newbiee

cous cous.  Semolina was in exactly the same sacks as, and right next to, the cous cous!   I might hydrate it and see if I can palm it off on the dogs .. I don't want to start making loads of sugary cakes and biscuits - I don't think I can find a use for it.     Thanks Clair  [:D]

  I've accidentaly (!) bought a big sack of semolina ... .any idea what I can do with it?  I've never used semolina before.

Thank you all for you replies, very helpful [:)]   PS - What is Hobson's choice??

I need some to make chutney, but apart from wine and cider vinegars, the only other option is a basic vinegar (29 cents a litre ... quality stuff!!!).  it smells like chip shop vinegar!  I'll keep this for cleaning stuff .... but can  I get malt vinegar??

I heard last week that Ryanair intend stopping flights between Limoges and Stansted later this year ... does anybody know if there's any truth to this?

[quote user="bigears"] hia you three are obviosly suffering from the same malaise as I.  It never ceases to amaze me at the holyness of contributers comments here.  Are you real?  I know many expats here who are not pursuing the straight and narrow, presumably they have better things to do than wasting their time on forums such as this.  I on the other hand being on the straight and narrow get bored from time to time and find the forum quite entertaining, like a soap opera. Benjamin I have no idea what you are talking about. [/quote]   Mods ... why isn't there a "yawn" icon?

Thanks for taking the time to write such a long and useful reply [:D]  [:D]  Seriously useful stuff, and I'm happy to see that we have thought about most of the things you mentioned (though not all).  The bit about the waste pipes made me laff! We are in a great location and setting for holiday makers, we're still young (ish) and we could prepare the gite for a very reasonable amount.  We don't expect to be full every week!  And we wouldn't be looking for a huge amount of cash from it ... our expectations are realistic. Always good to ask the experts for their tips and advice though, keep then coming  [:D]

[quote user="bigears"] hi if its just a couple of days here and there, many would expect 'cash in hand' or is it 'under the table'.  What's wrong with a little bit of ducking and diving? [/quote]   What, apart from it being illegal and immoral?

Thanks for the reply Clair, very helpful. But surely there is a minimum you can work (monthly or yearly) to be covered by the health system (not by E106).... otherwise everyone could get three days work in a year and then be covered. (I don't mean to sound flippant ...   I had assumed that their must be a minimum one has to earn (and therefore pay tax on) before being covered.)

Though after reading the long thread full of reasons not to .....!     I have a property next to my home which I'm going to turn into a gite. So, would any of you care to share your top tips?  Anything you wished you'd done differently when creating your gite?  Any tips, serious or funny, would be nice to read  [:)]

I really like the idea of this law.  Of course, you'd hope people would help you if you needed it, just as you'd help somebody else.  But there's something nice about a law that says you must try and help if you can.

My E106 is valid until next year (after which time I may or may not be absorbed into the healthcare system - bated breath and all that!) Currently I am not working.  (My wife does not work either and has her own E106.  We're both still waiting for our carte vital to come though.)  However, a friend of my brother said he may be able to put a bit of work my way (a few days here and there I think).  He is fully legit (of course!) and would pay me by cheque d'emploi. What I need to know is how this will affect my healthcare situation.  I believe E106 covers those who are not working while overseas from the UK.  Does this mean not working at all?  Or can one earn a small amount up to a certain level?  I don't want to take a few days work if it scuppers my healthcare. Any information and advice will be gratefully received. Cheers Paul

I once heard that there is a so called "good samaritan" law in France.  Whereby it is illegal to ignore somebody who is need of assistance.  For instance, if you see a car accident, it is illegal to just drive by.  Even if all you can do is get medical assistance.  I found this to be really interesting.  Is there such a law in existance?  If so, can anybody shed a bit of light on it? Thanks

  Most exciting tour in years - I'm loving it! [:D] Did anybody see the best 20 Tour moments on ITV4 last night?  Was I the only one who cried?  Several times?  Especially the Motorolla team in '95 after their team mate died ... filling up now thinking of it!   We'll need to start a support thread next week, when the tour is finished and we have months to wait before we're thrown a bone (next year's schedule).

  So, to get back on topic .... is anybody growing aubergines under cover .... and if so how many fruits are you limiting your plants to? Husband's mother said 5 or 6 fruits per plant (as read in gardening section of newspaper).  Somebody else told me I can let more fruit so long as I don't need huge fruits and that as I pick the smaller fruits the energy will go into the other, which makes sense. I'm growing Rosa Bianco (yum!) and long purple.

[quote user="dragonrouge"] .  But what do you then do with them?  save for Abergine caviar and rats and apart from that what else[/quote]   Roasted aubergine curry Aubergine and sweet potato curry Ratatouille Baba Ganouh Roasted aubergine slices topped with chillis and mint Kebab skewers Roasted aubergine lasagne   shall I go on? [:P] .,..  

Are you growing aubergines under glass or polytunnel?  Are you limiting your fruits?  If so, how many per plant? Mine have masses of flowers, and whilst I don't need big fruits, I'm wondering if the plant will produce decent sized fruits if it has so many to bear.

[quote user="Catalpa"] It is normally the alcoholics (in denial of course) who are affronted by me or my OH not being interested in getting ratted at the village events or in the local bar. [/quote]   One assumes you're qualified to diagnose alcoholism   [8-)]

  I wonder how many people walked past that car and saw a child in it and thought nothing of it.  You could easily assume he'd been there five minutes (not that that makes it ok). We should all keep our eyes peeled for children or dogs left in cars in hot weather - if the driver doesn't return in a few minutes, something should be done.  I wouldn't hesitate to smash a window if I thought a dog was suffering (or a child of course)..... if you don't feel you want to do that, at least alert the shop the car park belongs to (if relevant).  Or kick up a fuss in the carpark and somebody else might take matters into their hands.    Incidentally, I don't feel that being turned off by the hatred and twisting of facts that is the Dail Mail makes one a newsprint snob.

  Just to repeat that I'm not a Christian (some mayn't have read my first posts).... thanks anyway (including Mooky). Luckily I have a Plan B AND a Plan C .... so I'm sure one of them will come into fruitian ... that's the  advantage of being flexible.  [:)]   I love hearing about other people's weddings and renewals. [:D] Did anybody have a disaster of a wedding day (in terms of details and things going wrong) ... but can laugh about it now and relish the knowledge that you married the right person, which is all that counts in the long run.

Yep, edible (the type that go on the bottom of macaroons) .... Thanks Clair xxx  [:D]

Clair (cos I'll bet you know! [:P] ) .... where can I buy rice paper?  Online is fine.   Thanks xx  [:D]

Thanks Clair, I'm all sorted now ... went up to the pharmacy and got Steri-Strips (2.84 for five !!) ... I'm going to get some more of these to keep in the house as they are invaluable (says she who has just used them for the first time in her life!).  And those blighters aren't as easy to apply as you might think. I don't mind the sight of blood, unless it's my own, and then I go right queasy!   Now then, the important question ... who thinks I should "rest" my leg for the rest of the day?  And should it be "rested" outside with a glass of wine and a book, or should it be "rested" inside with a cup of tea, a slice of cake and a movie???

can i buy these at the pharmacy?  what are they called? i'v cut my leg  ... short but deepish .... not deep deep but needs to be held together while it heals   (do i put butterfly stitches on and then a plaster?)   thx

[quote user="Fi"] We haven't been getting on particularly well lately - [/quote]   Eek.... that sets my alarm bells ringing!  People so often think that getting married/having a baby/moving overseas etc ... will paper over cracks in a relationship, and it very rarely does.  I hope your problems will resolve themselves, but may I suggest that you both sit down and talk seriuosly about what you're both expecting out of life and your relationship once you get to France.  Imagine how awful it would be if you both think you're on the same page, only to get out here and realise that you both imagined things a bit differently.  Talk about how you expect your daily lives to be ... who is going to go out to work, what help will you expect with the children .... who's going to take responsibility for certain areas .. how often do you want visitors in France ... how often do you plan on visiting the UK. make sure that small cracks don't turn into great big ones ... it's very stressful moving overseas, no matter how long you have been planning for and wanting it. Good luck  *hugs*