Editha

I'm embedded in the life of the village - secretary of the WI, doing other voluntary work etc. Renovation of our house and garden continues, rather more slowly and expensively than planned.

I've had three health issues needing hospital treatment since I came back, one needing surgery, and I've had prompt and efficient treatment from the NHS on all occasions.

I'm now carer for my 90 year old mum, who has moved into a bungalow close-by. I've arranged a satisfactory 'care-plan' for her, and it is very satisfying that she is no longer depressed, fearful and confused, but happy and enjoying her garden and activities.

OH has as much lecturing work from the uni as he wants. He has just got an extension of the deadline for his next book.

So, everything was hunky-dory before the referendum. Since then we've been discussing moving to Scotland. OH will be entitled to Scottish citizenship because his grand-father was a Glaswegian, and hopefully I can apply as his spouse. It pisses me off that all my close friends will be entitled to EU passports except me, due to the oversight of my ancestors in never marrying anyone who wasn't English. Obviously, we'll have to wait until mum falls off the twig.

Novocastrian

I'm exactly a year behind you, having left Toronto on July 3rd 2015.

We stayed with a relative for about 2 weeks, then went to our house in Normandy for the next six weeks or so. We'd arranged for a rental flat in Jesmond which we moved into on Sept 4th and lived in until mid May (except for a short return to France and a vacation in the Algarve).

We took possession of our "new" apartment overlooking the Tyne on May 1st and spent that month redecorating and furnishing the place (still not complete) before going back to France in June, returning to Newcastle to vote on the 23rd and to cry forlornly ever since.

We're going back for Bastille Day and the rest of the summer. My wife's mother was born in Bayeux: perhaps we can get French passports....

Neither of us have missed Canada even a tiny bit.

mikelincs

On fly in the ointment, there will be no Scottish Citizenship until, or unless the Scots get independence, and then, of course, they will have to jump through all the EU hoops before becoming members, so you are really looking at 10 to 15 years down the line.

Editha

I'm being ironic, but actually we did have the 'Shall we move to Scotland?' conversation. The OH was less enthusiastic than me, but I put that down to his late father being über-Scottish, in the way that Scots-Canadians can be, and once turning up in tartan trousers on a visit to London. That experience rather put off the OH from connecting with his Scottish heritage.

But, yes it will be too late for us, even if the Scots do get independence, which now seems more likely than not.

ann m

Sounds lovely Novo. Will that be your pattern? But with even longer stays in France? (I know you did the summer stints even while living in Canada). Sounds peaceful somehow.

Novocastrian

Hi ann. For the moment at least the total time we spend in France each year will be less than 6 months because life now is complicated enough anyway without becoming tax resident there.

One thing I've mentioned elsewhere but not on this thread is that we (like Editha) are acting as unofficial carers for an aged one, in our case my father-in-law.

He's 89 on July 24th. After the inevitable we'll have to rethink things bit, but for now we'll be keeping to this rhythm.

Editha

Sounds lovely.

The very old vary a lot in their needs, I find. I know two people in their nineties who are still driving. My mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's; it is really very mild, but she has severe mobility problems which confine her to the house, unless we take her out in the car or accompany her on her mobility scooter.

We've established a good routine for her since she moved that makes sure she has human contact every day, not just on the telephone. That seems to be important for keeping her grounded in reality and not spiralling down into depression and confusion.

Over the last couple of years I've learned never to use the commercial care agencies, which are awful. We've found an excellent self-employed carer, and a non-profit organisation running small scale day-care. I suggested day-care to mum with some trepidation, but she loves it. They do word games in the morning and play dominos in the afternoon.

We do her shopping on Fridays. On Wednesdays, I take her to a lunch club, and we take her out for Sunday lunch. Most weeks, however, I have to pay extra visits, to take her to the doctor or dentist, or deal with something else that has come up.

So, looking after mum does take up a lot of my time, and my husband's, but it isn't a full time job, and for the moment it is not too stressful.

Novocastrian

I hope that if and when I get to those years someone will be as kind to me as you are to your mother and my wife is to her father.

Respect.

Novocastrian

This is the view from my window...

robin1234

I remember from the discussions a while ago, at the time of the Scottish referendum, that the Scottish government were promising an inclusive citizenship model; that British citizens who lived in Scotland at the time of independence would be entitled to citizenship. Also, British citizens born in Scotland (wherever currently resident) and British citizens who had lived in Scotland for at least ten years at any time, would be entitled to citizenship.

As for those British citizens with no prior Scottish ties who wish to relocate to Scotland after independence, not sure what their opportunities will be.

Editha

What a fantastic view!

Editha

I think it is unlikely the Scots would make citizenship qualifications more stringent than they are for the UK now, or for Ireland. Either way, this includes the grandparent qualification. My OH's British citizenship application was based on his Glaswegian grandfather. It would be strange if he wasn't entitled to Scottish citizenship on the same basis.

As for myself, a foreign spouse of an Irish citizen can apply for Irish citizenship after 3 years, so it is safe to assume that Scottish requirements would be similar.

I think MikeLinc's estimate of 10-15 years before an independent Scotland gets EU membership is pessimistic. Five years from now is actually feasible.

So, if mum hops the twig within the next two years, then we promptly move to Perth, I could have my EU passport back before I reach 70!

Downton Gabby

There's something disturbing about this....

Editha

Is it my assumption that Scotland will split from the UK that is making you uneasy?

Downton Gabby

Um....no....