Living the dream

Well done it sounds idyllic.

Bet you enjoy the wine as well !

Good for you Banjo. No, nothing to do with luck, you chose your life as everyone has to. Why is it that people so often say we are lucky when it is all down to our own hard work and choices?

Our DiL was none too pleased when we moved away from the area and would not be able to child care but now is, as you say, our time. I won't go into all the things we did for them over many years but we do feel that it is our turn now. We didn't move as far as you but we love our life in Malvern and now we travel and do what WE want. Life is good and in some ways is like getting together for the first time.

They have just all been to stay and we had a wonderful time but will now get back to our own lives.

Similar story here Alison........deepest Herfordshire. At the moment the garden is full of butterflies and house martins gathering for their flight to the sun. Have had the soothing drone of combines all day - and thats about it noise wise. In my heart of hearts I would like to be a bit nearer daughter to plug any childcare gaps - we are hour and half away - but it does mean when family visit they really have a calming time away from the bustle of their hectic lives. And yes, we've worked for this prudent saving and living within means for all married life. Sister always goes away tutting about how they would like to do something similar (has been saying so for last 5 years at least) but untill they actually do something more than just scan housing websites it aint going to happen.

When people tell me how lucky I am to be living in the Alps, I just say 'Well, why don't you do it?" Nobody helped me find the flat, or save the money to buy it.

Good on yer girl

We were very lucky when we decided to move here. We had our very own 'Kirsty & Phil' who have lived in this area all their lives and were able to stop us making a mistake and buying a house next door to a family who cause trouble. If we planned to look at a house they could tell us whether it would be in a good road for us, or not. They saved us a lot of time and also provided somewhere to stay while we were house hunting. They are good friends we have known for over 50 years so knew what and where we would like. They were right, we love it here.

No! Wouldn't do me. Need my family too much.

But, it's whatever lights yer candle. As they say.

Horses for courses as they also say.

Whatever floats your boat ?

It is quite difficult if you have family members scattered all over! I bought or rented all my properties in France on the understanding that I would be able to entertain them (in batches, of course, I would need a mansion to accommodate my tribe).

I'd love to move abroad. But being disabled and alone it's slightly more difficult. I speak a little French so probably the south of France would be my choice!

There's that as well Nonu.

Mean"t that in a kind way !

I know!!!!! ()

It's not always easy to interpret posts is it. Specially mine.

I seriously considered moving to France but then the younger GC came along and I started falling apart, so wanted to stay with the NHS. I wanted to live close to shops and a bus route but out of suburbia. Succeeded!

I think it very easy to interpret p[osts , there are "vibes " longer I do this more I get it

I suppose it is possible that I will become less independent in the distant future, which is why my daughter is so keen to get me over to New Zealand. I am happy with the French health system so far, but then I only see my doctor every six months to get my prescription for Ramipril.
They do send for me to have a mammagram every two years and I get offered a free flu jab every winter.
When my daughter was taken ill when visiting me the French paramedics were wonderful and she was airlifted to hospital. The only thing I find odd here is that you can go to any doctor(although it saves you €1 on your prescription if you register with one). There doesn't seem to be any central record of your treatments. When I left one department, I asked my doctor for my records and she just gave me a list of the prescriptions I had had.

We did it the other way..moved to be nearer to our DDs and GCs! But it is what we all wanted. Although DH thinks he has moved to the other side of the world now we do not have a London post code!! We are only 35 minutes from our old home!

One man's meat......

Isnt it strange how if any part of your life goes well other people always attribute it to luck. We now live in the old timber-framed house we have wanted to own ever since we got married in our mid-20s and we are often told how 'lucky' we are . My response is always that it took us 30 years of hard work to achieve it.

indeed Flickety.. my SiL was looking at our garden and said 'Why haven't I got a garden like yours' I pointed out it had taken until our house move last year to achieve..and I am semi retired and in my 60s!! He works very hard so he will 'make his own luck' and I am sure it won't take him as long as me to get there!!

We used to live in Weston-super-Mare and used to travel down to Cornwall to visit all our family.

It always made us sad to leave, so one day we decided to sell our house, leave our two very good jobs and move back home to Cornwall.

That was 16 years ago, and I still feel so lucky to live here.

Nice to read about everyone's dreams coming true

I do think luck, or good fortune, comes into it a little bit though. Some people work very hard all their lives and still don't manage to get what they want. I think we should be grateful for the 'good luck' of intelligence and a good education if we have it, good health, not too many misfortunes outwith our control (earthquakes, tsunamis, war), and living, by a chance of birth, in a developed country. There must be millions and millions of people in the world who work very hard and never get to live the dream, so yes, those of us who can should accept that we are lucky to be able to.

Do you ever sleep, Bags?
I quite agree - I was lucky to be able to go back into higher education when not only was tuition free but I got a 'married woman's grant of £300 a year, which paid for the girls' nursery fees. It must be much harder now.
I know I am lucky to enjoy such good health as well.
I don't take anything for granted - I thought all was right with my family until a year ago.