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I had an existing conservatory extended some years ago and it was done by a conservatory company (not a very good one I might add). However, it has been largely OK - had a small leak which has been repaired. I suppose it could be either/or so my advice would be to get several quotes and to write down the various suggestions along with the prices. Make sure you get the quotes including electrics and plastering. The only other thing that I can suggest is to think carefully about the roof. If you want glass it might be a good idea to think about solar glass as it is said to be better for insulation and also for deflecting the heat in summer. Mine is K glass but the place gets too bright and hot in summer, too cold in winter despite having two sizeable radiators. Air conditioning units are good because they provide both heat and cold. You would need to factor this into the budget. Some people recommend underfloor heating but that doesn't take care of the heat in summer. Another option might be to have a proper roof put on it and you would get good use out of it year round with lower energy bills. However, I would imagine that you would need an experienced builder to assess whether the foundations are good enough to take it.

Do you realise that it is within Rotherham Borough Council and not Sheffield? To some people that matters, so I thought I would mention it. On the subject of whether it's a good place to live, I would imagine it is like anywhere else - there are good parts and not so good. Maybe it would help if you identified the specific locale that you are thinking of moving to. Personally, I have never considered Swallownest a bad area to live but then we all have different views.

Oh, it is sad that she is so unhappy on her own. Do you know anyone who has any friendly dogs that you could meet up with? It might just encourage her a little and exercise is always good for chasing away the blues, in dogs as well as humans.

I've just had a thought - what about keeping an eye on Boxer Rescue? They are always looking for good, experienced homes. If you are not ready yet, maybe they could put you on a waiting list. If it is any help, I was in the same position as you earlier this year. One of my dogs died and I had always been concerned that her daughter would not like to be alone (she has always lived with other dogs). My friend offered me a 2 1/2 year old who was also used to living with other dogs so she brought her to visit for a couple of hours. All went well then a few weeks later she came to stay. Happily, they both get on great and it has livened up my existing dog, who is almost 10 years old. I think she might have languished without company.

You are very sensible in looking for an older bitch, not a puppy. Keep a close eye on here and on the rescue sites and maybe just the right dog will be there. If you could just say a bit more about the type of bitch you are looking for it would be helpful because people on here could watch out for one with your preferences. My condolences for the loss of your Boxer and I do hope that you will find another friend as companion to your current dog and for you to love and care for.

Having spent several hours last week researching this very subject, I do wonder why there is such a dearth of suitable and affordable courses. I managed to find several companies who do one or two day intensive courses but they are expensive and I for one could not cope with that level of intensity. Sheffield College has a 10 week, 3 hour evening sessions course. I telephoned Red Tape as advised by Hitech in an earlier post and they have nothing but put me on to the BBC - nothing there either. WEA (Workers Education Association) used to do something in web design but have nothing at the moment. Rotherham College have 15 week courses using Dreamweaver. The next one will be the latter half of January 2013 if they decide to run it. They will know towards the end of November if the course is to be held so prospective students should telephone then. The college have two other courses running in web design.

Humyo might be worth looking at if only for the comparison chart that the website contains.

I'm pleased to see your endorsement of the company Mr Shaw because I too have had satisfactory dealings with the company. Whilst I agree with the comments about correspondence in this instance they were very helpful and supportive. Although they do not see people at their offices (they have no reception), they did not turn me away when I called some time ago.

This sounds very interesting. Please could you let us know the approximate cost of such courses and how many weeks you have to sign up for? Also, what software do you teach? I did a mini course once and it was WebPlus, which I bought quite cheaply but I draw the line at paying for Dreamweaver as it is so expensive.

I think that you will really need to invite the companies to your home for proper estimates. However, you could telephone a few and submit your measurements to them. So much depends on the type of grass you choose - there are many, some better than others. The more expensive ones tend to look more natural, particularly if they have some 'thatch' in them. At a (very rough) guess for that size you would be looking at a sum of at least £800/£1,000 but do make some enquiries yourself. There is a lot of ground work to be done: Lifting existing turf (skip needed) Level/roller ground Apply dust/gravel mix and level Underlay Grass Sand There is a lot more to it than it would first seem. If you go to a few garden centres you will be able to work out a rough price yourself but it will only be for the grass of course. There is a chap in Rotherham indoor market that does it - can't remember his name. We had Lazy Lawn and like it very much indeed, particularly as we have dogs. Ours is a larger area than the one you describe. It was very expensive but is maintenance-free and looks lovely.

The fact that she would have been due in season has no bearing on this at all. The hormones left the blood stream long ago - the bitch cannot be affected by these as she no longer has them. I'm glad to see that you are considering professional help and hope that this can be sorted. Good luck.

It is not unusual for bitches to become 'touchy' for a few weeks after speying due to the sudden drop in hormones. This can happen even if they were operated on at the correct time of their cycle. Within two to four weeks they are usually fine. However, this one was speyed in March which is five months ago so I really can't see that it has any bearing on the situation. It is not really something that any of us can help with. Remember that the OP states that the child was only stroking the dog - not teasing her or taking food away. When a dog has bitten, tried to bite (or nipped) even once it could lead to more serious injury at a later date. This is potentially a risky situation and the OP needs to seek professional help ASAP in order to ascertain what is going on.

I would doubt whether this has anything to do with her being speyed or due to age. The growling is the dog trying to tell you that she is not happy - a warning in fact. As she has tried to bite your child I would strongly advise you to see a vet for a check up and a good dog behaviourist. It could be far worse next time. Meanwhile, it might be safest to keep the child away from the dog and vice versa.

Very pleased to hear that you have made contact with some good breeders. Often it is the case that you telephone one and although they don't currently have puppies themselves, because they are experienced members of a breed club they will know other people who do so it is really a network. If more people took time and care before purchasing a puppy the less scrupulous breeders would go out of business.

Being new to dog ownership, it is understandable that you should want a puppy. They are hard work but enjoyable. There is a huge learning curve if you haven't had one before so I am glad that you have registered with the Lhasa forum. You are doing exactly the right thing by asking for advice and learning all you can before purchasing a pup. Well done and if you do go ahead and get a Lhasa, do let us know.

You are right to be wary of Internet pet sale sites although not all advertisers are bad - you just have to ask the right questions and gain a feel for the situation. Do follow those links to the breed clubs that I gave you in my previous post. They will not only be able to advise you about the breed but may well have a list of members with puppies. These puppies will be expensive but possibly equal to or only slightly more money than you would pay for a pup from an Internet site. You should get a good, well bred puppy from an experienced breeder with full pedigree and health checks done. Because your colour choice is so specific you might have to wait a while. *The Lhasa Apso Club is back on line - link here. Includes puppy buying advice and also a list of breeders. Also check out the Kennel Club list of Lhasa breeders.

Thank you sami88 - will give it a try because if it works then perhaps I won't have to convert the file.

Because you haven't said whether you want a puppy or not, I just want to add that if you are going down this route, there is plenty to think about. Have a look at this page on the Dogs Trust website - it has lots of information about how to choose a puppy plus ethical considerations. Here are some useful links: Lhasa Apso Forums Midland Lhasa Apso Association Lhas Apso Club (site unavailable at time of posting). Also read up about inherited conditions and be sure that the dam and sire have had appropriate screening tests. Take your time and learn as much about the breed as you can before purchasing. Well done for asking for advice and not just leaping into getting one without thought.

Puppy or older dog? If you are interested in a rescue dog, the website here might be useful.

I have scanned for updated drivers on the computer that is not playing MP4 properly and it comes back with best match. Have therefore converted them all to avi with Sweetpacks converter and they are playing OK so will leave it at that as it is no problem really - the software is very easy to use. Thank you for your interest and help.

They are the same laptop make and model. The one that is struggling to play MP4 on Media Player Classic actually has more RAM than the other (it is 2GB) and yes, they both run Vista Home Basic. The machines are all fully updated but I can certainly compare the graphics drivers when I have them booted up. It does seem strange that one can cope and the other can't.

Just a quick update - K-Lite was installed on the other laptop after removing VLC. For some strange reason MP4 Video files would then play in Media Player Classic but not correctly - they were stuttering. Have therefore used Sweetpack converter to change them to avi (doesn't do wmv) and they now play OK in MPC. So in the end I've had to use both recommendations. Thank you for your help.

Thank you so much me-and-pippo - downloaded the standard K-Lite Pack on my laptop and it works perfectly with Media Player Classic. Will do a thorough uninstall of VLC on the other and install K-Lite and all should be good. Also thanks to terminator for advice about Sweetpacks - it's good to know about these things for future reference.

With regards to Windows Media Player version, I don't have the actual laptop here (belongs to a relative). However, I have the same laptop here and I have just checked - it is version 11.0.6002 so maybe it is the same. Mine will play MP4 but the film is slow and jerky. I will uninstall VLC with Revo Uninstaller then try the K-Lite and let you know how I get on. Thank you for your help.

Thank you for the information. With regards to K-Lite Codec pack should I uninstall VLC first or does it matter? Am I best trying that first because then I won't have to mess about with converting them in the future? If so, I think that I will try that first but I have also found the Sweetpack video converter download page here. Is it the right one, and if so, I will bookmark it. From the graphics I see that it looks fairly straightforward.