Just Chris
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Posts
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Posts posted by Just Chris
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We've been here just over two years, and on balance driving in France is far more relaxing than in the UK. Yes there are some dimwits about, usually elderly and completely unaware of what's occurring around them, or others in a hurry and taking stupid risks, but what is most noticeable is the apparent lack of aggression. I've never felt intimidated, or angry about the driving of others here, in complete contrast to the UK where you have to keep your wits about you to avoid the offensive driving habits of the majority.
On one trip back to one of the French channel ports last year, I witnessed several instances of dangerous driving, and all involved UK registered vehicles. They still had to wait to board the ferry that we were all travelling on. Says it all, really.
Chris
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Thanks, Teapot - and you! The liner renewal is booked in for the last week in April, so we have our fingers crossed...
Chris
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So, is filling our pool forbidden, or is it still just an unsubstantiated rumour? Can't seem to find anything concrete about this anywhere at the moment.
Chris
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Phase 6: Phoning to check whether the flight is a). still operating, b). delayed, and c). diverted.
£5 per call, multiple queries charged pro-rata.
Chris
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A few gallons less, now, teapot!!
Chris
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"...The main reason they are increasing is global warming..." Dog, they don't call it that any more - they call it 'climate change', mainly because the earth is probably through with it's recent warming cycle, and is likely to be cooling for the forseeable future, but also partly because people are slowly waking up to the fact that AGW is probably a political con, and based on flawed, convenient 'science'.
Chris
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Thanks, Odile - closer examination leads me to suspect that they are what we thought they were - rose chafers.
Chris
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Thanks, Judy, we'll have a look for that product in our local garden centre.
Chris
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Thanks Clair. Following your link through, and checking the various photos available, it would appear that they are most likely to be Rose Chafers. That being the case, the narrative suggests that this particular chafer doesn't do any damage, which is not consistent with the damaged plants that Julie has found with clusters of these monsters around their roots!
Chris
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...this grub. My wife is sorting out the pots for this year's planting, and is finding hundreds of the little blighters. We just wondered what they were, and if there was a known way of stopping their "parents" laying their eggs in the first place!
[IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/Khazi22/Various/Grub.jpg[/IMG]
Chris
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Cat coughing
in Pets
One of our cats seems to be coughing in a similar way, as you say it's occasional, but can be quite violent at times, otherwise she seems OK, and still quite active (but also seems to have gone profoundly deaf recently). She is 17 years old, has had a good life and is still otherwise kittenish and friendly. We think the coughing seems to stem from a problem in her throat, (particularly when she starts purring) rather than in her lungs. There is no obvious evidence of worms.
We've toyed with the idea of taking her to the vet, but at her age, is it worth the stress? She's a bit highly strung when there are strangers about, so we think that a visit to the vet may do more harm than good, especially as she seems in pretty good nick for her age, otherwise.
Chris
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Yes, I'll vouch for the K'Archer attachment - it works a treat, I don't know how we managed before we bought it.
Chris
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I particularly like this quote from the Google version:
"Especially the young retirees when they become grandparents. The family they lack. And in the long run, going back to England to become tedious. "
For our part, I think we'll be staying in France and remaining tedious here...
Chris
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Ignoring the unlikely possibility of a nuclear incident, it could so easily have been a disaster on a scale twice that of the Kursk in 2000.
Very easy to be flippant, but there for the grace of God go we.
Chris
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Are we sure that these are additional flights to those from Stansted, or are they replacing (partially or in full) the Stansted operation, in view of the ongoing dispute between Ryanair and the BAA?
Chris
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We got all the gear to do ours last year, but chickened out and got a local ramoneur to do it pretty cheaply instead. The problem with doing it yourself is that you won't have the necessary certificate for insurance purposes, should you be unlucky enough to experience a chimney fire.
Chris
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Strange, isn't it, that when one posts here for some advice, and explains a situation, really only looking for sensible direction, that only those who have a commercial interest slam into one as if one is a petty criminal, and assure one that their product is by far the best, whatever it is, and the alternatives are verboten.
I really don't need conveniently "green" directions - just an idea of how best to get around an impending situation. That I have to empty my pool is a given. The alternatives to dumping the water are virtually non-existent in my situation. I have thought carefully about a possible environmental impact, and honestly considered there to be none. To be even more honest, I was more concerned about a river of water swooshing off down the road, but s0d it, I'll do it anyway - everyone else does with no obvious effect.
So you can wag your fingers at me, and take as many sharp intakes of breath as you like, you vendors of non-salt pools. I will seek future advice from sources without a commercial interest. I expect you all believe in the man-made global warming myth, too.
Chris
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I concur with the Jotul comments, although not the cheapest around - we bought our F600 new and are very pleased with it.
Chris
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This is all very well, but doesn't really answer my question. At a guess, I would suggest that the saltwater to non-saltwater pool ratio in the country is probably about 50/50. Everyone I know around here has a saltwater pool (and not all from the same installer, either), and wouldn't change. There are times in the life of most lined pools that it will be necessary to discharge ALL the water for one reason or another, and this must have been obvious at the time of installation. I can appreciated that certain posters who may be installers themselves may have an axe to grind in one direction or the other for various products, but that notwithstanding, who is going to have space on their respective properties to store a poolfull of water anywhere other than in the pool? the water HAS to be discharged somewhere.
Poolguy, thanks for pointing out that I am "breaking the law" - that's a very high stance to adopt, I'm merely looking for advice as to how best to cope with the situation I will find myself in in April. I live on the top of a hill in a sparsely populated area. I have no alternative than to let water run downhill - somewhere. The road to which I referred is a narrow track, and serves my property solely, and there are no drains. I just don't want to upset anyone and to execute this operation with the least fuss. The water would merely disperse eventually down various banks into surrounding scrubby vegetation, after which I don't envisage a visit from the gendarmerie, en-masse.
Realistically, I can see that having little or no long term effect on the environment at all, and certainly none worth getting excited about. I was merely seeking a simpler alternative, of which there really appears to be none.
I see little point in changing from a saltwater pool just for the sake of it, when it has been trouble free since we've been here, very pleasant to use, with no added chemicals necessary - ever, and certainly no green algae (or anything else) forming. The only problem we had last year was with a faulty Sterilor unit. We looked at the possibility of changing then to a fresh water set up, but decided against it and replaced the Sterilor unit instead. And faults can occur in any equipment at any time. And now we need to replace the liner after 15 years. A not uncommon situation, I suspect.
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I'd be interested in the answer to that, as well. Come April we'll be having a new liner fitted, and thus need to dump about 80 cubic metres of salt water. The only place it can go is down a steep hill, in the road. When we backwash, that's where it goes, largely unnoticed. But a poolfull...
Chris
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Just an update on our "Can-we-join-the-CMU-as-our-E106-has-expired-and-we-fulfill-all-of-today's-criteria-so-far-as-we-are-aware-and-have-armfuls-of-money-to-give-you-pretty please" saga (Tulle CPAM).
After endless to-ing and fro-ing, and correspondence, sending off this form, that form, etc., they've finally let me in!
However, they've sent my wife a letter telling her that she's no longer covered as her E106 has expired, and to write to Newcastle to get a letter from them to say she's refused further cover, then forward the letter along with another completed form to confirm her employment status in France (when they already know she's retired) to Tulle CPAM Office.
For crying out loud, we've already done that - for both of us, back in December - and sent everything to Tulle by recorded delivery, and had a signed acknowledgement for the package. So what can they conceivably have done with my wife's application?
I've said it before, but I'm convinced there's a conspiracy to p*ss off the Brits at all costs, and a competition amongst CPAM staff with a prize for the member that can do it most effectively.
When (if) we eventually do get it sorted, We're both gonna make a point of visiting the doctor every day to get our own back !!
Chris
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Yes, the same document as I recall. The handbook is in the car, which is in the barn, which is down the road...
I'll have a look when I'm next 'down the road'. We only tend to use the Rover for long runs.
Chris
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We imported our Rover 75 Tourer a couple of years ago, and had to apply to the receivers for one. It cost us £150.
We got the certificate from: MGR C & C Services Ltd, PO Box 13279, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, B60 9BS
A year or so later, we found that one of the pages at the rear of the Rover handbook was a Certificate of Conformity, so we may have needlessly shelled out for one.
Chris
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We both have (and regularly use) UK pay-as-you-go mobiles on the Orange system, and we've lived in France for two years. No problems at all.
Mind you, we also have a France Telecom fixed line...
Chris
Abri - open or closed
in Swimming Pools in France
Posted
The water warms considerably faster with the abri closed in our experience.
With it open, breezes across the surface continually cool the water which evaporates into space. With the abri closed, any evaporation condenses onto the plexiglass when the outside temperature cools overnight. Also, of course, the water retains the heat overnight with the abri closed. We also experienced the water getting too warm last year (32 degrees), so to regulate temperature we open and close the abri at intervals. On really hot days it gets too warm under the abri anyway, so pushing it back and swimming in the open air is much more pleasant.
Chris