1
Well, hello there everyone
and welcome to the June
edition.
I didn t really want to start
off with talking about the
weather, but, oh my god,
what a month May was! A few sunny days
surrounded by grey, miserable and rainy
ones … hence David s cover photo this
month, summing it all up nicely! I d like
to say it s good for the garden...
More
1 Well, hello there everyone and welcome to the June edition. I didn t really want to start off with talking about the weather, but, oh my god, what a month May was! A few sunny days surrounded by grey, miserable and rainy ones … hence David s cover photo this month, summing it all up nicely! I d like to say it s good for the garden but I m a bit worried that my new, lovingly tended veg garden will be drowned! I m off to a good start though with lots of lettuce already being enjoyed! Hopefully summer will be upon us in time for la Fête de la Musique. This takes place annually on 21st June, so most events will take place over that weekend. For those not familiar with la Fête de la Musique, it was launched in 1982 by the French Ministry for culture (and is celebrated worldwide) with the intention of creating a free popular event, open to any participant (amateur or professional musicians) who wants to take part and France proud since 2009 and by all accounts is likened to Edward Sciss
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From stuart.wallace
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Pub. on May 29th 2013
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Hello everyone and
welcome to May s edition
of etcetera.
As I write this at the end of
April I think I am safe in
saying that Spring has
finally sprung! It s been a long time in
coming so let s make the most of it! My
Dad came to stay for a while in April and
he experienced a mixed bag of weather
but fortunately enough sunny days...
More
1 Hello everyone and welcome to May s edition of etcetera. As I write this at the end of April I think I am safe in saying that Spring has finally sprung! It s been a long time in coming so let s make the most of it! My Dad came to stay for a while in April and he experienced a mixed bag of weather but fortunately enough sunny days that I had him hard a work on an annual garden project … thanks Dad! We created a corner garden making using of old tyres and I love it. For inspiration check out www. pinterest. com. It s so easy to create an account then away you go … you have a virtual pinboard brimming with ideas and tips! I m becoming quite an addict, well I would be if time allowed… but of course it doesn t because I now have my veggie patch to attend to! Regular readers will know how excited I am to have started one this year. Do you think it s a good thing to be so excited by gardening at 40?? I ve had the whole French Mother s Day (or for those who forgot the UK one!!) the 26th
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From stuart.wallace
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Pub. on Apr. 25th 2013
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Views: 902
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Hello all and welcome to
the April edition.
I d like to start off by
thanking everyone who
responded with some great
advice and tips for starting
my veggie patch that I talked about last
month.
I ve been googling design ideas
like mad and although I haven t quite got
to the floaty skirt and wicker basket stage
yet, work is...
More
1 Hello all and welcome to the April edition. I d like to start off by thanking everyone who responded with some great advice and tips for starting my veggie patch that I talked about last month. I ve been googling design ideas like mad and although I haven t quite got to the floaty skirt and wicker basket stage yet, work is underway! I d like to say a special thank you to Stevie and Zoe too for their contributions of bulbs and seeds to get me on my way! We ve been inundated with new advertisers this month, many of whom are newly created businesses - a good sign that despite the financial climate there are still entrepreneurs out there ready to take on the challenge of working in France and filling gaps in the market. We wish them all plenty of success and hope you will help support them. Many readers in the Vienne area will be happy to learn that Bike Hire Direct are attracting bees and butterflies whilst Taylor Made Gardens have some great ideas for creating a balcony garden. An
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Apr. 5th 2013
Pages: 60
Views: 396
Downloads: 1
1
Hello all and welcome to
the April edition.
I d like to start off by
thanking everyone who
responded with some great
advice and tips for starting
my veggie patch that I talked about last
month.
I ve been googling design ideas
like mad and although I haven t quite got
to the floaty skirt and wicker basket stage
yet, work is...
More
1 Hello all and welcome to the April edition. I d like to start off by thanking everyone who responded with some great advice and tips for starting my veggie patch that I talked about last month. I ve been googling design ideas like mad and although I haven t quite got to the floaty skirt and wicker basket stage yet, work is underway! I d like to say a special thank you to Stevie and Zoe too for their contributions of bulbs and seeds to get me on my way! We ve been inundated with new advertisers this month, many of whom are newly created businesses - a good sign that despite the financial climate there are still entrepreneurs out there ready to take on the challenge of working in France and filling gaps in the market. We wish them all plenty of success and hope you will help support them. Many readers in the Vienne area will be happy to learn that Bike Hire Direct are attracting bees and butterflies whilst Taylor Made Gardens have some great ideas for creating a balcony garden. An
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on March 26th 2013
Pages: 60
Views: 408
Downloads: 1
1
Welcome everyone to the
March edition.
I hope you
have all had a good month
and enjoyed the spell of
spring weather that was
very much welcomed.
I say
the spell as at the time of writing more
snow was forecast, just to confuse us …
and our gardens!
So into March, the month of optimism
and hope.
I m not so sure … I read in...
More
1 Welcome everyone to the March edition. I hope you have all had a good month and enjoyed the spell of spring weather that was very much welcomed. I say the spell as at the time of writing more snow was forecast, just to confuse us … and our gardens! So into March, the month of optimism and hope. I m not so sure … I read in the news this week that electricity prices are set to soar… did I understand this right… 30% by 2016? 30%!!! Is that not a little steep? Please forgive me any spelling errors, I m sitting here in the dark typing wearing a big fluffy coat and gloves so as to conserve energy so I might have hit wrong key here and there! Okay, that s my grouchy bit over with! I m hoping this year to start a vegetable patch, I d really like to but think I m leaving it a bit late. I m clueless, that s my problem, so I keep putting it off. I have no idea where to start or what to start growing. I think I need to keep it on a business notes covering changes to the AE charges and ad
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Feb. 28th 2013
Pages: 56
Views: 851
Downloads: 1
1
Welcome everyone to the
February edition.
At the
time of writing the brief
snowfall here has been and
gone and the the sun is
desperately fighting the
cold of winter to give us a brief glimpse
of spring.
I m hoping, perhaps over
optimistically, that the worst of the
winter is over… I don t do cold very well…!
So...
More
1 Welcome everyone to the February edition. At the time of writing the brief snowfall here has been and gone and the the sun is desperately fighting the cold of winter to give us a brief glimpse of spring. I m hoping, perhaps over optimistically, that the worst of the winter is over… I don t do cold very well…! So February - the month of love and romance…. ! Hold yer horses, I ve been so busy I haven t even made it to the winter sales this year so all that love and romance stuff will just have to get in line, just don t telly Stuart! I m pretty sure he doesn t read my editorial so I m quite safe. The sales incidentally finish on February 12th so there s still time to grab yourself a bargain. This month we have some great new advertisers including a Life Coach, page 16 and a Vintage & Classic Car Service, page 32. Have a read, there s more new businesses to discover… Also on page 16, you ll find Lee Croft who will be opening stay in one of the hote
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Jan. 28th 2013
Pages: 52
Views: 845
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1
Welcome to the first
edition of 2013! I hope you
all had a wonderful
Christmas and are ready to
tackle the year with gusto!
So we survived the end of
the world on 21st December … that s
handy as I d have been really narked that
I d spent my last few days on earth frantic
about getting to print and stressing over
when I m...
More
1 Welcome to the first edition of 2013! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to tackle the year with gusto! So we survived the end of the world on 21st December … that s handy as I d have been really narked that I d spent my last few days on earth frantic about getting to print and stressing over when I m going to do the Christmas food shopping! So now we know there is a new year ahead to look forward to, we ll find ourselves this month making New Year Resolutions, some of which we ll keep, some we won t. I read somewhere that 88% of Brits fail in their efforts - that s quite shocking really isn t it and reading that can make you want to give up before you ve even started! Apparently the 12% who are successful at sticking to their resolutions set specific, realistic goals in order to achieve their end aim. So instead of saying I will give up smoking , they set France. A special thanks goes to Manou, my own tutor, who has been brillian
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Dec. 30th 2012
Pages: 52
Views: 852
Downloads: 2
1
Welcome all to the
December edition.
Christmas is almost upon
us … in homes everywhere
there will be the joyful
sound of Christmas jingles
playing on the radio, the aroma of mince
pies and Christmas cakes baking.
Kids will
be amusing themselves contentedly with
making decorations and writing polite
letters to Santa….
Okay,...
More
1 Welcome all to the December edition. Christmas is almost upon us … in homes everywhere there will be the joyful sound of Christmas jingles playing on the radio, the aroma of mince pies and Christmas cakes baking. Kids will be amusing themselves contentedly with making decorations and writing polite letters to Santa…. Okay, that s the scene we fondly imagine in our mind s eye, however the reality in our house is rather different! December is always frantic! From the moment one edition is finished, I start on the next and with the January edition needing to go to print earlier than usual because of Christmas I lose a few working days in December… argghh! Stuart is always rushed off his feet with requests for TV installations as people prepare to chill out on the sofa over the festive period, so I have to bear his grunting and huffing as he tries to juggle his diary. The school desire to hibernate. Lots of our advertisers offer great ideas for Christmas gifts. Making a living in F
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Dec. 1st 2012
Pages: 56
Views: 657
Downloads: 2
1
Welcome all to the
December edition.
Christmas is almost upon
us … in homes everywhere
there will be the joyful
sound of Christmas jingles
playing on the radio, the aroma of mince
pies and Christmas cakes baking.
Kids will
be amusing themselves contentedly with
making decorations and writing polite
letters to...
More
1 Welcome all to the December edition. Christmas is almost upon us … in homes everywhere there will be the joyful sound of Christmas jingles playing on the radio, the aroma of mince pies and Christmas cakes baking. Kids will be amusing themselves contentedly with making decorations and writing polite letters to Santa…. Okay, that s the scene we fondly imagine in our mind s eye, however the reality in our house is rather different! December is always frantic! From the moment one edition is finished, I start on the next and with the January edition needing to go to print earlier than usual because of Christmas I lose a few working days in December… argghh! Stuart is always rushed off his feet with requests for TV installations as people prepare to chill out on the sofa over the festive period, so I have to bear his grunting and huffing as he tries to juggle his diary. The school desire to hibernate. Lots of our advertisers offer great ideas for Chris
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Nov. 28th 2012
Pages: 56
Views: 97
Downloads: 1
1
in last month s Life etcetera.
A range of new advertisers
are welcomed this month.
If
you have an escape artist
dog, you may be interested in the
Canicloture advert, if you live in or
around the Confolens area and enjoy
swimming, check out page 10, and
referring back to languages, Séjours
Deuxième Langue are looking...
More
1 in last month s Life etcetera. A range of new advertisers are welcomed this month. If you have an escape artist dog, you may be interested in the Canicloture advert, if you live in or around the Confolens area and enjoy swimming, check out page 10, and referring back to languages, Séjours Deuxième Langue are looking for host families for students wishing to learn English. Did you know by the way that etcetera is available by subscription for those who prefer to have a copy delivered to their home. Details on the back page. And finally, let us take time to reflect on Remembrance Day. You can support the relentless work by the Royal British Legion and it s loyal fundraisers through various efforts. See pages 5, 35 & 49. Until next month, take care, Haute-Vienne (87), Charente (16) and South Deux-Sevres (79)November 2012 Issue 75 FREE BRITISH PAINT DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR IN FRANCE http://www. kis-uk. com Kis See advert - page 36 € Welcome a
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Oct. 31st 2012
Pages: 52
Views: 903
Downloads: 2
1
Hello everyone.
I hope
you are all well and
enjoying the autumnal
season.
November isn’t my
favourite month.
Not
entirely sure why, but I know I am always
keen to get it over and done with.
Most
of nature rests for the winter.
I think I
would like to join it and maybe hibernate
in a cupboard, just for a little...
More
1 Hello everyone. I hope you are all well and enjoying the autumnal season. November isn’t my favourite month. Not entirely sure why, but I know I am always keen to get it over and done with. Most of nature rests for the winter. I think I would like to join it and maybe hibernate in a cupboard, just for a little while. We have said our farewells to the final parent who flew south for the winter, off to warmer climates. All 4 of them live in Spain, (not together, that would be weird) and as much as I miss them all, I don’t blame them for a second! But I do enjoy the seasons here, so I suppose November can be lovely (when sat in a cupboard) with the cosiness of the fire and the snug evenings…. I am currently reading a book that a friend lent me, (thanks Cathy). It’s called 59 seconds, by Professor Richard Wiseman. I read a chapter last night with particular interest. It talks about procrastinators. This is something that I seem to be ra
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Oct. 31st 2012
Pages: 28
Views: 223
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1
Hello everyone.
Well, I’m not sure how
this has happened but
it appears we are in
October already!
Where is the time
going? Does time go faster as we get
older? It certainly seems that way.
Apparently, (so the ‘experts’ say), it’s all
about experiences.
When we’re young,
we have so many first-time experiences,
everything...
More
1 Hello everyone. Well, I’m not sure how this has happened but it appears we are in October already! Where is the time going? Does time go faster as we get older? It certainly seems that way. Apparently, (so the ‘experts’ say), it’s all about experiences. When we’re young, we have so many first-time experiences, everything is new and our brains and minds are processing all this new information. First occasions are novel events, so we tend to make more detailed memories of these times, and these memories last longer. If we repeat an event, year after year, it becomes same old same old and our memories don’t really have any new information to hold. Have you noticed when you arrive at your new holiday destination the first couple of days go fairly leisurely, and you’re so glad you made it a 2 week break. The next thing you know that 2 week break is over. And have you noticed how the return car journey is faster than the outward leg? It is believed the key to slowing down your pace
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Sept. 30th 2012
Pages: 28
Views: 181
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1
Haute-Vienne (87), Charente (16)
and South Deux-Sevres (79)October 2012 Issue 74 FREE
BRITISH PAINT DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR IN FRANCE
http://www.
kis-uk.
com
Kis See advert - page 37
€
Don’t forget to put
your clocks back!
See ad
page 23
Welcome all to the
October edition.
I ve woken up this
morning to rain and wind
so it s...
More
1 Haute-Vienne (87), Charente (16) and South Deux-Sevres (79)October 2012 Issue 74 FREE BRITISH PAINT DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR IN FRANCE http://www. kis-uk. com Kis See advert - page 37 € Don’t forget to put your clocks back! See ad page 23 Welcome all to the October edition. I ve woken up this morning to rain and wind so it s feeling quite wintry. I must say though, the rain is much needed after over a month with barely a drop. The weather is very strange here don t you think? We seem to have little pockets of weather and here in our little spot we seem to have missed a few of the recent showers that I know came down on neighbouring towns. In fact a few days ago, my Dad and I took a walk down the lane and discovered everything was wet. There had clearly been a considerable amount of rainfall … there were even puddles … but not in our garden! Our garden and house were bone dry. I know rain or snow has to stop somewhere but when in the UK I never noticed it but here it seems very ob
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on Sept. 30th 2012
Pages: 52
Views: 720
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1
the last nearly 9 years that we have lived
in France, one constant in our lives has
been our lovely little school.
It will seem
strange to not have the daily trip there.
Both kids will now be on the school bus
to collège and our daily routine will be
different.
Not necessarily for the worse
- for a start I m hoping to sneak back...
More
1 the last nearly 9 years that we have lived in France, one constant in our lives has been our lovely little school. It will seem strange to not have the daily trip there. Both kids will now be on the school bus to collège and our daily routine will be different. Not necessarily for the worse - for a start I m hoping to sneak back to bed on occasions after they have left at 7. 45am! Whilst on the subject of my babies I really must share with you a proud Mum moment. Rhys got an A in his GCSE English exam. Wow, how impressive is that for a 12 year old who has never had a formal English education! I d like to say a big thank you to Mel who guided him through the coursework to achieve this. He may or may not need this in later life but it s there now, ready to look good on his CV. Well done Rhys! Thank you to everyone, visitors, exhibitors, entertainers etc. , who attended our fun day at the end of July, I couldn t mention it last month as we d gone to print just before the big da
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From stuart.wallace
1
Vienne (86) & Indre (36)September 2012 FREE
See ad
page 14
€
You know the
expression “If I had a
pound for each time
I’ve heard that…” well
there is one thing I
keep hearing recently
“Oh, the thin one”.
No, they’re definitely not talking about
me, they are talking about this new
‘slender’ Vienne/Indre edition....
More
1 Vienne (86) & Indre (36)September 2012 FREE See ad page 14 € You know the expression “If I had a pound for each time I’ve heard that…” well there is one thing I keep hearing recently “Oh, the thin one”. No, they’re definitely not talking about me, they are talking about this new ‘slender’ Vienne/Indre edition. Yes, it is more lightweight at the moment, it has only been going since the beginning of June. Anyone who remembers the first editions of the 87/16/79 etcetera will recall it was smaller than this is now, and look how it has grown! Let’s build this up, whether it be in the form of advertising, articles, What’s On in your area, clubs and associations. This magazine is here to promote your area, to give useful information and be there as a medium for life here in the Vienne & Indre. La rentrée is upon us again. While some sigh with relief that the 2 month summer holidays are over, others may feel a little sad that the relaxed vacances is over. Personally, I feel both. I l
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From stuart.wallace
1
you ll know by the time you read this…
Thinking about the bizarre weather
we ve experienced this year got me
thinking about how our moods
completely react to the weather.
Even
if I m holed away in the office I m still
happier to know it s sunny outside… why
is that…? Perhaps it s because I know I
can look forward to my daily...
More
1 you ll know by the time you read this… Thinking about the bizarre weather we ve experienced this year got me thinking about how our moods completely react to the weather. Even if I m holed away in the office I m still happier to know it s sunny outside… why is that…? Perhaps it s because I know I can look forward to my daily outing to the post box which is all of 15 metres away, but there and back makes a 30m walk in the sun which is still better than a 30m walk in the rain! Sometimes the Postie is a bit late which means a return trip… oh the thrills of life! I actually don t mind cold weather as long as I am toastie warm, but grey and miserable is just so uninspiring - I think it should perhaps be banned. I m sure there must be an advertiser in here somewhere who can sort that for me…. Parents of schoolchildren, don t forget to go out and buy all that you need for the Rentrée. A few supermarkets including Carrefour and Cora have a great offer - donate your old but usable Welcome
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From stuart.wallace
1
Vienne (86) & Indre (36)August 2012 FREE
See ad
page 12
€
Hello everyone, and
welcome to the third
edition of the 86/36
etcetera magazine.
It feels as though I
have been working on
the magazine for ages!
But the new edition is still a baby, at only
8 weeks old.
As with anything new, it
takes time to grow, but once it gets going...
More
1 Vienne (86) & Indre (36)August 2012 FREE See ad page 12 € Hello everyone, and welcome to the third edition of the 86/36 etcetera magazine. It feels as though I have been working on the magazine for ages! But the new edition is still a baby, at only 8 weeks old. As with anything new, it takes time to grow, but once it gets going there’s no stopping it! For me it’s been a month of seeing family and friends, as I celebrated my 40th birthday, which nicely coincided with the start of the school summer holidays. Hmmm…. 40. I remember turning 30. I was living in Brighton, had a decent job, pretty much doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (no constant “Mummyyyyy” demands!). But arriving at the big three-0 did make me wonder if I was ever going to settle down. But a few years later I did just that. So, what has 40 made me think about? It’s made me think about my health and fitness. I am not blessed with a metabolism that allows me to eat all the things I want without showing it
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From stuart.wallace
1
feel very hungry, and Ben whose words
continue to make me smile.
Please note
he is also our Short Story contributor.
Next there is Jacqui, who is there to help.
We come out here and see the new French
life through rose-tinted specs, but for
many that is not the reality.
The lovely Laura, who keeps us up-to-date
with ‘her lot’...
More
1 feel very hungry, and Ben whose words continue to make me smile. Please note he is also our Short Story contributor. Next there is Jacqui, who is there to help. We come out here and see the new French life through rose-tinted specs, but for many that is not the reality. The lovely Laura, who keeps us up-to-date with ‘her lot’ and Rob, our new ‘Techy’ contributor - welcome onboard! We have a range of new advertisers this month, including a chimney sweep, Zumba classes and an immobilier. I am pretty sure everyone is aware, but for anyone who has missed previous coverage or has just arrived here, don’t forget that it’s the 3rd etcetera Exhibition and Family Fun day on Sunday 29th July, mark it in your diaries, it’s going to be a good one. If you are interested in being involved in the magazine, as a contributor, advertiser or distributor, please contact me. Finally, (I’ve run out of space already) a big thank you to everyone who is involved in this, I couldn’t do it without you.
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From stuart.wallace
Adobe PDF document
Pub. on July 5th 2012
Pages: 24
Views: 149
Downloads: 1
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