A question. Not quite war and peace.

Hope this is in the right place. I shall start from the beginning.

When I met Gorden he was a 6th form student. Place in teacher training college. Had enough of studying so became a civil servant. 1975 to 1978.

He then became a milkman. He was happy with this job till about 1984 then he decided he wanted too become a teacher so went to night school to obtain his necessary exams too get into college as a full time student which he did with flying colours.

So with a 31/2 year old and a baby on the way he went to college full time with my blessing. Little did we know how hard it would become.

We got through it eventually with me working part time in the evenings and his aunt and uncle and my mum and dad helping us.

He left with no job and worked temporarily supply teaching and a few other jobs while I was still working part time. Then he got the job he is in now. 6 months contract been there 11 1/s years now and on a permanent contract and worked his way up the ladder to management.

We had always said we would sometime possibly like to run a B&B, but have not thought about it seriously until now.

Gorden would do supply teaching again and I would run the B&B we would be looking into areas for mountain bikers, walkers, and nature reserve enthusiasts.

It would mean selling up here and having to move to Derbyshire or Yorkshire and leaving Mark and family behind and mum of course. Michael could live anywhere if coming home for a holiday or even if he decided Dubai wasn't for him, he would have too put up where we were or make his life elsewhere.

I really think with research we could make this work it would be a tremendous upheaval but Gorden is 53 next month and I am already 51 and have been out of the work enviroment for 111/2 years and too be honest if I am going too have too clean toilets would prefer it too be my own toilets.

What would you guys do ? Do you think this sounds like a good idea ? too be honest I think it is our only option now if Gorden is faced with redundancy.

Thanks for getting this far and reading this epic.

Me personally would have a shot at it, but Im not sure Pat would, he;s not business minded at all. Where my mom lives in Lincolnshire the villiage post office & shop shut down, now the villiage has been expanded and there is a call for it, I would love to train and open up, but Pat would be like a dead weight.

I think if your both like-minded and can take advise from an advisor yes give it a go Mind B&B is a very holiday type of thing, and there would be quiet periods....why not take a holiday near where your interested and ask the B&B owners how they get on

If its what you want to do I would say go for it. You may only regret not giving it a go if you don't. We moved from the East coast of England to the West coast of Ireland 14 years ago and have never regretted it. We originally came for 6 months!

I am very close to my family, but they are only on the end of the phone and when we do see each other we make the most of it and have a great time.

Best of luck with whatever you decide

In between Max and Zanta we did a lot of holidays in Yorkshire and Derbyshire and did B&B's and picked up a lot of what what people would like or dislike from our personal experience and we found a lot of places where there was a good foot fall of the sort of people we have thought about targeting.

We also did hotels up North and in the Midlands when Gorden did consultancy for Oxford Brookes and Nace. I know we could do it, its taking the plunge and doing it but it may be a case of we have too. But I wouldn't mind giving it a shot. Gordens up for it too and he could pick up supply teaching to keep a steady income coming in.

Michael is leaving Wednesday I am then going too start getting stuck into the research, it will stop me missing him being 3000+ miles away.

Mum is 90 but if Gorden is made redundant we have too still earn a living I haven't needed too work for the past eleven plus years and with my age am only good for cleaning jobs, and I would personally prefer doing it for myself and my own business than for others now been there and done that years ago.

I would really miss my sister and my friend but they could always come and stay in the quiet times as could Mark and his family. Gorden can pick up supply teaching in the quiet times, he will need to do it anyway especially in the beginning so we have a main wage coming in.

I think it is a brilliant idea Lynn, I know you have some ideas of where you may want to be, but I must also mention Lincolnshire, there are some beautiful rural places that are near enough to the coast for customers to reach but far enough away so you are not right on top of everything. The prices are so low that you could get a mansion for what we paid for this place.

I have to tell you, originally Clive and I had discussed retiring to France but we are looking at going back to Lincolnshire in about 10 years time so that Clive can semi-retire, these long hours and continuous out of hour call outs are burning him out, so that is our plan.

I personally don't think you'll have any regrets and, lets face it, if it were your kiddies wanting to make the move for a better way of life they wouldn't hesitate. I think you and Gorden owe it to yourselves to finally be able to relax and enjoy life, even if the kids object initially they will soon be able to see what a difference it makes to you and come round to the idea

Best of luck xxx

If it were me, Lynn, I would be looking at the worst case scenario. What would you do if it all went horribly wrong?

If you can live with your and Gorden's solution to that, then you really have nothing to lose.

Good luck, hon, I wish you well, whatever decision you make

x0x0x

Thanks Sheree. We have been to North East Lincs near the Lincolnshire wolds, it is beautiful there. we have to be around the Midlands or towns and cities as Gorden will need too pick up supply teaching to get us going and keep us tickling over. I will put that on my research list.

The boys will not mind they will say go for it if we find somewhere that needs some work we will ask Mark to come and stay for a bit to help us with it he is very good at minor building work and excellent with painting and decorating.

Mum will be the problem, but we have to think seriously about this if Gorden is made redundant he has another 12 years before he retires and we do not have the luxury of him retiring early. Without sounding harsh mum is nearing the end of her life at 90 and has lived her life we still have a lot of living to do hopefully yet and have too think of ourselves now. We have always put family first the children mum and dad. Its our turn and we are not ready for the scrap heap just yet.

if you don`t do it you will always regret it - and that`s no way to live.
Go for it, give it your best shot and good luck.

Thanks Vicki. Guess we have too take the chance.

Exactly what we are thinking.