New Start

I've been several years, and I think it is absolutely great - the whole town is packed with different groups, a great atmosphere.  If you can get into the late night jam sessions on the quayside even better Enjoy

HI Clair I had read those replies, which I why I am wondering why it seems to work for others and I am still finding it takes so long - do people really spend upto an hour a day cleaning the window of their stove? Maybe I am using my stove wrongly, or there is a way of using it to cut down on the tar deposits Thanks everso for any further advice

Hi - I hope you can help me.  I have for the first time tried cleaning the window of my stove (a new Godin Carvin) with water and ashes.  Previously I was using a couple of different sprays.  Yes, it does work, but even after having started with a totally clean window yesterday morning, the stains were really heavy.  It took me about an hour, and I still left a few small marks. I am burning a mixture of oak and hornbeam, which is apparently two years old.  The tar seems to build up mainly overnight, when I leave it almost closed, and quite full of wood.  Should the window be completely cold before cleaning, or is luke-warm better? I am lucky at the moment as I work from home, but can't imagine having to scrub for a good hour every day before going out to work - surely I am doing something wrong. Any help appreciated, as I love the stove, and it is my only form of heating, but the cleaning is driving me mad. Thanks in advance

I have today tried the ashes and water method - although it does work, the window was really filthy and it took the best part of an hour, and I still have a small patch which I left in the end.  My stove is a Godin (carvin 366101), so I have a couple of questions - normally I clean the window every morning, but it seems to get very heavily marked once it is closed down over night, I am burning a mixture of oak and hornbeam, am I doing something wrong? Does the window need to be really cold to use this method? Do people really spend an hour or so every day cleaning the window - at the moment I work from home, but if I had a normal job, it would be even more inpractical. Any advice gratefully received - I love my woodburner, and it is my only source of heating, but cleaning the window is driving me mad!

Hi everyone, I am wondering if someone can help me.  I am (hopefully) in the process of buying a house, and have applied for a mortgage with my bank for about 25-30% of the value. They appear to be happy with this and have agreed (conditionally!). My problem is this, I had also applied via an agent, and was horrified when he told me I could borrow 'nulle'. Apparently this is because I don't have enough 'capitaux sociale'.  I am interpreting this as the fact that I am in my third year of being self-employed, so that this is this year that I will pay an enormous amount of cotisations - for this current year, and for the differential between what I paid last year and the amount I owe. If one took the my average earnings over 2006 - 2008 even after the 46% charges, I would have more than the three times net earnings necessary, but obviously if one only looked at my third years accounts ie 2008 my net earnings will be far too low. I am now wondering if the conditional agreement with my bank (they have all my copies of all accounts) is likely to get rejected because of this further down the line. I would be very grateful for any advice, as I have given in my notice for the house which I currently rent, and don't want to find out later that I have nowhere to live! Many thanks

Unfotunately my husband and I have separated, and will be divorcing through the English legal system. My husband bought our home (our primary residence) in joint names, but he provided the capital.  We will need therefore to transfer 'my half of the property' to him, or rather to remove my name from the deeds.  Has anyone been in similar position, and is it possible to do this, without him being subject to a tax bill. Obviously we will need to find a good solicitor in France, but I would be grateful for any advice.