tizzylizzy

Can anyone explain what 'comme même' means at the end of a sentence? I hear it all the time when my neighbours are talking and I would like to use it myself (if I only knew what it meant!)

Thank you everyone. We are off on Saturday and we are really looking forward to seeing a different part of France.

We are off down to Nîmes shortly for a week. Can anyone recommend places to see nearby, local markets etc. We have never been in that area and don't want to miss anything! Many thanks.

Now you are getting me worried! Which is the best version to use to set the right tone!!

Thank you everyone, I should be word perfect now so hopefully they will pay up!

Hi. I am getting into a pickle trying to write a letter to the health people. What I want to say is this - In response to your demand please find enclosed copies of the papers missing from our file. Can you update our file and reimburse us with the amount claimed. This is what I have so far :- En réponse à votre demand, trouvez ci-joint les photocopies des papiers de droits absent à notre fichier. Pouvez-vous mettre à jour notre fichier et vous faire rembourser le montant réclamé. Does this make sense and can anyone suggest improvements? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi. My daughter has just given birth. Whilst trying to explain events to my neighbours I realised my vocabulary was sadly lacking on the pregnancy front. Could anyone please give me translation for the following:- Her waters broke early in the morning. She was in labour for several hours. Do the French have a phrase for 'being in labour'?

We spent an hour picking walnuts and now I have ended up with black fingers and nails. I have tried everything to get rid of the stain but it won't budge and it looks awful! Has anyone any ideas how to remove the discolouration?

That's excellent sweet17, thank you very much!

My neighbour has just lost her husband and I would like to send her a card. I would like to write something along the lines of 'Thinking of you at this sad time' or Our condolences at your sad loss' Any ideas? many thanks.

My lovely French neighbour has just suffered a stroke. We initially thought she has come through it remarkably well except for problems with speech. Before the stroke she was bi-lingual, being really fluent in English. Now she does not speak English at all and has also problems remembering her words in French. However we have also noticed that she is having a problem with her numbers. She cannot write the correct words for a given number. For example she wrote down 'sept' when shown the number 9. She has asked me to help re-learn her numbers and I wondered when French children first learn their numbers at school if they use any visual learning aids? Incidentally she can write down the correct words for the numbers in English!

Hi. I would like to write a letter with the phrase 'if you need an extra pair of hands please ring me'. Can anybody help? Many thanks.

Did anyone see that documentery last night on France3 called 'Mon voisin est anglais' ? It followed three or four English families who had sold up and moved to Brittany. It was very interesting to see the French take on it and I don't think the Brits came out of it too badly.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Jono,your staircase is very similar to ours and I like the finish so I just might pay a visit to Wilkies next time we are in the UK.

We have just had an oak staircase put in and we can't decide how to treat it. Before we have used vitrificater on pine but I thought it looked too orange. I have seen various oils recommended but I'm nervous of trying them. Has anyone any photos of oak treated with a product they were happy with I could have a look at? Many thanks.

Our tomatoes are coming on nicely. However when we picked a couple we discovered that the bottom of them had turned black. Have they got a disease? Can we spray the rest of the crop with something or is it too late? We are not experts and would welcome some advice!

Hi. We live in Charente Maritime near Royan and we are planning a trip down to the Languedoc coast.  We are thinking of coming down through Carcassonne, turning right at Narbonne, through Perpignan and on to Collioure.  We plan to base ourselves at Collioure and explore from there. Has anyone any suggestions as to what we should see as this area is totally new to us. We would like to venture into Spain whilst we are there. Any suggestions welcome. Many thanks.

Leo. If you are in the area in June don't forget to visit Talmont. Every Tuesday evening through the Summer beginning on 23 June the village is illuminated by candles.  All the shopkeepers and residents put candles in the streets and the effect is magic! The shops and cafes stay open until 11pm and there is usually street entertainment as well. A very pleasant way to spend a Tuesday evening!    

Hi.  Have you seen Nigella's website?  There are some great recipe ideas.  I have seen a cake I would like to try but one of the ingredients is sour cream.  Can I get that here or should I substitute creme fraiche or maybe yogurt?  Thanks.

Hi.  Can anybody tell me where I can buy some little metal fluted tartlet tins with removable bottoms?  I want to do some individual caramalized onion tarts as a starter.  Thank you.

I've not got livebox David, just a normal modem. I've heard such horror stories from people with a livebox I think I'll stick to what I know!

I don't know what woobrowser is or does.  However I can't have Orange and Google open at the same time without that message coming up.  It's been like that for a couple of months and I don't understand what is causing it.

If it doesn't play in the car I can still use the CD in the house.  If I ever record one that is.  I have tried to download that software you recommended but a message came up 'woobrowser.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close'  I have been getting this message a lot recently and it always closes me down.  Is nothing ever simple! [8-)]

Yes Ernie you're right I haven't tried the CD in the car yet as I've only managed to record one track.  WMP doesn't recognise the disc anymore so perhaps it had been finalised as you suggest.  I will try downloading the other software you recommend and have another go.  Thanks for your help everyone.

Hi.  I am attempting to make a CD for the car with all my fave tracks on.  I am using Windows Media Player.  So far I have only managed to transfer one track.  All that happens now when I click on 'Start burn' is that the blank CD with the one track on keeps ejecting and a message comes up 'please insert disc into drive and once detected it will automatically start to burn'.  However when I push it back in it either starts to play the one track I have managed to transfer or ejects the CD again.  What am I doing wrong? Many Thanks.