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Innocents Abroad

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  1. Many thanks for all your replies   Wozza wrote: Seems like you mat have Loirs/ Lerots too (see earlier post 'What were they')   Wozza, I did look at the Loirs/ Lerots thread but they're not like those at all.  They are very much mouse looking in size and shape but they have a prettier look about them.  Next one we catch I’ll take a pic.   We do have a cat – and two dogs who are up for a bit of mouse chasing – and whilst she is sixteen years old, she does catch a few but then brings them to us as pressies, drops them on the floor and they scarper off!  Anyway, the point is, they don’t seem to be too worried about her.   Chriss pp wrote: “I'm trying to picture a mouse with a walnut in it's mouth, how big are they?”   Yes Chris, we couldn’t believe our eyes either!  I tried for ages to get a picture of it but it suddenly went camera shy.  The mice are smallish mouse sized and the walnut in question was quite a large one.  It actually scaled a vertical wall with it in its mouth, albeit not for a long distance, but it was truly amazing! When I wrote that I was depositing them 20 feet away I actually meant 20 yards (it’s a girl thing) but I do take your point that it needs to be probably a lot further away.  The problem is that we only catch them in the evening – and it’s dark outside! [:'(]   Lynda M    
  2. Can't bear the thought of poison or those dreadful killing traps so we only ever use the humane traps.  A few days ago we observed a very cute little mouse, slightly different in look to the usual 'mousy' ones in that it had a more auburn look to it, a white under carriage and enormouse (sorry) dark eyes.  Anyway, I digress.  It was busily trying to get a large walnut - stolen from our nut bowl and carried in its mouth - through the gap in our understairs cupboard door.  After a day's entertainment we thought we'd better catch it so put an aforementioned humane trap at aforementioned cupboard door gap.  Last night we caught four and so far this evening we've had three - all of the same 'auburn' species. Finally I get to the point!  I have been depositing them about twenty foot away from the house, in our walnut orchard - which one would think would give them enough to go at and therefore divert their urge to come back!  My question is am I not going far enough away?  On the fourth capture last night I felt that little mousey had that 'good game, good game' look in it's eye!  Am I being paranoid?  Do mice have homing insticts and know where there nest is if it's within a particular range, or is seven mice captured in two evenings normal?  He who must be obeyed (yeh, right) suggested I put a blob of nailpolish on the end of their tails so I can keep tally and see if they really are coming back.  The thought of being followed back to the house from the orchard by 'stealth mouse' does have a sort of James Herbert feel about it! Lynda M  
  3. Good news Coco - delighted to have been of help.  May all your saucepans now be clean bottomed [:D] (or to quote an old Yorkshire saying, no longer "grimy arsed" -  if I'm allowed to say that [6] ) Lynda
  4. Probably the best mussles we've ever had were bought from our local Monday market - in July - and there were plenty of French people buying them.  (I should say we've also had some great ones since then too!).  We have a lady who sells oysters and mussles outside our local supermarket, only on Saturday and Sunday mornings but all through the year.  She's always sold out by lunchtime and again it's generally the locals who are queuing up, even during the Summer.    
  5. Good website Clair, I've just sent for their catalogue.  With this and other websites that have been mentioned on this forum it seems my Lakeland withdrawal symptoms may soon be a thing of the past!  Thank you! [kiss] Lynda M  
  6.   Hi St Amour.  Here's what mine looks like.  I think it actually said on the packaging 'Diffuser'.  If you struggle to find one I would be more than happy to get one for you and post it on.  Let me know. Lynda [IMG]http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/pal-matchett/hobdiffuser.jpg[/IMG]
  7. When we moved to France last year we dicovered Knorr Volaille soup in the big cartons.  Absolutely delish and so much nicer than any ready made cream of chicken soup we had ever tasted.  Suddenly it's not on the supermarket shelves anymore - well, Leclerc and Intermarche anyway.  Interestingly, none of the other brands on the shelves now have chicken soup either.  Have we missed something?  Did the bird flu situation have such an impact on the French soup industry - or has it suddenly gone veggie? (Sorry if this should be in the shopping section)  
  8. Oo, is someone having one?  Can I come ... pleeeese!  After Lakeland's Lock & Lock, you just can't beat a bit of Tupperware.  Oh the fun of all that 'burping'! [:$] Lynda  
  9. Hi Jeanneclaire Really sorry to hear about your cold - we've both had one recently too (typically, brought it back from UK after a recent visit for a wedding).  Hope you're feeling a bit better today and maybe can get out in to the garden.  Many thanks for your posts - mm, tis a bit confusing isn't it [blink].  Our compost does tend to be on the wet side I guess as the general act of the food rotting down creates 'moisture' [+o(], and I would have thought a moist climate was a more attractive option to the dear little flies. Anyway, true to my word, we are now putting the kitchen waste onto the grass compost pile and then forking a bit of grass over the top.  Early days but it seems to be working quite well - and is SOOO much better than having to lift that lid! Additionally, our attention is now diverted to trying to catch and re-home a small family of mice, who have decided that they like living with us.  (Don't think it's anything to do with the compost heap!!) What was it that came after plague and pestilence ... [:-))] Lynda
  10. Thanks for your responses Sue & Andy.  Andy, I guess we bought the bin because we didn't want to attract mice to the compost heap if we put ktichen vegetable waste on it.  Though thinking about it, if the mice are nibbling the cauliflower stalks on the compost heap then they're not trying to get into the house, are they [;-)]  Might give it a try - it certainly appeals more than lifting that lid again! For Sale: slightly used compost bin [:D] Lynda  
  11. We have a compost bin in the garden used purely for kitchen waste (uncooked vegetable waste only) and it gets filled from a convenient little compost bin that I keep in the kitchen.  The outside bin is quite large and is only about an eighth full even though it's been on the go for about ten months.  There have always been a few flies when you lift the lid but it's now getting beyond endurance.  In fact I've just been out there and when the lid was lifted I was engulfed in a cloud of those little fruit flies - to such an extent that I had a screaming fit, threw the little bin down on the floor and ran away [:-))] I want to carry on using the bin for kitchen waste (we have a separate compost heap for garden waste) but the thought of being covered in flies when the lid opens brings me out in a cold sweat.  Even 'he who has no fear' is a little reluctant to empty the kitchen bin these days! Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?  If I just left the lid off would this help or would it encourage mice?  Lynda M  
  12. I use Elle & Vire Creme Entier de Normandie and it works for me just like 'English' cream.  Yes, it is 'long life' but that's a bonus as far as I'm concerned as I always have some in the pantry and keep a box in the fridge.  I use it in all my cooking where cream is needed, including hot dishes and it doesn't curdle - and I really like the taste!  Admittedly I haven't tried to whip it but it does make a brilliant Irish coffee if you shake it really well before pouring - either pour some out of the box and shake in the box or just pour some into a glass, top with cling film and give it a good old shake.  (You have to have sugar in the coffee to make the cream float - but that applies to Englsih cream too).  You can find it in the chilled and unchilled sections of most of the supermarkets. Lynda M
  13. St Amour - you might be interested in my latest purchase!  A few weeks ago I bought a diffuser from Leclerc (cost about 7 euros) and it has changed my life (culinery-wise anyway).  Been meaning to get one for ages - just wish I'd done it sooner.  It's absolutely brilliant for ANYTHING that need a slow to very slow simmer - never again a burnt bottom! [:-))] Lynda M
  14. Sorry that this is a bit off the original thread but as we're talking about chocolate fondue ... I've had a little chocolate fondue set for years (donated from the back of my MIL's cupboard) and by far the best recipe for it is to melt chunks of Mars Bar in a bowl over a pan of water and add a little bit of cream to make it the correct consistency.  Occasionally, well, most of the time actually, I also add a dash of whatever alcoholic beverage takes my fancy, (usually Cointrau, Baileys, brandy or similar - or all [:-))]).  When it's all melted and gorgeous just tip it in to the little bowl and put it over the tealight thingy (you could actually construct your own little setup - but only under the guidance of an adult!) We have it with cut up fruit, bananas are particulalry good, and marshmallows. Mmmm.... Lynda M
  15. So, just to recap ..... [:-))]  ... just kidding! Well, what a can of worms I opened up there!  Thanks a mill to all who responded, glad to know I'm not the only one who needed clarification.  It's all now absolutely crystal ... ish [:D] Cassis is right, perhaps we should draw a line under it all now  ...  unless you know something we don't ! [:-))] Lynda M x
  16. Cooperlola - sorry, which bit is the wrong way round?  I've looked again at the previous responses and Leclerc is the one that has to be claimed before end of December ...  isn't it ???? [8-)] Lynda M
  17. Thanks everyone!  Think I've got all that but shall we have a recap ... I need to shop at Intermarche on Thursdays and Leclerc on Tuesdays [;-)] I simply request that I want to use my 'accumulated amount' at the checkout - before end of December for Leclerk but any time for Intermarche I need different cards for different stores at Leclerc Quick note: when we came to France we lived near Jonzac (17) and I got a card from the local Lerclerc.  We then moved and my nearest Lerclerc became Riberac (24).  I took my Jonzac card as I was unsure what to do and they simply transferred my details, i.e. I still use the card that says Jonzac on it BUT I have no idea if any value from Jonzac was transferred - though thinking about it I probably did this in January so any Jonzac total would have been lost last December.  Why didn't they just start me afresh then with a new Riberac card? - No don't worry about it, life's too short! My receipts from Intermarche don't say my cumulative amount, just how much I've earned that visit.  Something to look forward to there perhaps. My latest Lerclerc receipt says I've got a total of 319 points.  It also says that my 'Cumul Disponible' is 13.28 euros.  Does that sound right?  I seem to have spent fortunes in Leclerc over the last year so 13 euros don't sound like an awful lot [:(] Ah well, at least I know how to get at it now   (...  wonder where my nearest Super U is ) Lynda M xx
  18. I'm sure this must have been asked before but can't find it anywhere when I've searched.  Can someone please explain to me how the Intermarche and Leclerc Cartes de Fidelite work; ie how do you 'get back' what you have accumulated?  Do I have to actually do something or do I wait to be asked at the checkout?  If I have to do something then is there a particular time when I should be doing it?  I've looked on their websites but can't seem to see anything - though that might just be down to my limited French [:$] Many thanks Lynda M
  19. Mmm, v curious!  I'm very much a Pineau girl myself (we even found it in Tesco's before we came to France last year).  If I can muster up enough French on Saturday - usually OK after a glass or two - then I will ask why we are drinking the tipple of the Vendee.  Mind you, the whole event is to celebrate the grape harvest and there are no vinyards near our little hamlet for many a kilometre either! "A drinking accident involving the two" sounds a little alarming Jon D!  We assume that it's something to do with spilling it  on your best carpet, rather than anything to do with driving a car [:'(] Regards P&L
  20. Aha so that's what it is - we shall enjoy it all the more now for knowing and will try to identify the flavour of the eau de vie - and hope that we're posh enough to have fruit in it! Many thanks for your replies and "a votre!" P & L
  21. Off to our local Bal des Vendanges on Saturday and the first course on the menu is Trouspinette.  Will no doubt find out what it is on Saturday but anyone any ideas? P&L
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