Limousin Lass

Cathy, nothing better on a hot summers day than cream soda with a blob of ice cream in.  The Corona man and the Walls ice cream man on his bicycle used to follow each other around where I lived as a child in Salisbury. Sorry off topic but couldn't resist the memories.    

How sad mooky, why couldn't they wait until autumn, like you I can't understand why people have to do such things. We have stopped work on a small wall because 3 pairs of blue t its are raising young in our pile of blocks, it is lovely just to sit and watch the adults scurrying backwards and forwards trying to keep their ever hungry brood fed.

Hello from Boobie Lickinshorts

We bought our LHD Chrysler Voyager from LHD Essex 2 years ago and have nothing but praise, a nice chap to deal with.  Judging from our experience would recommend him to anyone.

Oh Cathy that did make me laugh it's the sort of thing I do all the time.

At what age is it advisable to worm chicks for the first time? It was day 21 in the incubator yesterday and by 5 o'clock this morning there were 3 little bundles of fluff cheeping away and 5 more egss pipping.  It is the first time I have tried incubation so would like to do things right and get them off to a good start.

Surely Frenchie you are not still in the pub drinking coffee,  how many cups have you had by now?

Oh, Christine I thought they were going to be some nice videos to show the opposite way of keeping animals.  Why is it the people working in these places have to be so insensitive to animals feelings.  I could, just about, understand the need for factory farming of some animals BUT I cannot and will never understand the need for such cruelty.

One of the books I have is 'The Mediterranean Gardener' by Hugo Latymer and in association with The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, it is the one I used the most when planning the garden in Spain.

I couldn't watch them all the way through because of the tears. Don't eat a lot of meat and am not sure after watching the bits I did see that I will eat much more, am so glad I have fish this evening.

Thanks for your replies Mossie and Catalpa,  On reflection I think you are both right and if I get another dog I may be taking on  or creating more problems.  I had though about sending one of them away to a dog trainer which would give me the chance to work with the other one and would obviously get them used to being apart but someone told me they could end up being aggressive to each other, although I did wonder about this as they are both neutered, I am obviously going to have to think about this a lot more. Thanks again for your replies and for giving me some food for thought.

Hi Pauline, France has many different climate regions it might help if you could say the area.  I used to live in Spain and have books on Mediterranean gardening but now living in the Limousin my English gardening books are more useful.  

Loads of them in our garden too, just starting to flower and look lovely with the violets, cowslips and white and pink wood anemones.

Thank you for your help Christine, unfortunately I don't think either Lola or Baya are the dogs for me.  I agree, after thinking about it, that it will be better to get an older female about the same size as them and if I can talk OH round to my way of thinking will probably have a look at our local SPA in Limoges. Catalpa, they are Labrador x Breton Spaniel 16 months old.  I have probably been too soft with them as I hated to see how stressed they got being apart from each other and usually gave in, this, as you found, has made outside training, i.e lead walking (they take me for a walk) very difficult. I am not sure if getting another dog, whilst I would like one, will be the total answer, hence the reason for my posting.  

Perhaps reading this link will give some people a taste of what to expect - sickening. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2004_baby_fight_club.shtml I know it is the NOTW, known for its sensationalising but judging from the trailer I saw it seems a fairly true reflection.  

I understand from Christine that the lovely Lola still hasn't found her forever home so I thought I would give her a bump. Anyone out there to give this sweety a loving home?

Thanks for the ideas, looks like it might be a pasta bake of some sort. Sorry Pierre,  Bouillabaisse is a definite no, no, apart from not having most of the ingredients I had it many, many years ago and was violently ill for about 2 days after and pretty poorly for about a week,   I have been told by many people it is good and tasty and I should try it again but I can't even sit at the same table as someone eating it. LL

I am not able to go shopping today as planned so have just had a sort through freezer and found various odd bits of fish and shell fish, i.e salmon, prawns, scallops, lemon sole, etc.  not enough for a meal on their own but would be ample combined.  I have pasta, herbs and spices and other things to make sauces but no potatoes, so can't make a fish pie. Any ideas for a tasty meal for 2.  

Yes, I also saw the trailer for this programme,  the parents reminded of the baying louts seen on programmes about dog fighting. Where are Social Services when they are needed????

I have 2 lab x brothers who get really stressed out if they are apart from each other for even the shortest of time.  I don't want to break the bond they have but I worry about if they did have to be separated for some reason.  I have been considering getting another dog (the picture of Willow set me off thinking about this), has anyone any thoughts on this or any ideas to help them being comfortable with being apart. Thanks  LL PS.  Christine, has Willow found a home yet?

ali-cat, we are like you but opposite way round, hubby loves it here but I have a love/hate relationship (probably hate is too strong a word).  I find it very difficult to define, even to myself, why I am so unsettled, different days it is for different reasons.  I think, for me, we bought the wrong house in the wrong situation,  we have a modern house with no character surrounded by wooded hills and I feel slightly claustrophobic not having any open views, except our small lakes, and water becomes boring after a while - but not to hubby. Would I go back to the UK - no, I just have to keep looking at other properties and try to find one that has everything hubby and I require.

Thanks for the pm aj, I have replied.

With regard to chickens in France I found this site quite interesting. http://www.chez.com/volaillepoultry/franc2.html A friend who keeps chickens has Marans for eggs and the bare necks for meat, not sure if these are the best breeds but I expect someone more knowledgeable will be along with more information.

Having had UFH in the bathroom and kitchen in our last house in UK I wanted to have it throughout all of the house here in France.  It is not possible to have wet UFH because of door heights etc and thickness of screed, insulation and tiles, would it be possible to instal electric UFH and would it be economical?

Thank you for you replies.  I have put a couple of small damp sponges in the incubator as well as the water dish and that has brought the humidity up to about 35%.  I have to go out today so will have a look in the local Agri Merchant for a new hygrometer.  I do have the Ducatillon catalogue but hoped someone might know where I would get one locally, if I can't get one today I will probably order from them.