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Frederick

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Everything posted by Frederick

  1. Frederick

    Help - Snares

    Just looked on Ebay......hundreds of them ...all weather one for £4.99  from Hong Kong......you could watch your dogs from the kitchen if you have a spare portable TV . got to be cheaper than new  fencing
  2. Frederick

    Help - Snares

    CCTV cameras are cheap.....cheaper on E.bay....even if not connected up...stick one on a tree where it can be seen .....then let everybody know you are concerned about your dogs and want to see what they are up to while you are in the house and have put the camera up...... It will soon get back to the snare setter.....he wont want to come near the bottom of your garden I should think .....You might even find a dummy one for a few euros ..........Good luck .....cant stand snares !
  3. Well...this is interesting..........my family comes from Northunberland and I can only "go back " to 1735 on the family tree. It appears though we have a Coat of Arms and a crest  Six Fleur-de-Lis  on it .....and a raised arm clasping one as the crest....which tends  now to have me thinking the old ancesters were not horn fitters in a viking hat  factory .
  4. Some years ago I found out at Heathrow that the companies who re-fuel the aircraft each have a different price scale  for selling their fuel to airlines ....So  BA being the biggest user of fuel will pay a lot less than Joe Soap Airways  who drops in accasionally and have  the same aircraft... and take on the same amount.....At the time I asked the fuel supplier the questions re price of aircraft fuel ..I was told its a secret what each company is charged .....but ..... I discovered that the cost of the fuel surcharge multiplied by a plane full of passengers  on the flight I was taking..say a couple of hundred ... was about the total cost of fuel use on the thing for the journey ....  Remember no tax on fuel for them...unlike the car user . I was told the short haul flights were subsidising the long haul ones when I asked why this was happening ...surely a bit of tax on the fuel would be a better way than this ....collect the tax from the passenger mess .
  5. I believe as they already have your bank details when you bought tickets  on line they will just  take the tax hike from your account ....its probably already been collected .
  6. I have just had an elderly lady  ( over 80 ) explain to me what her eye consultant in the UK has had to do for her .....Do French doctors have to resort to this ?....I hope not .  The woman on  examination by her consultant was informed that her Macular Degeneration could in his view be prevented further by an injection. The injection which costs £500 would help her to retain what sight she now has. This injection recommended by the consultant was  NOT one that the NHS would pay for ...The poor woman stated she was not in a position to pay the £500 and . it is possible over time she may need more than one injection of this drug to keep her sight . The consultant then stated he was going to register her as Blind ...this way she will be able to apply for financial help from the state in benefits  for the disabled .  I will not say  here what I think of this system being necessary. but I say " Thank god for doctors like this" ....   she can now save the benefit payments...to save her sight !
  7. Many years ago Dieppe to Newhaven ..crew came round putting sick bags on the tables prior to departure .... and they announced over the tannoy that "We are going to experience a very rough  crossing and any person wishing to leave the ship to come forward and they could do so "   never heard that before or since ... It was rough...very ....and at Newhaven  crowds were lined up on the shore watching to see if we would get in through the harbour entrance . I recall my son trying to lean into the wind on the deck at about 45 degrees arms outsreatched and saying it was holding him up.   
  8. I once rented a  house in the UK to a family who came to me via an agency from a bed and breakfast hotel . The guy had been ill had fallen on hard times but now was in work and trying to rebuild his life . The agency pointed out that financially he was now back on his feet and both he and his partner were in work. I rented them the house as one of the guarantees given was a letter from his boss guaranteening  the rental payments .....After a few months the rent was not being paid ..... I had to chase them for it.... always an excuse. I then found they had gone to Greece on holiday after the rent due date .....and it had not been paid.......again .    I spoke to his boss pointing out the letter of guarantee.....the boss then told me a sub had been asked for as he had told him he " had his rent to pay before he went on holiday and the family would have no holiday money  " The boss then  told me he had given a reference stating he worked for him that was all .... the rental guarantee part had been typed on the letter afterwaards ......The comment I got when they came back from Greece. and I asked how the arrears were to be paid was  "I suppose you want me to sell the car now do you ?"......as if it was my fault how he lived his life  !..... ....Have you seen proof of the granting of the loan .........or just taken their word for it ...... Sorry to appear to be the over suspicious type but I have had cause to be ...many times ....and perhaps thats how you should be with this couple .  There are people out there who resent those who have worked hard and obtained property and then rent them out...they are jealous and dont feel guilty about not paying on time .or ..if at all .  
  9. Cant comment as my only experience with renting out houses is in the UK  ....but .....as these people are Brits ...and they say they have fallen upon hard times ...am I not right in thinking that the British Consul have in place a system of financial assistance for repatriation of UK citizens. in these circumstances  which then  becomes a fincial bebt on them in the UK  . An offer to drive them to the nearest Consular Office to arrange their  home going  might help move them on ...If they are genuine when they say they are in trouble then they will want to "Go home "    ......I would ......Is this a case of you being the last one they think about finding money for ....and they still find cash for ...food...wine ...fuel for the car etc...and are preparing to go when they are ready leaving you the only ones not to be paid ? Please dont say you are feeding them as well as giving shelter ?    
  10. Just spoken to a friend in the village ( Vendee 85)  who has a well.....he said he has never seen it so full .... water table is so high at the moment its almost filled up so are the water companies now happy ? or ..whats the betting on water restrictions again this year.? . I have a new soil pipe to lay in a trench next month ...that should be fun !
  11. He did say "a few years back "   today the minimum rate would be £5.35 I believe .......unless you feel you need to employ 16 year olds ...... then its cheaper .
  12. My Aunt found them and used the route at Xmas .............she is 82
  13. It is already changing fast in the UK....the printing company my wife retired from last September  has a number of Polish workers and they work hard. There was never a week where a car would not pull up at the door and a Polish worker ask in reception if there was a job going......The end result is where some guys were not keen to work overtime to get a job out .....especially on a Saturday durng the football season ...... the work is now offered to the Poles who do not refuse.... Also machine opperators who are Polish are happy to do the job for £6 an hour ......not 11 as was being paid last year  to two guys before they retired !   (that could cause problems in the workplace one day  ) Southampton town bus company could not get people to train as bus drivers for £26,000 a year as shown on the  "Drivers Wanted " adverts on the busses.........they have them now already trained from Poland over 30 ......The Polish people  I have come in contact with ....mostly in the shops and cafe's  I have found to be very helpful. charming  people who fit in very well .
  14. I agree with having the right artisans to do the job ... insurance guarantees etc ....but ....can sombody explain where this attitude of " I will do it when I feel like it  " comes from .....why do these guys NOT want to earn  good living. I know of examples where guys do a big job then on payment  feel they dont have to work for a week or two ....The guy  is only concerned about earning enough to pay for his food each week ....I am sure he is a very happy man ......but ....tough if you are waiting for him to give you an estimate to put your under floor heating system in . My son in law is a GORGI registered heating engineer ....I know how hard he works in the UK  and how fast he works .....he earns good money.....but when one job is finished ,,he is straight off to the next one ,, not getting out the fishing tackle .   
  15. I once went into a  covered market where all sorts of cheeses and meats were on display.....I was able to see what was on the market stalls while standing at the urinals situated in the corner of the market and looking over the wall.........flies ..........thousands of them ....it was in  France of course .. 
  16. Not a pleasant thought..... but .....an examination of bowls on a bar from which  people helped themselves to peanuts.... gave the same result as a similar test on  the loo door handle !
  17. Perhaps for some they just want to go and spend some time in the country their illegal immigrant ancesters came from ....in 1066
  18. Brico depot ...80 X 120  Receveurs "Oleron " acrylique..... avec bonde  is 83E84    or you can get the heavy ceramic  one for a bit more ...which is what  I would do ...same size ...122E 18  just in case you want it to take two of you at the same time as previously suggested . 
  19. I  found  my French house  while waiting for the purchaser of a second house  I was selling  in the UK to complete ... The Immo spoke to my UK agents after which was happy to include the Clause Suspensive to the effect that the purchase of the Vendee house was subject to the completion of the sale of the UK  one ..... My UK agent phoned  the Immo when contracts were exchanged ...everybody happy !  I had of course found a purchaser for the UK house and things were well under way towards completion ...might have been be a bit different if I was still looking for a purchaser ....it is however possible if all agree to have such a  Clause Suspensive included 
  20. I have seen one  as a  display  in B&Q made from the coloured glass blocks they sell in Brico Depot and the like ....They are not really expensive come in clear... blue ...golden sort of colour  and they look OK built with the white waterproof  cement stuff you  get to use with it ....If you can lay a brick you may be able to build one any size you want. I worked out that one would cost about 100 E in blocks....You can get curved blocks for the corners....  make it look a bit better....
  21. It would appear that in March the DVLA will be set up to exchange driver details with all our European cousins ... so those who have bought an old French plated banger to use to  avoid the congestion charge in London as one newspaper did to prove a point ...watch out !......... I wonder ....will the French Police now be more interested in dealing with those with British plates  who use France as a  " race track to the sun "  in 2007...Personally I dont care how long I take to get from the channel port to my place and usually have a long lunch in the process .....but given the speed of some of my fellow countrymen ...the cost of their holiday could just go up this year !
  22. I agree with Clair.....it may well be the garage is being targeted just because they are known to be  lax in their security. It may prevent somebody else being a victim in the future if it makes them lock up cars left outside. 
  23. If you want to try and make your own  .....1 tin of condensed milk......2tps vanilla....1 tin of evaperated milk...2tps of glycerine 1/1/2  cups whiskey ...1 tablespoon instant coffee granules disolved in water ...blend the tins of milk together then add the other stuff and  serve over crushed ice
  24. Xmas day we will be in a sleepy village in a valley just outside Bath with our youngest son and  family..Boxing Day we will have 10 to feed at  our home in Dorset as the rest of our  family then come to us....and into the new year we head for the Vendee again...we may just  need a rest !  
  25. "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Everybody " and to those who replied to my posts a " Big Thank You  " your contributions giving so much good advice and guidance in the past year ...has made the adventure into  French house owning a very pleasureble one for us.... Good luck in all you do in 2007.
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