nom de plume

Can anyone tell me what this an épine calcanéenne is called in english. I have one and and an appointment to see a specialist. I would like to be able to read up on it first so I have some prior understanding of what the doctor is telling me. Thanks Diana

Part tine seaonal help for an English cafe in Sainte Mere Eglise (50). 6 to 12 hours per week. If you are English you must be able to speak some French, if you are French you must be able to speak some English. Please reply to my forum mailbox and not email

We had ours delivered on the 18th and they were collected on the 22nd. One for the house and one each for the pair of us. The mayor had even sent an explanation in english as to what it was all about and an assurance that it was confidential. I bet he had a quick glance at them through. And I would love to know what some of our local Brits have declared as their main residence, whether they work, whether they are employed and their professions, qualifications or complete lack of them!                        Diana

I know in the past past there has been much debate over what Raclette is or is not. I have just found this site which may be of interest. Diana http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/raclette.htm

Thanks Will, but this is not a holiday. It is to attend a course in the town each day so the location does need to be close by. Diana

Just to say thank you for your suggestions, so far so good. I am dealing with the walking issue first and then will deal with the toilet training. The first day i took him for a walk with a water pistol and some rewards, he tried to chase the first 3 dogs he saw in the usual way. I immediately squirted him in the face a few times, he look outraged. Then the forth dog came into view and he looked up at me, I said NO and he thought about it and decided not to bark/chase. I rewarded him with a tit-bit. This moring was market day with all the young cattle being hearded into crates. Last week I would not have gone anywhere near the place but this morning I walked him round the outside. He looked at them, then at me, I said NO and he walked on. I then said he was a good boy etc. I will keep re-inforcing the training. Diana

A friend is looking for a place to stay in or very close to Sancerre 18300 for 2 weeks from mid February. Bed breakfast and some evening meals. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Thanks Diana

I would like to do an immersion French course can anyone suggest a good place to study in France. One or two weeks and hopefully in northwest, west or central France. Thanks Diana

Our one year old Lhasa Apsa has a wonderful temperament but is a complete nightmare to take for a walk. He cannot walk in a straight line, winds me up with his lead and wants to chase any other 4 legged creature or bird. I take full responsibility for this, as he has not been trained. He is the first dog we have ever owned and have no real idea of how and where to start. Another problem is toilet training, when the doors are shut we always leave a puppy training mat by the door which he will use. The problem is when he has free range of the house, nine times out of ten he will use the mat but sometimes prefers carpets, rugs etc. We never hit or hurt him but speak in a disapproving way and can sense that upsets him, but he will still go in the wrong place when he thinks he can get away with it. When he goes in the right place he is praised. Any suggestions? For the walkies problem I would like to find some one to one training, possibly with the person visiting our house but I don’t know what it is called in French, does anyone know what i should look under in the phone book. Thanks Diana

Does anyone know if they are holding a sale and is it due to start on the 10th Jan? Thanks Diana

Bob We already have a PAYG phone but wanted to take out a contract. thanks

To cut a long story short: - We have a French Orange pay as you go phone. - Yesterday we went into a France Telecom Orange shop and wanted to get a new phone on a contract but keep the existing number. - The cost of the phone with an Orange contract AND a new Orange number €49. - The cost of the phone with an Orange contract and our EXISTING Orange number €289. - Also any future phone updates keeping the existing number are at the higher price. Does anyone know if this is the same for all the French networks because it seems like a complete rip off to me. Thanks Diana

Please see my post 'very severe reaction to flea treatment'. Our dog was very close to death, thankfully he recovered. I hope your Lab is OK. Diana

Are there any companies running budget airlines within France, ie cheap flights between Rennes and Nice? Thanks Diana

Thank you all for replying. Thankfully he is now just fine. In the evening after collecting him form the vet he was still very groggy but after a long good sleep he woke up full of life and immediately started to chase the cat so we knew everything was OK. The vet has suggested going back to Frontline Combo in conjuction with Program tablets. I have also contacted the Lhasa club in the UK and they suggested a natural product called "Critter oil". This is diluted and used directly on the pet and also can be sprayed on bedding etc, as well as in the garden on plants and grass. Diana

We have a one year old neutered male Lhasa Apso. Fleas and ticks plague him. we keep him clean and his coat is clipped short to help deal with the problem. He also seems to be allergic to their bites and will scratch himslf raw. Then the exposed flesh becomes infected. Through the spring and summer the vet prescribed Frontline Combo but this did not deter the fleas. The vet then prescribed Advantix. He warned us it was much stronger and is very dangerous to cats. Through the autumn I have given him two applications, one month apart but the fleas would return after three weeks. This morning I gave him another but within an hour he was paralised, then shaking uncontrollably. Within ten minutes I was at the vets with him. He was give 10mg Valium intravenously and a drip to fluch his system through. The vet will then bathe him to get the remainder off his coat. I am to collect him at 16.00 and hopefully he will be all right. So my questions are: 1   If Frontline and Advantix either don't work are are positively dangerous for him what can I treat him with? Because the fleas regard him as a 4* Michelin host! 2   These products are used by the vet when you want to take the animal back to the UK, so what are the implications if he cant have them? Thank you Diana

I've had my eye on one of these for some time but my other half hates cheese. Can anything else be used in place of cheese. Diana

A happy ending. Yesterday morning quite by chance the first people to walk into the cafe asked to look at 'our' bird. It turned out they were Dutch pigeon fanciers and knew what to do. They examined the bird and it turned out he was from Belguim. They were driving back to Holland in the afternoon and said they would send him home from there. We put him in a box and they took him with them. Diana

Yesterday morning a racing pigeon arrived in our garden, he/she was hungry and thirsty so we offered light refreshments and hoped it would be on its way. However 24 hours later it is not showing any signs of moving on. It looks fit and well and is very tame. To make matters worse we have a cafe and it spent all of yesterday trying to get inside and making a constant mess on the floor. I thought of making pastry and putting it in a pie or introducing it to the rest of the family, Mog and Dog.  But I would much rather it to just get going. It has bands on its legs so it must belong to someone. Any suggestions as to what to do with it. Diana

Thanks folks, i will have a look at the sites you have suggested Diana

Has anyone any experience of these? After you have purchased the land and have planning permission what is the average material cost for a 3 bedroom house and how much for the labour to construct it. Thanks Diana

My UK vehicle is currently going through the process to be registered in France. I have French insurance and have sent the forms off for registration. I have notified the DVLA but I am still on UK plates as the new ones have not arrived. I need to return to the UK in the next couple of weeks, if the French plates have not arried will this cause me a problem? Thanks Diana

Hoddy I have heard of this service but where do you get the perscription from in France? Also who is there to 'fit' them for you. In the past I have only needed very simple lenses mostly to cope with the aging process but have needed to return to the shop serveral times while they adjust the arms and the nose piece. Also from memory when they sit the empty frames you have chosen on your face for the first time they do some strange messurements to aligne the eyeball/lense/frame. How do they manage all this online? Thanks Diana

Before I make an appointment for new specs what should I expect to pay. My last pairs about 3 years ago were from Vision Express in the UK for 2 pairs of verifocals with good quality lenses for about £240. The closest large town for me is Cherbourg and I have seen opticians there offering the first pair for 99 euros and a second pair for and additional 1 euro.  I know from the UK that these will be very basic single lenses. So what should I expect to pay for 2 pairs of verifocals with rimless frames? I do have a carte vitale, does this mean I will get some of the cost back? Thanks Diana

Thanks Dick