Returning to the UK

Asap - can't wait to get to one of those suppermarkets!

Is that a supermarket that sells suppers?

Sorry, couldn't resist it

I like the North of England. I'm half northern.

Whats the other half jingle

Southern.

It's nice down here too. In a different sort of way.

jeni we might surprise you, we are very special people round here! I can see you on your scooter, charging round Waitrose and all the young men helping you. When someone complained that they had run out of a product during the rundown before a refit, the Manager gave her the more expensive version with his compliments. We know how to treat people in Malvern.

Malvern is sounding goooooooood!

Then come and see us Butty and I will show you around. Lots of nice villages too.

Thank you Move - I should like that if we end up thereabouts.

About forty years ago we went to visit friends who had moved to the edges of the Lake District. Property was cheap, they bought a large house and they loved it. Their children quickly settled into the local school, she had joined the WI, the PTA and helped run the local play group. A staunch Anglican he had joined the parochial church council and when we visited the children of both families wandered freely and safely all over the village and the fells beyond and the whole aura of happiness and content lured us in.

DH commented how nice it would be to live in the area. There was the possibilty of him obtaining a job locally. But then we stopped and thought about it. Lovely though the area was, and happy though our friends were, the WI, running play groups and church councils didn't interest us. DH's main outside interest is performing in and producing grand opera and the nearest group was probably at least 50 miles away. My interests were more academic. The nearest university library was probably also at least 50 miles away. When we thought about it we realised a move to the area would probably drive us to drink within six months as we sat in the our big house in the beautiful landscape with all our usual occupations gone.

When my parents retired and left the area they previously lived in the first thing they did in every area they considered moving to was visit the library and find out what was going on locally and several promising areas were rejected because there was little to do in the area that interested them.

When they finally moved, within weeks they had joined several groups associated with activities they enjoyed and very quickly developed a new social circle and many friends. They lived in their retirement home very happily for nearly 30 years

Wise advice Flick I think the decider for us was the theatre as we have always gone a lot. First year here we took out bronze membership but went so much we have been gold members ever since. Also near enough to go to Brum sometimes as well. Particularly for the ballet.

Malvern U3A is great too; I know we've had GNers who have been disapponted with U3A, but Malvern's Groups are humming.

Not far from Stratford, either. Or Oxford. Or Cheltenham. Or Hay.

Yorkshire! Wonderful scenery and the nicest, friendliest people in the world!

Flickety Just read out your post to my husband, and he nodded and agreed throughout. So do I. Wise words indeed.

I also think that a place has to "speak" to you. We stayed with relatives last year and looked at Malvern, Monmouth, Ross and lots of smaller towns and although it was lovely, we just didn't feel any connection to the area.
I am increasingly inclined to think it will be worth renting at first. I think the market in France is probably worse than the UK and when we do decide to start the process we will expect it to take the two years to sell that seems to be quite normal.
Having said that, I read on an expat forum of someone who put his house on Leboncoin and sold in 10 days, so there must be exceptions. At least once the compromis is signed it is binding; much better than in the UK.
My OH is 66 and we aim to be out before he is 70!
I couldn't go back to the much shorter days of the north of Britain.

Didn't AlisonMA live in Malvern - I think she liked it very much too. It is certainly a very pretty town in a peaceful area.

Is AlisonMa someone who used to be on GN? How can I contact her? It would be good to find another GN living here.

I think I agree with FlicketyB that wonderful views are great if that's what you crave. We live in Leicestershire and we too have lovely small villages, good walks with rivers, canals, lots of different sorts of scenery - undulating hills in the south of the County, more Peak District-ish in the north. Being in the middle of the country we have easy access via good road and rail links to all parts and we have 2 really good airports. We live right in the middle of 3 decent sized cities so have access to shops and night life, restaurants, theatres, cinemas with Birmingham around an hour away.

We have a rich and diverse culture and many ethnic minorities with the richness that brings to a community. So, although views are great, I would miss all the benefits that living close to cities brings.

Posset is nice too!

I thought Posset was a kind of baby sick? Mind you there is a place in Northern France called Pissy-Poville....

It's what the yokels locals call Portishead!

I am afraid I cannot help, Movedalot, as she appears to have left us. Pity, because I think you would have had a lot in common.

I liked her!