Panda

[quote user="Will"] Oh dear, poor Artsole. It emerges that I know him and he's condemned before even making 20 posts [:D] Still, he's big enough to hold his own (so to speak) and everything he says is true... [/quote] Ha!  Sounds to me like he spends too much time holding his own!![:D]

[quote user="artsole"] Chaque fois qui je pense que les hommes sont nues sous leur pantalon............... je ris, comme toutes les femmes ah, that shows you don't know the real france, the real me or french women! [/quote] Trust me Artsole, I am a woman and I know lots of french women and many other nationalities come to that, we all laugh and we laugh hard at such thoughts, go take a look in the mirror pretty it ain't, funny it is! Granted I don't know you but I can recognise a 'type' when I see one![:-))]

Yes I think you're right Katie.  The only buyers around want cheap and cheerful with lots of potential and some land, I don't think current Brit buyers are willing to pay over the odds for duff DIY jobs.

BONG !!! , Jon you cannot resist dropping those names can you?? EDIT And just for you Artshole Chaque fois qui je pense que les hommes sont nues sous leur pantalon............... je ris, comme toutes les femmes

[quote user="Will"] If artsole is who I think he is, then he knows what he is talking about a hundred times better than most other forum users - including me. [/quote] [quote user="artsole"] and Panda................who said I know everything? thats just your intepretation, [/quote] Uhh, Will did ![8-)] EDIT And just for you Artshole Chaque fois qui je pense que les hommes sont nues sous leur pantalon............... je ris, comme toutes les femmes

[quote user="Will"] If artsole is who I think he is, then he knows what he is talking about a hundred times better than most other forum users - including me. He was one of the original users (under a different identity) of the old Living France forum some seven or eight (maybe even more) years ago and since then has been far more involved in French life (in Normandy and various places down south), French work (salaried employment, own business, working the markets, working as an artist) and in just being an Englishman living full-time in the real France, with more than his fair share of ups and downs, than pretty well anybody. And I include RH in that, as she obviously remembers him too. [/quote] Having been around a bit (which dear old Artsole is clearly trying to suggest he has been in many ways[:)])  doesn't mean he knows more than anyone else Will (- including you ) , lets not go down that route again.  I'm with You can Call me Betty on this one, none of us need  take up references on who was here looooong ago and why they know it all, after all most who've been around since the year dot love telling everyone that often enough without you seconding the opinion!  [:D]  

I've used my CA card for car hire, it's actually a debit card and whilst they wouldn't accept my Lloyds Debit card they did accept the CA one (this was Avis at Standsted).  I do now have a french credit card (as Benjamin says they do exist!).  I also now have an english one too (just in case), all details were sent to me in France, this is with Lloyds who know I'm in France, I think that my old card with them must have still been in force although not used for 5 years  as they never questioned it just sent one along. 

Ha, ha good point well made, lets agree then I like mine and you like yours and I expect the chickens couldn't care less! 

To be honest I wouldn't buy one of the Forsham Cottage ones either, I don't think anyone suggested banging pallets together did they?  If you look at my link above you will see that you can get a good house and run for up to 12 chickens for about the same price as the small plastic eglu, that was my point, i.e. better value for money and more pleasing to the eye IMHO.  [quote user="Will"] I tend to regard it [the eglu] in much the same light as an Aga, or the Dualit toaster. Cheaper alternatives are available, which are perfectly functional, but some prefer the real thing. [/quote] Ummmm, don't think that analogy quite works Will, you are calling this very small, very plastic, very artificial looking chicken coop the real thing, you can not be serious!  [:-))] Come on Will, admit if it wasn't you that had one you be ripping the Pee out of it!

100 cranes just passed over the house circling and calling away to each other, a great sight in the Southern Charente 3pm.

This site has some great hen houses and they deliver, none are in pink and all would mean you are not a laughing stock when placed in the garden, wouldn't like to say the same for the eglu , in a small town garden perhaps but not in rural france surely!  My neighbour would kill himself laughing, he laughs that I buy the odd fencing post when I've got a forest full, so having a little plastic hen spaceship in the middle of the garden would probably kill him! http://www.ducatillon.com/materiel-d-elevage/logements-pour-animaux.aspx The eglu is very expensive too isn't it! http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens&about=pricing

How horrible for you, I;ve tried to catch loose dogs here before and have reported them to the gendarmes who show no interest.  You tried to help and chances are he would not have come to you whatever you did.  I had a similar but less traumatic thing this week, I saw a large duck, the type that don't fly (muscovy??) on the road and it too evaded my capture, came back along the same stretch less than two hours later and it was also dead in the road, horrible as it could have lived happily on my lake and land if only I could have caught it.

Hello Why not get one from your french bank? Panda

Hello Sweet17 With the current market this would seem a risky thing to do.  Houses are hanging around for years on some of the AI forums.   Having said that I did buy before I sold and had a bridging loan.  I spent a month or two worrying about it but it all turned out fine in the end and the two transactions were only two weeks apart, which was pure luck and not judgement. Wooly's house sould quickly though, maybe he can give you some pointers.  Whilst we're on the subject when's the house warming Wooly? Panda

  Ignoring Will (sorry Will you are clearly in a weird state of mind this morning![blink]) The notaire I used for my last sale was young and much less stuffy than those I have previously encountered, no one called him Maitre although is it the correct term of address I believe. 

Hello It's fairly normal to have one mobile for work and one for personal use, it means you can leave the work one behind at the weekend and be certain that only people who have  your private number can call!!  I still have a UK mobile because my current contract insists on it, it must cost them a bomb as I often receive calls from the US and Aus.  At least I save them some money by using my VoIP phone to make calls which are included in the one off cost per month (7 euros).  So I am one of your two mobile phone carriers and everyone I have ever worked with in the IT industry was the same. Panda

Hi Thanks for the link it is clearer now, it does state that the conjoint will pay basic pension contributions  (I believe) which may be attractive (not for me as I can't imagine ever paying enough years in to get anything out) and could be the reason the accountant suggested it, but does very clearly state you must be doing something in the business and not be paid for it. Panda

Hi Pads I felt the same when I first started to study french and found that good books on english grammar really helped me to remember the english equivalent.  I also have a book which describes both the english and french versions alongside each other, this helps too.  What you will find is that whilst you do know and use all of the various tenses you probably either don't know or have forgotten what they are called as I don't think we are ever taught them in the way the french are.  Interestingly though if you watch any french quiz shows you will see a look of horror when even a french person is asked a question on conjugation and they often get it wrong.  Panda  

[quote user="Pads"] Vous ne connaissez pas monsieur et Madame Suchon? Ils sont belges, ils habitent à Bruxelles, Madame Suchon est d'origine francaise, elle n'aime pas beaucoup (de la ?) Belgigue. Elle et son mari viennent souvent en France, à côte d'ici , Ils louent un petit appartement et passer vacances visiter leurs amis. Ils sont très gentil tous les deux. I[/quote] These are the ones I think need correcting, but I'm no expert!

Hi Maricopa That makes sense, not being registered if not involved, that's how I understood it, but the OP said 'could not be just a wife as this was no longer a legal status, that's the bit that confuses me. Panda

[quote user="Nicole"] The moon also affects children’s behaviour. They appear to be louder, excited and more uncontrollable when there is a full moon. It is also very common practice to give children a syrup, readily obtainable at all pharmacists, for 5 days after a full moon, to get rid of the ‘worms’. [/quote] I think I have some but have never needed to use it.  I was given it by the doctor when my son had chicken pox bizarrely.  It is to calm them, I guess it would,d have stopped him scratching in the night, who knows, it has a picture of a full moon on it too! Panda

Hello It makes sense but there are a few typo's or spelling mistakes.  I know exactly how you feel, I had to read and review a book today, not because I am actively studying French (I should be after todays torturous efforts)but my son's teacher asked all the parents to read and review their current reading material.  I hated having to write my review and it took me forever to write a few sentences.  I think I had better hit the books again and soon! Panda

Hi I'm interested to know what affect this has on cotisations etc. I presume if there are two names associated then charges will be higher for pension etc.?  The term 'legal status' is a bit odd too as it is suggesting that the millions of people who have one partner working the other not are in some way not legal which can not be true.  Does anyone know more about this requirement? Panda[8-)]

[quote user="Saffy"] Hi there Thanks for your feed-back We have had a wonderful time living in NZ but we seem to be the itchy feet type and ready for a move. We do wonder why we are moving when life is so good here but guess we just have those nomadic genes!. Yes wages are pretty poor here - particularly where we live in the Nelson region. Apparently we are paid in 'sunshine hours'! Fantastic for time on the beach but doesn't put much food on the table! The general cost of living we find quite expensive. However we do feel if we'd looked too closely at that side of things then we would never have moved here. We are so very glad we did. Our kids (now 10 and 9) have had the most awesome start to school life and and I've traded a career in nursing to one working with at-risk youth and adults in the outdoors - instructing in sea kayaking, hiking and rock climbing. All stuff i learnt here, having never done anything like that before. The pace of life is wonderful, and it seems like you can choose how you want to live. Lack of money does mean overseas travel is out of the question for many people though. Sounds like i'm on a sales pitch eh? NZ is a fabulous place full of interesting, quirky and fun people with very different outlooks on life. I can highly recommend living here. For us, nothing is for ever and we didn't come expecting to stay. It suits us to try out different places. Who knows - maybe France will be THE ONE!!!! Thanks again for all your comments - your responses have been very helpful Best Wishes Saff [/quote] I'm with Howard Carpentry on this one, your life in NZ sounds great and I think you should think long and hard about coming to France, you seem to have all of the upside of living in another country with very few of the downsides.   

Hi Magnolia I would like to send the knitting pattern to my MIL who is big on dog rescue and knitting but I couldn't find the pattern, am I being dim?  I will have a go at the fleece type one, again I would apreciate a pointer to the actual pattern.  I found myself watching some of the horrible things that had happened to these poor dogs, how can they do it? Panda