Cacknanty

Attended a funeral earlier this year, The Laughing Policeman was the 'standout' song !

We leave our windows open and the shutters shut, ever since we came back in the spring to find everything had a thin layer of mould on it. Also put sofas on bricks, just to lift them off the floor and allow a better air flow underneath. We use those 'stress' balls/toys in a plastic bag to drop into the toilet. To help the 'drain down' process, we blow compressed air from the shower head and turn taps on in turn. This also helps if there are some low points in the plumbing.

Yes, Mr T was going to put in the access just for his daughters wedding. The church opposite our place is used by both villages. The 'after party' is now going to be held in a barn back at his place. for the life of me, I can't think why he didn't do that in the first place. The chap I took as an interpreter is an artist, I did suggest Mr T commission him to paint a walnut tree on the yellow barn, they thought I was joking ! The other gain we have got is next year we will have even more grass to cut, ho hum.

Here goes ........... I didn't want to immediately go to the Gendarmes as we only get to the house for about 9 weeks a year so is somewhat vulnerable to any 'revenge' action. After arrival we established that the yellow barn was still owned by our neighbours, ex farmer G and rented out to farmer V. The land and barn behind our property is owned by farmer T who bought it in 1984 from a previous occupant of our place. Our property deeds state that farmer T has a right of access across our land to his land, indicated by the yellow line on the plan. Indicated in a section called 'Servitudes' We did know about the right of access from when we bought the place, being assured that T would never use it due to him making an easier alternative access from the road around the corner way back in the 80's. The Mayor advised we get the plan showing the yellow line from the Notaire. The next day we did just that. We always assumed that the right of way would be along the existing driveway, not so. The right of way is a 5 metre strip to the West of our property. The walnut tree was within that 5m. The next day a chap walked up the drive and started talking away in rapid French, my schoolboy French couldn't keep up, but eventually realised he was inviting me to his daughters wedding. The party after would be in the barn behind us (penny dropping!). Ascertained that he was farmer T from the next village. He was quite a large fellow, built like a brick No 2 house and in my head I could hear my father saying 'the bigger they are son, the harder they fall'. Well that never worked in the 60's and I couldn't see it working now, so continued to talk. He actually wanted to use our electricity to power his daughters wedding ! Regrettably we would be leaving for the UK the day before the wedding so we couldn't go to the wedding and wouldn't be able to supply electric. Anyway Mr T, about this tree...... We then discussed the tree and the land, Mr T believed the 5m strip of land was bought by his father, not so I declared and showed him our deeds and plan. He insisted that the land was his and he had documents to prove it. We arranged to reconvene at his place in a few days where he would have his docs ready. We then talked about the cost of weddings, sons, daughters, cars etc and had a coffee. I visited his place with someone who could speak both languages. After a fairly short discussion, Mr T accepted that the land was ours, his father hadn't bought the land and he shouldn't have cut down the tree. For this he was extremely sorry and would return the wood to us. During this time his two sons joined the conversation and each one apologised to me. They also said that I should visit the Notaire to have the Right of Way annulled and they will sign it as required. The wood was returned, cut into metre lengths and split, a walnut tree in a kit. So there we are, a bit of chat perhaps avoided any real unpleasantness. We have lost a magnificent tree, but gained about 4m of firewood, the removal of the Servitude from the deeds. I will place another post in the Legal section relating to Notaire charges, the Notaire wants €700 to complete this contract. seems a bit steep to me.

It is getting rather complicated, but I will update once we have concluded our negotiations with the farmers, Marie, Notaire, and Uncle Tom Cobley. Probably in September?

Many thanks for sorting the links out Catalpa, it looked fine in the preview. Looks like a trip to the Gendarmes next Friday, it's just over the road from the supermarket so two birds with one stone. The tree was a split trunk tree. Any ideas how old a tree of that size might be? Would it pre-date the barn I wonder.

Here is a photo from last year [URL=http://s192.photobucket.com/user/cacknanty/media/DSCN2368sml.jpg.html][IMG]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z196/cacknanty/DSCN2368sml.jpg[/IMG][/URL] And now [URL=http://s192.photobucket.com/user/cacknanty/media/imagesml.jpg.html][IMG]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z196/cacknanty/imagesml.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The wood appears to have been taken away or rather stolen.

Thanks for the replies. The tree was very productive, producing many boxes of nuts for distribution to anyone that wanted some. Our contact in the village council thought initially that EDF had requested its removal, but on checking with the mayor, this is not the case with this tree. The mayor will accompany us on a visit to the perpetrators of this destruction when we get there next week. He has asked that I read the cadestral and notarial papers that we have from when we bought the place 11 years ago. I guess this will be a good test of our elementary school French!

Help required please, next door to our property is a barn rented by a family from the next village. This week, they have chopped down our large walnut tree and the hedging that Is on the edge of our property. The walnut tree was on our side. We do not know why they have chopped it down. We are due to go to France next Thursday and would like to know what procedure we should follow once we have discussed it with the individuals / vandals concerned. Gendarmes or some lawyer type. Thanks in anticipation

I can vouch for salt. Last summer we came home from holiday to find a large square of dead grass in the lawn. It turned out that the son had placed his VW Polo bonnet on the grass to 'rat look' it. Sand off the paint and rub salt in. Allow to corrode, replace on car, add sticky back plastic wood 'panels' and wait for the plaudits from your mates....................apparently ! Car has since gone to VW heaven. But, we still have a large square of dead grass. So salt it is next time we want to kill weeds.

But not as disconcerting as treading on a slug. Is there a slug slime remover generally available ?

Used a Brother P-Touch labelling machine from work. Been up three years and still look good as new. Bit expensive if that is all it would be used for tho' !!!

I use blutack too. That way co-pilot doesn't have to wake up to 'wave about'

1) '73 Norton Commando 750 2) '73 Norton Commando 750 3) BSA Bantam D10 (but it did teach me a lot about mechanics !) 4) Norton Commando 961 5) Jota (but now pleased I didn't bother) 6) Going over the alps to Italy in '77 on the Commando. 7) Triumph Daytona 500, Honda CB175, Lambretta 125, Honda C95 150, Bantam D10, Honda C70, Honda PC50

We had Oak beams 1 metre apart and used the chevron idea but at 40cm centres. Over engineered ? don't know, but that was what I read at the time. The chevrons gave us something to attach plasterboard to whilst still showing off the old oak beams downstairs, and as you say gives the opportunity to do a bit of levelling for upstairs.