londoneye

Sorry Quillan but thats so funny (not for your daughter of course).   The idea that a non-smoker now won't go in a pub because they have to walk past the smokers.     No pleasing some is there.   Or is she being harassed by the blokes hanging around outside, thats a different story and the pub needs to control it if its the case.  

After lashings of rain for a couple of days, we woke up this morning to the pool house full of water.    The pump is below ground in a well, which had more than 8 inches of water in it.   Needless to say the pump had tripped out.   Thankfully our pump must be made of stern stuff because we bailed out, removed it, dried it and it seems to be working, much to our relief and surprise.   This is the second time this has happened, and we have done everything we physically can to take water away from the area.   Our next thought is a small pump which will come on automatically when the water reaches a certain level.   We are pump rich in this house, but none of them seem to do the job properly.    We have one with a paddle which does seem to work if the water level is about 5 or 6", but we need one which automatically evacuates when the water level is a couple of centimetres high. Anyone got such a thing ?   We are beginning to be seriously paranoid about rainy days now .. Any thoughts appreciated.

Ah bless, the low-tech version of the outdoor patio heater perhaps ? I do feel a bit sorry for the small bars; there are several around here which practically edge onto the road, with no chance of putting tables outside even in the summer, and I think these really will lose a lot of business.   I smoke and I am surely not going to stand in the road, if I can sit outside at a table elsewhere. Not that I particularly care about the ban to be honest; don't go out that much, and at the end of the day I drink as well, but have managed to cope with going to a bar and not drinking if I am going to drive, so I can't see it can be that difficult.      But maybe I will feel differently next time I go out !

Emily ? No seriously she is lovely (or he).   I should take my camera with me when I go out, but I never do somehow.

Nah - April ... !  (and no, not the first !)

Actually it didn't bother us anyway - as it happens we had nothing to hide, so where is the harm.     Never seen them since though !

We had been here two weeks when we were slightly surprised to see two Gendarmes hanging over our gate... They asked if OH was working for me (which he was, but not in the way they thought !) and when I explained that he was my partner and renovating our property they asked if we had a construction permit (which we did !) and then I was really surprised when they asked to see it. They then asked if the Mayor knew we were here (he did). So, if there is an informant (and I am not convinced there is by the way), ours is pretty well on the ball !!

But my dog (female) was born in France and I just made up the name I wanted and gave it to her.   Then told the vet the name and he put it in the passport !!   Is it just dogs which come from breeders which have to abide by the dog-naming rules, or is someone joking here and I have fallen for it (hook line and sinker!)???

I am still trying to follow up on a complaint I (and many others I am sure) made to the European Commission regarding the possible non-compliance as regards the dissemination of information.    Although it is very easy to make a complaint it is seemingly not so easy to follow it up and see what, if anything is happening !!    Holidays over, back on the case today, although I am sure others are doing the same thing.

Thanks.   It was the furniture I was really looking for, although I have bought clothes from them on-line, which has always been fine, but I hesitate to buy furniture which I can't actually see first  ........ I suppose its a quality issue.   I don't expect it to be fantastic for the prices, but I do want reasonably sturdy furniture.    Might order a couple of smaller things and see what I think of them, before I go over-board!!

OMG did I take the pool cover off a day early then !!!

Looks like it might be quite some party then - better get planning Cowman !!  (and saving up!)

Oh dear - but I do think I know a local farmer who will probably do it .... it hasn't been used for two years (not sure whether that makes a difference!).      I hadn't thought of it as being seasonal, but yes, hmmmmmm - something nasty in the woodpile springs to mind, rather than something miraculous in the stable. Can't believe we haven't looked under that  bit of chipboard for two years - never mind, probably would have been even more horrible if we had looked earlier!

Thank you.   Nowhere near me, but I don't mind travelling for a good party ! As its only the two of us, you may as well put some food on as well - no fish for me thanks ... Happy christmas to you to.  

Because it would save us the trouble of having it emptied - quite simply laziness Simon !   But thank you for your input ..

I cannot imagine that it would not say that, otherwise every time a bus or a train was late or cancelled, resulting in delays to a port or airport then the whole world would be claiming that was the reason why they could not get to their flight or ferry on time.

hi all We have just made a lovely discovery in the end of our stable (due for renovation at some point).     We have found what is clearly an old septic tank.   Its quite full !   It is not a fosse with an outlet or anything like that (we have a new fosse ourselves). Question is, what can we do/not do with it?   We have no idea how large it is but OH rather bravely started poking (I exited at this point) a stick down the tank and it seems quite large.     I suppose we have two options - get someone to empty it and then fill it with rubble etc (sound good or bad ?) or Can we just put a concrete slab over the top and then concrete over the slab (worse or better ?!!!) Any thoughts welcome.

I agree.   My grandad always made a big thing about it, and then used to tell me that it was lighter by 1 minute every day thereafter.   Not sure whether he is right or not, but I choose to believe him !

Yes its so sad.   I heard an announcement by the local SPA on the radio other day saying about the huge increase in numbers of abandoned animals they expect over holiday season (as in UK also).     Anyway they also mentioned that there will be food collections in supermarkets over the period to help to cope with what they anticipate wll be the extra demand.     So look out for them at your local supermarket.    I am a complete sucker and haven't been able to go in a supermarket in the last week without plonking something in the basket.   OH is trying to reign me in, but I keep getting the guilts !!

Thanks Clair - have I misunderstood the delivery charges because I plugged something in to see how much delivery was and it came up as 25 euros, then for good measure I added a few more large items to see what happened and it still came up as 25 euros ! Seems remarkable for France, where delivery is so expensive, so perhaps it would have changed when it came to actually ordering the stuff ?

Oh sorry - I just reported you to the gendarmes because I thought you were a nasty pervert that was looking at my smalls on the line ...

Actually I am wrong - it is only myself here because I see Cowman doesn't arrive until February or March; and then there will be two ! Cowman, there are a few of us, and I am sure we can at least try to answer any questions; might help if you said where in 87 you were moving to though if you want specific local advice.

Well, there are definitely two of us anyway, myself and cowman - bugbear you don't count because you are in 86 .. where is 86, next door ?

You're not serious are you ?

Yes. and yes I'd love to come to the big champagne party at your place - just send me the details. Why ?