and it's an excellent price but they need to sort their customer service out.

[Speedferries - online booking?]

Yep it's me again and I'm *still* trying to book the ferry! I've phoned twice but got told I was 12th in the queue, phoning their 08 number from France I didn't fancy hanging on for too long

Still can't book online though so I'm now convinced it must be a Mac problem. Is anyone out there using a Mac? and even better using OS 9.2? who can see if they have the same problem?

Off to pour myself a large glass of red wine ...

[Parks?]

Thanks Christina - that sounds perfect, we will definitely take a trip down to the water gardens.

Congratulations on the birth of your grandson too

[Speedferries - online booking?]

Thanks George, I've just tried again, chose a date in Feb to check and still only got as far as the 'continue' button I'd seen that message but it's been this way for over a week now so guess it's time for me to admit defeat and ring them!

[Speedferries - online booking?]

I've been trying to book online for the last week or so, I know it says they are having a problem with their website but as I use a Mac I can't be sure it's not a compatability problem. Customer services haven't replied to my email.

Has anyone else managed to book online in the last week or so (I get as far as the continue button). Also, has anyone asked to have the 10.00 phone booking fee waived because the website isn't fully functional?

[Radio]

Thanks everyone, just going to listen to the stations you have suggested. I'm in France and I listen to the radio on my computer - they installed ADSL here a couple of weeks before we moved in, they must've know I was on my way

[census]

We filled ours in on Thursday, questions included date & place of birth, nationality, primary residence, details of all those living in the house, employment details, qualifications, number of rooms, surface area.

Jen (in 22)

[SKYPE telephone via Dialup, free to other users, 2cents to global landlines]

Maude - have you looked at:

http://www.gossiptel.com

Their system might work with older versions of windows?

Skype only works with Mac OSX or later and gossiptel doesn't appear to work with Macs (ominous silence when I emailed their customer service to ask!).

[First Active Bank?]

Has anyone used First Active Bank in the Channel Islands? Any feedback on their service etc?

[Radio]

Any recommendations for the best French radio stations to listen to for hearing/learning French?

[Telerabius]

We are using Telerabius for our calls, will our France Telecom bill show the actual UK numbers called or just the Telerabius number?

Thanks

[Writing 'place' on cheques?]

Just wondering ... does anyone know what the rationale is behind having to write on the cheque the place where you are when you write it?

[Link for writing cheques?]

Great thanks and thanks to Penny (24) who originally posted the links.

(the search facility seems to have something against me, it 'times out' when I try to use it).

Off to pay my bills now!

[Link for writing cheques?]

Anyone got the links for how to write a cheque and the one that converts the amount too, can't find anything in a search.

Thanks

[Parks?]

Thanks Val, we took them down to one of the bays nearby, there's a bit of wide road there where they can rollerblade/scooter/fall over!

I thought I was going crazy not seeing parks, not something I'd realised we'd miss here, there were a couple of swings on St. Efflam but they were taken down at the end of the Summer - to protect them from the weather I guess.

No worries - pop in anytime you're passing.

Jen

p.s. we need a professional opinion on something from your DH, we've got your phone number, so will ring early next week.

[Parks?]

I really want to take the kids to a park with a good play area (swings/slides etc.) this weekend but we just don't seem to have seen any - does anyone know of any good ones? We're in between Lannion and Morlaix.

Thanks

[window locks]

Thanks for the reply Bob. We have single-glazed windows and the turning handle is the locking mechanism. The way you mentioned sounds ideal - I have emailed you

[Best Moments of 2004?]

Well it should have been when we drove off the one way Ferry at Roscoff ... but ... we had a row about headlight convertors with a very tired screaming child in the back of the car. I got out and seriously considered turning around and going straight back onto the Ferry! Lovely memory of our first moments on french soil as residents, not quite how I'd planned it!

Best moments? The day our furniture arrived and the 'house' started to feel like 'home'. But you can't beat the day our little girls came running out of their new school smiling and jumped into our arms