OT - Tell me about where you live

[alisoncooks]

Originally Posted by Gams

I lived in Newport, OR for awhile and I liked it there. I rented a little house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I think my rent was $290 a month if you can believe that. I didn’t find it too cloudy or rainy- it was pretty mild year round. I think the cost of living is pretty high there now. I still have a good friend who lives there and she’d like to see me move back, but I want to research a little more.

That sounds lovely! (Especially the price, lol!)

[Pat58]

Originally Posted by bee

I would love to retire to WA or OR for the same reason, but my husband says it would depress him. The one thing that gives both of us pause about trying to retire to a cheaper area...... how would we replace our friends and community? In our lifetime, we've found community mostly through work or kids. Where we are now we have a nice established network of friends and well, community, is the best way to say it. Does anyone else think about how to replace this?

Bee, that's a big dilemma of mine. I tend to think that losing all those personal ties might not be worth the savings. Especially if you like your area.

[Vantreesta]

I'm no help either. I live in southern MN and love this state! If we left MN the only place I can think of wanting to move to would be WI. I don't like seeing dead deer either but I love this part of the country too much to want to leave.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by Pat58

Bevatron - you have convinced me to add Washington to my retirement consideration list. I love cloudy and overcast weather - when it's cool! I hate the sun!

Me too!

[Vantreesta]

Originally Posted by bubbles76

Me too!

Me three!

[ardnas]

Originally Posted by Gams

I’m retired now and working toward moving someplace that’s a little more in line with the way I want to live. Northern Wisconsin is beautiful, but I’m sick of the brutal winters and I’m also an animal lover and I’m sick of seeing dead deer hanging in everyone’s yards and sticking out the back of their pick up trucks. I’m also tired of run ins with the bear dog hunters who run their dogs on my property. I’m not trying to criticize anyone here who hunts - I just want to live someplace with less hunting and a milder climate.

Totally relate! I live in SE WI and don't eat meat cheese or dairy, hate the Packers/tv sports, and would love to live somewhere with less weather extremes. Thankfully I don't think I've ever seen any dead animals when the hunters come back each year - other than a few posts on FB. I do love the changing seasons and the few first snowfalls - but after that it gets depressing and too cold. That said I live within an easy commute to Milwaukee or Chicago and there are some amazing forest preserves in NE IL with bike trails we love to ride & hike, we're less than 5 mins from Lake Michigan, every weekend in Summer Milwaukee has music & ethnic festivals on the lakefront, there is a large bead & jewelry show in June downtown, lots of craft beer breweries all over Wi, Il, & IN (not really a big beer drinker, but I'll always grab a 6pk of Zombie Dust when available!), and my city has a large European style outdoor market at the harbor every Saturday (moves indoors for winter) as well as many farmers' markets with freshly picked produce in warmer months. I love being able to get to the woods away from it all within 5-20mins.

lol, this is my city.

We will be moving in Spring - upsizing to a newer house around here or a city or 2 north until we retire - but we've been discussing where the heck to retire to. Colorado or Oregon seem ideal as far as nature & temps - except for pot legalization - I am allergic & the smell gives me rashes, headaches, etc even if it is being smoked blocks away from me. I don't want to be anywhere near the smell or smokers. I've been all around the country and the only other state that really spoke to me is Montana - but I would imagine weather is even more severe there. Not sure where we'll end up.

Good luck - let us know what you decide.

[marki64]

People rave about Tennessee. I have heard nothing but good things about Tennessee. My brother and SIL spent a week in Nashville and said it is a beautiful city. They loved most of the state. No extreme weather and lots of fun.

[yogapam]

Originally Posted by Pat58

Bevatron - you have convinced me to add Washington to my retirement consideration list. I love cloudy and overcast weather - when it's cool! I hate the sun!

Oh Pat, I’d love it if you moved to WA state! I’m not far from there on Vancouver Island, we could get together! I love the west coast....very mild winters, little to no snow, green all year.

[Gams]

I have a friend in Nashville and I do LOVE classic country music. I was thinking maybe we should put together a Video Fitness caravan and we could travel the country and drop people off along the way when they find a town that appeals to them?

[bee]

Originally Posted by Pat58

Bee, that's a big dilemma of mine. I tend to think that losing all those personal ties might not be worth the savings. Especially if you like your area.

Yes..... we do love it here, but we have too much property to be able to properly maintain in our old age and...... the fire danger is very real and scary where we are. I'm sure there's a move in my future at some point.... just a matter of how far away. We may just downsize and stay in the area, but where the fire danger at least seems less.