steve

in my particular case I look after gardens etc - nothing fancy, just grass cutting and keeping it all tidy. I charge what I think is an ok rate, not too cheap, but not too expensive - 22€/hr + TVA. There is someone local to me who I know isnt registered but charges 7€/hr + fuel costs - I have no proof yet though. They havent taken any work from me where we have both been quoting,  but if he wasnt about, then would I have got the work?  Who knows. When I manage to get proof I will report them, no question. Steve

[quote user="Punch"] Personally I only have a beef about the workers who are totally au noir, and not the ones who are properly registered  and do some cash now and again - [/quote] Me too - most people do the odd cash job. I wouldnt hesitate to report someone if they were taking work away from me by working on the black, paying no cotisations etc - Steve

me again - I charge what I think is a fair rate - 22€/hr + TVA - I have heard of a local guy charging 7€ an hour + fuel costs - When i get proof I will shop him and his customers. There are so called 'builders' who are registered with MSA with a siret etc (MSA is the society you have to belong to if you cut grass) as the insurance costs are cheaper for grass cutters than builders. Everyone does the occasional cash job and you actually pay for an organisation to keep an eye on everyones profits and if your differ from the rest by a significant amount, you get checked - this is not an option! If you employ anyone, check them out properly, ask for insurance proof, even if they just cut your grass - they might put the machine in the pool...... Steve

We used to look after a house nearby for some customers. We used to pop round and get the house ready for them, open the shutters, put the heating on and so on - As soon as the door shutter was opend, a crow used to attack his reflection, time and time again. He used to bash the glass so hard, he would bleed! Dawn used to clean the windows, and then have to do the door again with this 'stupid' bird! Thankfully they live here now, and they have a dog, which has stopped Mr Crow beating himself up! Steve

I 'am' a gardener - most of my clients are English holiday homes - some are English who live here, some German, Irish, French, Brits in India, Singapore & a Dutchman!" Steve

I have just put my prices up to 22€/hr from 20€. I think I will do it again :) Steve

[quote user="jon"] I have come to the conclusion that for those of you who emplo gardeners you pay something like 25/30 euros an hour. [/quote] Blimey! I need to put my prices up! Steve :)

We had a similar sort of thing with our Ford Ranger - We bought it from a guy who's parents are local, but he had gone to work in Spain with his German girlfriend! The car was a German car from new (3yrs old when we bought it) and was still German registered. We had to write to Ford France for the Conformity (with 150€), and go to the tax office to prove the impots had been paid in Germany, give the prefecture all the paperwork and 300€ (I think) and we were reday! If you do the research first, do the running about, its not too bad! Cheers Steve

well done you! its ok for you lot - our outgoing? Mator 'illegally' declared one of his team 'elected' thats been overturned and we are doing it all again on Sunday 1st eleven past the post make the council! Dawn is back in the running, although she got the fewest votes on our list, she got more than the all french 3rd list! See the blog at http://gerard.donzeau.over-blog.fr/ and the village blog at http://vieux-mareuil.over-blog.com/ it all happens here! Steve

As I understod it, you cannot pay a gardener chq emploi if he uses his own kit - that makes him an enterprise, and he should be registered and insured etc. Steve

alternating treatments sounds like a good idea - I have never noticed mites on our 2 - I think Cassy may have had ear mites when she was a puppy, how do you notice them? are they crawling about (yuck!) on them or is it lots of scratching and stuff? We walk in the forest behind our house everyday and pick up ticks from the dear and boar and stuff - must go - new chickens arriving any time! Steve

we have 2 yellow labs, and both have frontline combo. They still get ticks, but they dont usually bite until the stuff starts to wear off. Cat is done just as regularly, but as he is always got his head down holes, they bite him! Being yellow, they are both easy to spot. (normally on the sofa as the dogs are treated!) I have to be careful strimming and cutting long grass for a living. My neighbour had one bury in the back of her head, and was quite ill (she carried a sheep though....) Just check them all the time and if they go off their food and are lathargic (sp?) double check them and get them to the vet to make sure. I am more worried about Adders - we had a GSD in UK who nearly died having been bitten by one in the spring - staight after hibernation. Luckily he was a young very big, very strong dog and pulled through - another dog the same week (great dane) died as it found a 'ball' of randy ones and was bitten several times and its owner couldnt carry it back to the car. cheers Steve

your OK in 24 (well the North bit anyway!) its been very windy and very wet after our early summer! But its supposed to improve tomorrow (I hope so - got lots of cutting to do before everyone comes down for easter!) Steve

if you indicate gardening as your main 'thing' then you will need to join MSA. They will come and inspect your kit to make sure you have all the right stuff (mowers, strimmers etc etc) - There are a lot of people out there claiming to be gardeners etc that are infact builders. The insurance for gardeners is cheaper than builders. I know that MSA are checking up more nowadays. Steve

[quote user="Panda"]On the things you can do with ragondin front, my neighbours has offered to rid us of them and provide in return the pate he makes from them, YUUUUK. Panda [/quote] yum yum! We have traps set at our lake (a small one owned by 5 other French) Cant wait to try the Pate! Steve

Shop him! Here Here - leagal workers pay a fortune for the privallage of working - Cheers Steve (who is off to check his number works!)

if its that bad then bin it. It is possible to buy a new liner, but may not be worth it - it should have a small filter/pump unit - we look after a couple and as the pumps & filters are usually smal, they take a lot of filtering and work - depending on number of people using them. Stevel

mr pool geezer is correct - unless its a thick slimey green, you shouldnt need to drain it - filter 24/7 with a backwash every few hours should do it - along with PH balance etc. Good luck Steve

Ahh, there you hit the nail on the head! I have NEVER had such a hectic social life! Today for example, I was down at the village hall for the village Belote competition - 46 teams! (there are only 300 or so residence in the comune!) Dont belive it, I cant play, but was behind the bar! They are still there suppin' but my doggies needed a wee! Dawn & I are so very busy not only with work - early Feb for example we were entertaining or being entertained 9 nights out of 14. Its too much! Cant wait for the BBQ season to start - I BBQ almost every night, and 2 or 3 times a week we have people (neighbours who cant resist the aroma) call to give us eggs, or tell a us a bit of gossip and end up staying! For Dawns 40th we had 50 people to a lamb roast we did in the garden - 14th April ! - it was cold but copius amounts of vino and a patio heater sorted that! The only trouble with this hectic social life is in the summer, we are burning the candle at both ends, but as we are seasonal, we can catch up with rest from October to March - hibernation! Follow your dream, be prepared for some uphill struggles, but, if your determined, its worth it! Good Luck Steve

I just sent it to my mum who lives in Donny - she thought it was funny. Steve

Boy oh Boy nell, do you need to get out more! Lighten up for gods sake Steve

OK, you asked for it! Now, I havent tried it yet, no more moles in the garden!  Taupes à la Royale Ingrédients pour quatre personnes 4 taupes de printemps, rondelettes 2 oignons jaunes 4 échalotes grises bouquet garni, sel de Guérande poivre de Sichuan une cuiller d'huile d'olive de Lesbos une poignée de pâte feuilletée 4 tuber melanosporum un verre de vin de paille ou d'Arbois Peler les taupes, vider les, conservez le foie; en cocotte, faites les revenir dans l'huile avec le duxel d'oignons et échalotes pour les faire dorer. Garnissez quatre petites terrines, posez une taupe dans chacune, ajoutez le duxel mélangé aux foies, une truffe émincée par taupe, une cuiller de vin jaune ( le Sauternes ou le Monbazillac conviennent également, mais le vin d'Arbois est plus rustique ), couvrir chaque terrine de pâte et passez au four au bain marie 40 minutes. Servez avec une purée de vitelottes au parmesan. Enjoy??????? Steve

be carefull with those things! mine developed a fault so I stripped it down, fixed it and put it back together - the fisrt bomb I connected to it went off as I was holiding the dam thing! Luckily, i was holding the wires and not the charge - my face was covered in black stuff and I was deaf for 3 days - honestly, it was just like a cartoon! Seriously, a friend of a friend lost a finger and a half with one, so please take care. I find a dog is great for digging the little blighters up! We have 2 labs and they used to spend ages digging - now, no more moles! Mind you, the garden looks like a lunar landscape! I go through dozens of blade re-sharpens every year, cutting mole hills on customers gardens........ I found a recipie for them not so long ago - if your interested I will post it.... Steve

I have seen reports of a few Brits being on the list of the odd comune, but there appears there are lots! I remember you! Steve

hi folks - any one standing for election on this list? Dawn my wife is - see the team blog here http://gerard.donzeau.over-blog.fr/ Dawn is center back. Cheers Steve