saddie

Rusti is retiring! As of next week there is a new cat on the block. A kitten called Tica. Rusti and Tica what imagination. I only hope that the new team are as observant of cats as was the guy who did the Rusti strip for many years.

I don't think that is a mantis. Their front two legs (?) are a fair way separated from the others and are held in a praying position - not preying if there is such a word. The fascinate our cats. The mantis unfurl their wigs and hiss at the cats.

You can get Eparcyl at any supermarket and most bricos. You can get one which only needs to be applied every 6 months. Tarex is a biological pipework cleaner which I use in sink wastes and is very good. You can use a little bleach occasionaly just make sure that you don't mix it with acid based toilet cleaners. The result is a dangerous gas.

[quote user="Opas"] [quote user="Hoddy"]Don't forget the rubber gloves ! Hoddy[/quote] Give us a clue, why do I need rubber gloves?    I picked the 2 that I found with other leaves from the ground, I do not normaly wear gloves as I find I cannot 'feel' the weeds and just scrub my hands/nails as soon as I get home. I wear workmens golves (Mr Os actually) if I am digging to stop blisters. Do the beetles have a sting?   more research methinks! [/quote] It is not the beetles so much as the grubs. They need to be squashed. If you do not mind getting yuk on your fingers  - no problem

Colorado beetle is not notifiable in France. It is too late! They entered Europe through Bordeaux and are too widespread to do anything other than sort out once you have them. They love aubergine plants. I have even more problems. Colorado beetle on the potatoes and lily beetle (on the lilies obviously) Their larva are even more disgusting than those of the colorado. They cover themselves in their own excrement and look like - well nose pickings- is a nice term. I keep two pairs of gloves for all the squishing.

When did this serving/eating of coypou happen? They were cleared out of the fens because of their habits of tunneling into the banks/levees.  i thought that this was back in the 60's.

Never mind male sandals and socks - the other day in Carrefour we saw an English couple and she was wearing  a tee shirt thingy, no bra, a long unflattering skirt and velcro type sandals and grey mens type socks. No spring chicken either. This is the sort of thing that gives us brits a bad name for no style at all!

We used to live in Charente. The climate there is hotter in summer ,slightly less cold in winter and has less rainfall than Correze where we are now. Climate - south of the Loire- is of less importence thann other factors such as  - where is the nearest big town- in Charente we were 45 mins from anywhere sizable and what on earth happens in winter. A dream kilomtres from anywhere is great in summer but believe me France is boring in winter.  No you won't believe me.

Mache is lambs lettuce or corn salad, cottage cheese is made by Danone to the English recipe and is available at our local carrefour. Ask your local major super to stock it  Allowing that the idea of stocking is a bit of a joke in France I wish you luck.

[quote user="Ron Avery"]Like to help but probably like many others I have no idea what you are talking about.  I have never heard of Moneo. It would help if you said what bank you were with.[/quote] Moneo is a "cashless society" idea. You load your card with credit from you bank or even via a telephone link and then spend it by having it debited at outlets which also subscribe to the system. It was trialed in England ( Swindon if memory serves) but never took off. I don't think it is popular anywhere.

Ever tried buying saltpetre in England! As well as certain types of cooking it is used in bomb making. After considerable questioning I managed to buy some. I am probably on a suspected IRA list and the beef dish (forget exactly what) wasn't that good anyway.

Double beds in France tend to be 140cm or 160cm wide. I have come across a 200cm but that was ridulous! Length is about the same but be aware of the width differences if you favour fitted sheets.

You could try what I have done to stop our cats scratting in the flower border near the house. I laid chickenwire on the soil (cut to fit around the arum lilies) pegged it down with wire sardines and then covered the netting with just enough soil so it couldn't be seen. It seems to work. I have seen a cat walk on it and it obviously it feels odd and any tentative scratching is short lived. I only used chicken wire because I had some - other types of netting may work.

"As I mentioned earlier, the people we were buying from could not sell their house, even though they were BOTH alive, without the consent of their son. In that case usufruct had not even come into it" We have sold our first house in France and bought another. No suggestion of children having to agree was mentioned. How come?

I think that you should find either a BCC (blind CC) or CCI which is the French equivalent in your "write email" function. Then each person will get the email as though it had been sent to them uniquely

Sorry for the mis-info Beryl !! The international économique has not finished - it's the domestic écon. !! - oops The standard delivery time quoted by La Poste to UK is 6 days for econ. 2 days for prioritaire.

Hello Beryl - I think the words 'shambles' and 'absolute' apply Firstly , I think the économique tarif has now been discontinued Secondly Royal Mail International signed for is as bad - I received a parcel recently and asked our postie - il faut signer ? - mais non ! - I could plainly see the 'signature required' label but it was in English  .Why not get your recipient to claim ??? !!! The French postal system is a total joke.You can't send anything other than paper by 'lettre' even though the limit is 3 kilos ! what does 3 kilos of paper look like ??? The basic parcel charge starting at 1 gram upto 500 grams (colissimmo charge) is 5,10 €uros . You've hit a nerve here and I could go on but I'm afraid it wouldn't be that helpful. Royal Mail & La Poste offer an international system and frankly they have neither an accord nor a clue.!!![8-)]

Funny, according to my calenders and gardening magazines the full moon is on the 13th May. What planet are you other people on?

Well -- there was a new moon last night and we had a light frost! It is much colder this morning than of late.

I am not convinced about the attractions of having a greenhouse in France. Certainly south of the Loire. When we lived in Charente I bought an 8 x 10 greenhouse with the idea of extending the growing season and over wintering various plants. The actuality was that in the summer it was impossible to use it due to the temperatures and in the winter it was impractical to heat due to the base temperatures being about -5. I loved my greenhouses in England but I think that one must adapt to the local conditions.  

The northern Welsh are known for being rude. We used to live in Cheshire and barbed wire and machine gun nests were suggested to keep the Welsh out! I know someone who worked in Aberdeen area and when entering a pub/bar the locals changed from Gaelic to English as it would have been rude not to have done. Take note you Welsh.

If you use grass cuttings as a mulch don't let them actually touch the plants. They heat up as they break down.

According to my sister who lives close to Brie which is the airport all work has stopped on the extension. Probably run out of funds.

Sorry if I am on a rant again but it seems to me that some people seem to think that they are coming to a different planet not just a differnt country. There are loads of fosses in England, Scotland and Wales as well as France. The manufacturers know this and unless the product is something like a bleach based cleaner there should be no problems. If you are still uneasy check the details on the pack.  If you are unhappy with your comprehsion of the instructions learn the words and fast.

We opened an account with Ca Britline before we moved over - perhaps not ideal but it works and they have English speaking staff. Subsequently we have opened an  account with "labanquepostal" which seeme to be the nearest thing the French have to a national bank as we understand it. I would advise keeping a British bank account if you can as you cannot open one if you are domiciled in France.