phylisbide

Our neighbour has found morilles for the first time in her garden this year - she has lived there 38 years! Is it a funny season - or is there an old wives' tale attached?

Thank you. What a lovely old fashioned document - and what vast quantities! PB

Have you tried St Marc for cleaning the floor? It worked for cleaning some very greasy, smoky stonework walls - using a heavy duty scrubbing brush and St Marc in hot water. Wear gloves though - nasty stuff in prolonged use. PB

Door handle -brass anad china 'sausage' shape. Screw not poperly fastened - china part has fallen off and smashed. Can one buy new china 'sausage' ? If so, where? PB

Heard one, then a second cuckoo last week in 24 - am pleased because last year it didn't find a friend. My neighbour said that if you have money in your pocket when you first hear the cuckoo you will have money all year. Fat chance.  Also what are the night-time 'peeping' frogs - we are not near water - I think they are small and black - en masse they sound like wooden wind chimes. When I hear one I have perfected the call and I am sure they respond - their call gets nearer and nearer. OH thinks I have lost the plot. Would be pleased to know what  I am responding to... PB

I was told yesterday that the weather is going to be nice from yesterday ( the day we left for Blighty) until Sunday when its going to be 25 degrees in 24. But the weatherwill be generally grotty for the time of year because of the moon - it will not change until the ? think they said 4th May. I've come home to dry out. Nothing to do with the hospitality of our neighbours..PB

Have any of you any recipes for easy fruit licquers - pref eau de vie based rather than rhum - I thought as freezer space is tight I would put fruit to another use this year... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...PB

Hi - I have never seen knotting in France - and have askeed for it at the quincaillerie and met with blank look. Now I bring it over from uk. P

When do you need the scaffold tower - might be able to help. Phylis

An enthusiastic young woman, hopefully thinking about our ageing local population and how to encourage young people to live there permanently - also the process was really interesting - a huge turnout at the poll - is this normal in France?  That in itself is quite illuminating. Any ideas on where we might find info about her status age-wise vis a vis the the rest of France? Phylis

Our new Maire is a young woman (aged 29) - how do we find out if she is the youngest female Maire? Have searched on Google but there is lots of irrelevant stuff and I'm sure there is a better way - any ideas? Thanks, Phylis

The other thing to check is the colour of the sand because this will affect the finished look of course - making sure you have enough sand available to finish the job - our builder had  to go back to the merchant to buy an alternative sand because the first one he chose was going to be too yellow ...

Have you had the storms that we have been experiencing here in UK? We are travelling down to 24 on Sat and hope our roof is still in the usual place....Phylis

Don't forget that you can offset any invoices from registered artisans - including the cost of materials if they are included on artisan invoice only. If you have purchased any building materials yourself these are disallowed. Phylis

The sauce might be nice with pasta and perhaps some light veg to off set the rich-ness. The 'bloc' should be a very edible little pate (sorry no accents on this machine) which you can eat with toasted bread, brioche, or savoury bisbuits - or you could fry it in slices for a few minutes and serve with peaches - also warmed in the pan. Phylis