Keni Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I got a black and white photocopy and asked what I thought. Saw the place for the first time just before we signed our acte de vente and handed over the final dosh! Fell in love and been working on it ever since! Love the people, love the village and the lifestyle - even on a small pension! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I was really disappointed when I just started reading this thread and realised it was about 'houses'.The idea of falling in love with a building is a strange idea to me and leaves me with all sorts of questions for you who feel this emotion towards such an inanimate object. When we first moved to France I lived in two absolutely horrible places. One we were in for 18 months and it was expensive. That it was expensive and horrible is a constat, I was happy and content there never the less. I suppose my point is that for me at least, being happy and content is about who I am with and my 'love' is for my husband, family and friends and even pets, but not a building. I say I 'love' jelly babies, but I would hope that everyone understood that I just really liked eating them sometimes.We have just moved and it is a nice enough house and fits our needs and requirements, but it will never be the house that gets my 'love'.I hope that all this incredible enthusiasm some of you are showing won't always be understood by your family and friends and I hope for you couples that you 'both' feel the same about a 'building'.Still Sweet17 I'm glad you have found somewhere and hope you will be very happy there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Great stuff Sweet - a bit like ''Reader, I married him!'' [:D]It's lovely to read that you're feeling so happy in your new chateau, Sweet! So many ups and downs, but obviously all worth it in the end! I've also enjoyed reading this thread again - all life is here! [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ejc Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Fell in love with hubby at first site, engaed with n weeks married now for nearly 30 years.Fell in love with our home when we turned in the driveway, before wed even gone inside. Should mention we had been seriously looking for several years, had spent numerous trips over here. We bought it as a holiday home, then I transferred to the French arm of the company and were here full time and hubby is renovating sloooooooowly. But the house and hubby are evrything I ever wanted, so I am one happy bunny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 When we were looking for our house we had a list of what we wanted. The house we bought.......ticked very few items on the list. Perhaps though the heart is important for buying a house, after all you have to live in it. We can be practical in many things but at times we just have to have what we want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 I love your posts, lavorgere, ejc and PaulT.Idun, I know what you mean about houses being inanimate; in fact, I more or less said so myself. Strange thing about houses is that they are more than bricks and mortar, they are our home, our aspirations, our retirement haven, the place where we bring up our children, maybe a place where we only leave feet first.Oh, I so enjoy reading about your feelings and experiences.........so HUMAN and so full of your very souls.And, of course, it's a humbling experience when you think of all the homeless people in the world or all those areas like Queensland in Australia recently where your house is just swept away and is no more.How fortunate we are to have homes that we love, that provide pleasure and are so much more than just a roof over our heads!Sorry if that sounds a bit Pollyana-ish but oh, I wake up everyday and I feel blessed and very, very grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Are you sure?Looks like the smart money is moving out of dordognyshire...even the nonagenarians are galvanising thmselves into action.[6][:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podrushka Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I need to fall in love. After many expat years including moscow, there has been no real home. We have one love affair with 200 year old cape in us,lovingly, historically, restored but empty. We are now moving to Evian. We think we are sort of ok with place we have found. A lot on my list is missing but the place feels "good". A nice yard, though small but big enough to grow veggies. There is sun and that was a big one. I think after the terrible feeling of once again learning new surroundings and how to manage, I can love the little place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 [quote user="pachapapa"]Are you sure?Looks like the smart money is moving out of dordognyshire...even the nonagenarians are galvanising thmselves into action.[6][:-))][/quote]I don't know about that, Pacha. After all, I am only a newcomer and I am considerably younger than your average nonagenarian![:D]I was out walking with some Brits recently and they all seemed pretty happy to be here in the Home Counties. All spoke very good English, you know, though perhaps their French wasn't what you'd call comme il faut.Anyway, who cares? Sun's shining and we have had an excellent lunch prepared by my own fair hands. OH is out clearing the lawn of old grass clippings and I am about to make some nice cheese scones for tea.Might not have "smart money" or indeed ANY money at all but that's your problem, Pacha.....you live just soooooo much in the sticks and care too much about investments and so forth!Come and visit soon and I'll show you what you're missing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Tunisie seems a pop destino for dordognians.[;-)]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12479494 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Dreary stories that no longer vex me. British, French; all are unprincipled and greedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"]Dreary stories that no longer vex me. British, French; [/quote] Some, indeed any nationality can be [quote user="sweet 17"] unprincipled and greedy.[/quote]Apart from loving the place we bought, some of the posts remind me why; We bought a place with a view that we lose ourselves in, just admiring it as long as we care to gaze, the place came with enough land around that it can be maintained with a man on a tractor quite cheaply, and keep the neighbours at a bit more than arm's length![:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuBeginnings Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 We looked at a number of Chateaux but we fell in love with Milly, on the practical side she met all of our needs and more.But also on the romantic side, my partner and I decided if our business was not a successes we would stay put.She enchanted us both and still does even after uncovering a multitude of sins that the previous owner had inflicted on her.We have lavished care and attention on her and love her dearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Wonderful story, NuBeginnings, and now I am all agog to know what happens in your Love Story.BTW, don't mind the critics.....I daresay they weren't too taken with Ali McGraw either but the music plays on in my heart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNM Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Re Sweet 17's comments about the homeless I often read the poem 'Old woman of the roads' by Padraic Colum. Google it if you don't already know it, it never fails to move me. And yes, I am in love with our French house, my heart still gives a little lurch whenever we visit it, it means so much to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 Thank you for pointing out the poem to me PNM. Its "Irishness" comes through very well and the sentiments expressed are surely universal.It's a nice coincidence because I have been reading a bit of poetry recently, having come across several poetry books in the boxes I have moved to my new house.It's a bit of a re-discovered pleasure because now I don't need to find an excuse to read........I have a very nice glassed-in verandah that simply invites me to sit on it and "do my own thing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now