Houses

[Marigold]

It's not a river, it is a man made lake to counteract the brook alongside the house flooding the garden hence the name of the place Brook Farm. if EA don't open the pumps soon enough after heavy rain the lake does overtop and flood the whole place. originally it was all fen land and with heavy clay soil drainage is not good. Ultimately the brook flows into the Mardyke river which then flows into the Thames. The Mardyke takes water from a big area, from Langdon hills to the north of us and water from Orsett farmland so it does fill up pretty quick, hence the pumping station springing into action. Luckily the water meadows further down stream haven't been built on and take a lot of water.
I will look out a pic of the garden flooded, one memorable day, the day of the Brexit vote it rained solidly all that day, getting to vote was an achievement. We were out in the garden at 4 am putting large fish back into the lake

Were they voting Leave?

 

[chrismahon]

There isn't a translation of 'Les Gaillats' Marigold, it's just a French area name, as a town is. It may look isolated, but our neighbours are just 200 metres away and town, with 4 supermarkets, a traditional market, garden centre, garages, vet, brand new doctors surgery etc. is just 5 minutes drive away. Apparently the population of the town, which is about 4th biggest in the County, is now 3800 but it does pull in the same number again from surrounding villages. The 'village' where we used to live with just one small supermarket, very overstretched doctors and a Post Office had 6000 in it and, subject to traffic, was between 5 and 15 minutes away.

The house is about the same size as we had (which was big by English standards- small here) but now all on one level- 130m2 if you can relate that. The outbuildings are about twice that and the land in total is 1 Hectare, so manageable. The land itself slopes slightly (5-15 degrees) which is essential to remove storm water. Very neglected and weeded though as it has been cut for hay for over 20 years and nothing put back- chicken poo compost will rectify that.

We can drive to Spain (cheap shopping) in about 1 ½ hours and into the mountains is about the same time. Essential difference here really is clean air and silence, the weather isn't as great as people think although it is pretty good here compared to anywhere around us- we're in a 'microclimate' about 20kms diameter, which took a lot of research to discover. As you know we were renting for 5 years, viewed about 50 properties and dismissed them all for pretty substantial reasons based on our experience.

 

[bigyetiman]

Wow, lovely Chris.
Forgot to say marigold. The duck house on the island was originally a summer house which could be rotated to follow the sun. Once it got dilapidated the previous owners put perches in it. We use it to store the wildfowl feed bins, a few duck nest boxes a big goose one, many a mallard family has been raised in there. There are 5 swallow nests in there as well
Here are a couple of pics of us. Now you know why I am "bigyetiman". Mark and Ruth by the way

 

[bigyetiman]

Oops it seems the OH pic didn't attach here she is whale watching

 

[Marigold]

Lovely - looks like you've had a haircut since we met, Mark.

 

[bigyetiman]

What, no way it's Ruth she takes a rubbish photograph.
The only thing cropped is the photo, not my hair :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Tweetypie]

This is fun! I thought Hen Gen was a woman, so had a giggle to myself this morning
Some fabulous places, I love the isolation of Hen Gen's
Marigold looks younger than expected, I know you have mentioned things in the past which led me to believe you were older.
LadyA - perfect name, as you look like a Duchess
Big Yeti Man - say no more
I live in what was a "pinfold" to capture stray cattle. A "barn" was built, but it looks like an L shaped bungalow, although we do have a first floor, too.
The gardens wrap around all sides of the property, with a sloping lawn at the back on one side and a large rockery on the other side.
Aerial view from google maps but taken in 2011 - we moved there in 2015.
I'm 54, my OH is almost 71 and much fitter than I. :mrgreen:
Despite making the aerial photo's small, they won't attach, so I have taken a pic with my phone....mine is the one where the red flower is, an L shaped dwelling (not where it says home)!

 

[chrismahon]

Trying to post a better photo but have to admit this is all pretty complicated, which is why I haven't posted any photos for years.

It actually worked! Now you can see some of the chicken coops. The slope of the land is a bit less on the ground than the image appears, presumably something to do with me being 50 metres above when taking it.

Came across some old photos (10 years ago) of me with our pet cock 'Bottom'- perhaps I'll post one?

 

[Tweetypie]

Chris, thats looks fabulous, I would love to live in a more remote place.

 

[Hen-Gen]

This is fun! I thought Hen Gen was a woman, so had a giggle to myself this morning

A not unreasonable assumption, Tweetypie, because on a couple of occasions I have referred to my husband. And as for all that high horse palaver about politically correct speech I don’t care at all “so dunno fret lassie”.

People here live in some amazing places. I think I’ve said before that I’d move to Clun if I won the lottery but such is life.
It always seems to me that moving house is a trial because you then have to develop a whole raft of new acquaintances. For me to leave here would elicit two responses:-
1) From my old friends and neighbours ‘we knew you couldn’t hack it’
2) From the new ones ‘what have we done wrong’

And there’s no way I’m leaving because I’ve bought my patch in the boneyard!

 

[Marigold]

Let's hope it's on a long lease, HenGen, and you won't be needing it for a while yet.

Wow, Tweetiepie, now I see how well your username suits you - if it's not a politically incorrect remark to make - and even if it is.

My pic was taken last November, on my 78th birthday. I wonder if others are like me and feel that their chronological age has very little to do with how they feel inside? I still want to do all the things I used to, like climbing mountains, but do come up against internal barriers when I try.

 

[Hen-Gen]

And on that theme, Marigold, do you feel kinda young sometimes because so many young folk are old fogies? We’re they born that way or has life worn them down?

 

[Tweetypie]

Marigold, you look fabulous. I just recall a post, which I think was yours, saying how long you were married... sorry if it came out wrong, as it was not meant to be an insult, far from it.

I agree that age is a number and I will be growing old disgracefully. :lol: My husband is sooo funny. He looks in the mirror and tells himself how gorgeous he is. I wish I had his confidence. The fact that he lied about his age on the dating site we met on.... well I fogive him that.

This is OH and me (and some unknown photo crasher in the brown hat). We were at a murder mystery steam train evening in Loughborough last year.

 

[Marigold]

And on that theme, Marigold, do you feel kinda young sometimes because so many young folk are old fogies? We’re they born that way or has life worn them down?

I think life is harder nowadays for many younger people. At the time, it might not have seemed a very good idea to be born in 1940, with most of WW2 still to come, and growing up in poverty with no father, because he only saw me once before going off and getting killed. But actually I think we were the luckiest generation in history. The NHS started when I was 8, and although I was taught in classes of 40+ at primary school, I was the first person in my family to go to grammar school and then to university - on a grant, with no fees to pay - and then on into a teaching life which provided an index- linked pension when I retired at 57. Along the way we had free medical care, opportunities to buy our own home, and the chance for continuing education and personal development which would never have been available to previous generations of our family. Although never well off, we were secure and able to provide for our family by our own independent efforts. So many young people today have poor employment prospects, no chance of buying their own home or renting one that they would actually choose to live in, coping with the uncertainties and probable chaos of whatever kind of Brexit is foisted upon us by the disconnection between politicians and the people. And most of all, by the ecological disasters to come from climate change - I fear for my grandchildren, but one benefit of no longer being young is the hope that I'm not around to see the worst of what is to come.

 

[Marigold]

Marigold, you look fabulous. I just recall a post, which I think was yours, saying how long you were married... sorry if it came out wrong, as it was not meant to be an insult, far from it.

I agree that age is a number and I will be growing old disgracefully. :lol: My husband is sooo funny. He looks in the mirror and tells himself how gorgeous he is. I wish I had his confidence. The fact that he lied about his age on the dating site we met on.... well I fogive him that.

This is OH and me (and some unknown photo crasher in the brown hat). We were at a murder mystery steam train evening in Loughborough last year.

He's a lucky man! Tell him he's quite right to tell himself how gorgeous he is.

 

[Hen-Gen]

Indeed Tweetypie.
He could be a male model for Saga Holidays! (He’ll love that).

Probably true what you say, Marigold, about the pressures for young folk today. In terms of future technological challenges we just have to hope that there will scientific advances to rectify the looming crisis.

 

[bigyetiman]

You and OH look fab Tweetypie, as does Lady A, looking at you all made me want to smarten myself up. Still had a lie down and I have got over that now :lol:
OH said Hen-Gen looked kind and cuddly.
I find people who lead busy lives tend to feel and act younger than people who sit around. We did lead healthier lives growing up as we didn't have all this fast/ processed food and a takeaway on every corner.
Which leads me nicely into a bus story between two women
" How was your party this weekend"
" bit of a disaster really, the oven didn't work, it was ok when I last used it in June for oven chips"
I am 57 and OH is 63 by the way

 

[Marigold]

Came across some old photos (10 years ago) of me with our pet cock 'Bottom'- perhaps I'll post one?

Oh, yes please! There are some amazing archive threads about you and Bottom, R.I.P.
Plus an up-to-date one of you and Rosie would be nice.