Benjamin

David I can give you some information on the blue parking badge. Yes, they do take approximately five months to be issued. The reason they are not issued wily nily like in the UK is that they confer several other benefits (?) also. One example is that you get an extra half share in the house for income tax purposes together with some public transport benefits. That's the way the system works here in France. If you continue to compare the system here with that in the UK you are going to be disappointed on lots of occassions. Benjamin

Tony I sent you a PM yesterday attached to the original PMs between us but I'm not sure if you got it. Benjamin

Wen Just to expand your antipodean vocabulary, you kick a ball and  score a goal. No Aussie rules here!!!!!!!!! Benjamin

It's easy to do so long as you have a French address and, maybe, a utility bill. The difficult bit is then staying legal in other countries; it all depends on how long you stay in the other country. Benjamin

Thanks for that Cassis. I had actually got there by going to Wikipedia and typing in Blackfly and it gave me aphid. I then went to Babel Fish and got aphis which helped a bit and then I tried Reverso which gave me puceron!!!! Thanks also for Capucine; our neighbour Beatrice keeps saying she likes our cappuccino but as we've only ever given her the normal ground stuff from Unico we've always wondered what she's  on about!! Benjamin

I've tried our dictionary and online translators but I can't find the French word for blackfly. Our nastertiums are covered with them. Can anyone help? Benjamin

Kathie Only you know what the vendor is like but if I was in his position I would not sit idly back and just be letting things happen. He is using (maybe wrongly) anything he can see in the contract to push you towards completion which is fairly natural in the buying/selling process. The fact that you are flying over shows that you are doing as much as you can to resolve the matter. Can't you, through the Notaire or Agent, pass on your assurance that you are doing as much as you can? Best of luck with a speedy conclusion. Benjamin

Another kind soul posted this link on another thread some days ago. www.info.eau-poitou-charentes.org Hope it helps. Benjamin

So, Cassis, what's wrong with my effort then? I'm starting to feel like that biker on here!!!!!!!!!!!!! Benjamin

I'm amazed that a competent French speaker (which isn't me by the way) hasn't already answered this for you. I think that there are now automated check in systems for the tunnel. The third point down " Apres avoir selectonne la langue de votre choix" is saying chose your language, so if you then select English, or whatever, everything will be revealed. That's what I think anyway. Benjamin

Firstly ask the bank to tell you the exact percentage rates they are talking about, then ask them to confirm if there will be any tax or social charges to pay on the interest received. If their answers are positive then post that information on here together with the bank's name and address. Then move very rapidly from the area as you are likely to get crushed in the stampede. Just the cynic in me I'm afraid. Benjamin

Many thanks Ron. Benjamin

As a quick fix for next weeks visit why not walk? Ten minute drive = 30 minute walk. Benjamin

Only that when they nest just above your terrace how do such small birds make so much s h one t? Benjamin

This is probably already covered but I've just spent half an hour looking and haven't come up with anything. Can anyone tell me what is the chronological sequence of events following the submission of tax forms and when these events might be ( assessment, payment etc ). Benjamin

On 2nd of June last year we had a devis for a small amount of work to be done in our kitchen totalling just less than 500€. We signed and took the devis back personally. We asked at this point when the work would be done and we were told by the end of July, before they closed for the main summer holiday. On 15th of September we visited the company again and asked why the work hadn't been done. The man looked at us as if we were from Mars, ignored our copy of the devis which we tried to give him and then proceeded to find his own copy in his files which he looked at as if he'd never seen it before in his life. He eventually spluttered that the work would be done on 10th of October which he quickly changed to be between the 10th and 15th of October. On 14th of November I wrote cancelled across our copy, took a photocopy of it and took it round and left it with his secretary. The next day I had a very irate man on the phone asking why we had cancelled his devis. He didn't seem to understand the concept of giving a promise and being expected to keep to it! I don't know the legality of what we did but surely there must come a time when enough broken promises on the part of the artisan constitutes a default of the contract. Benjamin

Sounds like your installer is just priming you for the cost of his next visit. This, I think, is what you need to do to "force" a download of software. Switch on the TV set Unplug the digibox from the mains Press and hold in the "back-up" button on the digibox (not the one on the remote control) Whilst holding the button in, plug in the digibox to the mains Wait until you get a message on the TV screen saying it is downloading the latest software You can now release the back-up button It can take an hour or more to complete the download. DON'T try to interrupt it. Benjamin

Sounds like one of those stories that grow and grow with the telling. We know that when we bought last year that the Notaire was responsible for ensuring that he deducted all possible expenses (taxes, capital gains etc.) from the seller before he passed on the net proceeds. The figure of 2000€ sounds about what the Notaires fee would be. Benjamin

The ethos in France is to look very closely at the cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. When you sign up with your French doctor be prepared to be sent to see lots of specialists and to have lots of tests to determine the cause of your symptoms. All in a very short space of time. This is advice very much from personal experience during the last 12 months as it has happened to my wife who has a long term incurable disability but still the local doctor went through all the motions and with excellent results for my wife. You should also be aware that a Chemist can override what your GP prescribes. I don't know what the criteria is but don't just expect to tell your doctor what you want him to prescribe and expect to get it. Best of luck. Benjamin

Of course we're going to win. Oh yea of little faith. Benjamin

Ali Our responses must have crossed. I'm not an expert but I think you'll find that different manufacturers don't make the same medication unless it's under licence from the original developper of the medicine. As Derek points out , it's vitally important for his wife to be taking exactly the same medication as she takes at the present. Sorry to be nitpicky. Benjamin

My suggestion would be to contact the manufacturer via their website and ask them the question. Since the world (as far as medicines are concerned) is dominated by a few major drug companies then the answer is probably yes but the question is far too important to be answered by people like me who will only be guessing. Benjamin

I have just downloaded a software update for voipBuster (no commercial interest blah blah blah) and have noticed two additional features have been added. One facilitates sending text messages via the internet but at the moment only to country codes begining with 1, 3 or 4 at a cost of 5 eurocents per text. I feel sure that some years ago now you were able to message mobiles via a computer so nothing particularly spectacular there. The second feature maybe of interest to people who don't like using a headset/microphone to make calls. You can now enter your home phone number into the software and dial the number you want and then your home phone rings. When you pick it up it then connects to the number you have just dialled. The on cost for this service is 3 eurocents per call. I don't know if these features are available in other internet based telephone systems but it now gets round the requirement to purchase a USB phone. Benjamin

Thanks for that Missyesbut. As I read "and on the 40th day" it all came flooding back as I'm a bit lapsed as well. Do agree that Christmas can be  a bit over rated. New Year always seems so much more relaxed. All our neighbours are having yet another day off. It just seems this year since Easter has been one continual holiday. Benjamin

Missyesbut Isn't Ascension something to do with religion? So you'd be happy to work Christmas day then? Benjamin