How has your thinking about the ideal place evolved? (accident, housing, husband)

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

My thinking is rapidly changing about place as I adjust to my new in-town living in my new older house. There's so much for me to love about being in this college town, so much to do! I was out all day at nearby events and here I am back on CD listening to the brats next door screaming their heads off in the pool, echoing through my open window. How can this place be so right for me, and so not???

My tolerance level for noise is going down to about zero. I brought up kids, did the kid thing for my whole adult life. I don't feel like hearing them anymore! They are loud, rowdy, rude, and their parents don't give a d***. If it were my own kids screaming their guts out I'd tell them to keep it down, we have neighbors. On the other side of me, the 26 year old new homeowner has decided it's a great property, with his triple garage out back, to fix up cars!! Engine noise, compression noise, at odd times of day (thankfully not at night). Hello, this is a residential neighborhood!!

All of the comments about idiot neighbors apply here for me now, and I'm in a bit of smouldering wonder.

On the other hand, I keep thinking that this aggravating noise is only for certain periods, calm down, and it beats the dead silence in 55+ communities where you'd never know there are live people inside those condos or apts. I honestly think I would be quite depressed in that setting, like this is it, my life is over, and it's shuffleboard from now on. Plus I cannot afford those pricey gated places with high condo or HOA costs every month.

I have no desire to escape the loud neighbors by going off somewhere rural, been there, done that, does not work for me at my age/situation. Nor do I want to go back to suburbia, I hated the isolation and long drives to anywhere just to do something.

So I feel kind of stuck. I have to stay here in this house for another couple of years to avoid capital gains. I really like the house, the grounds, the street, and the location so very close to everything. I'm just so frustrated by the neighbors, since I'm home all day to hear it. I don't do air conditioning and don't need it, I love the breezes coming through and don't want to live in a closed up tomb.

Maybe I should look ahead to renting an apt or senior apt. But since I seem to be so sensitive to noise, I may be jumping from the frying pan into the fire by doing this.

Any thoughts???

iPod with your favorite music... You have our sympathies. We've been putting up with it for 23 years and can't wait to get away from it.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Just curious-- Tell us more about the "being an artist" part. Why do they want artists?? Most conservative societies want to get rid of them , or at least do not value them terribly highly in general. Do you have to be an artist under 40? Where did you get that info?

Thanks

Just Google The Canadian Immigration web site. Its all there , . There are several links..... I had at one time a Canadian Visa , long story , But I am A US citizen , always have been. Its framed on my office wall !

[AcaciaRose]

Newenglandgirl, after school starts the little ruffians will be gone during weekdays. Maybe they'll take part in sports or whatever and be away at least part of the weekend, too.

If the guy on the other side is fixing up cars belonging to other people, there may be something the city can do to stop him. Are you in a Homeowners' Association? If so, maybe they can do something.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim21784

[i]

NEG - really sorry to hear about neighbor problems in your new place, that is a bummer!

Thanks--I did have a talk with the young guy next door, I ran out to see him when he was in his driveway. I introduced myself and mentioned what a quiet neighborhood this is. He's only 26 so I thought he'd dismiss this comment but he said that if he ever gets too loud to let him know. I haven't heard anything much from that side for almost a week. One down, one to go....the OTHER side is a rambunctious family whose kids have one of those plastic blow-up water parks next to their pool. The parents work so the kids are thankfully away during the day, but weekends have been rough. I brought my new laptop to the air conditioned college library, so that is my new strategy on summer weekends (can also work in a walk while I'm there).

Honestly, folks...if you are the kind of neighbor who makes a lot of noise, please consider how it feels to have to hear it. It's particularly distressing to hear unhappy barking dogs, and thank goodness I haven't heard that yet.

Speaking of dogs, it is way to hot to keep them in trucks or cars while we go into stores. I was in a parking lot today and saw this beautiful German Shepherd panting like mad inside her owner's SUV. The windows were only cracked a little. The outside temp was 93 degrees so you can imagine what the temp was for that poor dog. I took out a page from a notebook I had with me and wrote a note to the owner, and slipped it through the crack of his or her window and it landed on the seat. Some people just don't get it, but at least I tried. Anyway I think that everyone who sees such a sad and dangerous thing should do that too. (Apologies for going off topic, will get back on track)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

.... It's particularly distressing to hear unhappy barking dogs, and thank goodness I haven't heard that yet.

....

Was lamenting the 'new puppy' at neighbor to a rental home I have just purchased and am remodeling. If I had to listen to that mutt, I would be administering some drugs (maybe to me, certainly to the dog). I had neighbor who went to work at 5 AM and left 7 dogs out to bark until he came home at 7pm. I was working my traditional 12 hour evening shift... 2pm - 2am (just a half day, only 12 hrs ). I was VERY sleep deprived (had a new baby at the time too.)

I did about go to prison over that one, but I left town and cooled off. I am thinking (hoping) my hearing will go bad by the time I need to live near neighbors again.

Having had 'farm' dogs for all my yrs I have never had to chain or pen my dog, I can't imagine such a thing, (my usual 'lab' (have had 4)) is ALWAYS waiting for me to return home.

Thus, my 'thinking of the ideal place' is on hold till the dog dies or someone buys my 'casa grande' ($33/day property taxes).

The ''Evolved ' portion of plan is ... just about anything will do, the quieter (and quicker) the better.

[newenglandgirl]

Entering my sixth month in my new location, I'm on the fence about long-term here. As I've said, it's100% improvement over where I was (14 years in a suburban location with absolutely nothing to do at night), but moving in close to neighbors is an eye opener. Although I had to hear highway traffic in my previous location, now I have to hear neighbor stuff, like kids in their pool in summer, and cars revving up in their driveways at 5:00-6:00 A.M. This reinforces for me that I am not a good candidate for a condo, an apartment, or a mobile home park. Neither do I want to return to suburbia, and rural is not practical for me at my age. Now I'm thinking the best future place for me is....a monastery!! Are there any retirement homes in monastery communities?? Hopefully they would offer peace and quiet? (I just know someone is going to recommend ear plugs...)

[Ol' Wanderer]

Originally Posted by darstar

If I had my choice I would move to Cape Britain Island., and build a waterfront cottage some where along the Cabot trail.

I never have a truly ideal place, but I have a list of places that would answer my list of dreams, and that's why we called many places our home since retirement.

After seven years in Italy (the answer to one dream), we planned to move to Nova Scotia when we returned to the States. Husband has dual citizenship and would receive Canadian national health care immediately (I would be covered 6 months later) so that should be good. Somehow, it didn't happen, and we ended up in CT for 6 months, Charleston, SC for 2.5 year, and on the water in FL since last year. Each location is the answer to one dream, but none is the answer to all dreams.

We'll move back to CA next year but to the Bay area/wine country instead of Laguna Beach (husband's hometown.) That specific location in Northern CA is where we both need to live in, if not for the rest of our life, then until we can get the love we have for it out of our systems.

We might even be in Canada after that. Never say never.

[Ol' Wanderer]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Now I'm thinking the best future place for me is....a monastery!! Are there any retirement homes in monastery communities?? Hopefully they would offer peace and quiet? (

All monasteries are quiet, but not all are tranquil. Some are peaceful while others are spiritless. At least that's my impression of monasteries/abbeys in Vietnam, Italy, Spain, Austria, Ireland, and Hong Kong.

As if any of us could stand communal living...

[Wwanderer]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

... This reinforces for me that I am not a good candidate for a condo, an apartment, or a mobile home park. Neither do I want to return to suburbia, and rural is not practical for me at my age. Now I'm thinking the best future place for me is....a monastery!! Are there any retirement homes in monastery communities?? Hopefully they would offer peace and quiet? (I just know someone is going to recommend ear plugs...)

You don't like suburbia, or rural, but you like peace and quiet, no traffic, high-rises or neighbour noise. But you like nightlife too? Hmm. That's a tough one, isn't it? There are quiet residential streets in cities, but I guess you have to research them very carefully.

Originally Posted by Ol' Wanderer

I... we planned to move to Nova Scotia when we returned to the States. Husband has dual citizenship and would receive Canadian national health care immediately (I would be covered 6 months later) so that should be good. ...
That specific location in Northern CA is where we both need to live in, if not for the rest of our life, then until we can get the love we have for it out of our systems.

We might even be in Canada after that. Never say never.

How about British Columbia, then? I guess every province is different on health care--new and returning residents have a 3 month wait here in Ontario for health coverage.

I understand about getting the love of a place out of your system--I have that problem with our summer home in the Ottawa Valley. So far I have not been able to get enough of it, although I know that we should soon sell up and move on.

Originally Posted by Ol' Wanderer

As if any of us could stand communal living...

Oh, I think some of us could. In fact, we and our friends sometimes joke about how we'll all end up in a retirement home together some day when we're feeble. And just within sight of my window, a couple of blocks away, is a building that was a notorious hippie haven here in the early 70's, and is now a city retirement facility--we joke sometimes about all ending up back there, being hippies together.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by Wwanderer

You don't like suburbia, or rural, but you like peace and quiet, no traffic, high-rises or neighbour noise. But you like nightlife too? Hmm. That's a tough one, isn't it? There are quiet residential streets in cities, but I guess you have to research them very carefully.

I'm not into nightlife in the usual sense--bars, hangouts, painting the town red, etc. I like to be able to walk around with my dog at night in a parklike setting (all seasons), or go to a nearby bookstore or a movie or concert. All of which I have in my new location, and for which I'm grateful as I now feel connected without having to live in a city. With these, I'm willing (though not happy) to put up with neighbor noise. At this time of year (Oct-through spring) it's not so bad (well, except for when the snow ploughs start up at 4 in the morning...). Speaking of snow, I think this year I'll enjoy it as I walk the cleared campus paths and watch the snow fall in the surrounding hills.