Rob Roy

Hi Sweet, I've had no problem with M & S delivering using the following formula: Name Hamlet Village Postcode (because it's an English site) Dept France The same can be said of Amazon UK and various other UK based companies. Forget what your French teacher told you and use your own common sense when filling out your address.[:)]

Another place to find chicks is your local farmer co-operative shop or similar. We have a couple of local places where you can order day old chicks and they arrive on a certain date every month or six weeks. Otherwise most local markets will have chickens for sale, and if you ask the seller I'm sure they would be willing to sell some chicks.

Since we don't return to the UK buying from there is not an option, besides my husband prefers the fact that doors and windows here are usually sold with the frame attached. Opening up further is a bit of a problem as that wall of the house is of colombarge construction and OH is not too happy about enlarging the aperture without a lot of extra work and possible problems, like the whole thing collapsing! Thanks for the links Anton. We have bought all our other windows for this house and the previous one at Lapeyre, but I don't know what their M-to-M prices are, but I suspect beyond our budget. I suppose it won't hurt to ask.[:)] I'll have a look at the other site too.

Like a lot of old places here we have a small door on the first floor in the gable end of our house; orginally there were some outside stairs up to it for access with a small platform just outside the door, the stairs had been removed before we bought the place. We are renovating the upstairs and eventually we want to restore the small balcony, but in the meantime need to replace the door with either another or some windows. As it is a non-standard size opening I was wondering if anyone could give me any idea of the cost of double glazed made to measure door/windows - it would be approx 130 H x 88 W, or any bright ideas of what you did on your house!

We've got some Sussex, which are a big breed and excellent layers, but very calm and the cockeral is a big softy. I wouldn't presume that just because some are smaller they are going to be friendlier (rather like some smaller breeds of dogs!).

Thanks for the suggestion but since we can get loads of other channels without any problem I think, instead of resetting the box, I might leave well alone! OH is watching Match of the Day at the moment and he won't want me peering at the box to see what make it is[:)] I'm just suprised that we can get everything else on ITV, but 3 + 1 comes up as 'no signal'.

We have no problem getting ITV 3 on our Freesat box, but 3 + 1 says there is no signal. Can anyone suggest why this is? We also get all the other + 1,2, etc channels so I can't understand why 3 + 1 is causing a problem.

You might find something on here: www.leboncoin.fr but as Patf says it is not the best time of year to buy chickens. Wait until March/April and there will be far more choice. You shouldn't pay more than 10-15 € per adult bird, if that.

La Croiselle-sur-Briance (87) has a market on the 18th of each month which was recommended to us by French people and is where we bought our hens. There is usually a good selection of all types of poultry available.

But as the OP has stated, the expensive airlines don't bother to fly to Tours![:)] It would be interesting to hear the same story from the perspective of the Ryanair ground stewardess who dealt with the OP.[Www]

It states quite clearly on the Ryanair website that only one item of baggage is allowed - "Strictly one item of cabin baggage per passenger (excluding infants) weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm is permitted. (handbag, briefcase, laptop, shop purchases, camera etc.) must be carried in your 1 permitted piece of cabin baggage" (my red highlight) so I don't really understand what you are complaining about. If you had paid the £30 excess you could have carried them aboard, as you say the other passenger did; since you chose not to pay that was up to you. One of the reasons Ryanair are so successful is that they have fast turnaround of their flights, so once boarding starts it is quick as they need to take off a.s.a.p. They are not going to wait while passengers re-arrange their luggage.

Crossy67 you don't say in your OP anything about how well your house is insulated or what it's constructed of, which can make a difference to the efficiency of your stove. We have found that once the old stone houses are heated through they retain the heat well, but only if you have really good insulation. We have a Franco Belge that is bigger than we really need and it does exactly as you are hoping, if you leave the doors open the heat drifts around the house. If we have the doors shut and the fire dampers turned right down it still works really well and when stocked up with wood for the night will still be alight in the morning.

DavyH - it is a late 2005 Diesel Estate

My brother and his son are building an Ultima GTX and have recently bought a Westfield. He has wondered about bringing it to France when he moves over in a few years time, but I think his son might persuade him to leave it in the UK! More information about it: http://www.macgracing.co.uk/home.shtml

[quote user="crossy67"][quote user="NickP"] Most modern cars are now fitted with headlights that can be switched over from behind the lights.[/quote] Eh?  Tell me more, I have never heard of this.  Any lists of cars with this facility please. [/quote] My husband did exactly this with my Citreon C5, then I asked the man at the CT station if he would be kind enough to adjust the level of the beam before doing the CT. Sorted!

Ah, now SuperU is our 'local' so I'll have a look, thanks Wooly. All the 'big' supermarkets/hypermarkets are at least 30 kms in Brive or Limoges and I rarely go to either if I can help it![:)]

Anton that is so true - one of my sons lives in Surbiton and has always said it is far easier for him to get to Southampton than Stansted by train - plus it is much cheaper. One thing though you can get a train to Luton Airport from South London with Thameslink.

Yes we have, or at least my husband has, but I'm not so keen. I used to like using fresh smoked mackeral as a starter or for a light lunch with salad or for making a pate which I suppose you could do with the tinned stuff, although the only tinned mackeral I've seen is either in white wine or mustard sauce and not smoked. I've only ever seen herring fillets vacuum packed, but when I next go to a LeClerc (the nearest is about 30 kms from us) I'll have a look. Thanks for the suggestions.  

An alternative might be the London City Airport to the new Brive Souillac, started this summer and will resume next year. Unfortunately only Friday and Sunday so far, but there are rumours that a lost cost airline will start next year.

We love smoked mackeral but I have yet to find it here. Does anyone know if it is sold in France?   [img]http://bestsmileys.com/christmas3/8.gif[/img]

Would you be kind enough to re-write that in proper English, as I can't understand it.

That poem can start me off any time. I took my old labrador that we'd had for 14 years to the vet's in October last year to be PTS. The vet was so kind, he came out to the car to give him the injection that made him drift off to sleep and left me with him for 5-6 mins or so while I sat and talked to him and stroked him; he loved the car so was comfortable being there rather than in the surgery. The vet then returned to give him the lethal dose which Jet knew nothing about; it was all so peaceful and calm (although I was having a hard time controlling myself). I then drove him home and he's buried in a lovely spot in the garden. I said I was not getting another dog as we still had one other lab, but about a month ago I went and picked an adorable little girl, Gordon Setter x Labrador, who is a real bundle of mischief - I had forgotton how naughty, inquisitive and chewy puppies can be![:D]

The Last Battle If it should be that I grow frail and weak And pain should keep me from my sleep, Then will you do what must be done, For this -- the last battle -- can't be won. You will be sad I understand, But don't let grief then stay your hand, For on this day, more than the rest, Your love and friendship must stand the test. We have had so many happy years, You wouldn't want me to suffer so. When the time comes, please, let me go. Take me to where to my needs they'll tend, Only, stay with me till the end And hold me firm and speak to me Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you will agree It is a kindness you do to me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I have been saved. Don't grieve that it must be you Who has to decide this thing to do; We've been so close -- we two -- these years, Don't let your heart hold any tears. -- Unknown

[quote user="sweet 17"] What I want to know is this:  if there are just over 4 million people in Ireland, wouldn't it be cheaper to give them all say a couple of hundred grand each rather than paying the "country" billions? And, don't forget, they weren't on the side of the Brits in the last war.  Yes, I know I shouldn't mention the war, but it's a matter of being unable to choose your own neighbours, I suppose.[:'(] [/quote] Ireland were officially neutral during WWII, but many thousands of Irishmen were killed as they joined up and fought in British Regiments. My own first cousin died in the Paras drop at Arnheim.

It sounds from what you are saying as though we have just a free to air box - it's a FourTrac. We got it from a friend who had bought it as he thought his original one was broken, but it wasn't; it works fine, just got the niggle of having to check internet for programmes. Hubby is very practical, but not when it comes to computers and satellite systems,[8-)] and I wasn't aware there was a difference between Freesat and Free to Air!