We are staying with a large party of people in a lovely old villa near Montevarchi & Bucine in Tuscany. We know that there is the cantine aperte on the 31st but we will all be gone by then.
 Adriatica, in reply to the first paragraph of your last post; talking about use of a Damp Proof Membrane to block moisture rising into the building from the surrounding soil. Now, I am not a Civil Engineer, Geologist or Seismologist but I can tell you that although a  DPM can be used in a number of ways the way I have been referring to is to create a barrier between soil and concrete foundations. Used in this way there is no compromising of the structure as one rigid entity. I do not claim to be an expert in this field and certainly seismic regs are new territory to me, so if there is something I'm not getting here, and you appear to have the knowledge and inclination to share it, could you please elaborate further. I certainly don't want our little log cabin tobogganing down the hill on a plastic bag the next earthquake we get .Pilch
 Thanks for that Badger, but its not what I'm after. Look at this----   www.wickes.co.uk/Damp-Proofing-Membrane-1000-Gauge/invt/152859There are larger sheets at cheaper prices from other UK suppliers but approx £0.50 per metre is not a bad price to pay to effectively block moisture ingress into the foundations & ground floor of a building & it's specifically designed for that purpose.PilchÂ
 ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses are unhealthy & expensive places to heat .Have one beef about the windows here, there are no top openers. So in the winter months you can't have a window open.Pilch says it's regs in the U.K that all windows have trickle vents. The ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs don't seem to understand the concept of "air flow" in the house. I know at mia zia's house on a particularly hot day whilst lunching alight breeze blew up, loverly, and instantly the patio doors were shut ,we were sweltering, they said, "Oh vento", will make you ill!  So had to suffer without any air at all. A friend of ours stuffa would not burn correctly, and another friends open fire here smoked.....reason no air flow.Do ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs think that in Summer we need all windows and doors open and in Winter everything shut....Personally, in the U.K we always slept in winter and summer with a window open.I know most ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses I have visited suffer from damp, a real concern for me, it's not a concept they understand. They do not put in any damp course when building their houses, so, consequently dampness is drawn up through from the ground and most cantinas are cool but damp...maybe a reason why they live on the second floor. We are in the process, finally of putting up our log cabin and we are going about designing our foundations, can we find any DPM, Damp Proof Membraine, it's a very tough, blue plastic, heavy gauge sheet designed specifically for insulating concrete floors and foundations from moisture in the surrounding soil. They just don't use it. Pilch just recently has been speaking to the builders here about the benefits of using plaster as a covering on internal walls instaed of sand & cement and steel mesh. Not only when renovating old houses does the use of sand and cement intonico, and the accompanying techniques make the interior of a charming old farmhouse as aesthetically pleasing as your average concrete box but that coupled with lack of ventilation in winter all moisture generated by bathroom, kitchen, & just breathing stays in the air and in the furnishings. Plaster removes that excess moisture and holds onto it until the moisture content in the house drops sufficiently for the moisture to be transferred back into the air. That "damp" feeling so often experienced in ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses is very rare in the U.K. Comfort levels in the U.K. are much higher, with a greater sense of warmth & well being.  Secundo me.Sprat
 I keep loads of veg and herbs under oil and vinegar.They last for a year or more if kept in the fridge. Peeled and minced garlic covered by oil keeps well in the fridge. I also find freezing whole corriander leaves in the freezer best way of preserving my home grown corriander. Have tried putting Corriander minced in jars covered with oil & it's ok but not as good at retaining the delicate flavour as freezing. I also put basil in jars after liquidising it with lots of oil this keeps well and tastes brill dribbled on bread, over pasta etc.Sprat
 Does salt really enhance the flavours of foods? Not for me. The flavours of fresh vegetables, fish and meats( I should imagine) all come through with their own unique flavour. I mean if I want to taste the food why drench it in salt. Salt in my eyes (secunda me SP?)  is a habit as is sugar. Not needed.Sprat
 We dug up from our orto 700lb of red and whites last year and we are still eating them now! Were told by the vicini that we must spray them with some chemicals to stop them sprouting . We didn't and they did...We spent some time this April rubbing off sprouts and the potatoes are now going soft. Flavour still good. We kept ours in a dark cellar covered with cardboard. Why 700lb.....you'll have to ask the old man that question...I do know 700 ways with potatoes though!!!Sprat
 I find the ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs use way too much salt for my liking, and, sometimes the food just tastes of salt and burns my mouth. I am a no salt kind of gal, so I have a hard time of it here. Does anyone else feel that salt is used too generously here?Sprat
 I grew Coriander in my orto, it grew to about 2 foot high in poor soil on a south facing bank. It thrived and re seeded the year after, No special attention givenSprat
 How does the law apply to common law folk. Been with my partner for 35 years. House here in his name. If he "pops his clogs" what happens without a will?SÂ
Comments posted
 Adriatica, in reply to the first paragraph of your last post; talking about use of a Damp Proof Membrane to block moisture rising into the building from the surrounding soil. Now, I am not a Civil Engineer, Geologist or Seismologist but I can tell you that although a  DPM can be used in a number of ways the way I have been referring to is to create a barrier between soil and concrete foundations. Used in this way there is no compromising of the structure as one rigid entity. I do not claim to be an expert in this field and certainly seismic regs are new territory to me, so if there is something I'm not getting here, and you appear to have the knowledge and inclination to share it, could you please elaborate further. I certainly don't want our little log cabin tobogganing down the hill on a plastic bag the next earthquake we get .Pilch
 Thanks for that Badger, but its not what I'm after. Look at this----   www.wickes.co.uk/Damp-Proofing-Membrane-1000-Gauge/invt/152859There are larger sheets at cheaper prices from other UK suppliers but approx £0.50 per metre is not a bad price to pay to effectively block moisture ingress into the foundations & ground floor of a building & it's specifically designed for that purpose.PilchÂ
 ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses are unhealthy & expensive places to heat .Have one beef about the windows here, there are no top openers. So in the winter months you can't have a window open.Pilch says it's regs in the U.K that all windows have trickle vents. The ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs don't seem to understand the concept of "air flow" in the house. I know at mia zia's house on a particularly hot day whilst lunching alight breeze blew up, loverly, and instantly the patio doors were shut ,we were sweltering, they said, "Oh vento", will make you ill!  So had to suffer without any air at all. A friend of ours stuffa would not burn correctly, and another friends open fire here smoked.....reason no air flow.Do ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs think that in Summer we need all windows and doors open and in Winter everything shut....Personally, in the U.K we always slept in winter and summer with a window open.I know most ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses I have visited suffer from damp, a real concern for me, it's not a concept they understand. They do not put in any damp course when building their houses, so, consequently dampness is drawn up through from the ground and most cantinas are cool but damp...maybe a reason why they live on the second floor. We are in the process, finally of putting up our log cabin and we are going about designing our foundations, can we find any DPM, Damp Proof Membraine, it's a very tough, blue plastic, heavy gauge sheet designed specifically for insulating concrete floors and foundations from moisture in the surrounding soil. They just don't use it. Pilch just recently has been speaking to the builders here about the benefits of using plaster as a covering on internal walls instaed of sand & cement and steel mesh. Not only when renovating old houses does the use of sand and cement intonico, and the accompanying techniques make the interior of a charming old farmhouse as aesthetically pleasing as your average concrete box but that coupled with lack of ventilation in winter all moisture generated by bathroom, kitchen, & just breathing stays in the air and in the furnishings. Plaster removes that excess moisture and holds onto it until the moisture content in the house drops sufficiently for the moisture to be transferred back into the air. That "damp" feeling so often experienced in ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses is very rare in the U.K. Comfort levels in the U.K. are much higher, with a greater sense of warmth & well being.  Secundo me.Sprat
 I keep loads of veg and herbs under oil and vinegar.They last for a year or more if kept in the fridge. Peeled and minced garlic covered by oil keeps well in the fridge. I also find freezing whole corriander leaves in the freezer best way of preserving my home grown corriander. Have tried putting Corriander minced in jars covered with oil & it's ok but not as good at retaining the delicate flavour as freezing. I also put basil in jars after liquidising it with lots of oil this keeps well and tastes brill dribbled on bread, over pasta etc.Sprat
 Does salt really enhance the flavours of foods? Not for me. The flavours of fresh vegetables, fish and meats( I should imagine) all come through with their own unique flavour. I mean if I want to taste the food why drench it in salt. Salt in my eyes (secunda me SP?)  is a habit as is sugar. Not needed.Sprat
 We dug up from our orto 700lb of red and whites last year and we are still eating them now! Were told by the vicini that we must spray them with some chemicals to stop them sprouting . We didn't and they did...We spent some time this April rubbing off sprouts and the potatoes are now going soft. Flavour still good. We kept ours in a dark cellar covered with cardboard. Why 700lb.....you'll have to ask the old man that question...I do know 700 ways with potatoes though!!!Sprat
 I find the ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs use way too much salt for my liking, and, sometimes the food just tastes of salt and burns my mouth. I am a no salt kind of gal, so I have a hard time of it here. Does anyone else feel that salt is used too generously here?Sprat
 I grew Coriander in my orto, it grew to about 2 foot high in poor soil on a south facing bank. It thrived and re seeded the year after, No special attention givenSprat
 How does the law apply to common law folk. Been with my partner for 35 years. House here in his name. If he "pops his clogs" what happens without a will?SÂ
 Our pool has lasted a second year without any problems. It's still in it's box!Sprat