JulieR

I have terrible trouble with ROUTE as in my address as everytime I have to give my address they write down RUE !!!!  

Hi, Sorry but I am not sure how this works!  How do you place an order?  If you log into the Tesco site for example do you put your address in France and then select the Sterling Shopping address for delivery.  Will it accept a french address? Sorry if I am just being thick! Julie

I buy the quaker prorridge oats at my local Champion.  Mine always with a spoonful of local honey. Julie

We too have uk rental income and declare it as above, as indicated by our local tax office.  We also do not pay social charges on the rental income, only on the income generated in France.  Though if you are referring to cotisations for your health cover then your worldwide income is accounted for.  Maybe you have the two muddled up.[8-)]

I ususlly get them to bring their own bread, so they do not have to worry about feeling ill if I get the wrong stuff and you can't go wrong with a meat, potatoes and veg meal or rice.  For sauces stick to homemade (so you know what's in it) and tomato based is easy.  Chilli and rice for example or chops with roasted pots and veg with a tom sauce. good luck

Thanks for that.  I have salmon and purple sprouting broccoli for tea and was wondering what to do with it.  Some good ideas Julie

Hi I buy my 'Sucre glace' from Champion and the make is Daddy Julie

I am not sure on varieties either but in alot of the shops/garden centres they put on best for info.  I usually look for the ones which say they are good for either 'puree', 'vapour' or 'frites' and get the ones that suit.  For bigger ones I would go for the 'frites'. Hope this helps Julie

Thanks, at least I will be prepared.  Will be all different again next year if I have to register in order to get health cover.  Julie

Hi, We too have received a letter from CPAM to say our cover will end on the 31st March and that we need to go along to the caisse to upate our rights on our carte Vitale.  I received this together with another letter with an indication that I would be receiving a bill from l'URSSAF Object: Cotisation de la Couverture Maladie Universelle de base Je vous informe que le montant de votre cotisation pour la période du 01/10/2007 au 31/03/2008 With a charge of 8% (on amounts over 8644) on my revenu for 2006 does this mean to stay in the system until March I have to pay?  I already have my Avis D'Imposition Contributions Sociales for 2006, is this the same thing or am I going to receive an additional bill. Thanks if anyone knows the answer Julie

Hi, Can anyone tell me how you find out when your cover runs out.  There doesn't appear to be an end date on our attestations just a commencement date of 01/03/07 for the last ones. Thanks Julie

Hi, We would be too rural for you and not too much, entertainment wise, to keep a 3 year old happy here.  Only lots of beautiful countryside, walking and fishing. Maybe there are a lot of places like ours which is why you haven't had replies.  Anyway a suggestion - have you been to Futuroscope in Poitiers?  Looks like it could be fun.  Haven't been but looks like the idea place for kids and not too far to travel Julie

My daughter is also having problems in our local college.  Her first year was a bit fraught as she didn't want to move to France and therefore didn't make any effort to learn the language or integrate.  She made friends with another english girl who had also just moved over here and this helped her to settle into the area but not the school.  I think this is why she is now having trouble as they have just labeled her as not wanting to learn.  She has now realised that she must learn. We asked if she could be put in a different class to her english friend this year in hopes that she might make more effort to find new friends and learn the language.  She has no friends in the class (so she says) and the teachers just seem to ignore her.  She also sits alone in most lessons.  I went to see the principal to ask if she could maybe change classes as she was so unhappy.  His reply was quite shocking to me as he said she did not need friends as she was only at school to learn.  He also said as her results were so poor there was obviously a problem with her not her class!.This might be the reply I would expect if she was french but how is she supposed to keep up with everything going on if she doesn't understand what is going on.  I am sure in a uk school, a foreign student would not be left alone to get on with it and then put down because of poor end of term results.  When I suggested she might be better in another college I was told that she had tno choice because of the catchment area. The language is a problem for me and I cannot make a good argument in french.  Is is normal for this attitude?  Is it just the difference between english and french teaching methods?  My daughter is 15 so has not got time to waste another year.  I am obviously going to go back into the school, maybe with a french speaker to help but the school seems to have the attitute that the english are a nuisance and they can't be bothered with them.

We have a licence for our lake which came with the house and has to be renewed every 30 years.  Can't remember with whom, Dept of Agriculture or something like.  This also states the rules and regs for the lake.  ie only emptying at certain times of year, only certain types of fish allowed, no swimming etc.  Our lake is fed by a small river so maybe this is different. Julie

[:(]We have them living in the roof of our extension.  Hope they aren't doing too much damage??

Hi, We have been asked by friends who own a bar in Bourganeuf (Dept 23) to post a message as they are looking at putting on some sort of entertainment maybe one evening a week at their place.  If anyone is interested PM me with your details and I will pass them on. Julie

Thanks for that, will give it a try.  wanted Derris as you can harvest the day after spraying.  Saw a insecticide in Gamm Vert but couldn't pick stuff for 14 days after spraying!  They only seem to eat the rocket and the radish, but the radish is still producing bulbs, the rocket is almost lace!  Everything else is growing well and had carrots and mangetout from the garden for tea yesterday. A french neighbour told me to pick stinging nettles and place in water, leave for two weeks and use this to water the plants, supposed to be a natural insecticide and good for feeding tomatoes. Tried it on the rocket but still munched!!! Julie

Does anyone know if you can get Derris powder in France and what it is called.  I am looking for something to get rid of flea beetles as they keep eating everything. Thanks Julie

Urgh, yuk..........thankfully not yet as I hate wasps!  I hope someone replies with a solution as I could think of nothing worse and want to be ready in case it happens here.  Have only seen a few wasps so far and would like even less so any known deterants would be welcome. Julie

Hi all, Any update on the lifting of the restrictions??  My chickens have been kept in since the end of Feb and I would love to let them out.  I am dept 23 Julie

Well thank you!!  Not going to mention the 'weather' but happy now

Seems to be the same here in the limousin, made an appointment for my son last month and have been given one for July!!  5 months!! He wears contact lenses but had an eye test (for strength of lense only) at the local opticians and new contacts butI  wanted him to have a medical exam as well so made the appointment at the opthalmologist.  At least he can see in the mean time!! The person who had the laser surgery on their eyes......how much does it cost in France as I quite fancy having this done myself.

I have done a breakdown of our bills including petrol and it comes to €850 per month.  This does not include food, just taxe fonciere, d'habitation, oil, electric, water, insurances & telephone/internet.  We have been living in France for 8 months now so most are actual amounts.  We do have a high taxe fonciere because of having a pool and being on mains drainage. Even so we have budgeted to be able to live on €1500 per month.

Well I wish I hadn't opened my mouth [8o|] "doesn't hardly rain at all"  What a laugh.  Ever since I posted that it hasn't stopped so please you've had your joke you can stop now!!

Been living here for 7 months now and it's hardly rained at all, was expecting more.  Definately rained more in Cornwall where we used to live though is definately colder here, but lots more blue skies! And it's not windy which living near to the coast in the Uk was a daily occurence and made it feel colder than the it actually was.