I'm a squilionaire

[L Austin France]

Well it feels like that sat here.
I'm in the garden under the shade of an olive tree partaking in a preprandial single malt with Charlie purring on my lap. That plus the sound of birds & crickets is all I can hear & I got to thinking how much this lifestyle would cost in the UK.
Truth is that whilst I'm comfortably off there's no way I could sensibly afford to buy the UK lifestyle I've got here at my time of life & why would I want to?
I've lived in France for 20 years now & each year passing reinforces my decision to sell up, burn my bridges & stake all on a rest of life retirement in France.
I keep an interest in UK politics as my income is generated there but everything I read/hear makes me even more sure I made the right decision to live here. I deliberately avoid French politics on the basis that I can't influence it so sod it & be cool. Stops me getting the same semi apoplexy I get re. UK politics .
Folks here are friendly & I get a good sense of belonging. We're 'Les Anglais de ....' to a few but V & J to most so that'll do.
At the moment the only way I'm leaving here is in a box en route to the crem. but hopefully that's a good few years away.
At the moment I feel like a Squilionaire

[ajm]

Well it feels like that sat here.
I'm in the garden under the shade of an olive tree partaking in a preprandial single malt with Charlie purring on my lap. That plus the sound of birds & crickets is all I can hear & I got to thinking how much this lifestyle would cost in the UK.
Truth is that whilst I'm comfortably off there's no way I could sensibly afford to buy the UK lifestyle I've got here at my time of life & why would I want to?
I've lived in France for 20 years now & each year passing reinforces my decision to sell up, burn my bridges & stake all on a rest of life retirement in France.
I keep an interest in UK politics as my income is generated there but everything I read/hear makes me even more sure I made the right decision to live here. I deliberately avoid French politics on the basis that I can't influence it so sod it & be cool. Stops me getting the same semi apoplexy I get re. UK politics .
Folks here are friendly & I get a good sense of belonging. We're 'Les Anglais de ....' to a few but V & J to most so that'll do.
At the moment the only way I'm leaving here is in a box en route to the crem. but hopefully that's a good few years away.
At the moment I feel like a Squilionaire

My sentiments entirely except we don't have an olive tree or cat and the single malt is for after dinner

[Doug]

L Austin France,
Know exactly how you feel, have lived in France for over 35 years and even with all of the union problems, love every minute of our life here, having recieved French citizenship after brexshit were very interested in its political manifestations, no matter who's in power theres always manifestations against their policies, convinced its in the French genes.
We have friends in our commune who are going back to uk after 17 years because of very bad health probs so family can look after them in their last few years . What ever happens to either of us we stay here. No olive tree but many others we planted which this year are fantastic, evening apero under the shade listening to nightingales, golden orials, blackcaps along with all the others, what could be better.

[exile]

My sentiments entirely @L Austin France although I would need several of those whiskies to sit under our dwarf olive tree.

[Wilbro]

My wife was visiting our daughter in the UK a few weeks ago and I was out walking on a lovely sunny morning. I looked at the beautiful countryside around me, the lack of traffic, no hustle and bustle, the odd bonjour from the odd other walker and the surrounding bird song including the cuckoo as the occasional red kite flew over. I had to stop, look around and think how lucky we are to be here.

[Headers]

100% with you. We are a very lucky group of people. Born at the right time, with great opportunities available. I didn’t go to uni but worked my way up the firm and still ended up in a well paid job with a fantastic final salary pension. House prices were rocketing, mortgage costs dropped at just the right time and freedom of movement was available.
We fell upon our french house purely by accident and have been accepted by our little french commune.
I think that those coming after us will find it much more difficult to get the life that we have. Times are changing for the worse.

[ajm]

100% with you. We are a very lucky group of people. Born at the right time, with great opportunities available. I didn’t go to uni but worked my way up the firm and still ended up in a well paid job with a fantastic final salary pension. House prices were rocketing, mortgage costs dropped at just the right time and freedom of movement was available.
We fell upon our french house purely by accident and have been accepted by our little french commune.
I think that those coming after us will find it much more difficult to get the life that we have. Times are changing for the worse.

Sounds just like my story.

[Antonia]

Funnily enough, these were my thoughts exactly as I was looking out of the kitchen window this morning waiting for the kettle to boil. Everything is looking so lush in a view that goes on for miles.The only sound to disturb the peace comes from the birds. Unfortunately I know that, within a month, all the shutters will be closed to keep out the heat and the bird song will be replaced by the sound of Canadairs. I still feel lucky living in France, I just wish it was a little further north.

[ajm]

Funnily enough, these were my thoughts exactly as I was looking out of the kitchen window this morning waiting for the kettle to boil. Everything is looking so lush in a view that goes on for miles.The only sound to disturb the peace comes from the birds. Unfortunately I know that, within a month, all the shutters will be closed to keep out the heat and the bird song will be replaced by the sound of Canadairs. I still feel lucky living in France, I just wish it was a little further north.

We are further north than you and our shutters are already closed

[L Austin France]

I still feel lucky living in France, I just wish it was a little further north

Can't stand the heat so Finistere is nice but still 26 in the shade this afternoon.
Not too bad indoors as house is E-W oriented with lounge on the E side. Stone built house so lounge nice & cool after lunch & when the W facing kitchen/dayroom gets warmish I push a button for the aircon
Beaches only 15-20 mins away but sea temp. still too low for this old fart to be tempted.