Goldfish

On Saturday we go to pick up our beautiful new dog. She's a beautiful border collie who unfortunately is called Akon (after a singer) or Lonely (after one of his sonngs). She is such a pretty dog and neither of the names suit her at all. As we're hoping to move over to France soon I was thinking that maybe a French name was in order but as my French is still....limited I thought I'd ask here. So any suggestions? and meanings if possible please. Here she is

Well I said all opinions welcome and they are [:D] I may see our move through rose tinted glasses at times but as a natural pessimist I spend most of my time thinking about the down side and the "what if's". Matt has his head in the clouds so I try to keep him grounded. Yes we're very excited & yes we're still very nieve BUT we don't expect it to be a bed of Roses, we know it will be so much more hard work than it is over here & we're prepared to have a rough first few (if not more) years to hopefully find the life we're looking for. I speak very little French & I know I will struggle alot. Language is not a srtrong point of mine (as you'll tell by my English too [:P]). I'm rubbish at them unless I have constant practice (Idid sign language but until I started going to a deaf club and having deaf friends I found it very difficult). For me I know I won't make much progress wwhilst I'm here although I'll try but I know I'll do better & lear quicker once we're there, and I fully expect the children to be teaching me within a few weeks. I'm excited, I'm scared but we're a strong family unit (with little to keep us tied to the UK) & I know we'll muddle through somehow & hopefully when we get stuck, you'll all be around to give us some more advice [:D]

Thanks everyone You've all been great and so welcoming. We have decided that we are moving to France whether it takes us 6 months or 6 years we're going. We have no clue where at the moment. I think we'll just look at propertys find one we like, research the area & if it sounds right we'll go and take a look. In the mean time I'm still researching everyday & looking at some beautiful houses and scenery. The more I see the more I love it and just want to be there now [:D]  

It's under offer & has been since before Christmas but no one decided to update the site [:(] I'd read something about the lakke being drained in 06 or 07 but it didn't say why. I'll look into that further thanks [:D] Lol Weedon  I think we'll arrange our own removers...the kids were in stitches at that photo!

Well I didn't expect to be chuckling all the way through my replies [:P] You lot are do keep me amussed! I know which property I'm going for [:D]...if we can ever get intouch with the English agent A beautiful house with 2 gites and a private beach [:D] I've never been to the area I have no idea where the nearest shops, schools or doctors are but...I love it. It's perfect! Way over our budget so lots of jigging and begging involved so not 100% we'll get it but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...Although after seeing the beautiful windows on the red house I'm considering buying that instead [:p]

[:)] The dogs are Westies (although they don't look much like them as I've not had them clipped) St Tropez isn't really my style...I don't think. [:)]

a beautiful house in the Limousin [:)] I found it by accident as I was sure that Normandy was the best place for us to live. But I'm in love with the house and grounds & after spending literally all weekend reading up on the Limousin & more importantly Lac de Saint-Pardoux I am sure this is the place we need to be. To move to Lisieux although bringing cultural changes seems to resemble our life here...a few minutes drive into the country, a few minutes drive in the opposite direction to the city. And the bonus of not too long a journey home. To move to Lac de Saint-Pardoux will mean a total change in lifestyle. More oportunity to persue watersports & horse riding, a quieter pace of life, becoming part of a small hamlet instead of living in a town etc & of course less holidays home with the children because the travelling time would be too long (although that doesn't worry us too much). Do you live in either area? What are they like to live in? Do we play safe and go to Lisieux or go the whole way and move to the Limousin? All opinions welcome

We were hoping that when we move over to France that we'd be able to bring all our pets with us except our Barn Owl (who we know we wouldn't be able to bring as he doesn't have an article 10 as he was a rescue) I have just phoned the vets to get prices for the rabies jabs, blood tests & passports and I am in shock! [:'(] Rabies Jab - 38.70 pounds (I don't have a working pound key sorry) Blood tests - 75.79 Passports - 40.00 I was hoping it would be a little less than that as we have 2 dogs, 5 cats and a rabbit. If the move is quick then  I won't be able to afford to get them all sorted in time...it's costing us almost 400 for passports for the 7 of us as it is & the house we love it way over our budget. Obviously if it takes longer I will be able to sort them all but the thought of having to find homes for 4 of the cats and the rabbit is pretty heart breaking. Can you all keep your fingers crossed for just a 1000 pound win on the lottery so I can get them all over there please [:D]

It is dreadful but why on earth did it take the RSPCA so long to visit if they'd had concerns about the place for so long?  

Thats so sad [:(] I must admit that dobies & rotties aren't my favorite dogs (only because I prefer fluffy dogs) & neither are jack russels (my aunt used to have a very yappy nippy one), but like human there are good and bad in every breed. If they are to bring out new laws then it would make better sence for EVERY dog and owner to have to have some form of behaviour interview & test yearly. My "yappy, snappy little white terrier things" (which aren't actually yappy and have never snapped even when pulled or grapped by a toddler or crawling baby) are fantastic around children and I trust them 98% (I won't go higher because they are dogs and they are terriers and I'm not stupid enough to think they would never ever snap). I have found the kids asleep with the dog in the dog bed (not ideal but cute), they are lovely little dogs but strong willed. I'd have no problem at all about taking them for a behaviour test.  I have kept German shepherds, westies, golden retrievers and recently we took in a rescue cocker spanniel (who had to be returned because he did keep nipping the toddlers legs in play but I wasn't prepared to risk it whilst he was trained). All dogs and breeds are different. You can't put all dogs in the same breed into the same box cause there are so many environmental factors that help to shape the character of the dog & not just it's genes & breeding. I had 3 German Shepherds all with very different characters (who were all big softies) & 4 westies who couldn't be more different. Two of my westies I took in as rescues and they had problems after being misstreated but both adored my children. I only have the 2 westies at the moment one I had as a 10 week old pup and she bold as brass  cause she was socialised and played with, the other was left in kennels until I had him at 20 weeks old and is alot more reserved. You can't judge a whole breed on an exeperience of just a few dogs. All owners must be responsible for their dogs, for making sure they are trained to an exceptable standard and controlled whilst out in public. My final words...Not all small dogs are yappy snappy little things, and not all large breeds are fiercy menaces [:D]         

Just to let you know that I've just filled in 5 (grrr) passport applications here (but in uk so not much help on the expat way) but the information that came with my forms is the 29-34mm face photo HTH xxx

Wow you lot can talk [:D] and argue [:P] I have printed and read over 500 pages of research over the last 4 days & I am a teeny tiny bit more clued up. The children have started using their learn french software & are so fare enthusiastic and loving it (though I don't expect that to last long before the complaints start). We've looked into and got a few quotes on healthcare & I'm looking at schools although there isn't the ease of information for individual schools like over here. I have completely fallen in love with a place [:$] I just liove it! A house, 2 gites, 2 fishing lakes and 9 hectairs. It's over what we can afford right now but plans are already well under way to realise our dream. That property will have gone by the time we're ready to move but we know it's the kind of thing we'd like and after looking at the area it's in I'm going to come over in the spring and make sure it's the right area for us. The property is very close to Liseiux which after reaserching is fantastic for us (on paper), 50-60 minutes to Caen & La Havre ferries, 90 minutes train to paris, and an hour on the plane back to Birmingham which for the children travelling back and forth would greatly cut their traveling time & be wonderful for me as I'm not great on boats [:$] We are all hoping to live in France with Matt working between France & the UK. He has a presentation and interview this week so hopefully we'll have more news on that this week. IF it works out it will also greatly improve our finances and help us get there quicker. The more we read & research & talk the more we want to make the move. We're not moving for any financial gain but for the lifestyle we can offer the children there that we can't here. We don't expect to be any better off but we're positive that the children and us as a family will be much happier over there - do I sound crazy? So I think the decision has been made...we'll be moving over as soon as it is possiblel. I'd better get the french CD's playing and the tutor booed Eeeeekkkkk [:D]

Thank you everyone I did forget to put that we're in England - sorry. Myself & the children & animals are in the West Midlands and my partner lives and workes in Somerset & joins us up here on weekends & holidays. We'd love to join him in Somerset but with the size of our family we just can't afford it. We're taking our time to think it over and decide whether moving would benefit us all as a family. We're hoping it will give us the chance to all be together but it needs alot of thinking over & working out how things would work for us. We'd like to stay north west (ish) France for easier access to get back home as the older children would come back to see their father & he'd come over to us for holidays. We're looking at a small town/large village maybe, something quieter than the large town we're in now but still with life and somewhere we could make friends and become involved. I'm spending at least 2-3 hours a day reasearching property and area on the internet just to get a feel for things and I'm begining a folder with any useful tips etc so I have it all to hand when I need it. I've always loved France & wanted to move but a mixture of excitement and terror is gripping me at the moment. I do feel truely unprepared to make a decision at the moment so I'll be popping in and out frequently with questions or for advice I'm sure. You'll all be sick of me in 6 months [:D] Thank you for all your replies & please feel free to throw more advice at me  

Hi everyone, May I start by wishing you all a very Happy 2008 wherever you may be. My partner & I have been discussing over Christmas maybe in the next 18-24 months moving to France. Yes it's a dream, we're very nieve & have no clue where to start or even very much about France which is why we are taking a while to research and look into all aspects before making any finaal decisions. We have 5 children, 2 dogs, 5 cats etc so we have to think about how it will affect all of us & if we could rehome our barn owl (not sure if he could travel over etc). As of yet we have no ideas where we'd like to be although we're quite open at the moment. I'm hoping you're all a friendly bunch :o) and can advise us on the pro's and con's of buying in France & making it our home. We've already looked into starting the kids on French courses (only home dvd's and roms at the moment) as we'd love them to be fluent if we move or not (and as the eldest is only 8 they'll soak it up - hopefully!) I think we have the perfect fantasy in our head which I'm very aware is just a fantasy so I'm prepared for you all to burst my bubble but we're very happy to hear and advice etc you all have. Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you Regards Nikki, Matt & The Tribe