Frank

Thanks Bugbear, it worked a treat!!!!!!!! All my mates are gonna be droolin with happiness[6][:D] thanks again Kimberley

Hi Cooperlola Thanks for the info I have had a look at the site and I think you need to have the photo on your system to upload.  Unfortunately, I am unable to do that or re size. The picture is within an email, not as an attachment or scanned image, but within the text.  As I said, the text appears, but the pics have an empty box.  I have tried everything I can think of, but hey, maybe I am destined to be the only one to enjoy it not to send it!! Thanks again[:)] Kimberly

Hi everyone,  I am experiencing a wee problem with messagerie in wanadoo/orange!  I have received a very nice (keeping it clean[:D]) picture that I am trying to forward to my mates for a little christmas cheer! Anyway, it wasn't sent as attachment and no matter what I do, transfer, copy to word etc, try and print to scan, all the text is there, but no pic!  I get the picture on my email, but no one else can see it, just the text. I can't find a way to download the email so stuck with transfer etc.  As I say, even sending to print doesn't bring up the picture, I get a box outline in viewer but no pic, is this just wanadoo/orange or is it a problem I can fix easily.  If it can be fixed, how do I do it?? Any help would be greatfully received, not only by me, but from all my mates who will have a happy chrimbo[:D] Many thanks in advance Kimberly

awwwwwww............aren't they cute[:D] kimberly

Thanks Nick for your prompt reply, will have a jolly out tomorrow[:D] Jetlag

Hi everyone, sorry if this has been covered (tried to look, but...................)  before our move to good old sunny France (but not today[:P]) I bought a lovely big book called Taxation in France.  Not the best of reads and gave up on page 10!!!!!! So my quest now is.............does anyone know of a simple idiot guide to registering gite, if you need to,  criteria needed, tax etc and the most important thing being...free info!!!!  I know we will need an accountant (i have the name of an english speaking french accountant, but don't want to shell out any money just yet) So is there such a thing??? Is there anywhere where you can ask the not so stupid question and get jargon free advice????  I do speak some french, although limited, but can get by quite well with the aid of my best friend called the oxford french minidictionary in the handy handbag size!  Please pardon my 'light' attitude to what is a serious subject, but............have you read the book[Www] Any advice greatly received jetlag

Hi everyone, after all the palava of getting crackers over  from UK for chrimbo (bombs and terroirsts etc!!) Intermarche at Pons are floggin 'em, well they were until I bought loads[:D][:D][:D] Just thouhgt I would share with everyone as I got so much helpful advice from earlier posts..................ta very much!! Kimberly

Thanks DZ and Jo for your info, feel better informered and happier now[:D] Jetlag

Hi everyone, next year will be our first year in the gite business,[:D] hurrah!!!!! For clients from UK and France, admin systems re contract/payment etc in situ, however, what about somewhere like czech republic???? Do French banks take bankers drafts in euros or will I need to instruct for sterling drafts for uk account???, I can see from previous threads that bankers draft is ok for Australia etc.   I would prefer payment to our french account and my other query is ..............has anyone else had guests from the czech republic or should I be cautious???? Any suggestions greatly received Many thanks[:D] Jetlag

Thanks Lee and Cathy, had a look in tools and we had two boxes for debugging, one for internet explorer and one for other, explorer was already checked, so have checked the other and hey presto, it worked[:D] Will download spybot as suggested, using mcafee for protection, but like you say, you can't be too careful! Thanks again kimberly  

Hi everyone, I seem to have a bit of a problem with 'runtime script errors' popping up all over the place since wanadoo/orange changed to 1mb[:'(] Can't find any helpful info about how to get rid!!! So here is my plee for anyone who has some idiot proof way to try and get rid, if it helps, when I de bug it has a reference zzpetit.fr??? is this a problem and should I be worried or should i just ignore it or god forbid, have to reinstall said pc[8-)] Any advice greatly appreciated as it is becoming quite a nuisance!!!! Many thanks in advacne Kimberly

Hi everyone Thanks for the replies, I am now at the bottom of the problem.  My french friend came round for a cuppa and she identified the problem as wood too long to create enough base (although t he poele  info states the wood size correct, so her hubby cut it down for me, very nice man!)  And also ventilation or draught, so hopefully with the info of the forum and friends, I should be nice and warm this winter[:D] Thanks again kimberly

Can anyone advise??? Hi everyone, I have had a poele installed and I have on numerous occasions tried to light it, unsuccessfully I might add. I am building a mini pile inside with dry wood etc, zip cubes, letting burn like mad, all vents open, then adding said lump of wood, burn like crazy, then begin to regulate air flow, so far so good, then I check and the blighter has gone out again!!!! I have no idea what I am doing wrong. We have a brand new, very expensive insulated external chimney from climair, the poele is ok for this type, but no matter what I do, no more that 1hrs worth of burning and my big lumps of wood go out!! Today, not only has my poele gone out, but there seems to be quite a lot of ash inside...is this normal?? should I worry[:-))] I know this is longwinded and you have all probably got better things to do, but any helpful advice would be greatlyfully appreciated, especially as it is now getting quite chilly[:(] many thanks in advance kimberly

Hi Squidge I contacted GDF via website for gites classification, they sent me a rather large brochure outlining all the equipment interior (bed sizes etc) and exterior required for classification, they may have a similar brochure for B&B, it may be worth conatcting them, (they will send info to UK address as well as French) There is also Clevacances, I don't know what their record is, but they cover B&B also. Good luck with your move[:)] Kimberly

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies[:D],  I think I will buy a new phone and keep the old one as the alarm!! Kimberly

Hi everyone Sorry if this has been covered, but I have tried to search!!  I have an old nokia phone which I use as an alarm clock, but I am now considering getting a pay as you go phone here in france, mainly for emergencies. My question is, if I just buy the mobicart sim card, will it work?? Or will I need to buy another phone?? My old phone is about two years old (got video etc) so I was hoping it would work.  Any advice greatly appreciated[:D] Kimberly

Thanks Chris for your prompt reply, I shall stop fretting for them but I will still watch them[:D] Kimberly

Hi, I hope someone can answer my query. Is it normal for herons to stay on the ground in open terrain???  I ask as I have seen upto 4 herons over the last week, everyday in the same place, dodging the huge buzzards, one of which has been stalked by upto 3 buzzards etc.  My friend has telephoned the local bird rescue centre and she got the equivalent of a french shrug down the phone! There is one that doesn't seem to be able to fly far, but the othres are close by. Will they just scoot off when good and ready or are they waiting to retire the great bird garden in the sky?? Many thanks for any advice. I live in the Gemozac area of dept 17 Kimberly

Hi How about buying some 100m or bigger pipe like the grey ones for waste, and cutting to size and placing around each light fitting??? Just a thought Kimberly

Hi Bob From what I recall, our pooch was only checked when we returned to the UK. Her chip has never been checked by the UK authorities and she has never been checked when entering France.  I also think your idea for the rear of the car is an excellent one! Our pooch had an area in a transit van with a sofa and her bed!!! Better conditions than myself and hubby[:)] Good luck with your move and I hope your cats settle in quickly Kimberly

Anyone tried explaing this one??? I tried (in my very little French) to translate the ingredients, ie sausages being the toads etc.  But my friend didn't quite understand me (not  surprising really!) and thought I was refering to real toads cooked in the oven with some sort of crepe[+o(]!!!! Not a good explanation on my part one thinks[:$].  Anyway, many gestures and dictionary translations later and I think they got the idea.  Anyway, I offered to cook it for them, but they declined, I wonder why??[8-)]  Anymore strange recipe translations out there?? Kimberly

I got up one morning 8 years ago and took up a ciggie and thought, nah, I have had enough and stopped there and then! Not had a single puff since, I won't say it was easy, but, I didn't use anything to assist, just good old fashioned will power. Hubby was exactly the same the year before I quit, just lit a ciggie, took a puff, and thought, nah, no more!! I think because I wasn't motivated by lack of money to pay for them or health issues, I just didn't fancy it anymore, is why it worked! Other people I have spoken to have all said much the same thing, you need to want to quit for your own reasons and nobody else to be successful.  That said, I wish you loadsa luck in quitting, I am sure you will do it, keep[:D] Kimberly 17

Thanks Poolguy and everyone else, info very helpful[:D] Kimberly 17

Thanks Poolguy[:D] With ref to 'winterise fully', I am here all the time and I am quite happy to continue my cleaning routine etc all through winter ( I even cleaned the pool in a storm, daft I know, but..heyho!!) So my question was, do I really need to go through all the rigmarole of winterising or can I just pootle along adding treatments as I go???? Many thanks again Poolguy Kimberly 17

HI everyone, i know this has been covered before as I have read the posts, but, my idiot question is..............do you need to complete the winterising fully if you will be onsite all the time??? As you have probably guessed, its our first pool!!! I know we are in september and the recommended temp is 10', but what happens if you do it early, for example when temp is about 15/20 degs??  Do you really need a winter cover???Any helpful easy to follow advice would be really great[:D] Do I need to visit the pool shop now for products?? I have read on one site you need to increase ph and chlorine levels to quite high levels, is this correct?? Many thanks in advance Kimberly 17