Mark

I think mine was voluntary on compulsory terms, so there's another complication [8-)] Help!

Don't really know either.  Just thought that its actual cultivation would be better than the manufacture of plasterboard in earning some green brownie points (greenie points?) 

World's first iPod.

A couple of tired looking skiers have just arrived back at the gite opposite us (50kms or so west of Ax), so either the snow was good today or they've been up to hanky panky in the woods.  The mountains outside our window are whiter now than they have been for three weeks, so perhaps things are looking up at last. 

Do Gites de France specify that gites on their books cannot be more than two storeys high?  I seem to recall that they do, but can't find the evidence. Thanks.

I will receive a redundancy payment in a few weeks from my UK employer, having been officially resident in France since mid-January.  A small proportion of the payment is taxable in the UK under UK law, and I've been advised by the Revenue that I'll be paying that tax at the end of this UK tax year.  OK, simple enough.  BUT, will I have to then declare the whole lot as 2007 income next tax year in France as I received it after becoming resident, and if so will they try and tax me again, but this time on the whole lot, and again if so do I then apply for it back from the UK tax people? Ooooh bit confused about this....!

The water at my new house is heated by a small gas boiler on the kitchen wall.  It is old, it is rubbish and it needs replacing.  Would I be making a grave error of judgement to buy a poele with a back boiler, and stick solar panels to the roof, so that the poele heats the water in winter and the panels do so in summer?  Our water comes straight from a spring so it's effectively free, so with the solar option we'd theoretically get free hot water in the summer, unless I'm missing something rather obvious. Also, I think I'll get 50% back on the purchase price of both the poele and the panels next tax year for being a good carbon neutralist, won't I? I'm poele shopping this week, and I think there are only a handful of options available to me if I go down the aforementioned route, hence the question.  Thank you! [:D]  

...has been recommended to me by my plumber as a cost-effective and enviro-friendly possibility for the partition walls I'm currently cursing my way through the construction of.  The walls are enclosing a new en-suite bathroom, so he reckons the cork would be better at absorbing damp from the shower too.  Sounds sensible. Anyone recommend this route?

Oh well, no response from him.  Back to the drawing board.[:(]

Great, thanks both.  I'll get in touch with Nick.

Fellow Landy drivers: any recommendations for Land Rover-friendly French insurance companies, or indeed any company specialising in 4x4's?  Cheaper the better!   Thanks [:)]

[quote user="Russethouse"]So if I pop into the bookies tomorrow [8-)] could I get a price on him for Cheltenham ?[/quote] Currently trading at 6/4 with Magic Sign - wouldn't go near him at that [:(].  What did you get Miki?

Judging by the advice given to others in similar circumstances on here previously, I think you have to opt for your second scenario as a full-time French resident - ie register everything in France, but I'm sure you'll get confirmation either way from one of the forum's tax experts soon....

Forgive the naivity, but how do so many of you know how much you need to lose?  It all sounds very exact.  I've given up beer to counteract the weather-induced effects of not being able to cycle.  I think the weight's ok, but I've recently started acquiring nostril hair, and I need to lose all of that sharpish. [+o(]

My mum does something like cutting an avocado in half, filling the cavity where the stone was with a vinaigrette dressing, and serving it on a bed of bacon and lettuce.  It is delightful, but sounds too simple, such that I think I've forgotten an element of the recipe.  Is anyone else familiar with this combo, and if so is it that facile? Merci. If you haven't tried it, do.  It's blummin' tasty, cheap, easy to prepare, and looks a bit fancy.  [:)]  

50 cents la piece in Super U at the moment.  Sensational.  More vitamins than you can shake a stick at.  Are mangos a mega-food, or whatever that phrase is?

[quote user="Cat"] You could always give your new house a name, "chez squidge" has a nice ring to it [:)] [/quote] I'm going to call it 'Colin'.  Or we could do that thing some English couples do by merging their two first names into something oh-so-elegant, and call it 'Squark', or 'Marge'. [I]

Hi, I'm moving within France in a  few weeks, and have yet to decide whether to hire a van or use a removals company.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a company, or man with a van, who would undertake the job? Thanks.[:)]

Hi, I'm moving within France in a  few weeks, and have yet to decide whether to hire a van or use a removals company.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a company, or man with a van, who would undertake the job? Thanks.[:)]

[quote user="rusheslake"]Why not give my good friend Dave a call on 0033 0243 698332 We have moved a lot of people from uk to france and vice versa Im sure he will give you a very competitive price...Ian[/quote] Hi Ian, does Dave have a website? Thanks.

...and every one of these iPod things should have one of the better Black Sabbath[6] numbers hard-programmed into it - teach the kids a thing or two. 

Dick, I may know nothing about this alien gadget of which you speak, but what a good thread starter.  I think one can find out much more about one's virtual buddies through their music than from their photographic self-portraits.  Super.  Hope we get lots more offerings.  Oh, I forgot Elvis.  Any early Elvis.  Divine.  

Dark, fogbound, dank and sub-zero for the last five days.  Ten minutes after the departure of me mam and dad, and we have glorious sun and clear blue skies.  I suspect them to be vampires....

Don't really know what an iPod is, but assuming it only allows you roughly the number of songs on Dick's list, I'd warmly welcome the following, for a dancey feel: Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division                                  Black Dog - Led Zeppelin Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order Just Like Heaven - The Cure  Subterranean Homesick Blues - Robert Zimmerman In The Flesh - Pink Floyd Tonight - The Smashing Pumpkins The Revolution Will Not be Televised - Gil Scott Heron Sound And Vision - David Jones Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus Ziggy Stardust - Bauhaus (David Jones) Israel - Siouxsie and the Banshees Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana I Hate Nerys Hughes - Half Man Half Biscuit An Outbreak of Vitus Gerilitis - Half Man Half Biscuit I Am The Resurrection - The Stone Roses Bank Robber - The Clash Holiday In Cambodia - The Dead Kennedys Come Together - The Beatles Anarchy In The UK - The Sex Pistols What's Going On - Marvyn Gaye Oh gawd there's soooooooooo many more.  Going to play all those now though....... nb - Dick, your new chimp is really disturbing.  Stop it.    

The Marlboro Man for the 21st Century?  Our gender is struggling.....[:(]