mary

Thank you everyone for your replies, very helpful. Looks like I will be buying a sand filter ASAP.

Edit:- sorry, 15 foot not Inch, holds 17,000 litres of water..

Hi I have an 15 foot round Intex pool. I drained the pool down at the end of the summer and it filled up with the rain over the winter and spring to a foot off the top which I filled up with mains water. 12 days ago I added chlore choc, all the algae has gone and the water is pale blue. We have had the Intex Pump on 24 hours a day since adding the chlore choc and also added 3 x Floclent sachets, but it wont go clear. It is a cloudy milky colour. When taking a sample out, it looks clear in the glass, but not in the pool. I can't see the bottom or anything much below 1 foot. I took a sample down to our local pool supply shop, and all the readings are spot on. I am cleaning the filter every hour. There is some yellow\cream coloured residue on the filter, but nothing great. Is the pump/filter big enough to cope with a drity pool from the start, and should have enmpted it fully or half and started from here. It's getting so frustrating. I hoover the bottom twice a day and nothing is in it other than the odd dead fly. It's getting to be full time job!! Any suggestions greatly received Thanks, Vida

Yes, the first is a may bug I think as I have them as well. They seem to come out of the ground and yes, collide with people . Normally happens in the evening. They then swarm around my Magnolia tree. The second bug, I aslo have in my grass and they are funny things as they seem to make a large hole, considering they are not exactly that big. I think they are a type of Grasshopper and later on in the summer for some reason, they end up hiding behind all the shutters on the window, not in the ground.

One of my cats always had a problem with the third eye lid showing. It used to flare up and was put down to an allery to something she had put her face in. The vet thought perhaps stinging nettles or a reacting to grass or flower pollen. They can become quite inflaned and the vet gave me steriod eye drops to calm it down. Similar to us if we react to hayfever etc. I suggest a visit to the vet as it can be uncomfortable for them as it can't retract properly and could get an eye infection. Good Luck.

Thank you, you have been most helpful Vida

Not sure how to spell it, but we have cou nou, which are brown with bare necks and also White Sussex. We have 5 hens and get 4 eggs on average daily, sometimes 5 and occasionaly only 3. Ours are 1.5 years old now and started laying when they were about 5\6 months. We are in the Gironde\Lot border, so weather gets hot here with us.

Hi, I contacted Vauxhall for a certificate of Confromity for my husbands Vauxhall Vivaro van, and I was told that 'there exists no European certificate of conformity for a van'. Do I assume that I just do not need to supply one and as it is a van, I will not be asked for one or should I fill out the form to send to DRIRE and see what they say? Thanks Vida

Hi Russet House' Where do you get the Sunflower hearts from as I can only find them with the shells on. I get my parents to bring sacks over when they come from the UK. I could not find a birde feeder/table, so my husband put two hangng basket brackets on to a wooden stake, and I hang seed feeders and Fat balls off all the swirly wrought iron ends. Works really well.

yes, just about. It is certinally good enough to thick fold into choc mousse. I think you just need to keep going a little longer with the whipping.

You say, is it only Ryan air that cancel, my firends were surposed to fly out for Valetintines weekend Luton-Bordeaux last night, after the flight being delayed for 2 hours, got to the gate and were waiting to board, and then they cancelled it. Aparently the crew could not work any more hours, they were over their limit. Why didn't they get another crew in, while they were in the 2 hour delay..they would have know then, they were getting close. I thought they have stand by crews. Not a happy couple!!!

I find the best cream and you do not need to use Chantilly fix, is Lidl's. It's in the chiller cabinet in a clear plastic bottle with a red cap. It's exactly the same at UK Whipping cream and does not need any fix. Whips up great and stiff. I dont use powdered gealtine, I prefer Leaf, which you can buy easily. I find it disolves better. Cream cheese-, Intermarche, Netto do their own and is alot cheaper than St Moret

Hi Can anyone help please. I get my Carte Vitael via an E109 as my husband works in the UK. My two children aged 11 and 10 have not had letters to recieve their swin Flu Jab, but all his french friends have. We have had our CV for over a year now. Is the jab linked with the CV, or child benefit. I still get my child benefit from the UK. Would I have to have a visit to the Doctor to enquire. I believe the letter is sending all the children to a local clinic to have the Jab, where you sit and wait but have to show the letter to qualify for it. Any suggestions would be appreciated as I do want my children to have it. Thanks Vida

Hi Can anyone recommend/know of a French accountant who speaks English or an English accountant in The gironde Region around- La Reole 33190/Langon/Libourne/Marmande/Duras within a a 30KM radius, it will be much appreicated. Please send a private messgae, as I know you can't put personal details on the forum.

I transfer money each month from the Uk with Moneycorp. I have the same amount in sterling sent over in Euro's each Month as a 'regular payment 'transfer. The rate I get with them seems very good when I check it each time. Over the tourist rate each time. It costs me £4 with Moneycorp and 1.55E with Credit Agricole.

My 'Indesit' Dishwasher after only being 1 year and 1 month old has decided that it does not like to heat the water anymore. Do you think manufacteurs put a timer on them to stop working after a year ?. Local repair shop has quoted me 218E to repair it as it's aparently the control board that is faulty...did wonder if they were having me on as being a English woman only speaking basic French. It cost me £219 in the Uk before we moved out here. I told him that it will be cheaper to buy another one, so not too worry, but since having a quick look at our local store, was amazed to see that the cheapest was 305E and was a brand I have never heard of. Can anyone recomend who I could try or an online shop they can recomend that you have purchased from as I am not familar with any of the online stores that come up on a search. Many thanks, Vida

Our Lidl has just expanded in size and in the Chilled department is a new style bottle of Cream. Brand name is 'Milbona'. It is in a clear bottle with a red lid and is called 'Creme Fraiche fluide. I think it is 'whipping Cream'. It whips really well without having to add Chantilly fix, which I used to use before with the small cartons. Great for scones and Cheesecakes etc. The shelf life is about 2 weeks, where as the other creams are long life. Emlea is UHT veg fat cream, and too me has a slight metalic aftertaste. If using it for a cheesecake or something flavoured, it's not too bad, better than nothing if you want to pipe with it.

Thanks Dave. I will get in touch with the opel garage here. I have got a Vauxhall Zafira and aparentley they now fit these fly wheels on them, but what they didn't change when they put on the new fly wheel was a new clutch plate, which my OH is anoyed with. Not covered under warranty, but you would think they may have suggested it., OH did wonder if it could be the thrust bearng, but who knows. Thanks again.

Bit of a long story, but had a rattle on the Clutch which was surposidly repaired in the Uk last week when I returned. The 'Fly Wheel' was repalced on the Clutch, but on driving back to France the rattle started up again. It is when the car stationary or being driven slowly, Ie Parking the car and does it in both in or out of Gear, but is worse in gear. Depressing the Clutch seems to agrivate it. I need to book into a French garage as the car is still in warranty, but what is a Fly Wheel in french called , and any suggestions on what may be the problem, that I can easliy explain to the garage. Many thanks, Vida

Hi Steve, Going back to your original question of what to buy a 5 year old boy, I have a 9 year old and a 11 year old, and unsure what to suggest other than I know at school here in Gironde the kids are all mad on table tennis. so perhaps a pair of rackets that he can play with Mum and Dad or alternativley as the weather is so good, mine also love water pistols and have great fun squirting each other.  I assume the 5 year old is an only child, so these are in 'Pairs' sports, unless M & D, won't mind getting wet.!! A skate board seems to also be the in thing for boys and they often have smooth areas at the local 'citi stade' Hope this helps. Vida

I react to any type of sting particulary Mosquito bites.  The area swells and is itchy for at least a week.  Can often look like a blister on the surface and is hot.  I take antihistamine, but for a topical cream, I use Hydrocortisone cream which you can buy over the counter.  It's the only thing that will reduce the itching and take the heat out and around the bite.  Antihistamine creams do not work as well as this does.  Read the instructions on the packet as you have to apply thinly, but it would have definatley brought down the swelling in the Wasp Sting and taken away that horrible tight redness that goes with it.

HI I have found the info...I spoke to a very helpful  man this time at Euro Tunnel..  They have said, if they havent taken me out, then in theory can't take me back to the Uk as I havent gone out to France.  It's the same terms and conditions for everyone, not just Tesco. Looks like I have learnt the hard way!!!!  May try and trasfer for the family to come out at Xmas with the tickets (AS long as I say it is me, as you can't transfer the tickets to anyone elses name!!)  

Hi Can anyone help with the following pls. I have Tesco vouchers which my OH collectes as he still lives in the UK.  I exchanged the vouchers for the Eurol tunnel but Tesco do  not allow you to depart from Calais - Folkestone and retun that way.  Ie France - Uk and UK - France.  So, I booked a return from Folkeston - Calais and Calais to Folkeston, as if I was living in the UK.  I then purchase a single ticket from Folkeston to Calais for my return.  Ie, we will not use the outward tickest from Calais to Folkeston, but just use the return, and then the single ticket to return us back to France. I had a thought his morning, that if we do not use the booking going out from Folkeston - Calais, which we wont be using as we are in France, will the ticket still be ok to do the return (France - UK).  Rang the helpline and they have said no, as we have not turned up for the first part of the booking.  I told them that I was now having to fly out to france and drive back and was not asking for a refund.  They have said that Tesco will not allow a departure from Claais first which I understand, but what I don't get, is if I don't turn up for the Folkestone - Calais, then bookiung I will show up as a no show and loose the whole ticket. Has anyone done the same thing, and will it cancel the booking if I do not use the first crossing from Folkestone - Calais or is she just telling mne this as I have used Tesco vouchers.  What does it matter to them.  I just need to have confirmation, that I I dont use the first part of the tickets, then the whole ticket becomes cancelled.  Would this be the case if I was not using tesco vouchers? Thanks, Vida

In September all the local colleges will have part time courses on for basic and advanced French, but will probably only be 1.5 hours a week for school Term time only.  I did this for 1 year before moving out, and realise how limited my french is and very 'Tourist' based.  I would suggest that you try and get 1 to 1 classes privaltely, as you will cover so much more and work at your pace, rather than others which will be in your class and may not be up to your speed, thus holding you back. 

Thanks sweet, But I paid the Doctor the 22E when he gave me my F de S, so does that mean that the Phamancy will send it off for me, and I will get it back via CPAM via my Bank A\c, or should he have given me it back soI can send it off?