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Is that catnip then? I think in England we call it nepotina? In Tuscany, we use "nipitella", a local herb to condiment them and they are a perfect match.

I have fond memories of this forum mainly due to the lively mix of personalities it once contained.There were many inflamatory posts and quite a bit of sulking and grumbling but it was a vibrant place. I think the people there probably enjoyed a confrontation but occasionally took this a bit too far!Most of the current posting members seem (to me) to be pretty normal people who like to discuss rather than argue and steer clear of controversy. To sum up - keep making thought provoking comments and don't try to be too safe with what you post but save the insults ! To you they may not mean anything but to the other person they can be enough to seriously unbalance them and we dont want that!

''in fact in Italy an estate agent cannot be a geometra or another professional such as an architect, well they can be but they cannot practice both roles, its obvious that there would be a massive conflict of interest if they were allowed to not only contractually bind you within a sale but also whilst showing you around the property and advising on works they could then bind you to a contract to rebuild or renovate, obvious conflicts of interest in a massive sense as an agent that is registered is duty bound to work for you and offer you all the advice required to allow you to make a considered choice, but then if acting also as a building consultant he obviously would want you to purchase a building where he/she will make much more money than an agency fee out of you'' My God do you mean that this is actually happening in Italy adriatica? Surely in Italy  there must be laws that protect the innocent buyer? Oh I forget there are but how many of us can spend the next 20 years going backwards and forwards between home and the courts while the ½ûÂþÌìÌà 'justice' system grinds slowly on!!!Not to mention throwing every penny we have into a lawyers pension fund. Anyone who has read 'The Monster of Florence' will be party to the madness that exsists within parts of the 'justice' system in italy -the author even has a chapter on the sentence passed on Amanda Knox written some years ago but he quite properly draws the reader's attention to the fanatical and quite  absurd views of the judge in this case.I was not surprised to hear she had been released. ''If there's any justice in the world''......don't look for it in Italy.    

OMG no we could not afford his fee!I did a course here some years ago and it was a very good introduction so I hope that your husband enjoys it!

It's not going to work covery something like tufo with cement is it? Basically anytime cement is used on something that is flexible (ie most of the old/natural building materials in Italy it breaks or cracks as the materials move but the cement doesn't.) Use lime or clay plaster or mortar with hair or straw and it moves with the underlying materials. Getting back to the gabbions how much are they?Anyone know?

I can really recommend the electric heated throws made out of fleece! I bought one from Amazo in October and its been a lifesaver.You can put it on and drape over your knees when working in a cold room!Best £37 I ever spent! btw here in Cornwall March has been so mild that we have turned the heating off!!!! Its 12 degs outside now but the sunny weather warmed things up so much the house is not cold.tone houses work like this and we've found that to be the case in Italy too.

We found a lovely little bed and breakfast just 10 mins from the motorway nr San Gottardo - the place was in Gurtnellen Dorf up a steep lane! so if you google that you should find it. book through the owner it will be cheaper! Double room 50 euros and thet do meals and have bar.Amsteg nearer the motorway had lots of signs for rooms so I imagine that would also be good. I paid in euros.

Creosote is now banned in Europe and I think the sleepers may have had arsenic in them?Anyway we very foolishly bought some from an agricutural yard and then used them to build a base for our greenhouse. As soon as the weather got warm some yucky black goo seeped out and we ended up covering them with thick black plastic.When we get time we'll lift the greenhouse and replace them. I like the idea of the Tufa blocks.But why are concrete blocks 5 euros?Are these 'breeze blocks'?

Isn't it obvious this is someone from the last forum trying to stir things up -always a Good Thing in my book as forums like life can get a bit stagnant over time. I think that if you come to Italy because you hate Britain it won't be long before you hate Italy too. Not because there's anything so terrible about Italy but because you are the sort of person who blames a country for their unhappiness rather than looking to your own life. Theres always going to be a big gap between those here who actually earn their living in Italy and have to put up with the problems that creates and those who can retire to Italy and whose greatest trial is queuing in the Post Office like us (we are not retired but neither do we live or work in Italy full-time). As far a Britain and multi-culturalism not working I don't believe in that statement. Staying in Oxford and wandering along Cowley Road reminded me of why I enjoy Britain so much. I had a wonderful lunch in the Moroccan cafe then went and bought some fresh coriander at the Asian supermarket then into the Oxfam shop where I was served by a woman from Ghana.In each shop I had a chat with the person serving and shared a moan or two. 50 years ago the Cowley Road would be an entirely different place ,devoid for certain of coriander or cous cous and I know what I prefer.        

thanks very much Ram