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Butchx5

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Everything posted by Butchx5

  1. Hello again Thanks to all those who helped out with our questions - here is an update: Managed to get some equipotential bonding fittings from Castorama - were quite big and were €1:45 each so anyone planning a rewire would do well to source them from the UK. Sorted out the barette de measure/couper problem too - thanks. Mr Bricolage actually has a leaflet with quite good piccies and explanations on the whole Earthing subject. (Possibly also available online - haven't looked yet) BUT we still have a bit of a query about the three 'tails' which were our tri-phase which in theory now should only be one as we are mono- phase - We tested them and ALL 3 are in fact live. Any bright spark able to offer some suggestions about how to deal with them now we know this? My idea is to bring all three into a 'block'  (which I shall hide in a mini coffret) and then bring one tail out to my tableau - does this seem acceptable/safe? Now have a new question regarding the Interrupteur Differentials and the A or AC type - and which type to use for each type of appliance? It is very frustrating as we have found that we get conflicting information regarding a lot of points regarding French electrics depending upon which book or source of information we check (all new and all French I hasten to add) and they all state they conform to the up to date requirements - is the subject really that varied and still able to comply? Do you all have this problem? Thanks again in anticipation of your helpful replies. Mike    
  2. Hi Have read the Guardian article - very interesting. Would be interested to read Living France article too - is there anyway I can read it without buying a paper copy of the March issue? Thanks Helen
  3. Hi - asking on behalf of  my hubby so excuse my wording - and I hope I got the questions right!! Hoping a few of you 'in the know' can help with a few electrical wiring question: 1.   We have had our home electrical supply changed from tri-phase to mono-phase - no probs - but what do we do with the two 'tails' now left unconnected? 2.   Can you buy the special connectors to join the earth cable to all metal pipes, etc in the bathroom (as you would use in UK) can't find anything to use at all and the stores just shrug and suggest just wrapping the cable round the pipe - that can't be right? 3.  Where within the system are you required to fit the barette de terre - I assume somewhere along the earth cable joining the Tableau to the prise de terre - but where? And is a barette de terre the same thing I see sold as a coupe circuit with two insulators attached? Can find no reference to these questions anywhere - not even in our existing home wiring!!. Thanks in advance Helen    
  4. Hate to suggest it but what's that saying: 'silence says a thousand words' PLEASE someone respond in a positive way and give us all hope!
  5. Hi We have a little silver tabby-type kitten who we need to find a home for (we already have 5 cats - two of which are his Mum & Dad). He is ten weeks old and has blue eyes and a wonderful character. He walks with a lion's swagger but in fact was the smallest kitten in the litter of 4. He is more or less house trained, loves people, is used to children and dogs and eats anything. We would like to find him a friendly and loving new home. We live near Confolens - please post a reply or PM if you are interested. Helen
  6. Hi We have friends who use the vet at Mezziers and are happy and others (and us) who use the vet in Chabanais - who speak/understand quite a bit of English. The Chabanais vet is opposite the train station and you don't need an appointment for a visit just arrive between 8:30-12:00 or 14:00-19:00 Mon-Fri or 8:30-12:00 Saturday mornings. Both deal with domestic and farm animals and will do home visits if required Helen  
  7. Hi Havent met the caperberry yet but I have had capers - regularly on pizzas. Also if you take the seeds from nasturtium flowers and pickle them (while big and plump but still fresh and not dried out) they make an excellent subsitute for capers. In fact nasturtium flowers and leaves are excellent in salad too - a very versatile plant. Helen
  8. Hi Sorry am not an expert - but how about redoing your search but search not using the file name but only the criteria of date modified - then if you dont see anything you recognise as this file the only other thing is to open everything listed - hopefully it will be there hiding under a name you dont recognise (dont ask me why this should be - only the fact it was opened through an email perhaps??) GOOD LUCK! Helen
  9. Thanks for that - the website is now live! Set it up free through netfirms (I can put up with a few ads on the top for this purpose). Had a slight glitch - emailed them for help - they emailed back promptly and now all sorted! Would recommend this easy route for any other amateur website virgins like myself! (design through Frontpage - publish through netfirms for free (or low fee if no ads or not wanting their name in domain address). Thanks again - lets see if we can sell house now!  Helen
  10. Hi Have created a website to try and sell our home - will be placing ads in various places and wish to give a link to the website to vastly improve the sales pitch! BUT I have used Frontpage to create this site and am now looking for ways to get it on the net - preferably for free. Using the reports option it appears to be 1013kb in size and has multiple pages and photos. Can anyone suggest the way forward (my ISP is 9online by the way)??? Thanks in advance. Helen
  11. Hi Have created a website to try and sell our home - will be placing ads in various places and wish to give a link to the website to vastly improve the sales pitch! BUT I have used Frontpage to create this site and am now looking for ways to get it on the net - preferably for free. Using the reports option it appears to be 1013kb in size and has multiple pages and photos. Can anyone suggest the way forward (my ISP is 9online by the way)??? Thanks in advance. Helen
  12. Hi Have created a website to try and sell our home - will be placing ads in various places and wish to give a link to the website to vastly improve the sales pitch! BUT I have used Frontpage to create this site and am now looking for ways to get it on the net - preferably for free. Using the reports option it appears to be 1013kb in size and has multiple pages and photos. Can anyone suggest the way forward (my ISP is 9online by the way)??? Thanks in advance. Helen
  13. Hi We used to have 9kw triphase supply and regularly tripped out - EXTREMELY annoying for us adults (resetting all timers. clocks etc) and scary for kids (plunged into pitch black with Mum and Dad shouting 'Don't move, don't move')! eventually called EDF to visit -  who decided best for us for the moment with the electrical goods we had and they way the rooms of the house were wired was to go 6Kw monophase (went onto creuse at the same time). Not tripped since! Call EDF and they will visit - review your situation, have a brief chat and advise accordingly and then change your situation if necessary all FREE! Helen
  14. AHHH! If you're talking true integration then don't forget the obligatory nylon pinny jobbie! If you haven't got yours yet then hop and skip pronto-like down to your local market and snatch one up for a snip - around a staggering 30 Euros for a mid-range variety! However if you want the big busted, cinched-in waist look (as displayed by the stall-holder's dummy) it'll cost you nearer 45 Euros - at least in Confolens anyway! They look great with any style of slipper and when you take your nylon pinny off the flying sparks create artistic nuances with any shade of red/orange hair going!! Go for it girls! (or boys for that matter!) Helen (after a lovely chilled bottle of Reisling!)
  15. Hi We are near Confolens - no snow (yet!) but cold and wet. HOWEVER farmer friends of ours had a rep visit today who had come from Limoges and reported 2cm of snow and still falling! Didnt believe them - now am not so sure. Anyone in Limoges who can substantiate this rumour???!!! Helen
  16. Hi Yes - you can certainly hire contractors for various if not all machinery work around your farm - we are not local enough to you to provide names but check out your local agricultural machinery sales place, Coop Agricole, Alliance Pastoral as they all have various ads for this type of thing around our way - I suspect the pages jaune do to but have never actually looked. Better still ask a few of your own farmer neighbours - if they dont facy earning a bit extra they may be able to recommend a good local subcontractor for you. Good luck Mike
  17. We are going to extend our existing central heating system and are looking for the radiators we need - without much success! The largest we can find is double-skinned, 600mm high by 1200mm long - admittedly the wattage of heat output is quite good - but this is much smaller than the radiators in the rest of the house and our rooms are all quite large (36m2 x 2.5m high). It would make life very complicated to fit two or more rads per room - before this is suggested Does anyone know of any outlets where we can purchase/order larger radiators - eg double-skinned, 1000mm high x 1200mm long? Thanks Mike & Helen
  18. Why not try selling privately E-bay - several franch properties on there - some seem to be actually selling too and its quite easy to set up the advert - even with 12 photos. British papers - a friend has sold her property this way after a couple of ads in The Times, but there are loads of papers - some where you can place a free ad on line, eg Loot, Daltons Weekly, Exchange and Mart to name a few. For little effort it could really pay off! Good Luck
  19. Hi Also the yard (Run by Brits - (no possible language probs!) Terry the boss and Dennis helps out) will quote to take down or buy up any of your unwanted bits and pieces- you may think its rubbish but it is amazing what they can do with them! Havent actually done business with them but they were supportive when our barn roof came down and have been in touch since then. They have some great stuff at the yard - not just wood/stone but nick nacks too. A point maybe worth noting is they do regular trips to the UK with a flatbed arctic and could perhaps quote to bring large items back for you! Helen
  20. Hi Wouldnt worry about your vice cache situation: we bought last year and ten weeks later a large section of our barn roof fell down due to the failure of a bad repair - carried out by the owner we bought from (i.e. he must have known about it) and once we discovered we were not covered by our insurance (it wasnt an act of nature!) we tried the vice cache route - to no avail! Assuming you have an older property it is not a route French lawyers waste a lot of time on - takes ages and a lot is based on proof of knowledge. The only time you may have a problem is if you are a registered professional in a property-related industry (builder/surveyor, etc) - i.e. you have professional knowledge that should mean you know about the problem in the first place! I suspect even then a claim would be long-winded and difficult. Rest a bit easier and hope you find a buyer soon - are you finding your viewings are mainly British? Three sets of our friends who are selling are finding all theirs are and their properties are very different and different price ranges too - barn conversion with land, small farm and a chateau with land! Helen
  21. Hi Wouldnt worry about your vice cache situation: we bought last year and ten weeks later a large section of our barn roof fell down due to the failure of a bad repair - carried out by the owner we bought from (i.e. he must have known about it) and once we discovered we were not covered by our insurance (it wasnt an act of nature!) we tried the vice cache route - to no avail! Assuming you have an older property it is not a route French lawyers waste a lot of time on - takes ages and a lot is based on proof of knowledge. The only time you may have a problem is if you are a registered professional in a property-related industry (builder/surveyor, etc) - i.e. you have professional knowledge that should mean you know about the problem in the first place! I suspect even then a claim would be long-winded and difficult. Rest a bit easier and hope you find a buyer soon - are you finding your viewings are mainly British? Three sets of our friends who are selling are finding all theirs are and their properties are very different and different price ranges too - barn conversion with land, small farm and a chateau with land! Helen
  22. Hi Last year we registered our car at the Sous Prefecture in Confolen (dept 16) with a Dutch Carte Gris - there was a slight hesitence as it wasnt French - hubby pointed out we're all part of Europe and to try and submit it - voila 4 days later our French registration came through - no problems. Be aware that rules can vary department to department though. Good Luck Helen
  23. Hi We are lucky we have a pair of little owls and have watched them mate and then rear their young this year - these are not truly nocturnal and so we see them nearly every day as they perch on the apex of our barn opposite the house and in full view of our dining table. We also have a barn owl (possiby a pair) but as they are nocturnal we see it (them) a lot less! Keep an eye out although perhaps you may be more lucky if you keep an ear out - as owls make a variety of different but quite distinct call sounds (not only the traditional hooting!) - they are sure to be about.  
  24. Hi Having just picked our first crop of cassis am now looking for recipes to use them in - will be making blackcurrent gin and sorbet but would also like to make creme-de-cassis but despite searching the internet cannot find a recipe for it - can anyone help?? Plus do you have any alternative recipes for both black currents and next to be picked red currants. Back to the topping and tailing! Thanks Helen
  25. Hi Try the Cultural Centre in Confolens (ask for directions at the Tourist Info) They were doing lessons. I know a lot of people who prefer private lessons for the family at home -seems more expensive but you actually gain far more, in a shorter timespan. Welcome to the area. Helen
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