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Aitch, So you have been on the death awareness course as well, glad you are now fit again, can't give you any clues about the ceiling, but good luck anyway. Steve

Halldfandid, We are hoping to get a phone installed this year, you say you have line "residence secondaire" is that a specific contract you asked for, and does the contract specify that, or is a normal contract that you can juggle around with. The reason I ask this is last year we looked into it and the guy in the FT shop said we could turn on and off a normal line. Just want to get all the facts before we go back later in the year. Thanks Steve

DavyH Re turning phone on/off via the internet, is this something that is organized by FT when you take out the phone contract at the FT office, or is it left to you to sort this out later. steve

I was intrigued about the stands selling wine by the glass, as I understand it unless they have applied for a drinks license it is against the law to sell alcohol. Maybe I'm wrong, am sure someone will put me straight. Maybe they obtained a drinks license!! Steve

We are looking at having a phone installed at our "holiday home" we went to the local FT/Orange shop to enquire, we didn't mention a second home line but they knew we were English, I asked if the line could be turned off when we weren't there, his reply was no problem you can do it via the internet and the fee is about 9 euros to stop and restart the service. Only problem I have is the scare stories you hear about them screwing up our account, but may bite the bullet on our return in May. Good luck Steve

Been following this one with interest as I have been toying with the idea of changing my C5 Auto. I have read on various forums that some "Friday" cars can have reliability problems with the EPG box. ( maybe its the way they are driven) What are they like backing into parking places etc, does it creep as a normal auto? which is very useful, and there have been comments of  jerky changes in auto mode. As I understand it lorries and buses have had  similar type of gearbox for a few years now and they are reliable,or so it seems. I am sure someone will correct me if untrue. To change tack a bit what have been the experiences of the aircon and heating on these cars, my C5 is marvelous in heating the cabin up on cold mornings, and keeping the cabin cool when we have our 1 day of summer, As the Picasso has a vast area of glass I would be concerned that the suns heat could over-power the aircon. Getting back to the auto box, I suppose there are some problems on nearly every model sold so if you are happy after a test drive and its what you want, go for it.  I would not want to go back to a normal manual box again. Steve

In our neck of the woods Tesco are always at the dearer end of the petrol/diesel market. We have found Sainsburys and the station on the  main road to the M3 tend to be the cheapest. We only use Tesco when they do the 5 pence off offer, but funny enough they tend to put the price up by a couple of pence then. Steve

Gary, Once every 6 weeks? I'd see a doctor if I were you, I can't last more then 24 hours. Steve

We have to stop at the office at Boulogne also next week with a query, can anyone assist with their opening times? does it shut for lunch, we are getting the 10.40 am ( approx) Speedferries so should get there about 1.30 French time. Thanks Steve

The big Leclerc complex going out of Bolougne if using Speedferries take Nationwide cards in its automatic machines ( and I assume the rest of UK cards)  Trying to find out if  City Europe and Sainsburys at Calais  take UK cars in its 24/7 machines. for when we use the shuttle. Any one have an update? Steve

Nephilim, We have the Bestgreen BM155H107RB possibily the same type as you but maybe a different colour. Ours is a rear discharge 42" same to yours?. Anyway there IS a tensioner on the deck, if you have the parts manual go to the page that shows the deck broken down, look for item "spring tension belt " (key No.61 in my book), this spring is attached to a carrier that holds a pulley that can move back and forth, it is a rufty tufty spring. It is on the right hand side of the deck IE when you are sitting on the mower it is under your right foot. I found it a lot easier to lift up the front of the mower quite high when the deck is unhitched, then its a lot easier to slide the deck out. Good luck. Steve  

A couple of years ago we arrived at our holiday home, it was about 11pm. I went up the stone stairs by the side of the house to look at the render that was blowing, started to go down the stairs, slipped fell right down, in pain couldn't move, so within 30 mins of arriving we were waiting for the ambulance to hospital. Arrived at hospital x rayed and told I had 5 fractures on my pelvis, spent two weeks in the hospital in France, flown home to the UK by air ambulance ( small aircraft with the seats taken out !) and then spent another two weeks in UK hospital. Out of action for about 4 months. Didn't cost me anything except for the excess of I think £40. We have a yearly policy, well worth the cash.  Much cheaper then insurance for each trip. Steve

I had the same problem in the summer, went to the local Bricomarche (where we brought the mower) they ordered a new belt and when it arrived asked for 75 euro's for the replacement belt. I declined their offer and said we would source it elsewhere. Back in the UK looked on the net found one in the US but the cost of shipping to the UK made it the same cost as Brico. Done a bit of searching and found a site called www.Ventico.fr (the site is also in english) on it there is a link to wholsalers in other countries. I contacted the one in UK that deals with garden products, its in Kent. Was quoted about 30 pounds for the belt, but they have their own make of belts in stock, same size etc and at a cost of £20.43 + vat so I have just received 2 belts with a total cost of £56.24 including post and vat. Might be an idea to use the Ventico website to get their part number then you can phone or e-mail UK if based here. Hope this helps, Steve

Found this link to one of the small BD catalogues, it seems it is the last one up to mid September. http://www.prospectuschezmoi.com/detail-prospectus.php?p=diapo&prosp=1247#mepGallery   Steve

We brought one of those spray bottles of the stuff in a supermarket once after looking at the video presentation you spray around doors and windows, found it a waste of time! but our new bedroom window always has dead flies on the window sill, don't know what the window is coated with if anything but it works. Years ago our french neighbours used to get something you paint around the door and it seemed to work, but don't know whats its called or even if it can be obtained now. good luck in the search   Steve

Have there been any further stories in the French press about NRJ's  double cross. Have they lost customers, it would make me feel better if they have.   Steve

Don't throw away the screws that you end up on the table with when its all put back together.   Steve

If you want to accept a quote from a firm, what is the procedure of putting a condition that it has to be completed by a certain date?   Thanks Steve

One thing I have been thinking of lately, we have both NRJ and SFR card. The NRJ will be binned when the credit expires, we purchased the NRJ because of the offer at the time,but now it will go. Anyway if we top up the SFR with a vodaphone topup card in the UK as you can.  Will we get the same time limits as the UK or French system ?   Could be a way round the stupid time limits if it works. Just a thought. Steve

I have changed Internet providers so my logon e-mail address has changed. Is there a way to update my details on the server, I have changed my private e-mail address under edit details, but if I have to log in it won't accept the private one, I have to use my old providers details, and I know as time goes by I'm going to forget these. If that makes sense.   Thanks Steve

I remember when I was a kid (years ago) JW's called and asked my dad "have you found Jesus" his reply, "No have you lost him". Then told them to go away. Think it worked.   Steve

Thanks for all the replies, I wasn't sure due to things i have heard regarding who does what on services. In the UK the elec board will and can rewire a house etc but I understand in France they don't. Wasn't sure about the water though. Now where is that 1mm drill bit........   Thanks all Steve PS I wasn't going to move it myself but wanted to know who to contact.

We are in the process of updating the kitchen and the water pipe comes into the kitchen through the floor, there is a lead pipe with a stopcock and attached to it is the water meter.  We wish to move the pipe coming into the house and put the meter in a position that you don't have to do a limbo dance, with a torch and glasses to read the dam thing. ( we don't want the outside dug up so its a matter of repositioning the thing). The pipe is buried under the kitchen floor and it won't be difficult to dig this out as it's only a short length by the wall to move, I can dig it out no problem but it's the "sweating" (think thats what it's called) of the lead to copper pipe I want done. Who's responsible for the work, is it the water board or a plumber? Thanks in advance. Steve

I have just installed a new electric heater and the instructions shows how to connect it with either 3 phase or single phase, we are over there at half term and i'll bring the instructions back with me if you are still interested, an if I remember (senior moment again) The heater is made by dedietrich or something like that.   Steve

Tried it ages ago, but you need a French credit card, won't accept English cards, or have they changed?   Steve