HoneySuckleDreams

The electrician we had doing some work raised an interesting issue when he saw me changing a light bulb. He noted that I was English GU10 bulbs and said that they never lasted as they weren't capable of dealing with the different frequency that the french electrics work on. (I don't normally buy english bulbs as i don't go back to blighty that often, but I had bought a box of tesco GU10 bulbs at a remarkably low price last year). Can someone with someone knowledge clarify this? (non-geek would be appreciated). I just didn't think it was an issue. Or is he just talking boules If there is a marked difference between the delivered frequency of the electricity, would this effect other stuff? e.g. laptops, record turntables (yes..I still have some vinyl), TV screens etc... Much obliged  

[quote user="idun"] 362 [/quote]   Discounting mothers day, do they have 2 days off then? or maybe 3 if it's a leap year.

I've just had a cousin of a mate do some wiring for me. Re-route the old wiring in the attic to a new box I put in.  (NO new plugs, just resiting the existing cabling for lights, cooker etc).  He quoted €500 (as he was between jobs) and said it would be around 5 days...€100 a day...bargain, i thought. I've had enough of paying TVA twice (TVA and Tax valeur Anglais) so I thought that sounded OK. He suggested it would take around 200m of 2,5mm and 100mm of 1.5mm He finished in a day and half...and really stretched the 2nd day until lunch time. I bought all the cable (and still have 100m of 2,5mm if anyone wants to offer me something for it!). I'm getting fed up of being taken for a mug. I've reached the conclusion where I think they don't price a job, they just see how much they think you can afford to pay.

Don't count on any taxes being lower...next year there may be one or two more to pay, your two properties may turn out to be three by the time it's gone through the system. I like the bit about the functionary on the 3rd floor. I had the honor of working for a company in Paris and one day I had a problem that I needed the project manager to sort out ( I was on the 1st floor, which makes a change from the dungeons where we geeks normally reside) "Where is he" i asked... "on the 5th floor" was the reply, "but you can't go up there" "Of cause I can, I can take the lift and there are stairs if the lift isn't working" "No no .. you don't understand...you CANNOT go up there, it's interdit" "Rubbish" so of I went up to the 5th floor... it was like something out of a gentlemans club (or how I would envisage one)...nice comfy chairs, low lighting, men of power lounging around. "What are you doing here" was what I was greeted with. So i explained the serious problem that needed sorting out.  "But we have a meeting to discuss issues on monday mornings...wait for then...go away i'm busy". So I had to descend to the peasants floor and wait for a week until he deigned to step down to our world to discuss the matter. Aparently, the more important you are the higher your office is...égalité...bof!

No problems as well. I didn't think there was going to be though. Great result for Harlequins on Friday night and a fantastic game of two halves yesterday. Bad luck for Northants. Just need Blackpool to get a point today (and Wigan to draw and Spurs to stuff Birmingham)...not much to ask really  

I went to RSI with the email I received from the Impot (which in turn is just a copy/paste from the notice you get with the tax forms). RSI had no idea ... they referred me back to the Impot people as it was a tax form. Left Hand - Right Hand springs to mind. EmilyA - I did the same as you in the end. If it's wrong they can write to me. The tax calculation at the end of the on-line process was what I expected anyway so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Mind you...15 minutes to go until "Rapture" time!  

i'm surprised you haven't got any rain. There is an enourmous amount of rain being dumped on us. I saw this report in La Depeche...The farmers aren't that worried as they worked their tractors to death to get all the maize planted before the heavens opened, last year they had problems as there was so much rain they couldn't get on their fields. http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2011/05/17/1084089-Reserves-en-eau-aucun-souci-a-se-faire.html

HUGE thunder storms over the last two evenings with torrential rain and another on the way tonight. (dept65), i've got full buckets in my attic. maybe it's a precurser for tomorrow... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8525047/Doomsayers-predict-apocalypse-now.html  

Thanks everyone. I can tell the kids they can watch the rugby tonight without getting their hopes up, turning it on, and finding a black screen. BJSLIV: I understand what you are saying but I'm a bit bemused by it all as this is a live final, not a repeat. Still, i've learnt some useful french today

I posted this under Rugby in the sports bit as it is referring to a television program tonight There is no literal translation I can think of. I reckon it means.. unseen "obviously" but I would like to know what other people think   Thanks      

perhaps Unseen "obviously"???

I notice that FRANCE 4 are showing the Harlequins v Stade Francais match tonight, but there is a remark inédit "en clair". Does this mean it is a scrambled service?

Hello all I'm surprised no one else has had to complete this box...ho hum. I sent an email to the tax office asking for more information about box G. This was their reply. Pour tout renseignement complémentaire concernant le cadre G de votre déclaration n°2042C, il convient de contacter la caisse RSI àlaquelle vous et votre épouse être rattaché, le centre des finances publiques n'étant pas compétent Which I think roughly translates as "Why are you asking us? as we don't know!" I will persevere...

http://www.oscaro.com/   But to be honest, for small stuff, the UK is cheaper even with delivery to France..and I have a Citroën

Hi Could someone help with what is required in Box G - Personnes Affiliees au regime social des independants (RSI), specifically 5TJ. I am in the Micro BNC regime, so I pay URSSAF, RSI and CIPAV (Obligatory and Non obligatory). I think I just need to fill in box 5TJ (Cotisations personelles obligatoires) and give the amount I have paid to RSI this year. Is there a "Obligatory" and "non obligatory" part to the RSI payments ? I can't see anything in the RSI gumf that splits the amounts. Is this the start of the different organisations beginning to link up as it wasn't on the form last year?

I look here when I do short term contracts in London. http://www.gumtree.com/london If you look for shared accommodation you can normally find a double room for couples. It depends on the time of year, but there is always a chance of picking up a short-let room when one of our antipodean friends flies home for a barbie.   or you could try http://www.spareroom.co.uk/

I've just received a letter, with RSI (not the real RSI I might add) on the header asking for around €1300. This is a repeat of a scam letter we got last year.  Just be aware of this

I've just been cutting wood in the forest and our friends dog had a go at digging into a small hole about an 1" across and came face to face with a Salamander

1" is quite small, a bit bigger and I would say Moles....they do pop out above ground now and again, and the young travel a bit before deciding to go subterrane

80cm near Tarbes is fine...thanks for the tip

We're having a royal party after ManU win the league, champions league and the noisy neighbours get beaten to 4th place by Spurs.

Thanks for the info everyone. The insurance is an interesting point. I think with ours (GAN) he is covered on our insurance until he is 18, then he has to have his own.

Hello Number 1 son is just about to start driving. The accompanied driving he has to do before he can drive on his own.... a) does this have to be done in a nominated car? b) if not...can we log his km's in a right hand drive car? We will be buying a left hand drive car (no real need to have changed up until now) so he can learn to drive properly/safely etc. but can he do some of his miles in a RHD car? I've had a look at the Section 2 : Apprentissage de la conduite. and can't find anything other than being in a class B car where the accompagnateur has to have held a licence for 5 years.   Many thanks

For some reason this year there seems to have been an explosion in the number of Magpies around. On some days we have a dozen or so sitting in the trees around the garden causing no end of hassle to the other garden birds. I can shoot foxes, which are considered vermin, as they are a menace to our (and our neighbours) chickens, would it be allowable to shoot the Magpies? Currently we have nesting: Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Collared Dove (and not so accessible: House sparrow, BlueTit, Great Tit and Redstart). The Magpies are just lining up waiting for the eggs/chicks to arrive. I try to encourage a lot of the smaller birds in the garden as they are a natural pest control for the veggies. I know this may also be an ethical question as well to some and I admit I am torn between protecting the weaker or allowing nature to just get on with it.   Thanks

EBAY.co.uk i was thinking of. If I need anything I go there first. I wonder if you could do both? Would it mean having two different accounts?