Dry Laid Stone Wall Repair - Provence France

[rox]

That is quite a story Moss. What we know now though, I am sure glad I don't live in a Cemesto house, LOL! It is a fascinating story.

 

[rox]

My dad worked in the ship yards of New York in the 40's and 50's. Mom, Dad and my older sisters and brothers lived on east end of long Island. 60 miles from ship yards. Dad traveled to NY to work. As the LI expressway was being built, homes in the way were being distroyed. Dad thought he could make money with those houses. He taught himself how to move houses and bought one. Moved it over a weekend (with a few hired friends) and rented it out. Then another. and another. I remember the equipment he used as I was around in the 50's. We also have a few 8mm movies about his adventures.
I also remember my younger brothers and I straightening the nails he used.

Another scavenger father! You dad sounds very enterprising. There was no credit back in those days, for the average person no going to the bank and borrowing money for anything other than buying a house. No credit cards, they had to scavenge to get ahead I think.

 

[dstig1]

Married a Frenchman
We lived in my country 30 years, I always promised him when we retired I would live in his country. He was able to early retire in his 50's so we bought the olive farm to provide a little work for us because I thought early 50's was to young to retire. We both wanted a no stress life and business and i must say we chose well. It is a stress free life. Well not completely especially early on when we were learning, but for the most part it is paradise. I would not have changed our decision at all. We have far far far less money, but we have enough to live on, and we never ever worry about our health, what if we get sick how will we survive. I love the healthcare system here. Not having to ever worry about the cost of healthcare and never ever not once getting a doctor or hospital bill because everything is automated is a huge stress reliever right there. Just think about your life with no insurance forms EVER, yup it is pretty much paradise. Where we live we get the most sunshine days of any other part of France. A lot of people think French Riviera, which is actually second, it is the Marseille area that gets the most days of sunshine. It is right around 300 days of sunshine per year. It's not tropical, we are not swimming in December, but then on the other hand it is not humid in the summer, so that is quite nice.

rox, that is really cool to hear. I kinda guessed it was something like that as it is pretty rare to find US expats in the south of France, unless they are bazillionaires. On the health care issue, enjoy it while it lasts. It certainly isn't free, and the issue can be no better put than Maggie Thatcher said "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money". You are enjoying what other people are paying for, essentially. It has held out for quite a while, but cannot last , unfortunately. When growth in the US slows enough that the US can no longer support keeping all the Nazis/dictators/Commies in the world down alone, the cost of defense that most of Europe has avoided since WW2 will start to come out. There is only so much of "other people's money", unfortunately. But a great run until that point, I guess.

I like your place. The terrain and those walls are amazing. Enjoy it. And your retirement. :thumbsup:

 

[MossRoad]

That is quite a story Moss. What we know now though, I am sure glad I don't live in a Cemesto house, LOL! It is a fascinating story.

Hey, its only bad if your dad hands you scrap panels of the stuff and a handsaw and tells you to "have fun with that stuff".... :laughing:

I'll find out later in life if I breathed in enough of the dust to cause lung cancer.... Can't blame dad for that. Or the vermiculite, either! :confused3: