Considering a move to NE Missouri. (Kansas City, St. Louis: garden, snakes, area)

[CoffeeAndBeer]

I'd recommend Pike County just south of Hannibal. It's very forested and hilly (unlike further north and west in northern missouri) and rural, but with some very old and historic towns like Clarksville and Louisiana - which are home to locally owned restaurants and art galleries and events which are fueled by the weekend access by St. Louis (but is beyond the primary commuter radius). You also have close access to a decent Amtrack line to Chicago @ Quincy.

I'd also vouch for Central Missouri along the Missouri river within proximity to Hermann and Columbia. You have the advantage of being within 2 hours of Kansas City, St. Louis, and plenty of water nearby (Lakes and clear rivers), with all the beauty of an extensive rolling wine country. Coming from Northern California, you may appreciate this area more than others in the state.

[Curmudgeon]

Great responses and suggestions, everyone. We thank you and you've been most helpful. Clearly we need to travel back and spend some time on the ground looking around and asking many more questions. But we feel we have a real direction in which to head for a start.

[mrsgenealogy]

I just learned of a quote that, in my opinion, fits here perfectly:

"Plan for the future because that's where you are going to spend the rest of your life."
- Mark Twain

Isn't it great? It's especially appropriate since Mark Twain was from Missouri!

You've already gotten some great suggestions and I just have one thing to offer. Pick a small town you like that is NEAR a larger town that you'd want to visit, shop and dine in whenever that's necessary. That's what we did and it worked out well for us. The first thing we did was travel around the state to check out the larger towns. We also checked out the topography and personality of the various areas. We didn't even consider KC or St. Louis because we were moving from southern CA and we were desperate to get away from anything that felt like a city and/or traffic issues! Once we decided we liked a larger town/city, we started checking out the smaller towns around it.

Okay, I think I'll go ahead and offer one more quote...which you probably don't need but I think it's appropriate so I'll share it, anyway:

“There are two ways to be rich: make more - desire less.” Author unknown

I wonder if our MO forum is such a special place because of all the people in it who seem to understand these quotes and are working to create the kind of life that is rich in things that don't cost a lot of money but can make a difference in other ways, both in our health and the lives of the people around us. It sounds like that's what you're looking for and I look forward to hearing more about your journey!

MrsG

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by mrsgenealogy

I just learned of a quote that, in my opinion, fits here perfectly:

"Plan for the future because that's where you are going to spend the rest of your life."
- Mark Twain

Isn't it great? It's especially appropriate since Mark Twain was from Missouri!

You've already gotten some great suggestions and I just have one thing to offer. Pick a small town you like that is NEAR a larger town that you'd want to visit, shop and dine in whenever that's necessary. That's what we did and it worked out well for us. The first thing we did was travel around the state to check out the larger towns. We also checked out the topography and personality of the various areas. We didn't even consider KC or St. Louis because we were moving from southern CA and we were desperate to get away from anything that felt like a city and/or traffic issues! Once we decided we liked a larger town/city, we started checking out the smaller towns around it.

Okay, I think I'll go ahead and offer one more quote...which you probably don't need but I think it's appropriate so I'll share it, anyway:

“There are two ways to be rich: make more - desire less.” Author unknown

I wonder if our MO forum is such a special place because of all the people in it who seem to understand these quotes and are working to create the kind of life that is rich in things that don't cost a lot of money but can make a difference in other ways, both in our health and the lives of the people around us. It sounds like that's what you're looking for and I look forward to hearing more about your journey!

MrsG

MrsG Governor '08

[northbayeric]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

MrsG Governor '08

We'll have to start a grass-roots campaign!

Hopefully something great will work out for the OP when all is said and done, and hopefully we've been able to give some helpful assistance.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by mrsgenealogy

I wonder if our MO forum is such a special place because of all the people in it who seem to understand these quotes and are working to create the kind of life that is rich in things that don't cost a lot of money but can make a difference in other ways, both in our health and the lives of the people around us. It sounds like that's what you're looking for and I look forward to hearing more about your journey!

MrsG

Thank you so much. I echo the sentiment of MoNative34 -- MrsG for Governor! And for northbayeric (I won't hold the location against him), I have received great, useful and friendly advice from this site and others grounded in MO.

We are decidedly in the "desire less" genre; especially me as a displaced southern Californian who lost everything in divorce 14 years ago and my wife who, even if we end up with less, will still have more than she did when we married.

Small, affordable (for us) town close enough to enough of a metropolitan area to have access to good dining and the arts and we'll be in absolute retiree heaven.

[northbayeric]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Thank you so much. I echo the sentiment of MoNative34 -- MrsG for Governor! And for northbayeric (I won't hold the location against him), I have received great, useful and friendly advice from this site and others grounded in MO.

Now Curmudgeon, I was just in Sacramento back on the 24th! Ha ha ha ha ha!!! Got up to about 102 degrees that day as Mrs. NBE and I were shopping in Old Sacramento right by the river and rode on the Railroad Museum choo-choo train. We have been doing our absolute diddley-darndest to head back to the Land of the Four Seasons (StJoMo to be exact) for nigh unto a whole year now. It sounds like it's been a pretty nice summer back there--not quite as hot as in some past years.

Please keep us posted! God be willing we'll live about as far away from each other over 2,000 miles away from here as we live right now--wouldn't that be something?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by northbayeric

Please keep us posted! God be willing we'll live about as far away from each other over 2,000 miles away from here as we live right now--wouldn't that be something?

That I will, NBE, and gladly. It was a bit warm but isn't that just one of our two seasons here?

You just missed the Greek Food Festival and Gold Rush Days in Old Sac, not to mention Chalk it Up!.

Pity!

[jps]

Originally Posted by CoffeeAndBeer

I'd recommend Pike County just south of Hannibal. It's very forested and hilly (unlike further north and west in northern missouri) and rural, but with some very old and historic towns like Clarksville and Louisiana - which are home to locally owned restaurants and art galleries and events which are fueled by the weekend access by St. Louis (but is beyond the primary commuter radius). You also have close access to a decent Amtrack line to Chicago @ Quincy.

I'd also vouch for Central Missouri along the Missouri river within proximity to Hermann and Columbia. You have the advantage of being within 2 hours of Kansas City, St. Louis, and plenty of water nearby (Lakes and clear rivers), with all the beauty of an extensive rolling wine country. Coming from Northern California, you may appreciate this area more than others in the state.

Well said. I was going to suggest those areas also.

[mrsgenealogy]

Awwww, shucks, ya'll! (Shufflin' my feet here and lookin' all goofy!)
Yer too kind! Sniff sniff! I'm jes tellin' it like it is, ain't I? Thanks for the laugh and the warm fuzzies though, MoNative...and all.

Hey, Carmudgeon. I just knew you were in the "desire less" category!
Right on! You're gonna fit in perfectly wherever you move here in MO! I hope you move close enough to attend our OTFCC gatherings!

Oh...and I've got to tell you...I am often surprised to see the first and sometimes best advice in this forum has come from NBEric who hasn't even moved here, yet! He "blows my mind" and wait till you see his response to someone in some sort of pain or need. Well, it's times like those when I'm grateful to be a part of this site. I know you were just teasing him but I couldn't pass up the chance to sing his praises.

Well, I'm taking calls tonight for Stand Up 2 Cancer, the TV program that will be broadcast simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC at 8pm Eastern and Pacific and 7pm, Central time zone. I've got to get a bite to eat and get all set up since I start taking calls about 6:30pm. Have a great night, all!


MrsG

Originally Posted by MoNative34

MrsG Governor '08

Originally Posted by northbayeric

We'll have to start a grass-roots campaign!

Hopefully something great will work out for the OP when all is said and done, and hopefully we've been able to give some helpful assistance.

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Thank you so much. I echo the sentiment of MoNative34 -- MrsG for Governor! And for northbayeric (I won't hold the location against him), I have received great, useful and friendly advice from this site and others grounded in MO.

We are decidedly in the "desire less" genre; especially me as a displaced southern Californian who lost everything in divorce 14 years ago and my wife who, even if we end up with less, will still have more than she did when we married.

Small, affordable (for us) town close enough to enough of a metropolitan area to have access to good dining and the arts and we'll be in absolute retiree heaven.