Fil
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Posts posted by Fil
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Hi,
where in Brittany will you be? Instead of buying one, come and ride with me. I have four. Hercules is 15hands and a solid but very forward going cob, Eclipse is 14.2 and a welsh cob cross anglo arab, Penny is a welsh mountain and Favour (Eclipse's mum) is retired anglo arab. May also be getting a 14hh welsh cob (my daughter's) over from the uk. All are great fun rides and all I want is someone to ride with! I am in the Morbihan.
Fil -
Hi,
well, we have had some really really nice guests this year both househunters and holiday makers, but boy have we had some clunkers too! It is sad as the awful ones are almost enough to make you question whether you really want to share your home with holidaymakers any longer!
We unfortunately had two lots at once who NEVER went anywhere at all! Why come to France when all you want to do for two weeks is sit round a pool? Why not choose Benidorm? They moaned about the weather (were we responsible?), had a drunken party till 2am one morning that kept my teenagers awake (!!!) - I thought teenagers did that sort of thing? They obviously agreed with rules for pools etc but thought they could not possibly apply to them. One of them crammed an enormous bum into a brand new highchair and broke it (picture that) and they left the place in a state - not quite as bad as the ones you quote but getting there. I do have a clause written into my conditions stating that I can deduct from the security deposit for excess time spent cleaning, and believe me, I did. And I enjoyed it too. I also got my own back by sending the remaining security deposit back in euros (as it costs me 27 every time I have to pay in a sterling cheque) - hopefully they had to pay the equivalent in pounds to pay it in in the UK. Revenge was sweet.
Fil -
Hi, I would have thought a small ad in something like French Property News would be a good idea. After all, you are really after the english market as they are the ones who want to buy homes with incomes to retire to. I have seen private ads like that in there before. Or a nice colour pic and advert in Living France. I am sure there are other magazines you could use, but you might just be hitting the same target buyers each time, so you ought to work out which would be best. No idea on that but this is just a suggestion.
fil -
Hi, I have been trying to find the answer to this one with little success. We have an above ground pool (no bit of it below ground anywhere) with a huge decking area. The decking is about 18 inches below the level of the pool around about 70% of the pool with wide wooden steps down to a paved area. The whole thing is inside what was once a silage clamp and is enclosed on three sides by the old concrete walls that are about 9 feet high on the outside, and appearing about four to five feet high from inside whilst on the decking. The top of these walls is made up of an extra bit of that green mesh fencing and has pretty climbing plants on it, so the whole thing is very pretty and un silage clampish anymore. Painted white too. And a real suntrap. At the front, on the side that was unfenced, my husband has put up a concrete wall to about 3 feet in height, topped with green mesh fencing, and made a metal gate to the same height (about six feet in total) that shuts with a firm bolt and has a padlock overnight between 8.30 in the evening and 9ish in the morning after he has cleaned it out etc and done chemicals. We think this is enough (we have our own three year old and believe me, we are VERY safety conscious where he and other little ones are concerned) - but is it?
We have read that above ground pools do not need to even be fenced in! Of course, ours is, and we want to know if we have legally done enough. Not sure what else we could do as my husband has rightly pointed out that where there is a will there is a way, and if someone truly wants to breach a security barrier they can.
What is the concensus of opinion regarding pools like ours? It is about 1 metre 20 deep, so definitely out of his depth. We can't keep it covered as it has to be open during the daytime.
Thanks,
Fil -
Yes, I hate the shower thingy too. And cleaning out the oven - I heave a sigh of relief every time guests say they hate cooking and are going to eat out all the time! The ones that use the oven always make such a mess of it and then burn it on really well! Mostly they all leave the fridge okay.
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Hi,
I live near Josselin in 56 and have two horses that need riding. I am totally unmotivated at the moment, mainly because I have no-one to ride with. I did have a french friend, but she got herself a new boyfriend miles away so she hasn't ridden for ages. Basically, what I am after is someone who is a fairly experienced rider who knows a bit about stable management too (ie not a twit who has never put a bridle on herself) and can ride during the week while my son is at school rather than at weekends, although I can manage the odd weekend if I can sort a babysitter. I also drive one of the riding horses and a little pony but due to tractors etc do not want to do this alone so would like someone who would be happy to come out in the cart with me and act as groom - ie, jump out and hold the pony if we meet something a bit scary for her.
The horses are Hercules, who is a coloured irish cob - very handsome and very forward going and strong, but a great fun ride. Eclipse, out of an anglo arab and by a welsh section D and an excellent jumper. Penny, a welsh mountain pony who I drive but is rideable too - she is my little boy's pony but he is only three so far.
Send me an email if you are interested. I don't need any financial contribution, just someone to ride with. -
Hi Deby,
we have several goats and you would be welcome to one of them if you are anywhere near the Morbihan. They need to have shelter as they do not have waterproof coats (similar to donkeys) and they do prefer to browse (eat bushes etc)rather than graze. You need a supply of hay for winter and they also like a few sheep nuts as an extra and will of course, eat most things they are not supposed to eat! We keep ours tethered as even electric fence was not enough (coats so thick they stopped noticing the shock) and my husband got fed up with fetching them back from the farm across the road. Also, we lived in fear of them finding the potager of the two old ladies opposite! They are all pygmies (nice and small) and do have horns, but these are very handy as they double as handles when you want to take them places.
We like the goats and they are popular with children in the summer and very friendly (they will eat out of your hand) but we do have rather alot of animals here, and one less would be useful! They get on well with our sheep and horses and all but one of our dogs who fancies eating them. Send me an email if you want one. -
Hi, I am not sure if this is totally relevant, but I have been receiving lots and lots of virus attacks via the net. I have been very wary for some time and simply never open an email with a paperclipped attachment any more. I am positive what I have been receiving (sometimes three or four different ones in a day) are viruses because they are always the same size (24K) and all purport to be a reply to something I am supposed to have been sent - being titled for example 'Re:your text' or 'Re:your message'. Now, I am absolutely certain I have never ever sent any messages out requiring these replies so they are evidently bogus. All emanate from different supposed email addresses none of which I recognised until the other day. When I got one from an address I knew - another gite owner who advertises in Living France like I do. But I knew they had not got our email address so rang them up and had a chat. And there own computer had blown up on the Saturday before I received the message. So their computer could not even have sent it if it had itself been infiltrated with a virus.
My question is this - have other gite owners with email addresses been receiving similar large amounts of virus attempts? And have any of them received them from addresses they know? Or had their own addresses used perhaps? My husband thinks it is aimed at gite owners exclusively, but I am so computer illiterate I have no idea if this could be done. How does someone else get to use your email address? Surely they would need your password?
Any ideas would be appreciated.
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Thanks everyone. My mum tells me that he has (on a good day) agreed to go back to the UK but cannot leave until he has had various hospital tests to discover cause of his anaemia so she is having to stay down there whilst he is in hospital. We are just hoping he does not change his mind again. Looks like I get to inherit the little dog whilst we await its six month clearance to go back - if it comes to that. Depends I suppose on where he goes when he gets back. My Mum has been told not to take him into her house (they are divorced) or the state will think she can look after him and do nothing to help. He does have enough money (good pension and some capital) to pay for a private nursing home if necessary so we are considering all options at the moment.
Thanks for all the advice. Fil -
Hi, finally logged back on after my password problems. Other problems now exist - namely elderly father in Vaucluse who is ill in hospital, has not sorted his carte de sejour or medical care out, and equally elderly but much more switched on divorced mother now stuck down there sorting out his mess for him.
My question is this - what is the aftercare for someone like him (78) if he gets out of hospital and is allowed home, where he lives with his little dog all alone with only the cleaner and gardener once or twice a week to check he is still alive?
It is a problem of his own making, but of course it is now falling on poor Mum. She would like to get him to come back to the uk so she is around if he gets more ill or pops his clogs, but he is a stubborn old guy (that is why he is there on his own) and probably won't oblige once he is better. So what can she do to improve his care etc? He was able to look after himself but he has arthritis, is diabetic and asthmatic and has an aneurysm on his aorta all of which should have regular checks which he has not organised himself since he got there nearly three years ago. Of course, he is now not so capable as he was then, but any suggestion along these lines meets with a literally deaf ear. He was born in Paris, spoke mostly french till he was 9 and thinks he still can but alas what with chronic deafness and increasing old age, he cannot. But will not be told this.
Any advice about old parents etc would be gratefully received by me and my Mum. And the little dog too, who doubtless does not wish to be reduced to starving in his house if he does go and pop his clogs just after the cleaner has made her once weekly visit!
Thanks for any help in advance.
Fil -
You are so right! I have a daughter of nearly 19 now at Uni doing french, and she said that when she started her A levels she was with kids who could not conjugate Avoir! And my son says the same - he could not, and still got a B for GCSE. He has done a year in France and started today back in school in the uk doing A levels, and hopes to be well ahead of other pupils.
However, I think most subjects are the same. The government comes out every year with the GCSE and A level results claiming they have improved yet again, but what alot of people don't realise is that the goal posts keep getting closer! An A* nowadays is commonplace. Loads of kids get them. When I was at school it was passes between 1 and 6, and 7,8 and 9 were fails. Not many pupils even in my grammar school could bost a clutch of 1's. I am sure most of my class if they were to have had the benefit of their own level of education and the modern exams would get all A*s. Almost without a doubt.
That is one reason I am in France.
My other son is in College and is learning german the french way. He and hisolder brother both say that languages in france are taught using grammar etc, butin the uk they were just taught phrases to pass the exam. The older one was certainly not equipped to go to school over here, and his sister, with a B at A level, can converse usefully on the environment!
Oh well.
Fil -
Hi,
we have been between Locmine and Josselin near Radenac nowfor a year, with children aged 18, 16, 14 and 2. 18 year old is at uni in the uk, 16 year old went to a boarding public lycee in Rennes weekly, butnot a successso is returning to ukin september for A levels. However, 14 year old is in 4eme at public college, Yves Le Bec in Rohan and they have fallen overthemselves tohelp him settle in, as he had nofrench at all (having studied german). The head is a lovely lady, and he has had loads ofextra help from staff (who translated tests for him) surveillants in the playground who go out of theirway to talk to him and help him, other kids etc. He will have to redouble (as most english kids do)but heis understanding everything in french now and doing okayin the subjects he isstudying - they left out some of the non essentials in their opinion. He is quite a difficult boy, being shy, but I wouldrecommend theschool.
One drawback is thestrikes! Being public sector they dostrike. My friend (french) sends her kids to privee sectorschools. One is in St Jean Brevelayat college and she saysthat is verygood. Another friend has a son,similar age, atcollege in Locmine which she says isgood.
The local primary in Radenac isexcellent too. My little one, now 2 and a half, has started there in the Maternelle and likes it. He is picking upfrench quickly and the general ambiance isvery friendly and happy. I know an olderenglish child at the school who probably would be a good link for an eight year old starting there.
If you want any other information, get in touch on [email protected].
Fil
Ddeposit amount legal in France
in Gite Owners Forum
Posted
Hi,
20% of say €750 would be €150 would it not and that translates to £500 or thereabouts which is a very low rental for a peak season with a pool so summer lets should be no problem as far as I can see.
The problem comes with winter lets of maybe €200 for househunters etc. Granted, they are probably less likely to infllict damage than a family with children, but 20% of that is only €40 and not likely to cover very much is it?
There has to be something fundamentally wrong with that law. A lower rental does not mean damage is lower, does it. A broken tv is a broken tv even if it is in a studio flat, and €40 will not cover it at all.
Something needs to change.
Fil