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Lucinda

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Posts posted by Lucinda

  1. Yes you can. We have two of our dogs buried in the garden. The vet just reminds you not to bury them covered in plastic etc. You should also keep any other pets away from the area for a while as they may dig up the deceased!

    I lost one of my Labradors a couple of weeks ago but we left her at the Vet to be cremated - the ground was far too hard at the time to dig a hole - let alone one big enough to take a large dog. I would have preferred to bring her home but.........................

    Lucinda

     

     

  2. EXACTLY - although I would dispute it if I ever received it!

    I have been leaning on both GM France and the garage but I get the continual "shrug" of the shoulders from both. GM seem quite happy that the garage have included this time to diagnose the fault in their estimate even when I pointed out that it took ten minutes for Pierre Luc to give me a definitive answer!!

    Oh, and just something on Ernie Y's comprehennsive post which I forgot to mention. This new generation of air con compressors no longer have a clutch on them (unfortunately!!). The have a valve which quite frequently gets stuck but it is an integral part of the compressor so once that valve goes you need a new compressor!! It's a cost and space saving modification for the manufacturers and a COST for the end user!! I am informed that if you have an old generation (ie with clutch) compressor you can largely expect it to go on for years and years and it is easy and relatively cheap to fix (unless you have a complete failure!!) - if you have a new generation one then expect (on the whole) to be paying for a new compressor every four to five years!! 

    Lucinda 

  3. Thanks Ernie Y. The compressor is going to be replaced at a reputable air-con specialist in Bordeaux. It is a completely new one - not reconditioned. I have absolute faith in the people who are going to do it - in fact, in the person who is going to do it as I have known him for many years and he is fully qualified in this field. It was only when my son came home from Toulouse that I found out his long time friend Pierre-Luc is a specialist in air-con systems. The quote I have is from the company he works for and so the work will be fully guaranteed.

    I am pretty disgusted at the way GM France and Opel have handled this situation and I'm fully aware that I'm not the only person to get caught like this.

    GM cars seems to have a pretty poor reputation these days - If only I'd known but then hindsight is a lovely thing............................... 

  4. Go on, guess!!!

    I have an Opel Astra which, after less than 4 years and 36000kms, has a failed air con compressor. Over the last couple of months I have taken this issue up with GM France because I don't believe a compressor should fail (and yes it has had regular use!!) in such a short time.

    The original estimate I had from the Opel Garage in Bergerac was for 730,58 euros (although they did inform me afterwards that it would be more as they'd got it wrong!!) and it would take 2.4 hours to fit.

    Eventually, GM France came back to me and said that the dealer had agreed to offer me 10% off the cost of the parts and 50% off the labour costs. So, I emailed the dealer to get another quote.

    When it arrived, I was horrified! WITH the discounts the quote has now come in at 994,06 euros!!!

    Why? Well because it is now going to take SIXTEEN hours to fit the compressor

    Another letter to GM France! They have just phoned me back to say that the reason it is now 16 hours is because it took the mechanics almost that long to find the fault with the air con.

    OK, I'm a woman, I know nothing about cars, I'm English BUT I'm not stupid

    In the intervening weeks my car was taken to an independent garage. It took the mechanic ten minutes to find the fault and even less time to give me an estimate for a new compressor to be fitted.

    The estimate comes in at less than half the second estimate from Opel and it's going to take around two hours to do.

    Will I ever take my car back to the Opel dealer in Bergerac? Will I ever buy another car manufactured by GM? I WILL NOT!!!

    Lucinda
  5. Hi Ernie Y,

    Here is the answer from the station

    "To answer your question, it really depends on what software you use to record the stream, Most ripping software actually uses an additional listener slot to do the recording. Since we currently have 25 slots, you can see that this would quickly use all the slots if everyone did it.

    Having said that, let me qualify my objections to this activity. If someone is actually listens to rewind45 and decides that they might like to record a show or record an hour or so to listen at another time, I have no objection to this, in fact quite the opposite.

    There are however a large army of people that hunt for a station that plays their kind of music and set the stream ripping software running without actually listening. Some of this software is quite clever and just records the songs into separate mp3 files. So someone can connect, leave the software running for 24 hours and end up with a folder full of songs with no station idents etc.

    This is what I object to because these people are using listener slots that others might want and I am paying royalties for them to do it.

    So, I do a couple of things to discourage them, one is that I have software which messes with the song titles. Their software will try to create separate mp3' files for each song. So, if I change the title half way through a song, they have half a song. I also automatically ban the IP address of know stream rippers. I will also montitor activity on the stream, if someone has been connected over 8 hours, I will kick them. If they reconnect almost instantaneously then it's a good indication that that they might be using ripping software that automatically reconnects, then they get a ban for 30 mins or so. That usually discourages them.

    That's probably more information than you wanted but if you need any more info, just ask."

    It's all a bit technical isn't it? [:D]

    Lucinda 

  6. [quote user="Mike1958"]

    1. As they are able to open until 4am at the weekend, and that they are allowed to play music is there a specific time by which music which can be heard on the street must cease.

    2. Is there a specified level of noise (normally stressed in db's) that should not be exceeded.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    Mike

    [/quote]

     

    I can answer number 2 for you Mike as we run a Mobile Disco and have to be very careful about exceeding noise levels. The noise level should not exceed 105db's - that is music and/or general noise. That level is not very hard to achieve either. We carry a meter for measuring noise output - last week, in a salle de fete, as we were setting up my husband commented on the noise level coming from the children and the adults who were subsequently talking over the children!! Out came the meter and they were producing 95db's!! And that's without the added music that we were then going to play!

    We try to keep our level down to around 90db's which is more than adequate.

    In relation to 1. we have a friend who has a nightclub in a town centre and has a 4am licence. However, due to complaints about noise levels (mostly from clients going outside to smoke - the noise not the complaints!!) late night/early morning, he had his licence restricted to 2am until he could bring the situation under control. This restriction was carried out by the Mairie. He basically had to employ bouncers to keep people under control. The music, though, has never been an issue with the residents as they are aware of the existence of the nightclub and take that in their stride.

    Don't know if that helps......................

    Lucinda

     

  7. [quote user="newbiee"]

     

    My mother's brother had a humanist wedding about 12 years ago ... it was the  nicest wedding ceremony I've ever seen (apart from my own of course!)  I think it's lovely when those getting married write their own vows and promises, rather than just following what others have said before them just for the sake of it.

     

     

    [/quote]

    Hi Newbiee,

    I know several lay clergy who will do the ceremony for you. I work very closely with a wedding planner and nearly all the couples have a civil ceremony in their home country (usually UK) and then come out here to have their wedding - they all use the people I know to effectively bless the marriage and the couples write their own vows and what they want to say to each other - I guess that is a humanist ceremony? Anyway, if you'd like me to put you in touch with someone then just me know and I'll pass over the details.

    Just out of interest where are you in France? I ask because if you're not in Aquitaine then the lady I put you in touch with will probably refer you on to one of her colleagues.

    Hear from you

    Lucinda

     

  8. Depends on Academy Rose as to how many exams are sat in Terminale. All the subjects have differing co-efficients depending on your Bac series. That can get very complicated to someone who just wants to know the basics.

    Lucinda

     

  9. I have 8 Philo Books several unopened despite being through two students Shocked
    If anyone would like them for their upcoming Terminale students let me know. I'm in Dordogne close to Ste Foy le Grande and Bergerac

    Condillac - Traité Des Animaux
    Kafka - La Metamorphose
    Anton Tchekov - Oncle Vania
    JMG Le Clézio - Le Chercheur d'Or
    La Fontaine - Fables
    Corneille - L'illusion Conique
    Platon - Gorgias
    Sénèque - La Vie Heureuse
  10. [quote user="Gardian"]

    A happy afternoon, to hear that our neighbour's grandson (the eldest grandchild of umpteen) has passed his Bac and can now proceed to further education.  Family ecstatic.

    I've tried to understand the process from them, but to be honest, I don't think that they completely understand how it all works. Thus, I'd be really interested to know:

    • With the results out so quickly, is much of the final result based on coursework?

    • If there is a final exam, is it teacher-assessed?

    • The news is that he has 'passed' - but presumably there's some kind of grading, otherwise how would the better institutions differentiate between candidates?  The local 'rag' just talks in terms of "reussi".

    Any insight gratefully received.

    [/quote]

    Depending on the Bac you do depends on how much course work you have included and also how many exams you sit this year as opposed to last year. For instance Bac S (science) only took French (written and Oral) and TPE (personal project work) in Premier and the rest of their exams in Terminale - If you took Bac L (literature) you sat French, TPE, and several other subjects in Premier and only had 4 exams for Terminal. Hence why Bac S is seen as the hardest as the sutudents have four days in which to sit seven exams!!! 

    The exams are marked by Juries - the papers are sent to the Jury marking the exam - the student only knows their Jury number and the Jury only knows the student number so it's anonymous.

    Grading - if you get 10/20 you have passed - 12.01/20-14/20 Mention Assez Bien 14.01/20- 16/20 Mention Bien 16.01/20-18/20 Mention Tres Bien 18.01/20-20/20 Mention Excellent

    Those that get between 8/20 and 9.99/20 pass into the second group and their papers are reassessed and the sutudent is seen to find out if there are any reasons why they did not perform well on exam days (illness etc.)

    That's how it's works at the moment but they are looking to include a little more coursework in future years?

    Lucinda

     

  11. Both mine have been educated in France too. My son passed his Bac in 2003, did Prepas and got a place in the Ecole Veterinaire in Toulouse in 2006. My daughter got her Bac (2 days ago) and has been accepted at Toulouse Uni to do Pharmacie.

    I found the broad base of subjects was very good for them - at Prepas you have to carry on with the Bac subjects for another 2/3 years. They are both very rounded in all subjects. They didn't excel in the subjects that had little interest for them for their future chosen careers but this hasn't stopped them succeeding as their science subjects carried a much higher co-efficient in the exams.

    We all laughed at our son getting 7/20 for Philo in his bac until our daughter managed a magnificent 3/20 for the subject!!!! IT didn't stop her getting a Mention Assez Bien however..........

    I like the French system. I chose the wrong A Levels when I was at school and had to drop out because I just couldn't cope. Had I had the chance to take a range of subjects things might have been different. Ho Hum!

     

  12. Can't help with actual jobs BUT just a word of advice. Your friend's daughter should get authorisation from her Lycee to work over the summer. We fell foul of this a few years ago when our son found himself a summer job only to be asked two days later for his authorisation. When he couldn't produce one (the Lycees were all closed by then) he was told he couldn't continue to work legally.

    What sort of apprenticeship is she looking for? Is it in catering or what?

    Lucinda

     

  13. Friday 23rd May 2008

    Restaurant de la Digue
    24610 Lac de Gurçon

    Tel: 05.53.82.11.71

    A 3 course meal with 1/4 wine included. During your meal you'll be able to listen to some music rarities from the 60's followed by some of the more familiar tunes to dance the night away.

    The restaurant is situated on the edge of the Lac de Gurçon close to Villefranche de Lonchat. You can either dine on the terrace overlooking the lac or, if the weather is less than perfect, inside in the well appointed dining room.
  14. FRIDAY 9th MAY 2008

    Soiree de Music - Disco Fever

    Restaurant de la Digue, 24610 Carsac de Gurcon

    The evening consists of a 3 course meal including 1/4 wine per person followed by a Seventies Disco!! 30 euros per head.

    From 7pm by reservation only. Phone Tracey on 05.53.82.11.71

    The restaurant is located on the Lac de Gurcon close to Villefranche de Lonchat. If the weather is fine you can enjoy your meal and boogie on the terrace overlooking the lac - if wet then inside the restaurant.

    Should be a good night! Come along and enjoy.

    If you don't want to eat then you can come along later for drinks and a dance!


  15. A new restaurant is opening at the Lac de Gurcon close to Villefranche de Lonchat (24610) next Friday 2nd May. It's called Restaurant de le Digue and the new owners have lots planned for the coming weeks and months - music nights, them nights and so on. Looks like there could be some great nights out!!

    If you're interested then they can be contacted on 05.53.82.11.71

  16. STEVE!!!! How is Cassy? We still have her sister Doris and her mum Cally - although Cally hasn't been too well recently. She has arthritis but is better since we've put her on glucosamine tablets.

    Doris had pups 3 years ago and we kept 2 of them [:D]

    Cassy's dad died 3 years ago - very suddenly from acute kidney failure - it was heartbreaking [:(]

     

  17. quote woolybanana'sbrother"  hoover dog?

    You've got to catch them first!!! I've got 4 labs and three of them run a mile when I get the hoover out!! The other one loves being hoovered but she's the one who tend not to shed hair all year round.

    Can someone also answer the question of why Labs HATE clean water (again they run a mile when the hose is out and won't approach the pool) but when they find a nice muddy pond - IN THEY GO!

    [:-))]

     

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