Five years went quick

It was December 10th 2007 when we signed our completion contract on Chateau Larcombe and parted with our hard earned cash. The years have raced by and yet, as I look back, I wonder how we have managed to cram so much in. Not only have we achieved an awful lot, but we have managed to do it all on a shoestring budget.

At present we are undecided on what the coming year will produce for us and although I have great dreams of lakes, swimming pools and hot tubs,none of these are really likely to materialise in the next 12 months.

I was fixed on the idea of setting up my own business in 2013 but the more I read up on it, the more I feel that we would actually end up being worse off than we are with me not working. For instance health care costs me nothing at the moment because I am covered through Janes work. As a self employed person I would immediately be faced with anything up to 1000 euros a year in taxes for healthcare regardless of whether or not I actually made money. Add to this the cost of insurances and 30% tax on any money I do make and the negatives really start to weigh the positives.

I am now contemplating throwing all my energies at Chateau Antoine, developing it into a proper, rentable house for the local long term market. Mission one will require my darling wife to have a chat with the mayor in order to check the feasibility of what we have in mind. Given the nod from him, we can look into borrowing some money and returning the building to the house that it once was. Watch this space for news.

The first snow of this winter has been falling making everywhere look clean and fresh along with motivating me to light both fires and keep them going throughout the days.