Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

droopsnout

Hmm. You might need a bigger dish, s-d-w, assuming your dish is pointing at the right satellite. You're a bit far south for good reception on the standard dish supplied with the Lidl kit, I think. (I mean for Astra 28° E).

seven-day-weekend

Yes droopsnout - we need at least a 1.2m dish, probably 1.5m. The one we have is 80cm. Can't be a r$ ed, frankly - no money to spare for such fripperies!

We can get in English, Sky News, BBC World, CNN, a Business Channel I can't remember the name of, and strangely enough, the God Channel (it just appeared about six months ago -never received it before), which I'm sorry to say, as a practising Christian, I find most of its content quite worrying.

Loads of other European and North African Channels, tons of German (understandable as we bought it from Lidl).

We watch the Formula 1 with a Geman commentary (althogh we can watch it on Spanish Terrestrial TV, the picture is better on the German Satellite Channel).

When we go to the UK, I watch Homes under the Hammer like ther is no tomorrow! And my husband likes the Dave Channel.

droopsnout

Ah, I assume your dish is set on 19° East then.

I certainly understand the point about the expense!

The God Channel - and various other religious channels on satellite - are a bit worrying, but somehow they seem not to offend Ofcom.

There are some very dodgy German channels on 19° East. I hope you have Mr s-d-w on a leash!! lol

seven-day-weekend

I've deleted all those channels!

donny-gal

:xmastree: :xmastree: :xmassign: :xmassign: :xmastree: :xmastree: Eveyone

We have had a good day, DS23 went out yesterday afternoon went out on his usual boys pub crawl Donny usually we collect him/them after the midnight service - must be a sign of his age got a phone call around 8 pm would we be able to collect him/them collected him plus two young farmer friends, and delivered them safely home, our was in bed by 10pm, and was not seen again until 8.30am. I had bought the boys (son and husband) Mario Kart for the wii, so that was played after present opening, we then went to see the great nephews and great niece. DHs brother and wife were ill so we did not see them with the nephews as we usually do but spent longer with the boys to make up to them. Then on to my nephew's to see to see the great niece, Eventually made it home for around 3 pm lunch ended up around 5pm, starter smoked salmon and prawns, (frozen prawns not at patch on the fresh Spanish ones), a 3 bird roast from Aldi with Cranberry and Raisen stuffing (very nice for £8.99) and the usual veg, and some Cranberry forcemeat stuffing, from the Wilkinson's sausage stall. Pudding declined and we haven't eaten since. Nice bottle of Barolo washed down the dinner.

Luckily recorded the Wallace & Gromitt as fell sleep after Strictly, don't know why who won had to win . Lads are now playing Tiger Woods Golf, I had a go on Mario Kart but as not very good, will practice when I can so will improve. DS bought me Sonic Tennis and I won two tournaments of that. I love tennis.

Re the TV 7DW - yes you only need a dish, which I think can be got off ebay quite reasonably the rest of the Lidl kit will work. You are aligned to Astra 1 and not Astra 2, which is why you get a lot of German channels. Astra 2 is slightly to the left, we have an Aldi kit for the Caravan. Google sky footprints or let me know and I will send you some page links - been investigating this for the residential - no room for a big dish on our plot, but the community could share one if they get their brains in gear:o . British ex pats:mad: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

DG

seven-day-weekend

Oh thanks Donny gal that is great advice! Will consult Mr SDW (can we call him Holstein? His user name when he uses one) in the morning.

donny-gal

I know my info is not that technical - don't understand the degrees - but tbh the dish is only moved a very small amount maybe 1/4" or so to move between Astra 1 and 2 - we found out via quite a lot of cursing as we learned how to get it from our dish sat on a home made stand made from a cheap whirly-gig clothes dryer from Wilko's turned upside down. I think you are in a Almeria area and may have better receiption than southern Costa Blanca, which need a 1.8 - 2.4 dish. You will get the freeview channels with the Lidl box, but you would need a Sky Box and Card (no legal in Spain, and more expense) if you wanted to see the Sky channels.
DG

Merrywidow

Hi gang -I hope you all watched the Royle family - it was great - stupid but entertaining. Isn't it funny - we were all enjoying our own Christmas but just have to tune and to talk to our other 'family'. That really says something. Me I spent the morning in my mother's care home, she has caught the bug that is going the rounds and had a hacking cough. Back home to my empty house for a turkey dinner for one. Potatoes were dismal, turkey inedible, stuffing was good as were the parsnips and sprouts. Forked the rest into the bin. Tesco finest Xmas pud was sublime as was the booze. Hey Ho. Thats it for another year. Cant face Black Adder. More tomorrow.

donny-gal

Oh M-W - shame you are the other end of the country - had plenty spare to go round here. Went to see my Dad yesterday, he had no idea we were there as normal, enjoyed a few Maltesers, he is in his own room, as not comfortable out of bed, radio plays but not sure he can hear it even as background noise, and no sure he can see more than shadows any more either, the good news is that as he is "out of contact" he seems to miss the bugs goling around. Will see if we can make it for that coffee when we cross end of Jan time, be in touch later. Wonder how many hits/posts MSE has had today:rolleyes: .
DG

droopsnout

Yes, Royle Family was good, as was W&G. But then I'm just a big kid.

Our lunch started with a raspberry aperitif and amuse-bouches, then vegetable and mushroom soup; two kinds of foie gras with a bottle of the appropriate wine; salad with scallops; choice of venison or duck breast (we both had the duck, and had seconds, too) with various vegetable concoctions; cheeses; then four desserts, including cherry sorbet, prune flan, crème brûlee and chocolate Yule log. Two bottles of red wine as well as the white served with the foie gras. Coffee. 30 euros each. I don't know how he does it.

We have a Wii, too, and I use it mainly for the Wii Fit. The Tiger Woods program I also have - came free with the Wii from Amazon. Can't play it at all - I'm totally useless at it. No idea whatsoever about how to play a single shot. Spent hours getting very frustrated on the practice screens! Also have Wii Sports (think that came in the box with the machine) and enjoy that, especially the ten-pin bowling. And I bought a fairground games disc, but it's very basic. The Wii is also connected to my wi-fi internet router, but it's no big deal, I find.

Tomorrow we've got leg of lamb, and a more traditionally British meal, though, of course, it's not a bank holiday in France, and people will be at work. (Well, except the majority of folk who will take Friday off to make a very long weekend). So yes, sprouts, snippers, etc.