Pre Monier

Chris is right it should be a bit of a laugh but also informative, interesting and lively.   What more could anyone want?   If you are interested why not come along to hear Chris speak and if you like the look of the gardening club - you can join, the cost is10euros per person per year.   There is no charge for a visit but you may like to buy a few raffle tickets or a cup of tea or coffee just to help the funds out.   The setting is lovely overlooking the plan d'eau and the welcome will be warm, so see you in Verruyes. Glynis 

Hello Folks Last year I bought an Ajania Pacifica because bees and hover flies love the flowers.   I was delighted when all the cuttings took and produced healthy bushy plants but all of them are blind.   I have had no flowers at all.   Any ideas? Glynis

Is there collective noun for bussards.   I thought a 'mewing' or a 'soaring' of buzzards would be apt. Glynis

Hello Folks Can 'ordinary'/common willow be used for hedging and living willow sculpture? Glynis

Hi Chris, Thought you may like to know that the colony is growing at an amazing rate.   Lots of egg cocoons around far too many to protect.   Saw the most incredible thing, one of the largest of the spiders seemed to be comatose in her web, it was only when we looked closely that we discovered that she was in the grip of a praying mantis and not a large one at that.   Later the eggs were missing - would that be the mantis also. Glynis

Hello Chris Thanks for that.   They should have a good chance of surviving as the nest is in the centre of the ginko biloba which is still small enough for us to fleece in winter. Glynis

Hello Maud I think the spider you have seen Argiope bruennichi - the tiger or wasp spider.   They normally live around the Med. or north Africa but recently they have been seen in the UK and Northern Europe.   The web has white zig-zags radiating from the centre.  They prefer meadows but we have one in the Ginko, one in fig tree, one amongst the bear's breeches as well as the usual in the fields.   The ginko spider seems to have disappeared but has left what we assume to be a nest.   It is beautifully constructed - the same colouring as the spider ie wasp striped and emulates the spiders abdomen.   The whole thing is suspended by a cobwebs and we have been watching all our other spiders to see if they will do the same thing.   I have searched the web but can find no reference to this.   Hope someone else can explain. Glynis  

Or green tomato and apple chutney.

We had a similar problem a few years ago so we wrote a letter to the local refuse office explaining the situation, our bill was reduced and our bin returned.    It is always worth a try. Glynis

Hello I don`t know if this helps but we have a 'natural' pond, close to the house, that will have to be drained and stone edged.   The ragodins have got in.   There are threads on the subject, so I won`t go on about them now but you should be aware that even a bank of about a foot is enough for them to start a burrow but if you edge the pond at this stage you could save yourself a lot of work later on. Glynis

I have recently had terrible problems with livebox not working - lasted about a week.  I managed to get it going again - thanks to the living France threads - although I do not know exactly what I did to acheive this.  It did not spring up and suddenly start - it was several hours later I found I had web access.  Now, everytime I switch on I get an error message [ I cannot automatically get rid of ], telling me that I am not connected when I am.   There are several other anomalies but one of the most annoying is that Outlook Express asks for my password each time I access it but will not remember it - the option is unaccessable.   I would re-install the whole thing were it not for the fact that the packing box, with an access code on it, has been thrown away so I dare not risk it.   I hate my Livebox. Glynis

Thanks Will and Tourangelle - I have got it now. Glynis

Hello Folks I must admit I am still confused.   When we arrived permanently in August 05, having had the house for 12 years.   We notified the Maire that our move was définitif, we sorted out driving licences etc but were told we did not need to worry about tax until the following year when we would be automatically sent a form.    To make doubly sure we toddled off to the Hotel des Impôts who told us the same thing.   If, as I understand it from this topic, we do need to complete a tax form now- where can we get one and how?   Personally, I don`t want to wait, it complicates things in the UK, I would rather sort it out now. Glynis  

Hello Folks We have recently acquired two gorgeous five year old Border Terrier bitches as their owner has had to return to the UK.   They have lovely temperaments but need a bit of TLC.   One of the problems is their coats - one has been partially stripped and looks like a deranged teddy bear, the other's coat is not as thick but she has tufts of fur sprouting out all over the place.   Despite daily grooming their coats are still too thick. We know they should be hand stripped but  have not got the expertise to do so, nor do they do not appear to be used to it.  We want our little pals to be happy and comfortable and wondered if spring clipping could be the answer for now, then we could gradually introduce some rolling as the coat grows.   They are not show dogs - live in a country with hot summers;  Borders do not like excessive heat - and will never be subjected to intense cold; if they get wet they will be dried.   Are there any other Border or similar breed owners out there who can give us some advice or maybe even recommend a professional groomer?  We live in 79 in the Parthenay/Niort area. Pre Monier

Hello Mpprh I may be interested if I know what one was. Glynis