Llantony

Looks very cute!  Have you found him a home by now? Where is Deux Sevres?  I fear a long way from Tarn et Garonne..

We like to listen to Radio 4, we don't have TV, but our Orange internet is always blipping out so the radio programme stops and we have to re-start.  Same whether it's Listen Live or Listen Again - most irritating! We chose Orange as people said it's the most reliable;  can anyone recommend any of the cheaper options?  Also cheaper phone than France Telecom.

" but cost, crime, and bi-polar in and out of season prompted us to look elsewhere."  I don't understand - are people in Toulon more prone to manic depression?  Not joking, I know it's a serious condition. We found BMI Baby had started flying East Midlands-Toulouse, booked flight and gite.  Couldn't help looking in estate agents.  A friend told us her sister was buying a French property with a mortgage;  this had never occurred to us.  We decided we would borrow no more than £50000 so that gave us our budget.  We arrived late Saturday night, saw the house on Wed and agreed to buy on Friday.  That was 5 years ago and we don't regret it and moved over full time last summer. However, the sensible thing would be to read and surf the internet and decide on an area, then visit and contact estate agents and see what appeals.  I don't think it's a good idea to have a long list of boxes which must be ticked or you could look forever and life is too short.  (I said the same to my son's friend who is choosy about men - sometimes you have to compromise!)

Thought I could give us some publicity too! We are about to launch a new club called 'Vivre Ensemble en Quercy'.  The idea is to help people of all nationalities meet each other and to help people new to the area to integrate. Not competing with the excellent, well established International Club in Montaigu (who have their own premises); we just want to have occasional meetings and activities in Lauzerte. The inaugural meeting is on Monday 8th December at 6.00pm in the Mairie in Lauzerte (rue de la Mairie, oddly enough), Tarn et Garonne.  Everyone welcome. We will be having a few foreign language books in the Lauzerte Mediateque - available on Saturday mornings from January 10th. Due to bureaucracy, people have to join the Mediateque before they can borrow our books - even though we provide the books, stationery and volunteers! So far 99% English books as they are all donated.  We have far more books than shelf room so will change the stock from time to time.  If anyone has story tapes/CDs or DVDs they would be kind enough to donate, we would be most grateful. Support would be appreciated as we've no idea whether anyone will turn up.  If anyone is interested but can't make the meeting, send me a PM and I'll contact you. 

What, trees?

It's starting to get cold after a wonderful summer and autumn. I have a lemon and a lime in pots on the terrace.  What's the best way to look after them in winter?

But they are quite popular as they are available in many supermarkets and on market stalls.

We are making space in our little garden for pne of those kit pools.  Access too difficult for a proper pool, which would be expensive anyway.  Has anyone tried these?  Either inflatable or plastic with metal support.  Any problems?   

Did you really manage to hoover cats?  Mine run a mile at the sound of a hoover.  We have a flea problem too but they only bite me, I have been covered in bites and my husband hasn't any. Presumably the bombs don't kill the eggs?

Oh dear.  I was aware neutered male cats are prone to kidney problems in later life.  One we had was 15.  Not aware it was connected to early snips.  Trouble is, we were hoping the op. would calm him down a bit.  He keeps attacking our 9 yr old and we have to separate them all the time.  If it doesn't improve we might have to get rid of young one and there isn't exactly a shortage of cats for adoption.

We have 3 or 4 really rough old beams, what is the best way to make them look nice? We also have a couple that have been coated in shiny stain and look horrid - any thought on how to remove it?

Thanks for the helpful replies.   (I know someone is only trying to be funny, but I don't see the point of posting lies - I can't cope with people who can't be trusted to be truthful!) I assumed we should be in the French tax system as we will be living here.  Not yet sorted with E121 and complementaire and European health card runs out soon. No-one replied to the question about whether it's possible to get our son to pay for complementaire, as part of the rent for our UK house.  I suspect the payments we will make for the top up health insurance are not allowable against tax?

We've been adopted by a French cat and, now that we have brought our cat from UK, there are problems as he keeps attacking.  Original cat is 9 and a bit of a wuss but he's had enough. We thought new cat might calm down when neutered.  Problem is don't know his exact age.  I'd guess 4-6 months now.  Vet says wait till he's 6 months as far as we know - when he starts spraying around!  I seem to remember having cats done at 5 months before. Any thoughts on this or on how to stop the fighting - we have booked a cattery as are going away for 2 weeks in December and they only have 1 pen left!  

I thought we should get into the French tax system as we are going to live here for the foreseeable future but someone told me on another forum that we could be worse off. Main income is OH's teacher pension which I gather we cannot receive before UK tax is taken off.  Otherwise, my tiny state pension, some rent from son in our UK house and any interest we  get on savings. Paying tax on rent is a pain, but it is income (tho well below market rate and we have no official rental agreement).  I don't suppose we could get our son to pay for a complementaire when we get one organised?  This might reduce the income received. Another thought - with euro doing well against the pound, is it worth putting savings into French account?

My pension pot is very small, but not quite small enough to let me take it all in cash.  I have retired and will have to buy an annuity at some time.  But at least if I do it soon I'll start getting a few hundred a year if I'm lucky.  I was advised to take the 25% one can take in cash but do I have to buy an annuity at the same time?    Thought might as well put it in Premium Bonds tho I know they are statistically a poor return - there's a tiny chance of a very good return!

Confusing!  We are planning register our UK car in France - I didn't know you could get insurance and control technique with UK registration number.  I wonder, having assumed we'd have to buy French plates, as we have two trailers which would also need new plates.  And someone told me trailers may have to be separately registered and controle techniqued - so if we could legally keep our UK plates it would save a bit.

Thanks people - very helpful.  I did book online and received a reply saying there is no charge for pets.  He's still going to hate the journey tho!

Yes, empty but presumably that couldn't be ascertained when the suitcase was x-rayed? And she would be from Nottinghham!  I lived near Nottingham for 31 years and am delighted to spend most of my time in France now.

Sorry, missed the question.  As I said, ours are old UK ones (from a friend who bought a house and didn't want to keep them).  Can't say about cost really as until now we've not been living in France full time. The French electrician was quoting 425.50 euros + 5.5 tax for the new liquid ones.  He says you can renew the liquid and the heats are not as heavy.  But we'd not think of renewing bricks.

Three score and ten was traditional - but I guess we're living longer on average

We are back in UK for a week to fetch our cat and fill our trailer with more of our belongings.  It's a long journey, especially as speed is limited to 50 mph with trailer (60 downhill maybe).  We will buy a cage for Cato to travel in but will need to stop en route.  I gather some of the cheapish hotel chains like B & B and Campanile allow pets but I've had no response to emails to Campanile (clicking on their email link in the Chartres hotel page and it bounced back and general customer services did not reply)!and there is nothing on their website.  Also they don't say whether their charge includes breakfast. While I'm posting, anyone have any recommendations?  We've tried Hotel B & B - basic but OK, Boulogne better than Calais;  Ibis - much more expensive and tho they have restaurants (we don't really want to have to unhook trailer and get in the car to find a meal after a long journey and these places are always miles from small restaurants anyway) they are pretty awful and poor value.  This time, desperate, getting late having looked for Etap in Blois but there didn't seem to be any parking, ended up in Formule 1 which was cheap but just too basic!  A handful of toilets and showers for 200 rooms, (toilet paper missing, light went off as soon as you shut door)! breakfast minimal and awful, with rap music, room cunningly arranged so there wasn't enough light to read in bed. Have not tried any others, how do people rate them?  

Our electrician suggested the newer liquid ones (not oil) - more attractive and less heavy.  Not sure what the advantage is over our old Uk Brick ones otherwise.    

I sent you a pm - but you didn't have the courtesy to reply!

The link doesn't work.  

I've heard that it's possible to get substantial tax refunds on the cost of 'green ' items such as wood burning stoves.  Having moved to France permanently now, we want to buy a stove before winter.  We aren't yet tax payers here so would we not get this refund as won't be tax payers till next year? (Have been over here since early August but not yet sorted with E121 etc as going back to fetch more stuff soon>)