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cheminot

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Posts posted by cheminot

    Ferry prices on the up?

    in Travelling to/from France

    Posted

    [quote user="Will"]Cheminot - being on holiday in France I am trying to forget about work, but the Lloyd's List article is slightly misleading. Although, as it say,s the tighter limits for fuel sulphur content do not universally enter into force until 2015 and 2020, the Channel, North Sea and Baltic are all emission control areas where a 1% sulphur limit applies now - which means ship operators have to pay a premium for low sulphur heavy fuels, or use distillates. More importantly, ships are required under EU law to use 0.1% sulphur fuels in EU ports now. This effectively applies to generating set engines rather than the main propulsion engines, but even so because the normal heavy fuels and distillate fuels are not directly interchangeable, the gensets have to either burn more expensive distillates all the time - which has in turn meant costly changes to fuel pumps and associated equipment - or shipowners have had to invest in changeover equipment so that both fuels can be used. This is just one of several increases in operating costs that shipowners are having to face, so rising ferry prices are inevitable.

    http://www.ukpandi.com/knowledge-developments/industry-developments/marpol-annex-vi-air-pollution/ - the text of the EU legislation is also available online.

    [/quote]

    It is several years since I was an engineer on the cross channel ferries. Ignoring shaft driven generators, all the ships in the fleet used distillate fuel for gensets. Principally because the sets were running for comparatively short periods which does not suit residual fuel engines but all the ships were able to run thier main engines on both heavy and distillate fuels and were equipped to allow a quick changeover. Whether that is still the case with the modern ferries I do not know.

    Ferry prices on the up?

    in Travelling to/from France

    Posted

    [quote user="Will"]Before the conspiracy/cartel theorists get too worked up, don't forget the fuel restrictions which have recently entered into force, and which effectively mean that ferries using EU ports and travelling in designated emission control areas (of which the Channel/North Sea is one) can no longer burn comparatively cheap heavy fuel oils and have to use the much more expensive distillate diesel fuels.

    [/quote]

    This is not yet an issue for the ferry companies but could well be in a few years. 

    http://www.lubmarine.com/lub/content/NT0008E51E.pdf

    Butternut Squash crop

    in Gardening

    Posted

    I planted 3 plants last year which produced only one butternut, so this year I planted 6 plants and have ended up with over 80!

    I think my neighbours will soon be fed up with me trying to get rid of them but it is a shame to waste them.

    onions

    in Gardening

    Posted

    Put the garlic in the fridge for a few days before planting. This is to 'fool it' into thinking (if vegetables can be said to think!) that it has been planted in winter. The onions should grow OK as long as they are still firm.

    cheminot

    Masonic Lodges

    in Sport, Leisure and Pastimes

    Posted

    To get back to the original question.

    There are three main masonic organisations in France. The biggest is the Grand Orient, the next two, which I believe are roughly equal in membership are the Grand Loge de France (GLF) and the Grand Loge National Français (GLNF).

    The latter one, GLNF is the only one recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and as such is the only one that members of english lodges are authorised to visit.

    They will undoubtedly have lodges in the Chinon/Saumer area. A visit to the Hotel de Ville in either town would probably be the best way of finding out where they meet or you could contact the headquarters in Paris.   http://www.glnf.fr

    Hope this helps,

    cheminot

    Fresh Cream

    in French Food and Wine

    Posted

    [quote user="Alan Zoff"]When I last tried the Creme Fleurette Entiere, it tasted nothing like English fresh cream to me. Have searched in vain for some time to find an exact equivalent.[/quote]

    Until I found the Leader Price product I would have entirely agreed with you but this is not like any other creme fleurette that I have found. All I can say is get some and try it.

    cheminot.

    Fresh Cream

    in French Food and Wine

    Posted

    Leader Price sell fresh 'Creme fleurette entiere' in 0.5 litre white plastic bottles with a red label which is identical to UK double cream.

    There is no need to add 'fixe' or sugar to it as it whips up easily and is not 'soured'.

    cheminot

    FRENCH BANKS

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    [quote user="Ron Avery"]Sorry,  to make it clear, yes of course you can pay cheques from another French bank into your account at any bank in your own region of CA, but you cannot pay cheques or money into your account at a CA in Provence if your account is with CA Calvados, you have to send these payments to your branch. There have been a number of threads on this.  Just to add to the praises of CA NMP, I managed to get a direct debit that had been in error yesterday re-credited with to my account after just a five minute meeting at the local bank.  Better than phoning Calcutta as I have to do with HSBC and getting somebody who cannot make a decision without "talking to their supervisor".[geek][/quote]

    Well all I can say to this is that I have had no trouble paying cheques/cash into my CA Normandie account from CA Charente. I have also done it from Brittany, Paris, Picardy and Nice. Only in Charente was it queried in the manner I described in my previous post.

    cheminot

    FRENCH BANKS

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    You can pay in cheques/cash into different area CA banks. You simply have to fill in the 'code guichet' number as well as the account number on the paying-in slip. I have done this several times in different areas without problems.

     I would point out though that often CA staff themselves do not know this.

     Once when I paid in a cheque the woman at the desk in the bank said ''ce n'es pas possible" but I insisted it was. She went and consulted the manager who showed her how to process it.

    cheminot.

    british food

    in NEW - Money Saving Expat

    Posted

    [quote user="splishsplash"][quote user="cheminot"]Leader Price stock 'Creme Entiere, fabrique en Normandie' in white plastic 500ml bottles with red label.

    It is identical to british double cream (not soured).

    cheminot

    [/quote]

    Does this whip up really thick for use on a trifle etc?

    Also...Carrefour stock the Creme Professionelle in large cartons on the shelf with the evap etc.

    [/quote]

    It does say on the label 'ideal for chantilly' as well as some other uses which I have forgotten now.

    I have only used it for pouring so I cannot tell you for sure.

    cheminot.

    Politics Show

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    [quote user="Keni "]

    As a train driver, my OH contributes to his pension fund. The difference was that originally he was part of the government pension fund (BR), upon privatisation, his pension went into the big world to be administered unto by fund accountants.

    We calculated that if we retired in the UK, on his pension, paid into for 34 years + top up where possible, we could not afford to stay in the UK - our council tax for a small 2-bed terrace is over 1K, upon reaching 65 Chris's pension will be around 2.5K, because it is designed to decrease, year on year. Because he has paid into the BR fund all these years, he is considered as 'contracted out'. So, no bonuses etc, all he has is what he has paid. So, stock market fall = pension fall. Admitted there is the lump sum, but that will be needed for living on, house repairs etc.

    Oh yes, and I forgot to mention that when the Government split from BR and privatised the railway, they took a lump sum from the pension fund, leaving a 12mill hole - which the workers have had to plug!

    So, we want to move to France to be able to maintain a stable level of income - a smaller home with a smaller council tax, a bit of land to be able to grow our own veg.... Oh yes, we have paid our pension in, so why not be entitled to benefits - as you are within all EU countries?

    [/quote]

    This post puzzles me.

     I retired from the railway after just 11 years service. Firstly with BR then with a private train operating company and on a lower salary than a train driver.

     My pension is more than £2.5K per annum. Admittedly I always paid in as much as I could to top it up but I am astonished that someone in this position with such long service could end up with so low a pension.

    cheminot

    Starch

    in Shopping

    Posted

    [quote user="cooperlola"][quote user="gosub"]I have to admit that it was a bit of a lie to say that my mother told me about the starch, I do remember it from my childhood.[:(]

    [/quote]Me too.  In the days before viagra, it used to be the subject of some rather rude jokes..[Www][/quote]

    SSH! dont tell everyone what I want it for!

    Btw, I found some in Intermarché!

    cheminot

    Snake

    in Wildlife/Nature/Environment

    Posted

    It appears that I've missed all the fun! I havent had time to look at replies since I posted this so I suppose I'll just have to settle for the grass snake.

    I was hoping for something a bit more exotic but my 'other half' is quite relieved!

    cheminot

    Snake

    in Wildlife/Nature/Environment

    Posted

    I saw a snake on the road outside my house when I returned from the brico in my car this morning.

    It was about a metre long and very dark green with no visible pattern makings on it. As it scuttled off as soon as I arrived I couldn't take a photo of it.

    Can anyone identify it from my description please?

    cheminot.

    Which Potato?

    in Gardening

    Posted

    I grew 'Desirée' and 'Julienne' varieties last year. They turned out to be very similar in their characteristics, ie; red skin, waxy. and they grow to a good size. I have used them for all methods of cooking and they have both proved to have excellent flavour.

    They also keep well, I have four sacks left to last me to the next crop and I will certainly be growing some more this year.

    cheminot

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