Ty Korrigan

So... I sent off for some CBD oil from Holland but I've been lacking the discipline to take it effectively. Stuart

On a visit to Amsterdam, a mate bought me some cake from a coffee shop. I waited until my wife and kids were on holiday before a tried it. Now being 63kg, I should have perhaps eaten just a third not the whole slice. Anyway... For several days afterwards, I had a feeling of utter calm. It felt as though I had awoken from a particularly refreshing sleep, showered in cool Irish rain on the Dingle, not a care in the world, a complete absence of stress. Yes, getting stoned was fun but that feeling I had afterwards, that is what I want every day of my life. Stuart

Here, in France, I was a partner in an SARL ( limited company with 2 partners) I went to court and won against my business partner and put my business into administration for a year. I was aware he was up to no good but through slight of hand I could not obtain access to the company 'office' nor computer. The tribunal de commerce also neglected to enforce this point at the time. My accountant wife believed that 'Le Perfidious French Git' was skimming, invoicing clients using a word doc for his own neferious ends. However Mrs Lee investigated and uncovered some deeper merdre involving vat and insurance fraud. This we kept quiet about and did not inform the administrator for fear we'd be dragged under ourselves. You see, in France, if you are guilty of fraud or mis-management, you lose the protection afforded by being limited. Not being house owners, I'd only risk losing the car but might face prison as well as a large fine. We went into liquidation owing €101k a third of which was social charges on salaries. What I lost is nothing compared to gaining my liberty and freeing myself from a truly toxic business partner. Once liquidation was pronounced in the papers, my wife registered as self employed with I as her con-joint collaborator. We will run this way for a couple of years before changing regime to limited. Limited here is only really viable tax wise if your turnover is over €70k ht (plus vat) The accountancy fees are high, €4-7k depending on how much inhouse book keeping you do. As we are, no 'Expert accountant' is required to sign off' A great saving. Being limited does carry more weight when bidding for larger jobs. For the moment we are mostly domestic with a few council contracts. Stuart

Always grind the burr off your metal wedges. That is just a shrapnel incident waiting to happen. Stuart

I met a one eyed ex-pat who lost his eye through a log exploding. I find the oak shreds/pollards which grow on the hedgerows to be the most vile to split with all their knots, twisted grain and rot pockets. I've been struck in the face and often on the leg. I feel for you. Stuart

Hello, Look at walkbehind, self propelled flail mowers. Small and manouvrable enough to wind in between trees and obstacles. Stuart

I was going to say just how relatively free of 'hate' I was these days. No French Git of business partner, free of debt, lot's of work and a great new future. Then I went to the supermarket this arvo in a 34c mini heat wave and found hate alright. I HATE QUEUING WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T USE DEODORANT! Stuart

For me, Pages Jaune (Yellow pages online)works very well. Now re-branded as Solocal. Web site is being updated for this Autumn. I use FB as a gallery to which I refer clients too. I also rather enjoy taking and posting images via instagram to our FB page. Google adwords caused a bulge with too much work coming in and not enough manpower or kit to cope so we had to stop but will re-start in September I take note of the media through which clients find us and must put together those stats again before Noel. Stuart

Pontivy is is nothing, nothing compared to Vitre or many of the towns straddling the Loire and nearby rivers. Also in Brittany, Rochefort sur terre or Dinan are worth filling yer boots with. Stuart

Although I've never actually bent a tine myself, others using our old tractor managed it well enough. After giving this some mature thought, I think I'll go back to what I know, a bucket bottom with tines above. Good for scraping up the shitty McShit rakings too... Stuart

Any-one? I've got to source one soon or get one made up locally. The various timber grabs I've seen seem to be made for much larger tractors. I've messaged a few companies but not recieved any meaningfull replies. Regards Stuart

This: Riko UK | Timber Grab, Twin Beak WWW.RIKO-UK.COM Two heavy duty lower teeth / tines for pushing under heaps of timber etc. Two heavy duty top beaks to hold the timber etc. One DA service required, brackets available for all types of... Any opinions on using this type of grab or similar? It would be fitted to a 26hp compact tractor I want to avoid the 'manure grabs' with tines as brash tends to get caught up, stick in the wood or get bent. I'm open to suggestions. Cheers Stuart

Winchester Garden Machinery have an ex-demo Toro 1000, 50hrs £14k plus vat and several used attachments for £19k all in Stuart

' It is said: "Beware the Orange Plant bearing Lemons" Stuart

Toro tx1000 Does any-one know the price of these in U.K? Stuart

Aspen since 2011 both fuel and chain oil for the saws most used and hedge cutters. I currently keep SP98 mix in truck for the larger saws and blower but this will change by Autumn. I hate the smell of pump mix. Yesterday I passed another outfit strimming and blowing roadside, whatever mix they where using was vile, bitter fumes which stank my cab out windows down. Stuart

U.K dealers won't tell me but that used machine is much the same price as a new 4 series. Stuart

You have my sympathy. I felt that way about the Quadchip built and component quality. Especially the Carlton 4012 and it's capricious radio control which raised my stress levels to way beyond critical. It's repairs eventually costing more than the 'nett' profit it generated. Somebody elses nightmare now... Stuart

I rather enjoyed that clip, I've opened Youtube for further ones. I recall the final song of the film very well from only hearing it once as a child. As far as the theme goes (money) I feel the same way about rows of dying leylandii, peoples paranoia over pine processional caterpillars and those who can't sleep easy without fearing THAT tree will fall on their bedroom on night... Stuart

It is ravaging Northern France, Belgium and Netherlands. I've made several trips across France these last couple of months and seen hedgerows and entire woodlands bristling with bare ash stems as well as piles of cut ash waiting to be chipped for bio-mass. Not seen it's presence in Brittany but ash is fairly uncommon here. Stuart

I ran out of time but it will keep. Next trip, we will visit the South African memorial which is in the shape of a Cape fort. A hornbeam still grows, fenced off, that was the sole surviving tree in a woodland fought over by the South Africans. Incredibly tough your old Carpinus, imagine the raggedy pruning and other wounds it recieved and yet did live. Stuart

Yes, 'tir seve' but never a line of horse chestnuts, a first for me. Later on I found a unexploded howitzer round in Trônes wood, another first... Stuart

Near Beaumont Hamel in the Somme France. Never seen this before outside of individuals vandalised by members if the travelling community.

Hévéa sell these. One of my climbers used one but in all the McFuckery of closing the company I forgot I had it someplace. I think it is at the back of my garage. I'll try and dig it out tomorrow. Stuart

Tim Bloomfield 'Luckeleven' invested in a crowdfunded piece of kit which allows just that. Wee device opens out when tension released enabling recovery. I'm sure he'll breeze by shortly and preach it's virtues. Stuart