Gardian

John ....... Just for the record, they're all slim and voluptuous around here. Aren't you getting towards magret de canard territory up your way?  Too much of the old fatty diet?

Camilla ......... If you've been searching for 7 years, that's a good deal more than most !  If you're still struggling over location, then ........ not sure how anyone here can help. Anyway, "Reasonable property prices" could well exclude most places west of the Rhone (unless in the back of beyond). That means L/R as the more likely choice. Weather: high Summer is obviously blooming hot, but equally extremely cold in Winter.  You'll get windy periods, but you learn to live with it. Flights: you know where the flts come in to, so no info needed. Expats: why? Better to make friends with your neighbours, of whatever nationality. Schools: an important, but 'next step' consideration after you've resolved your roughly where to go decision What I'm rather clumsily trying to lead you to is that there's no substitute for research on the ground. One of you needs to take a cheap flight, hire a car, and tour round for a week. Make immobilier contacts, find a town with that 'happening' feel that works for you, and radiate from there. Then another visit, and probably another, and maybe another, before you even get to looking at some properties. This is probably a £300k+ decision, so spending £1k-£2k on proper research is 'small beer'. Hope this helps: didn't want to get in to a 'the place where I live is best' competition. Understandably, most of us feel a bit like that. If, however, you want more info on this particular area, pls feel free to pm me.        

I popped in to my neighbour this morning on some feeble pretext, but basically to try to wind him up over France's single point so far. It was water off a duck's back - he described them using language that, if repeated, would breach every element of this Forum's code. He reckons that England are a force to be reckoned with: amazingly though, he had never heard of Mr Rooney.   

Cathy ............. I think that we've worked that one out then !

Loads of them around here, with la chasse (happily) ineffective. Saw our first ones a week or two back, charging across the road a few kms up the road when we were 40m or so way from them. Youngsters I reckon, but big nonetheless (say 80 kilos). We hear them chomping away in the oak forest no more than 20m away, but have never seen one: very placid and long may it be so.  

[quote user="Rob Roy"]If you plant the small French marigolds around the base of your roses, or very nearby, you will get rid of most of the greenfly. They don't like the marigolds for some reason, don't know if it is the smell, or what.[8-)] I didn't believe it until I tried it back in the UK.[/quote] Just noticed the b*****d greenfly on my feves late this pm - there's going to be a run on the marigolds at the local GC 2moro. Not interested in the flageolets though. Anybody know why?    

Germany: always a danger, but far from a great side France: decrepit Brasil: iffy Argentina & Spain: look good, but early days England: hope so, but despite looking v solid at the back, no real penetration Italy: always the class act & capable of doing it in a 'WC' with (currently} no outstanding team. If we don't, I hope they do.  Czechs: dark horses

[quote user="TWINKLE"] [quote user="Lori"]Will - I'm sure you are right.  I was really just kidding around when I agreed the forum should take part.  If anyone was ever interested in getting together in my neck of the woods, I'd be happy to host it (assuming it didn't get huge - which I doubt it would).  Only problem is, very few of you all live near me and I don't think anyone would be interested in taking the train. Too bad because I think it could be lots of fun. [/quote] If you are prepared to host it I will provide the live music but would ask in return food, drink and a bed for me and my musiciens for the night.  No need to explain Twinkle - we understand.   [/quote]

I'll start the guesses: 99CA33

Having (belatedly) read the previous threads, I'd seen the 'divide by 2' formula, but have been running it round the clock for the last 4 days.  Have adjusted it now to 20hrs and will leave it that way for the foreseeable future - it isn't going to get much cooler. Had a nice swim, but it then came over very thundery. Thought it was going to pour - could have done with it, to be honest - but it cleared up again. From a cynical rejection of all this World Cup lark, I'm now being sucked in to the whole thing + younger son coming out next week for a fortnight's stay. After tonight, I now feel relaxed about winding up my neighbour over how many points France have got so far. Bye all. 

What prompted this thread was the sight yesterday evening of six Canadair water bombers flying over our house in formation at fairly low altitude. Hopefully, it was a training exercise, but most of you will know that forest fires down here are an ever-present hazard in the Summer months. When I was in the village earlier today, I noticed a poster proclaiming that this week (and in particular, Sat 17th) is Sapeurs Pompiers Day. Spare a thought over the weekend for the bravery of those men and women, some of whom sadly lose their lives every year (I think that three aircraft went down last Summer and several firemen locally were killed).   

Right, we're back in business.  By this morning, the water had cleared and once I'd vacuumed up the dust, it was perfect (well, near enough). I'm now going to discipline myself to a daily dosage of 120gms of chlor choc and daily testing: it's amazing how quickly things can 'go tilt'. Bri ....... I got my ph- at Bricomarche: €8 for a 5kg tub, so not pricey. Now I come to think about it, the enormous stockpile of tubs of the stuff should have told me something!  Many thanks to all for your advice.  Just off for a dip before the footie.

Mark ......... Throw away your brushes and don't take any notice of OPAS sending poor old Mr O up on to the roof in all weathers. Just pay a Ramonneur €40 or so to come and do it for you. As everyone says, you need the certificate.

'Chief' ........ Don't want to be a killjoy, but Feb in France (unless you're skiing), mightn't be the best time or place. Certainly cold down here and probably not much better up-North.  Besides, most 'classy' establishments will still be closed for the Winter. For me, if it has to be Feb, think about Lisbon. Nice place: climate good at that time of the year, good hotels, reasonable, not too 'just like any other European capital'. If it has to be France, it must be Paris or the Cote d'Azur - others will have better info than me.  

Nice looking chap: reminds me a bit of my former boss.  

Bri ....... I suspect that it will, together with continual filtration. The problem that we non-professionals have, is that it's a complex subject. Poor old Poolguy gets assailed with all sorts of situations (which he willingly offers advice over), 90% of which (I suspect / hope) are capable of being dealt with fairly easily, but with a description on here, it's hard to be definitive. Poppy's advice confirms the avenue I was already going down.  We'll see what drinks-time tomorrow brings.  

Poppy ......... Thanks for the reassurance. I'm starting to learn about all this. Took time this afternoon to do what I should have done before, which was to read all the previous threads on the subject. As a result, I whacked in some ph- and some more chl choc and things seem to be clearing.  At '1st glass of wine time' (c. 18.00), there was a noticeable difference (in the water). PH & chlorine levels seem to be getting to where they should be. I've not checked where you are, but guess that you're down this neck of the woods. No complaints, but it's hot just now, eh?  Do you know, I happily left the UK thinking "No more bloody lawns to mow".  Little did I think ......... !! Thanks again - will keep you posted.

Same problem. Like you, I thought that I had fixed the problem by emptying most of the water a month or two back and re-filling. Regular chlor-choc dosing, and a 16hr / day filtration regime. All fine till Monday, then cloudy dust. Am giving it -ph, but so far to no effect. Really getting the hump with it. The problem is that I don't understand the cause: if I did, then the remedy might be more obvious. p.s. fairly hard water area. 

David ......... As promised, try: AIRTRANS (EMA airport)   01332 852915 Flightdeck   0161 499 9350   web www.flightdeck.co.uk Midland Counties Publications   01455 233747   email [email protected] These details could well be out of date, but one of them should be able to help. The ref of the Aerad map that I have is EU(H)17.

David ............ There may be something on the web, but I doubt it. I bought my map at an enthusiast's shop at E Mids airport a year or two ago (£2.50). It's the sort of thing you could ring for and they'd send, though they may have a website. I'll have a look in the cool light of day and see what I can dig out - will post or email details. By definition, it is the airlanes above 25k', but is very large scale.

I've had a look at the Aerad map that I've got covering France (from Paris southwards + N Africa) and there are indeed a number of 'lanes' round and about your area. But then, the same thing applies just about anywhere. It depends exactly where you are in '79', but remember that you would see a 35k' high contrail from miles away (from directly overhead). There are several N-S routes, which would probably be taking traffic ex Benelux / N Europe down to the Basque area and on to Spain and beyond. There's one W-E track, which would bring traffic from Lyon / Marseille / Italy etc direct to Nantes and then on to Ireland or more likely over the Atlantic. Most flights ex the UK heading south would normally route differently to the return. Certainly coming down to Nimes, it's a more westerly track, whereas the return joins the main N-S track at Montelimar and then on up and to the east of Paris. Hope that's not too 'nurdish' for you !!

SB .......... Went to the local 'big town' market today. Packed, and with the start of the tourist season, the arrival of the Merc & BMW pushchairs (surely the current scourge of mankind and a danger to most law-abiding citizens). Anyway, my wife who was her usual 5 paces behind me, got surrounded by several of these appalling contraptions A young man, closely fitting your chav description and sensing her irritation, cleared the way for her. She didn't stop wittling on about how charming he was for half an hour or so! Moral of the story: up with the chavs, down with the pushchairs. 

Quite right. Still, this doesn't sound like the Miki that I've witnessed in my (limited) experience hereabouts. Perhaps 'Diplomat of the North' or The Don should be your new name? 

Don't even think about (although I appreciate that it's not your idea).  It won't work. He'd have to be present to check in with them, & the in / out timings with any airline (let alone the low cost carriers) would preclude it. Your last sentence (on your 1st post) is spot-on. Hope you can work something out. 

Is this Miki angling for a nomination as 'Diplomatic Correspondent' for the Forum??!!  Shock horror.