Deauville

On the subject of creepy crawlies I've got what looks like a VERY big wasp living in the top of a 2m tall rotten tree. I'm not sure whether or not it is a hornet but it is about 25mm long with, as far as I can see, a reddish tinge to its apparently furry body. It flies off (no sound) and a few minutes later returns to the tree, almost as would a bird feeding its young. Before I photograph it and struggle with photobucket (which I haven't quite mastered yet) has anyone any suggestions where I start looking to identify it?

WILL YOU STOP GOING ON ABOUT CRUMPETS!! My mom has just come over from cornwall and was bringing some clotted cream and scones but she was refused permission to take the cream on the plane in hand luggage so we've got scones but NO CREAM - what's the use of scones without clotted cream and which clot decided that cream could be used to disable a plane?

If I could work out how to do it I could post a photo!

Thanks Chris, I thought you'd come up with the definitive answer - and of course natural selection is the best way after all but will we cause any problems if we do put food down as suggested by others (and indeed by other sites)? Sorry Nicos, I mis-interpreted your reference to the ticks and automatically linked dog food/ticks/dog together. These little blighters seem clear of anything - the only problem now is that we can't get any work done cause they're such cute creatures we're spending all our time watching them!

Thanks for all the advice - we now have FOUR, they're still out foraging (although the weak one seems to have holed up somewhere) The ticks are not really a concern as sadly the dog food is left over from when we lost our dear friend. We'll try and get some catfood though - Should they really be out and about at this time of day though?

As I was tryping a shriek came from the garden and when I went out Jan poinetd out a THIRD one stumbling and wobbling from the nest so I think that more or less confirms that it's probably an early awakening of a litter but with one sick one. What do you do with a sick baby hedgehog in West Dordogne?

The other one has turned up now and he's as lively as can be, grubbing for food and looking healthy. The sick one is taking water from a pippette and we've crushed and soaked some dry dog food but, thus far, the sick one isn't touching it (although Herry seems to think it's wonderful!) It could be the early awakening thing but I must admit it looks a bit crook

Thanks, I would have thought the hibernation period would have finished by now, this one is pretty small and I shouldn't think it is anywhere near 600gms, I'm begining to wonder if it has been abandoned and is struggling to feed - there were two a few days ago and they seemed quitr lively, but this one keeps dozing off.

I posted this on the 'animal welfare' section before I found this one. We appear to have a couple of baby hedgehogs nesting in our back garden but cannot decide whether or not they are safe. Their habitat is safe enough but should they be wandering about in the daytime? A couple of days ago we spotted them scuttling around and after a few minutes they disappeared into a pile of leaves, so we left them alone. Today there is one of them out but it is staggering a little, I don't know if this is because it is weak or just freshly awakened (it has just stopped raining after about three days of constant rain) - any help or guidance would be appreciated, now thay we've found them we don't want to lose them

We appear to have a couple of baby hedgehogs nesting in our back garden but cannot decide whether or not they are safe. Their habitat is safe enough but should they be wandering about in the daytime? A couple of days ago we spotted them scuttling around and after a few minutes they disappeared into a pile of leaves, so we left them alone. Today there is one of them out but it is staggering a little, I don't know if this is because it is weak or just freshly awakened (it has just stopped raining after about three days of constant rain) - any help or guidance would be appreciated, now thay we've found them we don't want to lose them

Merci á tous

It takes time to build up trust in someone who has the ability to inflict so much pain and discomfort. So with much trepidation I went with a broken tooth to a dentist in Montpon - he was ready to start the root canal filling there and then!!!!! I'm afraid I need plenty of notice and tranquilizers before I even have a check up and then general anaesthetic even for a filling (I joke not!) so I went back a few days later after taking one of his foo-foo pills and he got started. It was probably the least traumatic dental experience I've ever had - the anaesthetic was gently introduced, the drilling was done gently and with finess and he talked to me all the way through. Most chuffed. The trouble is now that I've found someone I'm comfortable with he's now cleared off to live in Bayonne and my wife has to have an extraction done by his replacement so we're back into uncharted waters!

My tax situation is simple and I have downloaded the relevant forms (2047 and 2042) as advised by my local hotel d'impots but I am now wondering if a declaration is required from someone else (my wife) who has no income and therefore no tax to pay. Am I right in assuming that every adult resident in France is required to make a declaration whether in receipt of income or not?

This time last year we planted a pot grown olive, about 75cm tall in a good sized pot, nice and healthy looking; we treated it well and watered it each day throughout the dry spell (without over-doing it).  All was fine until this last few weeks when a good percentage of the leaves have started to slowly turn brown and drop off. The winter was pretty cold and the tree (bush?) was unprotected. The location - west Dordogne, soil - cote de bergerac (sort of clay/chalk mix that is rock hard when it's dry and 'claggy' when wet), siuation - open, full sun, hilltop, exposed to ALL the elements. Has anyone any ideas on what could be wrong and how we can remedy it?

As long as Herr Brunstrom stays in the UK and we stay here in France and behave ourselves we shouldn't get TOO steamed up about him should we?

Benjamin - how do you get 300€ for 2 when the Embassy site shows the fee as 185€ each, or have I missed something?

S.D. - exact! - it was always thus

Godd idea about scanning the existing dials - but you've obviously never had dealings with a Deauville! I had to change the plugs once and it took the best part of a day to take the fairing off to get to the little blighters! Taking the speedo head off doesn't bear thinking about, but thanks again. BTW tomorrow's the day it gets (hopefully) it's carte gris, so any day now I shall be looking for ride-outs. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Thanks again Chas, useful links those, mostly saying that the Filwat isn't up to the job (confirmed by Poolguy in a roundabout way) and a lot criticising the ease of build - any problems in that area for you? I still like the look of the basic product but I don't fance all that concrete, the blurb states that a sand base is OK, any thoughts?

Bob - I can't find 'faces' on e.bay (except a certain R.Stewart) give us a clue how you found kph clock faces?

We're looking at a similar set-up but without the steps as we're going semi-installed to about 50cm. How do you rate the ancillaries, pump, filter etc as I'm a little sceptical of the 'all you require' kits?

Thanks Chas, the prices don't seem to have changed much - 22 degrees, is that with or without a heater and did you go for the insulation kit?

Has anyone out there had any dealings, good bad or indifferent, with a company called 'Waterair'? Their range of kit pools looks just the job for Joe Bricoleur but, as with most things, is it a case of 'if it seems too good to be true then it probably is' ? I would appreciate any views (or indeed recommendations for other kit pool suppliers in or near 24)

I've just found the answer to my own post - yes it is. If you haven't heard of it it is a wonderful spring country fair at a forest site called La Latiere between St Aulaye and Echourgnac (24) and is held on the last day of April/first of May. The first day is the best as it involves a livestock show/market and there are more stalls there - plants, shrubs, trees, veg, wine, fruit, just about everything you'd expect at a country 'fayre' a great day out and highly recommended (we think so anyway!)

Why not go completely off-piste and read 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Phillip Pullman - it's supposed to be for children but I tell you what it's gripping!