feelbritish

From the first listing day to mid summer we did get an offer and it was £31000 less than listing price! That fell through and we reduced price twice and got not a single new viewing. It is just the times we live in closer to London! Just come back from Dawlish and we loved the small town! I felt sad leaving Devon. Oh well there is next year again!

Gordon Barlow

I see you're based in South Bucks, and am idly wondering whereabouts. Our son was born in High Wycombe forty-odd years ago, in "The Shrubbery". My wife was heavily pregnant when we entered England that Easter, and we rented a farmhouse at Cadmore End for a few months. (Chosen at random from "The Lady"; we had no local connections.) All I remember about the place is the snow (!), besides the birth, of course. The son has been a rabid Wycombe Wanderers supporter since his early teens, although the only time he's lived in England was at a boarding school up north. It's a nice part of the world - though maybe not in High Wycombe itself!

trottytrue

BEVS

Best wishes to you also.

between two worlds

trottytrue how wonderful to see you again here after all this time! Yes, it was a shame about Jasper, his Mum of course was very old and they had a good few years together since he came home, which he was so happy about. But it seems a shame he went so soon as well.

So good to hear from you. I am very glad to hear your health is good now. But so sorry about your husband's condition. It's excellent news though that your daughter has moved in to help AND that she would make the move back to the Uk with you if that time comes. That is wonderful—a huge deal! As I recall, the thought of leaving your daughter was always one of the things holding you back.

I don't come here often now so I am extra glad I came back in time to get the email alert that you had posted!

shelley748

Hi Trotty so nice to hear from you again! Sorry to hear about hubs....must be hard for you. Where are you living now?

shelley748

Hi Between two worlds- lovely to see your postings.. hope all is well with you.

between two worlds

Thanks Shelley, yes, all is well! I am still so happy to be back in the UK....

Downton Gabby

What happened to this thread/forum?

between two worlds

Glad you have asked, Gabby! Thus bumping it up and reminding people it is here. It used to be so active, and such a valuable source of support for those a bit later in life who longed to go back to the UK. It has been a resource for emotional support, finding others in the same situation, some practical info, and the "catching up" part of the title referred to the way it had become a community. Many people who began posting as expats continued to post and be part of the conversation long after they had come back home (like Jasper/Rodney, RIP).

Of course it's natural that once people are back in the UK, they post less as they try to re-insert themselves in life here, and of course their own need for the expat community's support is gone now they are no longer expat themselves. I'm in that situation...busy just living, less urgency to read and post...I feel a bit guilty about it, as the posts of others who had moved back were always helpful to me as I waited to do the same.

However, I did hope new expats would come on and keep the conversation going!

Just the other day I did come back to the forums and I recommended this thread to a newly-joined member, because I thought past discussions here could be helpful to that person...

Let's hope others also discover it, keep it going, and shape it to their own current needs.

shelley748

I am still here lurking- still in Ontario- have not closed the door on going back at some point BUT it depends on what happens with the Brexit fiasco. Very concerned about lack of policing in the UK and "hate crime"- seems not enough police people and they spend more time looking on Social media for Hate crimes than going out in the real world stopping crime.
Where I live in Canada, we do not have the level of crime seen in the UK. It is a major concern to me. Other concerns- healthcare- again NHS overwhelmed- okay so Canada is also having health crisis but nothing like the levels of UK- so we wait and see what happens!

shelley748

How long have you been back? What are your observations? Where did you end up?

between two worlds

Hi Shelley, yes, your concerns about overwhelmed police and over whelmed NHS are legitimate, I totally understand.

I'm back in Gloucestershire, where I lived as a teenager and where many family members have been all the years I was overseas, so it's where I always came back to. For me the yearning to come back here to lve was about the history, landscape, culture, and family--and of course the feel of belonging; despite those issues you mention, the things I love about England can still be found—cathedrals, villages, the countryside, the layers of history. Yes, much to worry about, much under threat (eg far fewer songbirds than in my childhood), but still so much that is wonderful.

shelley748

Hi BTW Glad you are happy- I have a Dad 87 who lives in Dorset- I go back each year to visit him- only child so he is a concern but doesnt want to move here with me, understandably. Not sure what to do once he passes- may rent out house until I figure it out...I miss the UK countryside but I live in countryside in Canada so it would be a big shock moving back to not much space. Time will tell I guess.

BEVS

Hear, hear.