sid

The usual solution would be a Velux in the roof; I've certainly slept in rooms like that... only the warder kept me awake.

I haven't been able to buy books from the UK site either. I know that many people have managed to register their Kindles in UK; my wife included!!! I see from her account that there are many more books at very low prices on the UK site. Wot a swiz!

I think there is a regulation about the height of the room too, 1.80m rings a bell; anything under that is non-habitable.

Not just in France, but a general query. I've bought a new "high-end compact" camera and I'm looking for a tripod, not too expensive as I only use it (the tripod) occasionally. My current one has seen better days and the telescopic legs collapse on their own accord now. What has always annoyed me is the quick-release mount. I've had this one for over 20 years but find the quick release more trouble than it's worth, and now the little camera doesn't fit it particularly well. You can't access the battery/SD card and it's almost twice the depth of the camera. I can't find one with just the standard screw, apart from mini-tripods, and I've already got one of those. Any suggestions?

GG, I wondered that about the medals too! Not much mention of it on TV news, just a picture of the 3 guys holding the medals, but it was so soon after!

I read this book by Graham Robb (I think it was free in the Kindle boutique) two years ago and I'm on my second read right now. I agree with PatF that it is a little disjointed but I've found lots of interesting stuff in it. EDIT The Kindle version is 1,30€ on Amazon.fr now.

I think glysophate is a systemic weedkiller and therefore needs to be absorbed through the leaves. I think there are other products for removing the remains of the "trunks" such as "destructeur de souches" (sp?) normally used when you cut down a tree. Best to ask at the garden centre, I'm sure they'll sell you something expensive and useless!  [:-))]

Yes, I agree with Minnie, and I do exactly the same. The new shoots are black and they grow very fast. Cut them while they're only a foot high (that's one day's growth, mind you!) and you can keep it confined. The more recent tall shoots have a ball type root system and will come out with a pick axe, anything from a previous year is difficult as others have said. I cut them with a saw and then run over with the tractor mower (but my mower is old so I'm not too worried about potential damage!).

ANO, Yes, I tried that, but too late! To be honest I assumed that a camera released at the end of last year would be sufficiently high up their list for software compatibility. As I said, I'm disappointed; Epson have released drivers for my 11-year old RX500 printer already!  This is what the Canon site says: "Canon has not yet determined if this product will be compatible with the operating system selected. Please refer back to this site in the near future for updates." The camera has a WiFi function for downloading photos; that's the bit that doesn't work, whereas it was fine under W7. I can live with using the USB until (if !!) an update comes along.

My Outlook is working fine, also Chrome and "Edge" the new browser. This new browser doesn't support plug-ins so ActiveX and Java are out, but you can click to switch the browser window to IE11 so it's not really a problem. The one annoying thing I've found, and it's not a Microsoft issue, is that my new camera will not connect wirelessly now when it was OK in W7. I'm disappointed that Canon didn't sort this out, it's not as if there hasn't been any warning and this is a new/current model of camera. I can still use the USB cable and to be honest it seems quicker that way.

[quote user="andyh4"]Just a word of warning. The upload is likely to uninstall any non Microsoft anti-virus programs you have and replace them with Defender. If you are happy with that no problem. If not you will have to manually reinstall your old software. And of course MS will not actually tell you that it has uninstalled your programs.[/quote] I think it's supposed to warn you. I stopped using AVG a few months ago as it was slowing everything down, and I had switched to MS Security Essentials. Defender is the W10 replacement.    

Hello Mint  I've found a couple of oddities today, nothing major though. Before you do anything it's worth checking that the software you use currently (they have this really irritating habit of calling them "apps" now Grrrrr) is compatible with W10. You can do that here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/CompatCenter/Home Most recent stuff either will already be OK or you can get updates. It could be a problem for some older software where it's not financially worthwhile (can't be a**ed, in reality; pardon me) for the supplier to upgrade their products. It's early days but I've never taken to W8 and when I have to do something, anything, on my wife's machine it drives me mad trying to find out how. So I took this decision (risk) to put both machines on the same platform. So far, so good. Errr.... don't hold me responsible if it doesn't work, I'm just saying that it's OK for me ! [geek]  

Excellent Chancer! Just what I wanted, references!! Thanks. [8-|]  

I've got a boat board thingy somewhere from when I used to carry my bikes, so yes, I can use that and confound the blighters. I think we'll stick to the seashore! (can't post a smiley here; this could be the first Windows 10 problem!)

Taken the plunge today to upgrade our two laptops to W10. My wife's was running W8.1 which I thought was horrible, mine was on W7. Both machines converted in about an hour and are running well. W10 has a quite familiar feel if you are a W7 user, and if you are a W8 user, well, it's good to be back in the land of the sane!

Wot!!?? Bunches of bananas hanging out? No, I know you're right Wooly, I've seen all sorts, but I made a comment about long loads and the doors to the salesman (large Citroen concessionaires) when I bought the vehicle and he wagged his finger and said "Non, ce n'est pas permis!" or words to that effect. (Good job you can't hear my accent!)

I can't cut the worktops because I need to fit them in situ in the kitchen. I'm prepared to take the risk anyway, or I could just hire a bigger van for a few hours. That wasn't the point of the question though; I just want to know the legal position. You can have a long load on a roof rack where the load extends to the front of the vehicle and to a certain distance behind (I forget the actual distance) and over 50cms (I think) it has to be marked with something distinctive (usually a bit of rag!). The question with a van I think relates to number plates... maybe? It would be just my luck to get stopped at a "contrôle" !

I have a small van (Citroen Nemo) which takes loads up to 2.5m in length if I lower the passenger seat and swivel the load-space protection grille. I have heard, but can't find any definite evidence, that it is illegal to drive with one or both of the rear doors open, as in the case of carrying longer loads (3m worktops, to be specific). I've seen builders with stuff sticking out of the rear doors, and in my case, with asymmetric doors, the one with the numberplate would be closed as normal. I know about the dangers of exhaust fumes, but does anyone here know what the legal situation is, please?

Hmmm, the OP was a first-time poster; I wonder if we'll find out how they went on, or is it another of those threads where we don't even get a thank you.

I've just retired a Dell laptop that I bought in 2003; it was used until the end of last year for email. I couldn't bear to throw it away so I guess it'll be in the loft until doomsday. You can hear stories about all makes but really what counts is your own experience or people close to you. Same for cars, washing machines... anything.

Which make? 40 years in IT and I've probably tried them all, but I haven't tried MAC simply because of cost. I don't like anything that hasn't got a proper keyboard and I do lots of image editing and logo stuff so I have to have a mouse, not a touchpad. I've always regarded Toshiba as "entry-level". These days I use Dell and have done for the past 15 years. Critics will say that they are not upgradable because a lot of the circuitry is on the motherboard; that's been fine for me as all I've ever done is swapped a HDD occasionally when they've got full or failed (HDDs are made by other well-known manufacturers in any case and you could have the same problem an any machine). I'd second ANOther's comments and use any well-known brand (maybe including Toshiba, but that wouldn't be my choice). You don't need a lot of firepower to write emails and browse the WWW.

We've used B&B Hotels as recommended already, and IBIS Budget (Accor hotels). All the B&B and most of the Ibis ones have a machine for out-of-hours check-in. 

[quote user="Cendrillon"]Hopefully their parents will accompany the little ones.[;-)] [/quote] Ha ha, yes, I would hope so, however we do have our grandchildren without their parents, although they are a few years older! [8-|] You'd be surprised (or perhaps not [;-)] ) to find how much better this makes the visit; no parental influence, just grandma and granddad to spoil the kids! [:D] We are just 23km from Ruffec, so I can vouch for a lack of organised entertainment. It's back to the simple life, which is why we like it! I'll second that mention of La Rochelle, and add the zoo at la Palmyre (near Royan), although it takes around 2 hours to get to the coast; not ideal with the little ones.  

Ruffec is a small town in the middle of the countryside, as I'm sure you must have realised already, therefore it's a little unrealistic expect to fine organised entertainment for children, especially this young. The French themselves seem to make do quite adequately with simple things like the village frairies which take place during August, and also paddling/swimming at the local plan d'eau or open air swimming pool. Ruffec has a pool and there is a nice loisires spot on the river Charente at Le Rejallant (just outside Ruffec) and another at St Macoux. You could visit the Monkey Valley (Vallée des Singes) which is just north of Civray, or further afield Futuroscope outside Poitiers. From our own experience you'd find it difficult to entertain 2 and 3 year olds with organised stuff, they seem quite happy just splashing around on a beach, albeit an artificial one. There is a tree-climbing place which looks good for older kids, and this is just outside Ruffec at Taize-Aize on the Charente; again not really for the youngest of your party. At Confolens there is the Velorail; trucks that you pedal on the old railway track to Manot. Maximum 5 people per truck so you'd need to split your party to ensure you've got a pedaller for each truck and it still might be too hard. Ideally you need 2 adults to pedal with 3 (lighter!) passengers; the first leg is slightly uphill. We took our youngest grandson when he was about 3 and used a car baby seat to strap him into the truck seat. An afternoon trip takes about 3 hours and you have time for a picnic at the turnaround. You can find all of these via Google. EDIT: I forgot to point out that 4 grandchildren plus 2 adults (?) is normally more than a standard car is equipped to carry. If you want to travel together and haven't got a large people carrier (that's not a carrier for large people!) you may be in time to hire one from Super-U (Civray or Saizé-Vaussais) who have a Nissan Qashqai+2 (7-seater).  

... and my ears are burning. [blink] Woolly sussed me out though, I made loads of money on the old gas thingy and retired to France. [;-)] And this it the last post on this thread! [8-|]