Lay My Hat

I have purchased a Zodiac Voyager X2 robot pool cleaner. This is the third model of robot I have owned. The first lasted about 4 or 5 years and was quite good. The second I had for nearly 8 years and was excellent. But a major fault has finally forced a new purchase, of the above model. I am extreme...

There are a number of people selling solar heating panels for pools. They are even appearing in supermakets too, particularly in the form of a boxed 'kit'. The boxed kit variety comes in 2 forms. One is for 'above ground' pools, the other is for 'in ground'. Not sure of the actual difference, but su...

You might be interested in some detail differences found between Google Maps and MSN's Virtual Earth.

Go here: theregister.co.uk/2005/07/25/msn_earth_deletes_aple/

The recommended area for solar panels is normally quoted as being HALF the surface area of the pool. This applies to the standard black plastic panels that you normally see being sold. This normally assumes mid and southern France. It normally assumes use of a 'solar' or summer cover used overnight....

Marion, A robot cleaner powered by electicity (via a low voltage transformer!) will certainly climb vertical surfaces. My only doubt in regards to your own pool is that as the cleaner moves over the vertical drop it may 'leap over the edge' and not actually climb down it. It will, however, climb bac...

Washy, I presume with that 'nic' that you will be contributing to the 'towel' thread? Sorry if that sounds 'cryptic' at the moment, but I'm sure you'll know what I'm on about soon enough. Oh, and welcome to the forum, by the way! I was a bit taken aback with your enquiry at first. But your subsequen...

soodyer, The organic veg from your boss sound great. I would definitely encourage him to 'test' more stuff out on you! We are not organic at the moment, although we try to minimize any chemical use. Perhaps once we feel more confident of what we are doing we will investigate organic 'farming' more f...

Melon....have had lots in the last couple of weeks. Even though they were planted at decent time intervals to try to prevent a glut, it appears they are all ripe at about the same time. So I'm thinking of digging out the juicer from the back of the cupboard, and 'juicing' some. Wonder if that can th...

soodyers' thread about pasta sauce has had responses that would suggest that some here are into 'growing their own'. We are now heavily into this. The results so far have been rewarding. Hard work at times, particularly when preparing a sloping site. We are now well into the early stages of fruit gr...

Kerry, Some I have used in France are: www.cdiscount.com Often the cheapest, but delivery speed is NOT their strong point. Quoted delivery period (e.g. 4 to 8 days) was always exceeded. www.multe-pass.com Again, nice and cheap, and, so far, about right with delivery. www.mrgooddeal.com Sometimes ver...

Alan, not a problem to me. I wasn't looking for a "France or Britain:which is best?" type of debate. And don't really want one either. Just surprised why you responded in that vein. But I'm happy to leave that angle alone. Susan, thanks for that. I will go and have another look at the depa...

Alexia, woops! Guilty as charged. I will resist the temptation to go back and edit, and slink off with my tail between my legs!! This fox is humble enough to admit it, when he gets caught! Thank god those sunglasses are able to cover up my reddended cheeks!!! That one must have slipped past me after...

Jayjan, "vac your pool to waste". Goodness, your water must be unmetered!!! At the rate my pump works I would have to be very quick with a vacuum hose! Pumps seem to range from flow rates of about 9 cubic metres per hour to more than 30. A mid range pump of around 20 cubic metres per hour ...

it fails to adopt anything like an 'independent' view of the situation But that can be claimed of more or less any newspaper article. And anyway, since when did newspapers subscribe to a view of 'balanced reporting'? it adopts a British 'we are better than europe' viewpoint Where? Just because it a...

Alan and marcus, I'm curious as to why both of your responses are along the lines of 'yes, but exactly the same could be said of Britain'. The article doesn't make any great play of comparing the two countries. It's mainly about the French questioning the contribution of Chirac to their countries pr...