I know this is a daily journal but it seems obvious-even to me-that there is little evidence of preparations for living in France. So, here we go! Our plans are to go around April / May to take artwork, books, ornaments, settees, mirrors etc!
The work we hope to do will depend on the result of our owners meeting. You may or may not know that three couples bought the property. Fortunately we are all very good friends. We each have separate entrances to our own living room, bedrooms and bathroom, so we have real independence in terms of our own private space. It's like a row of terraces in simple terms. The kitchen, which runs along the back of the property is shared. The grounds- which house a derelict bread-oven, are also shared .
Because of this shared responsibility relating to the kitchen, dining area and grounds, we have need to gather from time to time and discuss priorities, progress, time scale, cost and who needs to do what in terms of actual work. The outcome has a bearing on what time is left to work on individual projects.
The house...our bit is from the right up to the second down-pipe.
And again...
Ah! Memories!
I hope this house share works out for you. Is it going to be a holiday home or a retirement 100% year round place? Whichever of the two it is I wish you lots of happy Breton times. Perhaps we'll even meet up one day.
ReplyDeleteHi FF
ReplyDeleteBev and I will be living there full-time. It'll work out because we don't really share the house. In simple terms it's similar in principle to a row of terraced houses.
The other two couples will use their portion as a holiday retreat.
Ken, I understand fully what you mean when you say it wouldn't seem to others that there were preparations for you leaving for France. I feel the same way with our pie shop / cafe / metal gallery. And yet... to me, I've been preparaing for the past 8 years (in pictures, research etc) and for a year and a half with actual occasional weekend work AT the shop. But, my oh my - when the seed has been planted, it sure does hang in there, yes?
ReplyDeleteAll the very best and all the happiness. It will be life changing!
How exciting, I didn't realise that your escape to France is imminent. Lucky you. (Not that luck has actually anything to do with it - it will be down to hard work and good planning, I'm sure.)
ReplyDeleteEvery time we go to LGP we leave a little bit of our heart there. It started out as a holiday home but we spend a lot of time trying to work out how we could make it into a permanent home.
We can dream.
Hi All
ReplyDeleteI think I'm giving the wrong impression here. It's true that we will be taking a lot of stuff over in the Spring in an effort to personalise and make the place homely, but we will be returning to the UK. I wish we were going to stay but unless you can pursuade MIL to cross the water we are committed to looking after her here. We've stopped trying to get her to change her mind because it's upsetting for her. I'm sure sometimes she thinks I'm just waiting like some grinning vulture for her to peg-it! As if the thought has ever crossed my mind...this week! No, really, I'm kidding! I'm where I'm supposed to be at this moment. The time will come soon enough when we move to France and when it does, everyone will know about it. In the meantime, I'm happy and busy with making sure this house is up to scratch and all outstanding jobs completed.
Hi Ken, glad you cleared up the misunderstanding. Pity, but at least I'm not jealous any more.
ReplyDeleteI guess MIL is an aged relative ?? We have the same situation with my Dad. Our retiring to France depends on him not needing us anymore and that's a very bittersweet idea. We would never leave him here but he would never come with us. So we just dream on......
I think you've put it very nicely Jean when you say "Our retiring to France depends on him not needing us anymore and that's a very bittersweet idea".
ReplyDeleteYes we are in a similar situation.