Patricia

Just amazing. What an inspiration. Patricia

If you are using the telephone through the computer and livebox and are on the call package then yes you can dial 0845 numbers. Just call the same way as any other UK number (leaving the 0 out). They are free of charge on this package. Regards.

Turnaround time as "Just John" says. The thing that took the most time was waiting for the rain to stop before digging could commence because of the clay soil. Also you have to think about the inspector re-visiting when the whole thing has been laid, drainage bed etc, to ok the work. Our re-inspection came wthin one week. I suppose that part is dependent on how busy they are. Regards.

Our cost of just under €6000 was for last year and included the ventilation, removal of some of the clay and bringing in and spreading new top soil. It also included a visit about three months after to ensure everything was working correctly. Regards.

I am on the system you are considering with Orange. I am the last one on our line and 7.2kms away, but have no competition for the ADSL as we live in a remote area with very few neighbours and even fewer who have a computer. I have been told by other suppliers, on many occasions, that I cannot have ADSL as I am too far away. I was the first one in our village to go on-line so it worked straightaway but it can be slow on occasions. I notice it most when it is a weekend or school holidays when it is being used by neighbours' visitors. My friend regularly brings her laptop here and uses it by wireless connection to mine (which is plugged in) and we have not seen a noticeable difference. Regards - Patricia

From speaking to other people that we know, the price seems to vary from department to department. We are in the Indre and paid just under €6000 for a similar lay-out to yours. But do not rush into anything you have up to 4 years to put it right. Hope this helps. Regards.

Many thanks for that Merlin. Yes I have put Toby on Angloinfo also. Tried this route last year without any reponse at all - but here's fingers crossed. Let us hope Toby does not have to wait too long before he has a permanent and loving home. Regards - Patricia

Thank you Christine for trying to help. I cannot understand why the situation with regard to Toby was not clear. I did say that his owner had returned to the UK with the promise of returning to collect Toby when his passport was valid for travel to the UK - ie: when the six months wait was up after the bood test, etc. I also said that the owner, after a while, said he did not want Toby. In fact, he did say get him put down. This we could not do as, apart from the problem with other small animals, he is a lovely dog and deserves to have a good life in a more suitable home. We also had his brother to rehome but he was more successful. So if there is anyone out there with anymore queries with regard to Toby please contact me and I will do my best to answer. Regards - Patricia

Sorry about the delay in replying. Yes, Toby has a full passport that will allow him to travel to the UK. He is fully vaccinated and ready to go. He has been chemically castrated which will last until about July. He is also chipped and we have the paper to transfer his ownership. We did not transfer him to our name as we thought we would have been able to rehome him before now. His next rabies jab is due in January next year. He does have the positive blood test result. So as I say, he is fit, well and ready to go. Regards - Patricia

Just to let you know that Toby is still waiting for a new home. As yet we have had no response for him and time is not on our side. Our farmer neighbour will shortly be bringing his sheep and lambs down into the field next to us and we will be on tenterhooks all while they are there. Apart from the smaller animals Toby is fine. So if you do not have rabbits, guinea pigs, baby goats and lambs please consider giving him a forever home. Best regards - Patricia

My husband took part in a similar event a couple of years ago and paid 5€ for the table. There was no money made out of hiring out the tables, the increased profit came from people using the bar. Hope this helps. Patricia

Yes he is. Very cuddly and loving. He is very good with children and our other dogs and cats. However, his downfall is the smaller animals. In the last few weeks he has killed my three rabbits, our best laying chicken and tried to kill a baby goat that we are hand-rearing. On saying this he would be ok with a family without these other pets. I hope we find somewhere soon for him but as yet we have had no response. Patricia

We would like to rehome Toby, a cross Lurcher. Toby is now 2.1/2 years old, chipped and with a current passport. Toby was left with us when his owner returned to England saying he would be back when his passport was valid. Shortly afterwards he said he did not want Toby. Toby is house-trained and loves a cuddle. We have persevered with Toby for nearly two years and he is very good with our other dogs and cats. He is a large dog and not good with all our other animals (goats, chickens etc) so needs to go to a home without these types of animals. If you can help by rehoming Toby it would be most appreciated. We would prefer him not to go to the SPA as he is a lovely dog but not suitable for our home and animals. [IMG]http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae268/patricia-crabb/toby014.jpg[/IMG]

I use the Anthony Worrell Thompson method for my Yorkshire Puddings - equal quantities. Take two eggs and break them into a small bowl, then whatever the volume of the eggs use the same measure of plain flour (T45) and then milk, plus a pinch of salt. Beat well and place in the fridge for at least half an hour.  Heat your tray at 200C with a generous amount of oil, or preferably duck or goose fat until very hot.  Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 15-20 mins until well risen and golden.  Makes 12.  (If the tin and fat are hot enough you will see the puddings start to cook whilst pouring in the batter.) It has never failed me. Regards - Patricia

If you already pay your Tax d'habitation or Revenue by monthly payments then you do not need to send off the form (RIB) to your bank.  Payments will be taken automatically.  Regards - Patricia

Yes, strictly speaking all goats should be registered and tagged.  Similarly you are not supposed to transport the animals without the necessary papers.  However, it does go on.  If you do buy untagged goats you can make an application to the GDMA in your area to get registered and receive a cheptel number and then register and tag the goats.  The cost is not a lot - around €20 for Cheptel number and lesser amounts for the tags etc.  If you wish to sell any surplus milk you have, then you need to have the goats blood tested for brucellosis.  If an animal needs to go to the abbattoir then it has to be tagged. We went this route (having purchased and transported untagged goats)  without any problems.  We have a vet that deals with large animals and he helped us through the process. Hope this helps. Regards - Patricia

Since my last posting on this thread there has been little response to finding Toby a new home.  There have been two enquiries - one was from a lady that lived in a small apartment with no garden and the other in the UK who was unable to realistically visit Toby. We are desperate to find Toby the loving home he deserves now that the colder weather is with us.  He has to sleep in the stable at night because he does not get on with my dog Sam.  At first we thought he might be like this with other male dogs but we have had visitors who have had both male and female dogs and he has been fine.  Enjoying playing and chasing each other in the garden.  At night he comes into the house for a couple of hours for a cuddle and spends most of the time sitting on my husband's lap even though he is really a little too big for this (the dog, not my husband). Please, if there is anybody out there looking for a loving, cuddly, playful dog then contact me. Best regards and a merry Christmas Patricia

I am writing again to boost this thread to the top again. Needless to say I am so disappointed that no-one seems interested in this poor dog. He is very lovable and likes people - men, women and children. He just does not get on with poultry. We already have three dogs of our own - all rescue dogs - and cannot cope or have the time to train another. We have three cats (one of which is from the owners of Toby and George), again all rescues. We have goats, ponies, tortoises, various aviary birds, ducks and chickens - again most of which are rescue animals. Toby, George and the two cats (one of which I have already rehomed) were left with us with their owners saying they would come back and collect them. This has turned out not to be the case. Their owners are not coming back for them. George, hopefully, has found his new owner who will meet with him at the end of next week. So please, if you are interested in Toby, or know someone who may be, please contact me. Regards - Patricia

Thank you to all those that have looked at this thread. Please also look at the thread for Toby. Toby is George's litter mate and also needs rehoming. Regards - Patricia

<a href="[img]http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae268/patricia-crabb/toby011.jpg[/img] [img]http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae268/patricia-crabb/toby011.jpg[/img] Toby is one year old cross lurcher .He is presently living with us near La Chatre (dept 36), his foster carers, but it would be nice for him to find a good family home as soon as possible so that he gets settled quickly. He is a medium to large, healthy dog, full of bounce and energy who loves a cuddle. He is good with children and cats, but not poultry. He needs a lot of time spent with him initially. He is fully vaccinated, chipped and passported for the UK. His original owner cannot take him to the UK as they do not have accommodation at the moment or for the foreseeable future, therefore he has asked me to rehome Toby. Please pm me if you are interested in Toby. Regards Patricia

Have sent you a pm. Regards - Patricia

[IMG]http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae268/patricia-crabb/george001.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae268/patricia-crabb/george003.jpg[/IMG] George needs a new home. He is one year old and a cross lurcher. He is presently living with us near La Chatre (dept 36), his foster carers, but it would be nice for him to find a good family home as soon as possible so that he gets settled quickly. He is a large, healthy dog, full of bounce and energy who loves a cuddle. He is good with children and cats, but not poultry. He needs a lot of time spent with him initially. He is fully vaccinated, chipped and passported for the UK. His original owner cannot take him to the UK as they do not have accommodation at the moment or for the foreseeable future, therefore she has asked me to rehome George. Please pm me if you are interested in George. Regards - Patricia

Have sent you a pm. Regards Patricia

I bought a catering pack of extra large muffin cases on Ebay.  They were a very good price and with reasonable postage costs.  I cannot remember how much.  There are some on the UK site now.  You will need to ask for the postage cost as they only have postage costs for UK listed and they will send to France. Regards - Patricia

Just a reminder to say that the next Open Stage will be next Friday - 10 October. All are welcome whether you are a performer or not. Please come along, bring a friend and enjoy a pleasant evening. Regards. Patricia