Rob Roy

O.K. so can you explain "In the Livebox go to Settings........" How do I access the Livebox on my computer (running Windows 7) My internet access has gradually been slowing down and I also have problems with Skype now. My son has suggested the it could be the actual Livebox that's at fault and maybe needs changing. Before I ring up about it I thought I check the above.

A very good idea Pitway. Cracker is being such a good boy. He settled well last night in his bed (after about 10 mins when I sat in the dark with him) cuddled up to a well wrapped up hot water bottle, as a substitute for mum and siblings, and we heard no more until 8.00 am today! One heap and a puddle on the spread out newspaper, then lots of help as I tried to clear it up!

I agree Jouals; I was quite surprised at their stipulation as I've been looked at many SPA sites. Cahors and Brodeaux are probably a similar distance (we live between Limoges and Brive). However, today we went and adopted a puppy from Clermont Ferrand - dad is beautiful deep golden Labrador and mum is ?Brittany Spaniel, plus 6 puppies, were abandoned in a disused house to fend for themselves. Apparently the puppies did not have have a lot longer to survive without food. May I present Cracker: [IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/Bouillaguet/Cracker/DSCF5553_zps7d0efa52.jpg[/IMG]

Oh Yes! OH was so angry he ordered the driver to stop and leave - the cement company have not charged for that delivery! A few days later the manager of the cement company, the rep. of the building system and the manager of the builders merchants were all on site, as demanded by OH, to see that the cement was delivered correctly! We've had no problems since!

Thanks, Christine. We are only a couple of hours from Bordeaux and much further from other SPAs that would allow adoption,shame.

Once the last row of blocks go on (hopefully next week if there's a dry day) and they are then filled with concrete the supports on the inside will be removed. It is amazingly solid once the cement has set. There was one panic the first time the cement was delivered as, although the driver was told to pour the cement slowly he didn't, resulting in a breach at the bottom of part of one wall with cement pouring everywhere across the floor like an incoming tide! It took a lot of hard work on behalf of OH to clear it up before it started setting. Thanks for the reminder about all my photos being available to view. I did realise, but I don't think there is anything that I wouldn't want to be seen on there, or is that asking for trouble?

I was looking at their website and noticed that they state you must live in the department in order to adopt from them. Other SPA sites don't seem to have this stipulation, anyone know why Bordeaux do? P.S. They have a dog I rather like the look of!

These pictures are only of the cellar/workshop, the roof of the cellar will form part of the floor of the house, at ground level, where there will also be a garage and the house will also have a first floor.

You are both right - the steel is in there and the waterproofing will be done once the last layer of blocks for the cellar walls are in place, before the back-filling takes place. The cellar is only across the front third of the house. The manufacturer's agent has been most helpful and spent a lot of time helping and advising OH (who's doing most of the work) about the correct techniques and is available as and when required as the building progresses.

My brother has started the building of a house at the top of our field, using a system of polystyrene blocks in-filled with cement which gives a high insulation value. His aim is to have a house with as low a heat loss as possible. So far the foundations and walls of the cellar have been constructed, which will be across the front of the house. There are pictures here if you are interested in the construction method: http://s75.photobucket.com/user/Bouillaguet/library/Richards%20House?sort=2&page=1

Perhaps I should also have qualified my reply - our local supermarkets are also open Sunday mornings and of course there are many Sunday morning markets, but around this way (as far as I'm aware) there is no all day shopping such as you see in U.K. town centres and shopping centres. Even if you work full time it's still possible to shop on others days of the week apart from Sunday IMO; we all managed it before 1994 after all.

We live on the 'flight path' and have seen hundred at a time flying south during the last 10 days or so. We usually hear them before search the skies to find them. How lovely for you to be able to see them all winter.

In my opinion that's the start of the slippery downward slope.One of the things I love about France is that there is no Sunday shopping.

Thanks for that, Quillan, I'll give it a go.

I've had the cultvated version of this in the garden - it self-seeds quite happily for several years. [IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i312/Bouillaguet/Garden%20and%20Nature/Amaranthus3withkitten.jpg[/IMG]

We've managed to get most cold calls blocked, but get plagued by these calls from "partners of EDF", usually with call centre background noise and the caller speaks with a 'strange' French accent. I wish I knew how to stop them.

Unfortunately you won't keep sheep out with just the normal two strands of electric fencing, they just go under or through it as they do most fencing. The best stuff to keep them in - or out - are the rolls of sheep fencing (made of squares of wire) you can buy at farm supply places fixed to stout wooden stakes but it must be very tightly tensioned to be any good, and the stakes need to be well down in the ground - maybe a local farmer has a post rammer on the back of his tractor that he would help you do the posts with. Could you not just fence off your garden area if you don't want to do your whole field?

And doesn't it look so quick, easy - and clean![Www]

Wouldn't capital gains tax be involved in a sale like this?

[:D][:D]

I would think that the cost is related to the work involved in buying and cutting the wood (tree) in the first place and not in the storage for several years. Finding unseasoned wood might be difficult anyway, as I would guess that those that make their money from selling firewood already know where to source the trees available long before 'joe public' would. We pay 50€ per stere for seasoned oak delivered in 1 metre lengths; it would be 45€ if we collected it.

Thanks for your very helpful reply Quillan. Being married to a retired panel beater I hope when he starts spraying he doesn't get tempted to do a two pack metallic finish![:-))][:D]

Unfortunately our present house is covered with an unattractive grey crepi and this summer we would like to re-paint it. There are some cracks in the crepi that need filling before we can paint; has anyone experience of having done this and, if so, what did you use? (I'm guessing Polyfilla wouldn't work![;-)]) Taking the crepi off is not an option as one side wall and gable end are stone and the others are columbage, with the bottom half of the columbage gable end rebuilt in block work, so a real mish mash!

Maybe I'm being dumb, but can't see Haddock on the link to Facebook (which I hate anyway!). Why not put a link to him/her on the Phoenix page? I'm guessing Haddock is a dog, but from the posting could be anything!

Cheeky, you should never presume! [;-)] Thanks, anyway, for the information.