zeb

Last night had birthday bash at the Grange aux Oies, Chateau de Nieuil (16) which is one of les tables gourmandes de la Charente recommended restaurants. All in price 35euros each which included aperatif, bottle of goodish wine (per couple) and coffee as well as the usual four courses with lots of choice and hubby was offered seconds from the fantastic dessert trolley. All excellent and in wonderful surroundings - will definitly return. regards.......helen (LOL a year older and perhaps a year wiser)

LAST EDITED ON 21-May-04 AT 09:47 AM (BST) Hello Mallow - we bought a Bosch toploader two years ago and it's fine. At that time there were very few front loaders in the shops here in Charente (salesperson showed surprise that anyone would want to watch their washing go round!). Fitted kitchens with under the worktop machines (American kitchens) were quite rare and the toploader usually was put in the bathroom and needed to take up as little space as possible. It took me a while to get used to the longer time it takes to wash than my old Zanussi did but I usually put the wash on in the evening or before bedtime so I can hang it out first thing before work. The other thing is that the 40degree wash seems to be cooler than that and I shove everything in (except cottons for hot wash and woolies) at 60 degrees. Due to our jobs and our renovations we have very dirty clothes and it does the biz so I'm happy! Just wish it would hang the stuff out and then iron it! regards.......helen

>Hi can anyone recommend a boarding >kennel in the Vienne area >or not too far from, >we live near Ruffec with >one dog Hi There is a very good kennels at Mansle down the RN10 from you towards Anglouleme - will get name and number and post it during the week. Have also sent message to your inbox. regards........helen

Bad day so far in the Charente! Went shopping for food and essence then headed off through local village to cut grass. Got chased and stopped by two motorbike cops who had been hiding behind a tractor. Result 90 euro fine for not wearing seatbelt and a warning to get a new tyre immediately! They shuffled through my documents and said I have to have French driving licence as I am resident in France. Again, get it changed immediately. Luckily all my other van documents were in order and in the glovebox but.....they could see the van was full of work equipment (mower, strimmer, bucket of tools, radio, flask and lunchbox etc)so they asked if I was registered or employed.....have micro said I....where are your papers then, said he, still wearing crash helmet and shades (scarey). Had to admit they were in filing cabinet at home - so....they are to be produced at local gendarmerie immediatement. They gave me a receipt for the euros and a note in various languages explaining that if you have no proof of address or employment in France they can impound your car! They also managed to stop two other old cars whilst all this was going on - all the newish models sailed past. I asked politely where they were going next (as I have another job apres midi 10klms away) but they wouldn't tell me - no sense of humour. So be warned if, like me, your vehicle is elderly - keep within the law, watch out if you pass a tractor, change your driving licence if you are resident, oh and have money on you at all times! regards......helen

Twixt Champagne Mouton and Ruffec (16) helen

Friends (couple, no children)have sold their place in the Charente and have to move out by 14th June. The place they were buying has fallen through as one of the family members doesn't want to sell his share! Anyway - they have found another small cottage which they won't be able to move into until August so....has anyone in the Ruffec/Confolens/Civray triangle got a place with garden or courtyard to rent out for a couple of months? Must be away from main road as they have an assortment of small, well behaved pets! Please message me. Thanks in advance......helen

>John/Di - isn't this regional variation >thing strange. Our Leclerc sells >Twinings Earl Grey tea, .....so does Geant! I picked up a pack mistaking it for Assam yesterday so if anyone wants some of this strange smelling stuff just send me your address! Just found a guy who has market stall in Confolens on Saturdays selling cheddar and stilton to die for.....aaaaaahhhh! regards......helen LOL have SIRET but rubbish website!

>Hi all... > >We have our chicken coup, and >our fenced run... > >now where do we get chickens >from? the market / farm >/ trader ?? Hi Phil and James and welcome to the wonderful world of chickens!! We got ours from Rouillac market (sort of NW of Angouleme - 27th of every month)but you will find most markets sell hens. Make sure you buy hens which have been vaccinated and are point-of-lay. We bought two maran and two light sussex, this was March 2003 and they have been brilliant - 3 to 4 eggs every day which is plenty for us. I feed mine left-over bread with watered down milk each morning at 8 when I open up the hen-house. At lunchtime they get crushed maize (mais caiss)which I buy in 25kg sacks for about 8 euros from the local aggri cooperative but you can get this from the market. They also have plenty of fresh water, left over veggie peelings, spagetti which they love, cabbage leaves and lettuce when I have some and my neighbour chucks in weeds from her veggie patch which they scrabble about in. I also chuck in a handful of corn (bl) each day as they love to scratch and scrabble. They are wonderful, highly amusing and intelligent and have their own distinct personalities. Don't forget to shut them up at night so that renaud doesn't get them and you will have years of pleasure! regards.....helen PS Lots of information about chickens on the gardening forum and a good book to get is Hugh Fernly-Whittinstalls Rivercottage Cookbook - loads of hints and tips for poultry rearing and eating.

I take our mower to our local garage at Champagne Mouton for service and general repairs. Has yours a Briggs and Stratton engine? Most of them have so you probably won't have problems getting it serviced. Friend has same make mower as yours and got a new belt for it but I don't know from where. I will phone him and message you. May have been from Weldoms. regards.....helen

> >the cost.. just under 700! > How do people afford >these visits every few months? Couldn't afford to do it once! Seriously though, if folks are going to pay these stupid prices then the ferry companies will keeps charging them. regards....helen >

>What is the situation with using >a UK television in France, >is it compatable or is >it best just to use >a french one? Also will >the Sky system work also? > Have a look in the "satellite TV, Internet etc." forum futher up. All your questions will be answered there - and more.....! Good luck.......helen

Erm - couldn't you take him for walks? helen

There is a vide grenier at Alloue (west of Confolens) tomorrow and also a Spring Faire (so I'm hoping there are loads of plants for sale). We will be there selling our junk and some English books and the weather's going to be wonderful. Will you be there Paul? regards....helen

LAST EDITED ON 22-Apr-04 AT 08:13 AM (BST) >LAST EDITED ON 22-Apr-04 >AT 08:09AM (BST) > >Hi all, >I am over at our house >near Le-Dorat on the 6th >May and require a van >to hire for a day >to collect a boiler, flue, >pipework, blocks, cement, etc. Does >anyone have a van for >hire for the day Builder's merchants often lend/hire you their van or lorry when you buy your materials from them but you have to arrange in advance. You can then use it for collecting everything you need if you are quick! Find your local builders merchants in pagesjaune and phone/fax them. We have also hired van (to collect staircase) from europecar who may have a depot somewhere near you. Good luck......helen

>Can anyone tell me where I >can get a list of >garden plants that I would >be allowed to take to >France from GB, assuming that >it's possible to take any >at all. When we sold up and moved to France we just dug up or divided the plants we wanted and didn't think the new owners would miss, stuck them in pots, loaded them in the van along with everything else and brought them over here! Mind you, had to donate our massive pots with large plants and small trees to friends and family as we couldn't get them in - had to leave garden furniture also. For the forseeable future we are reduced to white plastic! Not sure that there are many prohibited garden plants - apart from things like dope but you probably don't grow that do you? Happy gardening.....helen (stuck indoors 'cos of the rain today)

Isn't it a blue cheese? regards.......helen

>Would be interested to know if >a well qualified and skilled >English hairdresser could earn enough >to live on as a >self employed mobile hairdresser in >France. Not sure how long it would take you to build up a good reputation and trust to enable you to get French clients. We have only managed to get work with a couple of French people since starting our micro-entreprise (not hairdressing) a year ago (and one of them thought we were French until we turned up as we advertise in French!) I'm sure if there are lots of Brits around your area you would get work but surely you would have to have lots of customers to earn a reasonable living after paying the high cotisations. >I have never seen any vehicles >around on the roads advertising >themselves as mobile hairdressers and >just wondered if they were >popular, or if there was >any call for them. We have a very chic French lady come to our hamlet regularly to "do" our elderly neighbours (male and female). Cash only!! hope this helps..........helen

What a lovely child you have!!!!

Haven't really been following the court case so why only eight years? a) 'cos he's famous (not young, black and unemployed)? b) crime of passion? c) victim was woman, fun, young and asked for it? d) she hit him first (don't know - just guessing)? Can anyone tell me? helen

>I did have a number for >a company that offered these >in SW France but i've >lost the details. I think >they were in The Lot >and had ex-rental mobile homes >for sale There's one for sale at the moment on www.totalfrance.co.uk (or com). Sorry - just sold ours! regards....helen

>Now that Forum Admin has assistant >moderators to spread the workload, >would it be more feasible >to split this section to >cover north and south geographic >areas? I remember a while >ago there was much on-going >discussion about doing something like >this... I AGREE!! LET'S HAVE A FORUM FOR POITOU-CHARENTES AND THE VENDEE. WE ARE HUNDREDS OF KMS AWAY FROM BRITTANY (AND THE OYSTER CATCHER). REGARDS.......HELEN

Errrrm - where is the techie forum? regards...helen

Is this a fairly easy and cheap process? Sorry - nothing to do with France - I just happen to live here! Thanks and regards...helen

>Can anyone tell us about setting >up a campsite in France? >Trying to get an idea >on viability/red tape etc... Sorry no idea about setting up campsite but the one's we have camped at on the Atlantic coast always seem to be well and truly packed during July and August - mainly by French, German and Dutch tourists. But these are large sites with loads to offer (and coastal locations) and I have no idea what they are like the other 10 months. As the others have said, choose your area carefully. There are plenty of areas of outstanding beauty but any successful campsites on the market at these locations or on the coast will be very expensive. You have to remember also that France has excellent municipal campsites all over the country that are fairly cheap to stay at and very well run. We chose municipal sites to stay at because on the whole they had better facilities and in prettier locations than private sites. Best of luck....helen

While I was out for a short while today 44 people responded to the Why? query in the postbag. I don't have three hours to spare going through the responses in chronilogical order so, like most of the postbag nowadays, I am having to pass! Please, please, please Eleanor - find a method of sorting into numerical order for me as neither I or my server (AOL) can cope with the sheer quantity of mixed up messages and it is sooooo frustrating. oh well, back to House Renovations (Hi Anton!) regards......helen PS Shame you chopped 'SatelliteTV...again' - it was better than Eastenders!