Robbie34

If you have a "normal" digital receiver rather than a Sky digibox you should have no problem receiving the French channels on Atlantic Bird.  You need to buy a lnb switch - a manual one is sufficient and cheap.  You simply connect the two leads with their f-connectors to the switch and you will have to make up a lead with an f-connector at each end.  This goes from the switch to the digital receiver.  When you wish to change satellites you simply press the switch. It is the A/B switch as in this link. http://http://www.brymar.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Dish_and_Switches_11.html

Is there a requirement to use the autoroutes regularly in order to have a toll badge?  I travel to my place in the Lot twice a year, staying for three months at a time.  Apart from the four journeys I then rarely use the autoroutes.

There has been no change in the price of P&O 5.5% Non Cum Prf shares.  The bid price is still 100p and the offer price 125p. 

Try this site for some information http://www.takingthelead.co.uk/3/BehAdv/coprophagia.htm

I started leaving Charley's dish full when I started him on Frolic, and he had finished his puppy food.   I think you need to watch her in case she does eat too much.  Charley has never had to compete for food and he gets lots of exercise.  We go out each morning and walk for over an hour and he has a large garden in which to play. I do recall reading that coprophagia is due to a vitamin deficiency in dogs and they do this to remedy it.  I'd have a word with your vet.

[quote user="Georgina"] Yes Robbie thanks, I have washed all her bedding and made an appointment. But in the meantime noticed that the cat over the road looks like the culprit and has given her a good scratching, as the owner points out, she is not fond of other animals and does this regularly. It looks like you have got a cocker spaniel too? Perhaps you can tell me how to stop her eating you know what??? and then getting onto the kitchen table before we all end up down with something.[&]   Cheers Georgina [/quote]   Yes, he's a lovely little dog and I wouldn't be without him.  He's not greedy and not overweight.  He's fed on Frolic as his staple diet, and his dish is always topped up so he need never go hungry.  I always leave him something after I've had dinner or I'll cook a bit extra for him.  As there is always food available he never has to wolf his food down.  He loves chicken and will always leave some until later if there is too much in his dish that is separate from his main food. I haven't a clue about coprophagia which I think is caused by a vitamin deficiency.  

It could still be mites.  If she had been scratching herself it would have caused a rash.  Mites are not always obvious and the vet would need to take a skin scraping and examine under a microscope.

The rash could be caused by mites.  You should take her to your vet and have it checked.

I'm not sure that a good enough case for continuing treatment against the fox tapeworm can be made, particularly for cats.  Fox tapeworm can  be found in dogs and cats, but research performed at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in 2003 has shown that the tapeworm’s eggs do not mature in cats, for which reason cats do not spread the infection. The parasite is usually transferred between foxes and mice. When the Pet's Passport  scheme was first being discussed there was some opposition to the need for such treatment.  The evidence was that dogs can only be infected by consuming a mouse or vole similarly infested.  Indeed, only a small percentage of foxes are carriers of the fox tapeworm.  Northern Germany has a figure of only 1% and an investigation in Denmark found that only three out of 350 foxes were carriers.

It's not negotiable with any ferry operator: the rules are set in stone.  However, there is currently a review of the Pet's Passport scheme and the need for tick and tapeworm treatment for entry to the UK is included.  It's possible that this requirement may be dispensed with. http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051117b.htm

There is a wide spread between the buying and selling prices of P&O Preference Shares.  The current bid price is 95p and the offer 125p.  Some years ago the offer price was in excess of 180p but you would have only been paid 150 if you sold them.

The "old paperwork" officially finished in September last year when the new EU passport took over. The new passport has simplified things enormously, and I have been amazed at some of the postings, here and elsewhere, about what was needed.  Incidentally, there is a review of the Pets' Passport system, including the need for the tick and tapeworm treatment before returning to the UK.  It's quite possible that this will be dispensed with.

My pack also arrived yesterday.  One problem on the yellow form is the size of the print: it's so small I can barely read it. I've had my money's worth from P&O over the years so I haven't lost any money on my shares.  I've had them since the days of European Ferries so I intend to accept the £1 per share and retain the new units.  You never know, there may be changes that will prove useful.  I don't use the Dover route as I hate the journey down the M1 and M25.  I had no option in October when I returned as the Le Havre crossing had finished.  It took over seven hours to cover 298 miles. 

I see in today's Daily Telegraph that the new owners are offering 120 pence per share for current shareholders to forego their rights to cheap crossings, or 100p plus a new unit to continue with their rights. I'm sure I'll take the latter if it materialises.

Sky will provide you with your second card at a reduced rate.  If you wish to avail yourself of this offer you are required to have both boxes connected to a 'phone line.   The reason for this is you could get a second card and let a neighbour or relative have it so a 'phone connection - must be the same number - prevents fraud.

I had to order my Scalibor collar from a pharmacy in Gourdon.  I couldn't get it at my vets in the UK.  My dog used to plagued by ticks, albeit dead, even with Frontline.  With his Scalibor collar I never found a tick on him. Here's the URL. http://www.scalibor.co.uk/key-benefits-scalibor.asp

You are allowed up to four Freesat cards per household.  For subscription channels Sky charge for an extra card and, as another poster has stated, your box has to be connected to a 'phone line.  However, your subscription card will work in another box, but you will not be able to receive the premium channels i.e. films and sports.  If you wish to receive these as well, your box will have to be matched to the card. 

If you are resident in France then your pet should come under the regulations pertaining to animals domiciled in France. There seems to be no reason why you shouldn't start the process in the UK - depending how long you are staying there.  If it's for more than a couple of months then do it in the UK.  If you are only there for a couple of weeks then have the whole thing done in France as it will be a lot cheaper. As far as ticks etc. are concerned, get your dog a Scalibor flea collar.  These are effective for six months and are far better than Frontline.  For a medium sized dog they cost 16 Euros.  I never found a tick on my dog when he had this, and I think this collar was recommended by someone on either this forum or Total France.  It was an excellent recommendation.

[quote]HiCould I ask the question the other way around?We're thinking of getting a cheap Umax Yamada DVD recorder (French); would this work OK with our British (well, Toshiba, but you know what I mean ) TV...[/quote] Any DVD player or DVD recorder will play perfectly with any television provided it is fed via a scart or phono input.  Indeed, this is really the only way to proceed if you want quality recordings and playback.

I've managed to track down the manufacturer of this box which is here http://www.eisen.co.kr/ They also manufacture Newwave, which are fairly common in the UK.  Whether the firmware for Optex is the same as Newwave I do not know.  Perhaps you could contact Eisen and find out.

Is it possible to purchase one of these at a store in France?  I have a French HSBC account (CCSO) but chose not to have a card, just a cheque book.  I'm not returning to France until April. 

Yes, it may have been my posting. You can buy a pair of wireless speakers from Maplins at £49.99.  Here is the link.http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=33457&doy=8m11 They consist of a pair of speakers with a small transmitter unit that connects to the audio out phono connections on a Sky box or other satellite receiver.  The transmitter and speakers are supplied with AC adaptors and phono leads.  I have a pair at my holiday home in France and they are excellent.

The Sky Gnome is not like DAB digital radio.  It merely connects to your Sky receiver and allows you to listen to the audio of any of the channels to which your Sky digibox is tuned, some distance away from your receiver.  It allows you to change channels remotely, e.g. you can listen to radio whilst in bed and change channels, say, from Radio 4 to Radio 5. A much cheaper option is buy a pair of wireless speakers, you can get these from Maplins for £49.95, and do the same thing albeit you can't change channels remotely.  I have a pair of these in my bedroom in France so that I can listen to Radio 5 Live when I'm in bed.

Your pets will only need a repeat blood test if you fail to keep their vaccinations up to date.  In France that means an annual booster against rabies.

Your pet will be checked in at the port by the person who checks you in.  You will be handed a scanner to verify the microchip in your pet. There is a possibility that you might be checked upon your arrival in the UK by a DEFRA official. Thus, you are not allowed to remove the car sticker, which shows there is a pet onboard, until you have cleared the port.