Where would you live ?

I know number, the traffic in Horncastle used to be dire too. You could be waiting for at least five minutes in rush hour.

John Adams way! I couldn't remember the name. It was famous for miles around for being dreadful - we had quite a few doctor friends who dreaded it.

Boston`s main problem is the traffic, we desperately need a by pass, but it keeps getting the thumbs down. Heaven help you if you go to Matalan on a really bad traffic day, you`ll be stuck on John Adams Way for ages! Our doctor`s new surgery is on the opposite side of town from us, it can sometimes take 30 minutes or more to drive what used to take 10. We moved here from Greater Manchester nearly 40 years ago, attracted by the rural aspect of the area, but so much of the countryside has been built on now that it`s not the same place anymore. Wouldn`t go back to where we came from though.

Stamford is lovely! I went back there last year. Number it's still only a rope, and that feels very unsupportive. I hated coming down even more than going up. But the view is just wonderful. the inlaws moved from Louth only a few months ago, so we have been going back over the past two years and revisiting all our old haunts. I think I spent most of my time in Boston in Matalan, just off the bridge where the traffic is always dire. Or at Downtown and Tesco. Or watching DBH at the athletics stadium.

Rutland always seems a really nice place, maybe to the east of it near Stamford?

JaneR, I know what you mean, it`s very unusual these days to hear English being spoken in town. I agree about the Stump, but I haven`t been up there since the late 80s, I`d never make it now! It`s a bit hairy coming back down as well, without a proper handrail, unless it`s changed from just a rope to hold on to? Views are great though, must be even better from right at the very top, but it`s not been possible to go that far for many years now.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try and check them out when we go over a holiday in July.

Yes, I didn't feel as if I was in the UK. Which is saying something, as it is pretty much like that here in East Anglia, but Boston was my first experience of feeling like a foreigner in my own country, as we were there sightseeing and I couldn't hear any English being spoken! Loved going up the Stump though. Is Louth dismal? I suppose it is in the winter, rather. I only know the area around the big church, FiL was organist there until recently.

JaneR, why is Boston a bit odd? I live there. After a bit of thought, maybe you mean because there are more E.Europeans per capita in Boston than anywhere else in the UK? Other than that, Boston is quite nice. Louth I find rather dismal.

I can vouch for Lincoln, Top Town is really lovely. Horncastle is lovely as well, I used to live just outside it. Woodhall Spa is very nice. Louth too, the outlaws used to live there. Boston is a bit odd. I sometimes miss it, but it was very hard to get anywhere, the population is sparse so living where we did, we were 20 miles from pretty much everything with a bit of life about it. I wish we had lived closer to Lincoln.

I have a close friend who lives on the outskirts of Lincoln It seems very affordable and has most, if not all the things you are looking for hondagirl Good luck.

soontobe we have been here in Oz for four years. We are planning a visit in a few months so hoping to visit some of the places we are thinking about. Can't afford to go back to where we lived before as property is too expensive plus we don't need to be near good schools or access to jobs.

Herefordshire is lovely, too, hondagirl.

When was the last time that you were in England?

I wish I knew! We are lucky (?) enough to be in a position to choose but what a dilemma! Others may already have read my other post re our dilemma. Basically we followed daughter and family to Perth Australia but we simply can't settle here. My ideal place would be the UK with sunshine and family around, surrounded by countryside and within driving distance of good walking country. A nice village, not too far from a market town, with a few amenities, shop and pub and a community feel with lots going on for our age group, a choir and bridge for DH and of course, a walking group. England's home, but we would have no family. We are researching Shropshire, Lincolnshire, and Notts, all places where property is more affordable, we also really like North Yorkshire but property is more expensive there. We wouldn't consider anywhere down south as we are both from Midlands/North and feel more comfortable there. If anyone knows of anywhere suitable we are open to suggestions!

We have distant family in Notts and a son in Europe - but not sure how long he will stay there or where he may end up. I have a brother in Queensland and OH favours moving there as it would suit us better than Perth, but again still a long way from grandchildren. We would have plenty of sunshine and a good community lifestyle, but it's not home and Oz is expensive. I don't suppose it is possible to find the perfect place with everything.

To digress for a moment, Number and NanKate" I have never met anyone who has seen the ED Story so was thrilled to hear there are 2 others besides me! I saw it as an impressionable 14 year old and have never forgotten how moving it was. Thank you *Tegan for the last link, lovely, he was SO handsome and died much too young.

Back to the thread.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkbUBh4JTiQ
Tyrone Power documentary

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSjCeqhC-jU
darn it; the soundtrack works though...

The other man's grass and all that

It is easy to be beguiled by somewhere you only visit on holiday or when you are happy.

Years ago we had friends living in an idyllic village on the edge of the Lake District. They were our closest friends and our children loved each others company. We visited often and their happiness and ours and the beautiful countryside made us long to move there, which could have been possible.

Then one evening I asked DH where he would follow his favourite hobby and realised it would probably require a 50 mile journey, similarly for me - and the scales fell from our eyes. We looked at the move coldly and objectively and realised that beautiful though the area was happy though we were there with our friends, for us, living there, far from family and other friends, with our interests and hobbies not catered for, after six months we would probably be on the brink of divorce or alcoholism.

Scotland. Close to the reindeer.

The link didn`t work Tegan, said it`s not available in this country, shame.

I would love to move to The Cotswolds, peaceful, close to nature, hardly any crime, Glorious, alas just a dream, but If I won the lottery I probably would buy a house there, only problem is, that I do no play the lottery.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=14R4zkV0zWg

Number I saw the E D Story and remember how much I loved it. I have always been a film buff and my 4 year old GS is following in my footsteps.

You know Juliette, when it arrived it was as if I'd put it down five minutes before [and I hadn't seen it for nearly 50 years]! It was the wierdest feeling. I'd love to see your Film Review 1950 . If you go to any gransnet meet ups let me know!