Commune

[Iamhanuman]

Out of interest, do any Grapes live in a commune?

I was just wondering.
We've been looking into the whole thing and it got me wondering....

[FionaH]

No but some days it feels like it

I used to like the idea as a youngster but as I get older I find I crave my own space more and more. Maybe it is a result of living with teenagers?

[TonyF]

Yep, live in a commune here, most of us Frenchie types do unless we live in a large city, it's the original word that the UK/USA use of the word derives from. And for us where I live, it certainly is a commune, lots of help to each other and a real community spirit.

[Two_Sheds]

I lived in a "sort of" commune in Brighton ... actually a housing co-operative, but it was originally intended to be shared living with some kind of community spirit.
It ended up just being a dosshouse for dopers, and a cheap place for a few Yuppies to live while they saved up for their mortgage deposit

[zazen999]

No, never - I lived in a 3 bedroom shared house once with 4 other girls - we had a wild time - parties every weekend - arguments about who used whose expensive shampoo - but after 3 months I needed peace and quiet.

[fitting 5 girls into 3 bedrooms meant the landlord had put up cardboard dividers, we didn't share rooms - you could hear EVERYTHING in the adjoining 'room' - luckily I had the one that wasn't partitioned - phew].

[Two_Sheds]

No, never - I lived in a 3 bedroom shared house once with 4 other girls

We had 6 in our flat, along with whatever boy/girlfriends were staying over.
Same in the flats above, below, and next door

[zazen999]

We had 6 in our flat, along with whatever boy/girlfriends were staying over.
Same in the flats above, below, and next door

I'm not sure I could have coped with that, in all honesty.

[Two_Sheds]

I did it for 4 years while I got my degree. The idea was great, but the reality ... worse than The Young Ones crossed with Shameless

[jackie j]

Nope I like my own space lol I hate it when one of the kids looses out yet again in a relationship and needs to come home. Would'nt like to do it all the time. One son who's just been dumped yet again is staying with one of his brothers till he can save up yet another deposit, my sons are far too genorous when they split up.

[bobleponge]

I did the Kibbutz thing in Israel many many years ago now, and found it to be an enjoyable experience. Very similar to what I had anticipated, and far more plus points than negative.
As Tony says, now do live in a commune, although not what you had in mind I guess, but a real sense of community spirit, help your neighbour etc.
Now however, the idea of sharing my private space with large numbers of people is horrifying.

[Mrs Dobby]

Would love to live in an Eco Village type community, such as Tinkers Bubble or the Lammas project, individual homes and spaces within a community of likeminded individuals, in fact when we win the lottery we'll be looking at setting up our own self sufficient eco village, not sure how many others we'd eventually end up having live with us, but I know at least a couple that we'd hope would move into it with us!

Havent yet lived in a commune as such, but living in barracks in the forces does come close, a shared community and a place where everyone helps each other, so in that sort of spirit.

[SlugLobber]

Having lived with many girls in shared accommodation, I have no desire to ever, EVER do that again!

[julesapple]

Um.....

OH, four kids (3 are teenagers), 11 cats, four kittens, five rats, two hamsters, two barn owl chicks and an almost fully fledged kestrel........more a menagerie than a commune.

Jules

[sweetiepea]

Been there done that and won't be doing it again! Like mine own space and peace and quite too much (although you might not think that if you heard us sometimes).

I don't relish the thought of communal living in my old age. Seen too many OAP homes for that.

[Iamhanuman]

yes i was thinking more along the idea of your own personal space and communal areas for certain things, rather than the student Young Ones horror described!!

places i've looked at are more like functioning housing co-operatives, where you have effectively your own house within a house and yet the whole community is heading towards self-sufficiency through growing their own, keeping animals, creating energy, etc
things which have to be bought are purchased in bulk at a fraction of the normal cost and everyone pitches in about 15 hours a week community service

when you want peace, you have your own 'house' to retreat to and indeed you never need leave it other than to 'do your bit'