Musicmonkey<ADDRESS><STRONG>Musicmonkey<STRONG><ADDRESS>

But you have to admit it goes very well with brown! Swissbarry Glad to see you back.  Don't feel too bad about being a junior member Swissbarry (or should I rephrase that?)  I have lost all my previous posts too ....twice.  I will never become a Guru at this rate!

Thanks James, between you and Gay (Russethouse) hopefully will now be sorted.    

Gay, the links I tried were these:- http://forums.livingfrance.com/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=29&MessageID=49264  http://www.livingfrance.com/instantforum/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=5&MessageID=45250  

We have just got a new computer.  I now have the problem that others have mentioned since the LF forum changes in that I can't now see the posters' names and I have no control panel to view recent posts.  No problem, I thought......just go back and find the other posts to find the advice there.  Nah....tried the links offered and it just takes me to the forum home page.  The links don't link!!! Can a very patient person re-post what I need to do to resolve these issues please.  

Quillan,  It really is very simple you know.  Just call in the cavalry.  Horses, my dear chap will do the trick.  Moles will not venture where horses tread.  Mind you, they leave their own mark which may be worse?  

Could it be damp?  We suffer from humidity in our old stone house as apparently many do not having a damp course.  Do you have any ventilation?  It might explain why the previous owner put cork on the wall to act as a kind of barrier.    

There is a Clinique Vétérinaire at Place des Costils (the large parking area used for the market)  Tel:02 33 61 01 76.  Hope this helps    

What suddenly strikes me is that what renters want is what is promised!  It may be basic if that is their motivation - cheap and cheerful and reflected in the price. But if you want top dollar for the property, then you should be providing top of the range accommodation.  If you deliver what you say you will you won't go far wrong in my opinion.  

Lol!  That is great.  I am printing off to take along to my Fitness Instructor who is going to make me suffer for a whole hour very soon. No doubt she'll make me work even harder though.

Hey Pepito - join the queue!  I asked this question recently and still not had much response.  I thought there must be loads o' folk who'd take my arm off for this work, but they obviously don't read this forum. Don't really want to wait till next trip to put a card up as those booking enquiries are already coming in. Anyway, good luck Pepito and pass any surplus offers on to me please!  

I'm also choking on the proposed idea that there's nothing to do in Manche!  Our second home is near to Villedieu les Poeles and in that one town alone there is a wealth of things to do.  It is known for its bell making and copper pot making traditions (you can visit these)but you will also find Norman furniture, lace, pewter and clock museums.  It has an indoor swimming pool and there is another at Vire (larger and with outside slide) and an outdoor pool at Brecey.  Naturally, Villedieu has its own market, 14c church, tourist information, etc. No more than an hour (or less) you have Mont St Michel, reptilarium nearby West and North coast beaches (and those with associations with D day events), Caen with a myriad of things to do and Bayeaux.  A lovely zoo is only 15 mins from us. Cherbourg is only 1hr 45 mins away where you can visit La Cité de la Mer aquarium.  I could go on and on.  I have loads more attractions in my tourist information at the house for our guests.    

Don't Dick......it's just too depressing.    

Given the trauma that the victims of this terrible disaster have been subjected to and continue to suffer, I find it incredible that someone can piggyback on this misfortune for their own gain.  Is there nothing that is beyond limits?

When doing night feeds, keep the room as dark as possible and don't talk to the baby or play/cuddle her. Just feed her, change her and put her back in the cot.  If she doesn't settle, hold her until she does. But do not talk to her, put the light on or sing to her.  Obviously, during the day, you do all the usual cuddly, eye contact stuff you normally do as besotted parents.We spent the first three weeks with both our two doing just this - stumbling around in the dark (ever changed a nappy blindfold?), but it worked brilliantly.  Apparently, the theory is that babies soon learn to distinguish between night and day a learn that when it's dark it's not playtime.   I agree with the above.  My three children were all around 3 months old when they went through the night.  First was bottle fed, second was 6 weeks premature and breast fed and third was breast fed.  Give your daughter the lead.  Help her to recognise that night time is for sleeping, therefore not a time for bright lights and your most interested interaction.  Then you are able to cope with her during the day and will give of your best.  (She will as well!) It may be old fashioned advice but if it works?............. 

We were told at least every four years with an inspection every three years here in Deux Sevres.....................John not Jackie   Is this a legal requirement?  If so, how do people like TU manage who swear by never having the fosse emptied?  Also, where would we stand being holiday home owners?    

 Had the following message when attempting to click on the Mont Blanc message (Post Bag forum?).  Got similar response on other attempts too, although when tried again problem had resolved itself.  Good luck sorting it out!Server Error in '/' Application. Exception of type System.OutOfMemoryException was thrown. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.OutOfMemoryException: Exception of type System.OutOfMemoryException was thrown. Source Error: An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below. Stack Trace: [OutOfMemoryException: Exception of type System.OutOfMemoryException was thrown.] Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2032; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2032

I don't agree with 'diets' and to look at me you wouldn't believe that I am a healthy eating fanatic and exercise regularly.  But having made yet more adjustments to my normal eating regime:- 1. still smaller dinner portions (now eating smaller meal than my thin 10 year old) 2. not eating bread for lunch every day (replacing with either cereal or fruit and yoghurt or both) 3. increasing the amount of walking I do each week, though not by much 4. limiting treats quite strictly I have lost nearly half a stone in the last 6-8 weeks, am the lightest I've been for a long time and luckily it has not been difficult.  Now facing the prospect of Christmas and don't want to put any back on.   Unfortunately, love all the Christmas type food, full Christmas dinner with trimmings, Christmas cake, mince pies, brandy butter, alcohol, etc., not to mention the chocolates and nuts.  On the news today, they said the average Christmas calorie intake is 7,000! Help............ 

We are near to Villedieu les Poeles and looking for somone to do (Saturday) changeovers, keyholding and gardening. If you are registered, and interested, please contact me via private message with details of services offered and rates.   Thanks, PS.  Also posted message in N. West France section 

We are near to Villedieu les Poeles and looking for somone to do (Saturday) changeovers, keyholding and gardening. If you are registered, and interested, please contact me via private message with details of services offered and rates.   Thanks, PS.  Also posted message in N. West France section   

I'm not that knowledgable either but our research has led us to believe that you are obliged to let the French tax office know of any income earned in France. We've heard that they don't take kindly to being left in the dark. Since there is a double tax treaty you shouldn't end up paying any more though. The French tax year runs to December so perhaps it makes sense to declare any income there first and that tax deduction can be made by the French. This can then be declared to the UK tax office later in the April tax return in the UK.

I have a recipe for grapefruit marmalade (tried and tested) which requires slightly green thick skinned grapefruits and therefore, I would have thought would be ideal for your purposes.  If you agree, let me know and I will post the recipe.  

Yes Will, I managed to catch this last week and again this week. It is good to see the other side of the coin for once.  The programme does irritate me in its format as it repeats over and over each situation as if it assumes you weren't listening the first time...or second...etc.  However, the important thing is that it will give a more balanced and realistic view of buying abroad.

Thank you all very much.  I have to admit though that I thought Richard (from Aude)'s post was the best (even if the least accurate)! So, it looks like the number of French people living in the UK is growing.  Maybe there will soon be parity if numbers of Brits going to France drops???   

In an earlier post Dave Olive said:- "but as said on an earlier post there are more french in the uk than brits in france" I have tried the (advanced) search facility, but too many posts come up for a realistic search.  Does anyone know where I can find this information, either on here or elsewhere?

I think you need to specify where you are resident as this will make a difference to the reply.