Suze01

[quote user="NormanH"]You can be employed by an association, but if you are you cannot run it yourself. You could run an association but the officers can't be paid and it must be neither profit making nor in direct competition with another business. Why not see if your local Foyer Rurale would be interested in using your services and paying you? [/quote] Not every town has a Foyer Rurale.  It's a matter of how each town/group of associations organises themselves.  As a councillor we are currently looking into setting up a Foyer Rurale to act as an umbrella for the 20+ associations in our village of 1000 habitants. Not as easy as it appears as the associations are diverse and some don't want their subventions from the Mairie possibly reduced because of how a FR would decide the split. It's also a matter of who would be the key players in the FR over and above those of each association and who would have the last say in how each association is run. As I said, not easy!

You don't necessarily have to set up an asso on your own.  You may be able to run your yoga classes under the umbrella of another local association whose 'purpose' may allow your activity to operate.  If not then you will need to set one up but you will need to have a bureau of chairman, secretary and treasurer.  You will need to open a bank account in the name of the asso and run correct accounts, submit an annual return etc.  You can find out all the info you need at your Préfecture. http://www.associanet.com/docs/commentcreer.html

If you have an Auchan near you they have a new Bio range of garden fertilisers including bone meal (corne broyée).

Very nasty. Did you forget your own advice? Hope you are better soon.

I've not heard of anyone having a pool inspection before.  You could contact local pool suppliers and ask them if it's a service they offer. Chalus is in the Limousin BTW [;-)]

[quote user="Barbel Bob"]Hi, Our son is in 3eme and has been in discussions with his school regarding his future education....they have given us various options on how he can become an architect in France all of which is not going to be easy for him.[/quote] Obviously he will need to get through Lycée first.  Just out of interest, as we're in the same departement, which lycée/course has he applied for (should have submitted his choices in the last couple of weeks).  My son is also in 3° now and has applied to Albert Claveille (arts appliqués - which includes architecture) but places are limited, several years ago my neighbour's son did the same course and there were something like 150 applicants for 30ish places, so applicants will have to have to have a very good report from collège/brevet (with mentions).  Has he sent a letter of motivation to the lycée?  Not strictly necessary now but will help IMO. My son missed the open day at the lycée because it clashed with returning from Spain with the collège so he applied for and did a whole day there in-class which was excellent and confirmed his choice. Good luck with his education, I'm on tenterhooks now until early July when we'll hear what lycée he has got in to.

It was originally the Fête de la Féderation, more here. It was renamed Fête Nationale on the 6th July 1880.

Are you using Google Toolbar? I have it in conjunction with Firefox toolbar (you can have it as a replacement for the Firefox one depending on the settings).  It's a useful tool because you can go to any computer and access all your favourites by signing in with your gmail account!  There are loads of gadgets on it. This translator is on there, I find it really annoying.  I have it in French but I don't actually find it very useful. You can turn it of in the tools - double click on the spanner on the right.

Don't panic! Yes, they have summer school organised by the 'Pôle Enfance'.  Obviously this may vary region to region.  Ask at your Mairie where the Pôle Enfance is for your area. For example for our school it is doubled up with the neighbouring town.  

[quote user="cooperlola"]I struggle with "bouilloire" for some reason.[:-))][/quote] That's what came to mind first for me.  "Association" gets my tongue in a twist so I just say "Asso" now (which I have to say frequently as I am a few bureaux d'assos & the conseil municipal).

"The BBC has learnt that...." Get some hard facts first Beeb.

Thanks Chris, will blast her today. Another one bites the dust.

I noticed today, purely by chance, what I think is a Frélon Asiatique queen starting to build a nest under my west facing kitchen window recess. The nest was almost entirely round (until it got knocked and broken which is how I noticed it), a bit bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball with a tunnel type opening at the bottom. The beast is about 2-3 centimetres long. I am aware that these are 'enemy n°1' for honey bees and I have a number for a guy locally that I could call upon who speacializes in FA . But in the meantime, is it OTT to call someone out for one FA or can I blast her with a can of Frélon/Guepes killer that I know is very effective and is a powerful spray I can use from upto 6 metres away? Images resized by a mod

Contrary to Baypond's experience we are delighted with our volet automatique and have never experienced any electrical problems or rolling in/out issues. If you are thinking about one of the volet automatique type then no, I don't think it's possible. Fancy shaped or non-standard sized pools are all very well but make it difficult or expensive for accessories/covers. Having chnaged from an abri-bas the volet automatique's so easy to open and close, although it doesn't heat the water like an abri does and the water isn't as clean of bits as with an abri.  Starting again, I would go for a sliding/concertina style abri bas like Abri-Sud's, an investment well worth it IMO.

Merci Clair! I bought some 'live' ones yesterday to plant and naturalise in the garden - something I've meaning to do for the last few years.

I put a mower on www.leboncoin.fr and sold it within an hour!

That is such good news.  I cannot imagine what it'd be like to spend 8 months in hospital.  I did a one month stint before my first was born, amongst others, and that was bad enough. You must be elated. I would say though that when I was discharged from this (and another) hospital stay, although I was delighted to be going home, I did get very emotional. It's surprising how much you become institutionalised, I went through some very weird emotions leaving hospital.

Not a Weber but a Broil-King (Canadian brand): we purchased from the Camping Gaz shop in Southamptn on-line as at the time there wasn't a great choice in France and had it shipped here. Have been using it every week for 4/5 years with no problems.

At eight months they should only recently have started on purees - this beggars belief! Current recommendation is to start on solids (in conjuction with the breast or bottle) at around six months.

I'll see if they've still got some when I go today, as my two kids are both vegetarian it'll be a useful addition to their menu repertoire.

If your finances allow then go for it.  What are you planning on doing work-wise, if you need to work?

Having done a Google search to check for the latest information it now seems 21 polo ponies have died.  What an appauling 'accident' or whatever has caused this tragedy.

[quote user="JayJay"]Thankyou very much Brian, as it turns out, ours is included. A right pain!! [/quote] Mine too.  I don't know how I'm going to last "12 days" without it, I use it a few times a day.  I have a water softenener so there is no calcaire on it at all (the root of the problem/recall) and I'm in two minds whether to send it off or not.

It depends on how much you like to swim/chill off in the water.  Our pool is used almost exclusively by me (and not my husband or two teenagers) so it's a bit of extravagance, but I do all the pool maintenance and it is 'my domain', and in this point of my life really appreciate having it.

You could ask at your Mairie.  In our commune you can have items, too big for you to transport, picked up by the commune workers in their camion who will take them to the dechetterie for you.