Scooby

[quote user="Jane and Danny"]or use white vinegar, probably the cheapest, most effective and non toxic treatment. Danny [/quote] Agree - works really well.  It's the acetic acid in the vinegar acts on the calcium...cola contains phosphoric and carbonic acids which is why it works too.

If they wanted the money spending they should have given it to the teenagers!!  We couldn't persuade my (69/ 70 year old) parents to spend pre crunch - so we haven't got a cat in h*ll's chance now!

We've noticed UK prices go up considerably over the last few months.  Depending on the item, we reckon prices have increased by 30-40%.  E.g. milk was £1.69 it's now £2.29. Can't compare with France over the same period as we haven't been over since September last year.

[quote user="PeterG"][quote user="Scooby"]Hubby mastered andouillettes - and pronounced them gorgeous [blink] [/quote] What the hell else do you feed him the rest of the time? [/quote] Now that's not nice PeterG [:D]

Hubby mastered andouillettes - and pronounced them gorgeous [blink] - despite not knowing what they were (or maybe because??)  Hadn't the heart to tell him!

Our dog, Digby, (black, long haired setter / labrador / thingummee cross) works his way around the kids bedrooms...sleeping in the kids beds!  The youngest (14) has even rearranged his bed to make sure Digby has his own pillow and sufficient covers! (Note, same child cannot make or strip his bed!)  My repeated complaints fall on deaf ears.  Even Digby now just cocks one ear / eye at me before drifting back to sleep - as much as to say 'I'm here, they want me here, and what are you gonna do about it?'  I have given up in frustration!

[quote user="Weegie"]I don't understand why you are concerned about "weigh up the buyers and see if they are likely to use the car illegally or not."  If you are concerned about them using it without tax then if you follow the correct procedure it is not a concern for you. The procedure is set out on the DVLA site: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/DG_4022310 "Three part registration document V5The person selling the vehicle must complete 'your details' in the top (blue) section. Both you and the seller need to sign the declaration. It is the responsibility of the person selling the vehicle to send it in to DVLA. They should then hand you the V5/2 green section appropriately filled in. The DVLA must be notified as soon as the vehicle changes hands." You will have the three part  V5.  If you follow the procedure then the buyer and yourself will have to sign for change of ownership which will include the date.  You send it off to the DVLA and your responsibility ends there. Any subsequent use, legal or illegal, is the responsibility of the buyer. As far as the existing tax disc is concerned, it is a matter for you, as part of the deal, whether you leave the disc on or not.  It may form part of the bargain.  The new owners will have plenty of time to obtain a VEL and , in any case, although not showing a disc the vehicle will still be taxed to the end of the current month as , as has been said, you can only claim a refund from the start of the next complete month.  Your claim for refund must be received by the DVLA (or postmarked) before midnight on the last day of the preceding month. [/quote] Exactly Weegie - it should be the seller that sends the declaration to the DVLA - so be very aware of the implications if the buyer offers to do it for you...

[quote user="Cathy"]EDIT: My husband reckons that our car is too much of a lumbering giant for potential criminals to want it....   [/quote] Agreed - they tend to look for cheap cars < £500

As an aside there's a big market for old (banger) cars with 6 /12 tax and MOT (not suggesting your car is a banger Cathy!).  The buyers are usually young drivers or those whose insurance costs are very high.  They just drive the car without insurance 'til the tax runs out then scrap it.  The fines for driving without insurance are so low when compared to the insurance costs that it's a gamble they are willing to take.  Some of these drivers will offer to notify the DVLA on the seller's behalf but then don't bother - especially if they are going to use the car for illegal purposes - organised vandalism, breaking and entering etc.

Depends what you have agreed with the buyer.  You can only get refunds for complete months.

[quote user="Jazzer"]I know I am a cynic, but I find it  a little frustrating that there has been no mention in news bulletins of the improvement of the £ to the € When it was on the slide, we were hearing it from all directions.Seems only to be on teletext. I hope travellers are watching, and will want to holiday here.[/quote] Exactly Jazzer - the media loves bad news - sells sooo much better than good news!

I think a lot of the fx dealers who offer fixed monthly payments for the next 12 months / 2 years buy at the spot rate and charge you interest for holding the money for you.  So you actually end up buying at less than the spot rate. p.s. Bugsy - I think there is a pic on the www link...

You must have a different dictionary Bugsy / g8 - my dictionary describes pert as meaning trim and pretty....[;-)]

I think it's the relative position of the UK compared with Europe.  The mainland European economy is struggling but the ECB has refrained from cutting it's rates - and the view is that they will have to.  This will make the euro less attractive compared to the £.

Likewise Norway...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7818577.stm

I hope it goes up to - we need to transfer some biggish amounts to France.  But it's still prudent to assume the worst. (By the Bugsy - expert doesn't have a hyphen in it [;-)])

LOL very funny Krusty!!

Help - what website tinabee???

Friends in Canada told me they bought a new super duper sno-blower this year...I had no idea....[blink]  If that's what he meant he has earned major respect - (or something)!!!

Doesn't give the dimensions of the bags and where to send them [:(]

2.43 Planets, 11.06 tonnes - 25% food, 27% travel,16% home, 32% stuff.  Not helped by the number of trips we make to and from France!!

[quote user="Cathy"][quote user="Bugsy"]for someone planning a round the world adventure[/quote] Sounds fun... [/quote] One day, one day.....[:)]

That was the point of my posts on the 'It's not looking good for 2009' thread - not to criticise or condemn those already struggling but as a salutary reminder to those planning a move to France (ok not many!) that if you are relying on UK based income you need to build in a big margin.  You can't cut it to the wire as you might be able to if you stayed in the UK.

My lasting memories of my time in Israel were the lines of tanks and bus loads of soldiers heading for the Golan Heights, Bethlehem bristling with armed soldiers, the affluence of the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem compared with the abject poverty of the Arab quarter - and the insistent assurances of the Jewish Israelis that everything was wonderful and harmonious - a view that completely belied everything I saw around me.  The Israelis have the same belief in a 'Holy War' that the Muslims do - Muslims that are condemned for that view by the rest of the western world.  Surrounded by Jews in your college years, tegwini, you have taken the viewpoint of the Israelis; I found the opposite.  I was brought up with a Jewish extended family and was taught 'God blesses those who bless the Jews'.  I have found that view increasing irreconcilable with my belief that human life is precious.  Having experienced aparthied first hand one would have thought that your SA Jewish friends would have been more tolerant to racial differences - but maybe this is because they were the whites in an aparthied regime?  Similarly, having been subject to oppression and hatred, one would have thought Israelis would have been more compassionate with others in that same position - particularly as, historically, their persecution has come from western nations (Germany) and not Palestine.  Indeed the ten commandments require them to 'Love thy neighbour as thyself'.  This seems to have been forgotten in their ruthless drive to regain the 'land of milk and honey'. Sad - very, very sad.