liebensraum - additional territory considered, esp. by Nazi Germany, to be necessary for national survival or for expansion of trade

In most modern housing there is neither room for loving or living, or parking.

One out of the 11 garages in our little street is used for parking, the others are stuffed with other things.

And on that subject we were discussing last night selling up our properties and leaving for sunnier climes..

Avant - don't be too critical. The Germans are known for adding one word to others to get a meaning that they want. I asked Google Translate about liebensraum and it returned loving space. I understand exactly what the OP intended to convey, living in an estate where there are families that have three or four cars. I just love having to thread my way through cars parked on both side when I reverse into my drive. When the SWMBO living opposite returns from her late shift or the daughter of the people next door to her visits them then they leave me insufficient space to reverse. Then l have to drive in frontways and hope that the cars are gone when I have to leave. I don't own the road and have to get on with my neighbours.

And I thought loving space was the back of your first car - showing my age of course.

Being serious though - it is a nightmare if neighbours fall out, especially if there are youngsters with cars as well - and that's on the roomier estates.

Another lovely typo! ("...the French Marie system")

It produces this fantastical idea in which some obscure corner of French culture is named after a woman. A bit like a bain-marie, perhaps?

I think Concrete meant to write "the French maire system" or possibly "the French mairie system".

For the unitiated/ignorant "maire" means "mayor", while "mairie" means "town hall".

In smaller French communities the local mayor has a lot of power, which is why, if you buy a house that needs renovation and possibly involves some of the bureaucracy the French are famous for, you get in with the mayor - get to know him/her socially, slip a few gifts - that sort of thing. (Yes, I know English has some choice phrases...)

Edited by FP on 06/12/2016 at 13:06