Suze01

[quote user="seb47"]By the way, can anyone tell me which supermarkets have the 'Rustica' magazine that I've read about on this site?[/quote] Try going to a 'Presse' rather than a supermarket.  Not all supermarkets are 'Presse' (you will see the sign outside) and so will not sell magazines or newspapers.

I didn't weigh in last week and was a little concerned getting on the scales as I've been drinking far too much - even had some Champers last night [:D], and as for eating, well just don't go there!  Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I am  one and a half pounds down [:-))].  Even so, my belt I wear with my jeans is on the fattest hole [:$] and I certainly don't feel at my thinnest.  It's the alcohol, it really bloats me out.  I am now back on track equal to my max weight loss to date to hope to continue in the same vein.  I've decided May is going to be an alcohol free month, I did it in January and February, so I know I can. [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] [img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10732;78;0;1/c/182.5/t/165/s/191.5/k/f93d/weight.png[/img] [/url]

In the 'hot' border (hot colours) I have Red Hot Pokers, Crocosmia and Phygelius plus the large palm and an oleander.

Kate's on her second car since the Picasso too!! I wonder why Paulbradford decided to drag up an old thread.

I've trawled through all my backup discs of my digi photos and created a photobucket album of my garden and how (dramatically) it has changed in four years. Click [url=http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/Lisleoise/]here[/url] to access it.

[quote user="SaligoBay"]8th May.  I know, I go to both.  Every year, without fail.  My papa adoptif is an Algeria veteran, he does the speeches.   Both days seem to be exactly the same thing. [/quote] Us too. In fact this 8th May my FIL (aged 87) will be presented with a medal.  He is usually the only decorated one there and a huge fuss was made of him last time - he was plied with a little too much whisky after though !

[quote user="Chas"]Don't know if it's national but locally 1 May is also Fete des muguets - bunches of lily of the valley exchanged as gifts and a Brocante des muguets in the village.[/quote] Same here, muguets (lily of the valley) is traditionally given as a gift, usually to women, on the 1st May.  Our Amicale Laique (can't do the double dot above the i) organise a sale of muguets each year.

Pschitt lemonade still exists - my son and his friend recently had some at the bowling palace in Périgueux - caused some hilarity [:-))] How about Piles for a place name - in between Périgueux and Bergerac.

The 1st is the fete de travail. Not much happens AFAIK.  The 8th is the war memorial day and there will be a ceremony in most towns.

We've looked at these in Auchan.  They are a DIY cut to fit kit, only available in white AFAIK.  My neighbour has them and they're OK though the quality isn't brilliant.  Alternatively, if you can/want to spend a bit of money, contact a replacement window company who can install high quality mosquito roller nets colour coded to your windows if you want. We had ours installed throughout last year and they look fantastic.

[quote user="Brian"]Can adult children be adopted in France as this may be an answer?   [/quote] It doesn't really answer the question, but for info our notaire told us  that for French families (not available for étrangers) it is possible to adopt your step children without them having to renounce their birth parent, so in effect they legally have two sets of parents.

Where are you located? Over on TF someone has advertised a pony show this Sunday near Bergerac organised by an Englishwoman. http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13355&highlight=

I'm sure I have seen it in Bricoloisir 2000 in Chancelade on the west side of Périgueux. I was lucky enough to have some sheets of the stuff as packaging when my pool abri was delivered - they've made a brilliant cloche/cold frame lid etc. etc.

Our everyday gluggable rosé wine is Cabernet d'Anjou which I would say is medium dry, and the good news is it's less than 2 euros a bottle!

[quote user="Christine Animal"]I tried to download that Quicktime thing, but it takes hours.  Is that what you had to do Suze?[/quote] Yes, but I downloaded the version without the  i-Tunes bit and it was much quicker (after abandoning the i-Tunes version!)

Thanks very much Chris, that seems to have solved my little conundrum. The description ties in very well too: "Even when you hear one it can be difficult to locate it due to the ventriloquial effect of its singing."

Thanks for the tips. I've ploughed through all the soundbites on the RSPB website and I think I've found the right one.  The only one that sounds like it (very accurate too) is the [url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/w/waxwing/index.asp]Waxwing[/url].  It looks very distinctive and I can't say that I've seen one.  Is it likely to be this in my area, the website only gives details for the UK (wintering there) but doesn't say where it lives the rest of the year?

Thanks Chris, but no, neither of those. Last year we had a pair of Black Redstarts nesting under our terrace. It sounds like a single short blast on a pea whistle.

Maybe ChrisPP or some other knowledgeable person could tell me which bird is it that makes a short call that sounds like a referee's whistle (pea whistle)? I've been spending a lot of time in the garden recently and have heard it frequently and I'd love to know which one is.  I've never been able to spot it despite carefully looking in the direction of the sound so I couldn't even tell you what it looks like. Maybe there is someone with a whistle hiding behind the hedge winding me up!!

[quote user="Eslier"][quote user="SaligoBay"]Never mind.  Read "Angels & Demons" instead, it's much better. [/quote] Yes, couldn't agree more. I enjoyed the first book but "Angels and Demons" (which is a prequal) was much much more gripping. [/quote] Ditto.

Hello, I'm back after a weeks absence (we had parents + sister and her family over). I was a little anxious to get on the scales this week having had a week of late nights boozing and playing cards and eating more than usual [:$] But - I was very surprised to find that I had lost the half pound (200g) that I had gained the last time I weighed-in. I must have sent it in Alexis' direction!! I shall try and avoid the Easter Bunny's gifts, I'm not a chocoholic but I do like a little from time to time. Joyeuses Paques a tous! (add accents where appropriate) [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] [img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10732;78;0;1/c/184/t/165/s/191.5/k/bc55/weight.png[/img] [/url]

I use dip-sticks bought from a pool shop.

"I don't know nuffink"  [:@] don't people realise that it's a double-negative? Or any other mis-pronunciation of 'thing' annoys me. This thread is bringing out the pedant in me too.

You don't pay anything. We went to the notaire we bought our house through for advice.  A french will must be hand-written in the hand of the person making the will.  It can then be kept where-ever you like but it can be lodged with a notaire where a record of it's existance will be placed on the national database, so that in the event of your death the person trying to find your will can ask at any notaire's office - can't remember just now how much this costs but it wasn't a huge sum of money. Of course, you can't disinherit your children, but for example my will that at the moment is scribbled and sitting in our draw gives my husband usufruit over my half of the house and my monies which automatically goes to our children (but not his child from a previous marriage). So, making the will is dead easy [:$] but you need to be aware of inheritance regs.

To all intents and purposes... My English teacher, who was from Georgia, used to say it all the time.