½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

As long as its not Wales, i don't care who wins Ìý [Had the pleasure of living and working in Cardiff in mid 70's when Welsh Rugby was 'rampant' and as a lone Englishman in the office - life was unbearable.]

Ìý I think when they say they 'cruise' to Genoa, they mean that they drive at a 'leisurely' pace rather than 'blasting down' - nothing to do with boats. To cut out the drive you could use motorail services;- Ìý but the Calais motorail services have been [permanently?] discontinued on cost grounds, so you would need to travel from Holland or Germany.Ìý The costs seem high, but once you take off the costs of hotels, tolls, petrol etc - they don't seem that bad.

Ìý"We've been advised by our builders we should considerÌýusing cork linning on the internalÌýperimeter walls in the older sections of the house before plastering/skimming. Has anyone used this method of insulation and has it made any difference to the heating costs?" Don't know about cork - but I lined a very cold bedroom's walls with rolls of expanded polystyrene [in the 1970s] - had to turn off the radiator - boiling hot in the room!!!

Dear Colonel, Ìý In the days of the 'old forum' it was a lot more like you mention it is elsewhere. However, after time it degenerated into a number of members trying to 'bully' anyone who posted anything they disagreed with.Ìý It became very 'nasty' at times and several frequent posters left.Ìý In those days we had a 'Thank You' facility [Grazie button], where you could add your name to the bottom of a post to show you agreed/welcomed/or whatevered, the posting.Ìý Some members opened new accounts under names like 'turdle go home' and 'turdle is talking rubbish' so they could thank every post by turtle and really mess the system up.Ìý Others decided [through another forum] to bombard the system with unkind PMs and new postings, to overload the system, and the whole thing degenerated into chaos - creating the need for a more 'sedate forum - and causing us to lose what was, in many respects, a superior forum [when it worked] to this one. Personally, I miss thinks like the Friday Joke, but accept that more boring, but less antagonistic forumÌýis better for those who want info etc. What I don't miss are postings like [lifted from a quick scan of the old forum];- "..... everyone knows you do it - but no one will ever tell you to your face that you're a sour faced gossipmonger who is intent on malevolently claiming to see something flagitious where no such thing exists."Ìý and " ...... please try to be more attentive as the men in white coats may be just around the corner if you insist you can see things that aren't really there"

ÌýParty time - fill with ice - wine chiller

Ìý"T"The warning about Neopolitan thieves seems to be a universal one." I must admit - when I visited Naples, on the way to the Amalfi coast, I felt very 'unsafe' as I walked through the streets.Ìý It may just be reputation, but it had a threatening atmosphere, as far I was concerned.Ìý I kept thinking of that phrase "See Naples and die"Ìý [Wrong context, I know, but thats how it felt to me] However, the Amalfi coast was fantastic.Ìý Spent a week walking the coast - absolutely shattered at the end of each day, [pathways were at the top of the cliffs - hotels at the bottom], but what a coastline! Positano was wonderful, and Sorrento wasn't thatÌýbad [apart from the hordes of UK pensioners on cheap holidays who seemed to spend all day discussing which Hotel did the best breakfast].Ìý The area around Sorrento itselfÌýis beautiful Capri, once you get out of the main square and start exploring the island is fascinating [wonderful coastal pathway] - a great day out

ÌýLike others, can't post on an opening post - so here is the text;- Ìý Interesting article in today's Grauniad about how British lecturers were denied a fair wage by ½ûÂþÌìÌà universities Hopefully, they'll get their back pay ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ìý[within the next 30 years or so, knowing how the ½ûÂþÌìÌà system works!]

Make sure the lemons are 'unwaxed' when buying them

Not bad in stews either

ÌýWhy not see if any local farmer wants to graze his livestock - you might get it free!