cassis Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 We've made a go of it and we're happy here most of the time except when we get the odd twat for a guest. But really, as far as we're concerned it's a place to live/make a living. I quite fancy the Bahamas but the OH won't have it. Maybe I'll elope there with Woolybanana's Sister. But I'll need a gasmask for the garlic, if what I've heard is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 Of course, life can be cruel sometimes and we all have to allow for that wherever we are.And wooly'sbrother - it is in Norwich at present because that is where I am right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassis Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 I've heard that Norwich (and the Isle of Wight) are just like France 30 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Inbred, violent, bored, unemployed and chasing sheep. Sounds right[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Where as I agree with every thing mel has said ... and more . I love going to my home in france its the best thing that has happened to me in such along time, flitting from one house to the other, and I love so much about both my places. and although I hate it when people say to me how lucky I am ... I always retort we are not lucky we have worked hard to have what we have , no one has ever given us anything ... but I know in my heart how lucky I am . but I still remember the days when we couldnt afford to buy food and I had 3 jobs to cover the morgage. So if I now wear rose tinted glasses because for me I have a perfect life at long last . perfect husband , good health and time now to enjoy all those things. Like Mel I think we should be allowed to wear them for as long as we can. it sure beats the blue one I had for most of my life. So if you cant cope with others being happy , then get out there and make yours happy, cos it dont come knocking , you have to work for it [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acegundog Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 [quote user="Pads"]I hate it when people say to me how lucky I am ... I always retort we are not lucky we have worked hard to have what we have , no one has ever given us anything ... but I know in my heart how lucky I am . but I still remember the days when we couldnt afford to buy food and I had 3 jobs to cover the morgage. [:)] [/quote]I think we all make our own luck and long may it continue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Ah but some people dont because they are to lazy then try to make other people feel guilty because they are happy.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chauffour Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 we live in France because 7 years ago we could not get the visa for New Zealand... and house prices in Dordogne were half the prices in Toscany... ....we have loved every moment here, but then we discovered South Africa... ..and if Dordogne is.. nice [:)]... South Africa is WHOWWW [:D][:D][:D] ... so we are moving there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Good luck with your next journey Chauffour...I have to say I am very much on the same wavelength as Pads. She, like I, has obviously worked hard to achieve what she has done. I have sometimes felt guilty about admitting I have a small house in the UK and another in France, but boy, have we worked hard and scrimped and saved for most of our lives! Now we have this wonderful old house in Indre et Loire that we have almost totally renovated over the last five years and long to live in it. But it seems that fate is against us in achieving that because of my 'too young' age of 59, my pre-existing conditions that prevent me obtaining medical insurance and my adult son who is partly dependent on us due to his own chronic condition. And now, global oil prices are making it more and more difficult to go back and forth!But we are able to travel to our beautiful French home this coming week and, as I started this 'happy thread' by saying - "I love being in France and I am so excited in travelling there again on Tuesday night!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassis Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Do people really think that everyone makes their own luck and, by implication, everyone therefore gets what they deserve? [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 According to a couple of my Hindu Engineers, your fate is decreed at birth and everything you do in life, good or bad, is pre-ordained and there is nothing you can do to change it. If you try, then its because the very act of trying was pre-ordained.Difficult to argue about their comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Don't they come back as a different animal according to how they lead their lives. Next time I go to a pig farm I shall look for MIL's face amongst the old sows. No dammit, she hasn't died yet. But a party is being planned..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 A lot of what they say doesn't really "gel", if you are having a less than lucky / happy life it seems to be because you didn't get enough smarty points in your previous life, but... how can you achieve more smarty points if everything you do is already pre-ordained, heads you lose - tails you can't win.They seem quite happy with their beliefs though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Love it!Isn't it great how conversation can ebb and flow covering serious issues, philosophy and humour... Your MIL comments, wbb, made me laugh out loud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 [quote user="powerdesal"]According to a couple of my Hindu Engineers, your fate is decreed at birth and everything you do in life, good or bad, is pre-ordained and there is nothing you can do to change it. If you try, then its because the very act of trying was pre-ordained.Difficult to argue about their comments.[/quote] That's a very interesting view. Re. The thrill of returning to France. eh bien...................... the grass is always greener ........isn't it?In all honesty, I too get the tingle factor but equally like returning to my roots at the end of the stay so shall continue to enjoy the best of both worlds.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 [quote user="powerdesal"]A lot of what they say doesn't really "gel", if you are having a less than lucky / happy life it seems to be because you didn't get enough smarty points in your previous life, but... how can you achieve more smarty points if everything you do is already pre-ordained, heads you lose - tails you can't win.They seem quite happy with their beliefs though.[/quote]Hang on a minute, I'm thinking about that... Ooops, head just exploded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Yes, can't argue with that either Cendrillon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 [quote user="cassis"]Do people really think that everyone makes their own luck and, by implication, everyone therefore gets what they deserve? [blink][/quote]No Cassis I dont believe people make there own luck as in things like accidents, health etc..... But there are choices in life that you can make like working hard and saving hard or not bothering to get a job and spending any money they have on going out every weekend , bying clothes fags and other tat so they dont have any money to save, then 20 years later those 2 different people will have different things in life and this was the point I was making , for that 2nd person to then say oh your so lucky to have A,B,C, gets my goat because it has nothing to do with luck. but at the same time I know Im very lucky that I kept my health long enough to work hard and to have a very hard working husband ( who just happens to be the best person I know ) and to of been lucky enough to of made the right investments when things could of been so different .So yes Im lucky very lucky but I do beleive We made a lot of that luck our selves........ Mel I hope you have a great time and you keep those rose tined glasses on for as long as you like, as I can see you sensible enough to know when to take them of and deal with real life, and slip those glasses back on again when you can.... it always amazes me that because im such a happy person people think that makes me stupid as I cant see the reasons to to misrable, trust me I can see them ..... but Im still a happy person, dont think that will change now!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I understand Mel .It is a good life with those rose tinted specs on, I am the same, born optimist and basically, yes, a happy person, even if that upsets some people.[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Hello all... as I was originally pale pink specs before moving over here I thought I should add my comments... although to be honest I'm only echoing others... Like Mel we spent years holidaying and loving holidays and dreaming of a life in France... Then one day we took the plunge and our little family moved here. We had 100's of reservations and fears... would we like it, how will our son get on in school, how difficult will the language be, how expensive, will our monthly commutes back to the UK work out... and a 100 other concerns? We did loads of preparation but after reading lots of the reports of other's experiences we were bracing ourselves for potential problems when we moved.On the day of our completion there were problems with the sale and we could have pulled out but we ploughed on and crossed our fingers, when we arrived on our first day we had no water, no phone and no electricity... but we had help from the Notaires office and this was put right for the next day. We had no working loo but a plumber arrived a day later and fixed that... we communicated with broken French and hand signals but we understood each other... and he was very cheap!As the cold winter started we discovered that the heating didn't work ... so we bought a few plug in heaters and hoped it would be enough for the winter freeze... and held our breath for the electric bill... the heaters coped just fine and the electric bill was much lower than we expected and certainly less than the oil bill we were used to for central heating. And yes it did get very cold but it was still wonderful!Our son has settled in school and they have been really helpful... he has 2 French lessons a week provided by the school and he is happy. (and he is being educated well!)We're renovating our house and when we have needed to call in artisans (new fosse, swimming pool, new windows) the work so far has been fantastic... on time and to budget... the only bad experience we had was with an English builder but it taught us a lesson to not take the easy route and that we shoulod use the locals...We've been having language lessons and our understanding and ability is coming on quickly... it's hard to learn another language but not impossible... just takes effort.We're currently at the mercy of exchange rates as we get paid in sterling.... but we're managing and as we travel frequently between UK and France we can notice that things do seem more expensive in the UK...And yes we also get told by people that we are lucky and we too often feel embarrassed to talk about our house and life here and our little house in the UK... but I agree with Pads... life hasn't always been so pleasant, we've had very difficult times that we have dealt with and we're able to afford this because 9 years ago we put everything on the line to start a business and worked our socks off for 7 years to make it a success... quite often the people who get most annoyed with our good fortune are those that prefer to take no risks and expect it all to come to them... and like Pads that makes me very cross! I know good fortune can change and I know that no-one knows what is around the corner but for now we'll just enjoy what we have and thank our lucky stars! I agree with the comments about somethings happen and you have no control over them and sadly they often tend to be huge horrible things that just seem to come out of the blue and change things for ever... I'm not denying this does happen... but maybe it's a reason why living for now and enjoying what you have is more important... and maybe seeing the positive whenever possible is the best way to be?So... after all that... Mel/Pads... we too love it here, our settling in seems to have been dull I guess in comparison to others, our neighbours are great, the local school is good, we have found that French folks do help us with the language, we already feel quite protective of our adopted country and get quite upset when France is put down...we're having a ball and my only worry right now is will it stop raining next week! Are we lucky... yes of course we are... and what a fantastic place to live and enjoy this luck... now where are my pink fluffy glasses? [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 [quote user="Mel"] Your MIL comments, wbb, made me laugh out loud![/quote]Mel, much as I love Wooly (and he knows it), you don't want to encourage him too much by being complimentary because he will then put on his devil's horns and get really outrageous.Anyway, the poor woman isn't even his MIL anymore, merely his ex-MIL, but he continues to villify her.I bet she's in actual fact, a lovely, cultured woman with a sunny nature and charming to boot. Else why would Wooly have married the daughter who is in all probability a replica of the mother (at least I am told that us women all get to resemble our mothers in the end!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I'd like to !! My mum is still a stunner at 63 !!Sorry, off topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Lucky you, Frenchie.I remember my mother as having a lovely face but I don't think her figure was up to much, unfortunately! And it looks like mine (figure, that is) is also heading that way since I have lived in France.No gym, not enough exercise and too much to eat and drink.............[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Sweet 17 ,beauty is in the eye of the beholder ,and judging from yur personality on here , you must be a lovely person!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCanary Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Rose - wonderful story - best wishes to you!Sweet17 - my MIL comments were tongue-in-cheek thinking that WBB's were as well. I apologise if I got that wrong, no offence intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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