Gardengirl

We've received the minutes of the AGM, which we were unable to attend, as my MIL had just died. The following is attached; I don't know if this is a normal addition, or is due to very acrimonious debate about tree cutting at the AGM. ' Les actions qui ont pour objet de contester les décisions des assemblées générales doivent à peine de déchéance, être introduites par les copropriétaires opposants ou defaillants dans un délai deux mois à compter de la notification desdites décisions qui leur est faite à la diligence du syndic, dans un delai deux mois à compter de la tenue de l'assemblée generale. Sauf en cas d'urgence, l'execution par le syndic des travaux décidés par l'assemblée generale en application des articles 25 et 26 est suspendue jusqu'a l'expiration du délai mentionné à la premiére phrase du présent alinéa.' Sorry it's so long, and hope someone can help; knowing individual words, using our big dictionary plus a translation over the internet still left me at sea! Thanks, Jo

I had only had a couple of wasp stings before I started getting an allergic reaction. This was in UK, and I have since then carried an epipen for use at such times. They are easy to use and work quickly; my doctor told me I should always get checked out medically after needing to use an epipen.The reaction from a wasp sting can be swift and possibly fatal if in or near the mouth; this isn't scare-mongering, wasp stings in whatever country can be very serious. I suggest you see your doctor for a prescription antihistamine, and discuss having an epipen. These only seem to be usable for up to a year (one-use only), so an eye needs to be kept on the use by date if it hasn'been used. I have 2 at a time. Jo

Thanks for the replies; there certainly seems to be a move to not taking cash. I pay money into a Halifax account in UK via a machine which prints out a receipt, which I'm very happy with, plus it prints out a tiny copy of cheques - excellent. Either way, I have proof of paying in. That I won't get with CA. I do pay for having a French bank account, Paul - every month; I'm not trying to get something for nothing! What I object to is paying 30 euros for a card I don't want. The rest of the customers when I was in there also were very unhappy at the thought - and they were all French! Jo

I withdrew money from Nationwide via ATM yesterday, and paid it in to CA as usual for our normal expenses. I was told that from September our branch in the Gard will no longer accept cash, and I will need a card to operate the account, costing 30 euros per year. I told them I thought a bank was a place for depositing cash, and I pointed out that they were doing a hard sell on accounts for kids; no cards for them, surely. The queue behind me were very much in agreement with my views - many of the customers(all French) were paying in cash, and that was also the first they had heard of this new scheme! I refused to order a card, and we'll be changing banks. We just need a cheque book for local payments, access over the internet and the ability to pay in money. Any recommendations? Beware, your CA branch might be doing something similar. Jo

We also use the English Routard guide. As ours was getting out of date, I wrote to the English publishers (I forget their name, but one of the well-known guides people), who replied that they were not planning bringing out a new edition just yet. So we still use our old Routard, and amend it as necessary. Very many are the same as years ago, as so many are family-owned businesses. It's such a good guide, too; the French editions are by departement only, so you need several to cover a holiday. Quite a lot in the Routard are also Logis. I generally steer clear of Logis unless I have seen them elsewhere, or they come recommended, as in one near Troyes that was recommended recently on this forum. Where are you planning going? There's great info available on here. Jo

Nemltd, we've never had sockets replaced, as it's a new apartment. However, when the place was being built in 2007 we asked for extra sockets around the apartment; this was way before the wiring was ever begun - in fact, the apartment itself didn't actually exist, being the top (of 3) layer of an incomplete building. The cost quoted by the builder was 188,46 euros plus TVA per double socket on its own, with double sockets near already planned sockets costing 94,23 euros. Changing the position of a double socket cost 25,49 euros plus TVA. It all seemed very costly to us, as my OH has rewired our homes in UK; but we went ahead with those we felt were necessary. Jo

I think many of us who tend to rely on withdrawals from Nationwide at ATMs in France had a similar problem starting last year when the pound went pear-shaped. We would drop our request by a small amount each time, and finally ended up withdrawing only 300euros when funds were needed, which equates to when the rare was almost at parity. It has recovered to a certain extent, but we still withdraw only 300 euros when cash runs low. Those who live some distance from an ATM will want to withdraw the maximum they can, but as we pass banks daily on our 5-minute walk into our little town it's no problem. But it was a bit of a worry when we kept failing to withdraw money over the last few months. Jo

Our apartment has the bathroom switch outside the room, although inside would have complied with the distance regulations, and a socket is just inside the door, near the basin. The separate WC has a switch inside the room. The apart,ment block is just over 1 year old. Jo

I've just seen an advert in the current Caravan Club magazine; www.caravansinthesun.com. They mention new and pre-owned vans around Europe, plus moving homes abroad for people if wanted. Jo

Some of the larger companies offering campsite holidays in France also offer mobile home holidays. They have sold some off at the end of the season - or did before the recession set in! These are usually in very good condition, and friends of ours bought one a few years ago. They then had it moved from where it was sited in the Alps to the Med site they had chosen. It was a good price, and they actually sold it at a profit a few years later, when they wanted another model. Good luck, Jo

Our French neighbour tells us that if you are in prison in France, visitors are meant to take oranges when visiting - sounds like taking grapes to someone in hospital. Rather funny, we thought, but perhaps there was a sound basis - the only way to get vitamin c, perhaps. Jo

We constantly have red kites in the sky around our house in suburban Reading (not known for soaring hills or huge areas of woodland like in the Jura) - a lovely sight. Some were released in a wildlife area near High Wycombe a few years ago, and their young have spread all over the area. I think they also released some in Wales. Happy wedding! Jo

I've never used straw - haven't ready access to it, but it sounds a good idea. I always surround newly planted out courgettes, tomatoes etc with sharp gravel to discourage slugs and snails. (We have a huge problem - twice daily visits with torch and salt bring in a 80+ catch each time; sorry if some find this cruel, but I do like to eat some of my crops myself!) I later place flat stones around as already mentioned, then when the plants get bigger, I place big stones etc in strategic places to raise the stems up. Courgettes seem to be doing well in my English garden this year; my son is keeping the plants going by picking and eating them for us while we are in France. Tomatoes seem less good - very few have set on the trusses, although they were already flowering when I set them out in early May. They are outdoors, usually do well. Jo

Our small town has excellent facilities in the mediatheque, so if we want to use the internet for a fairly long time, we take our computer there. It's free, but the opening times are  not always ideal. Therefore I often go to the internet cafe. A nearby small village has also set up an internet facility. Can you email the mairie? If not, where are you near? Someone might live not far away and know a place you could visit. Good luck, Jo

Dave, how kind of you to put that link in; I feel a lot happier about it. I'd never heard of ethanol before; I'll certainly read notices on petrol pumps next time! Jo

How lovely to read your good news! Lots of luck with step 2. Hope your health picks up. Jo

We've been sent recorded letters from France regularly over the last 2 years. Not once has the postman rung the bell and asked for a signature; the pink notification card has always still been there. These have all been documents for property buying from the notaire, or letters from the agency dealing with our residence - AGM notifications etc, not parcels. But I personally wouldn't bother unless I needed proof  I'd posted it off - which is what the notaire, agency had on their files. Jo

We filled up at Beaune a couple of days ago at the garage we usually call in at - low prices, and v close to the motorway - I think it's BP. We didn't notice at first that the pump was labelled 95-E10, and contained 10% ethanol. There was a statement on the pump stating that all cars from 1st Jan 2000 could safely use it. We had already started putting it in our very pre-2000 Saab. All seemed fine on our run back to the south, but now I'm wondering about any damage that might be happening. It is very old, with 160,000 plus on the clock, and we want it to go on a lot longer. We'll certainly look out for ethanol in petrol in future, and avoid it.  Jo

I've heard of animals having ordinary acupuncture with good results. There are magnets used by people which are also used for animals; I've only heard of them being used for horses etc, though. Good luck, Jo

We tried the Val de Moret this week on an unexpected run back to UK. We wanted somewhere new, as the hotels we normally use, although perfectly ok, are a fair way off the motorway. It was very comfortable, welcoming, and dinner was fine, all at a reasonable price. We're staying there again next week on the way south. Thanks chaps, Jo

Thanks for the help, I now know a lot more; Jo

Thanks for your message, Martin. Our radio is a DAB one, not that I know what that means. Did you mean it won't work on FM if it's a DAB one, or would the FM part still be OK? Jo

Thanks for the help, links to vocab lists. Jo 

We are thinking of taking a radio/alarm clock to France at the weekend. It works on FM and is also digital. Could anyone tell me if we might get French radio stations using it? We aren't yet fixed up for TV and internet yet - leaving that till the autumn. I understand the digital signal won't work in France but it would be good to listen to French radio programmes sometimes on FM. Thanks, Jo  

Can anyone point me to a site that helps with phrases I'll need for a wash and cut/trim, please. Particularly things like 'bob' style etc. I haven't been to a French hairdresser for 40 years, so want to get it right, and don't know anyone with fine fair hair like mine - all my friends have lovely thick, long, dark hair, and don't seem to know a word to describe my hairstyle. On reading this, it sounds as though I look like a scarecrow - it's not really that bad, and is actually better in the Gard than in the very damp Thames Valley! Thanks, Jo