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A neighbor is female, single, mid-70s, lives alone on 5 acres for past 30 years. She is very healthy and works daily on her yard. I feel bad watching someone spend 3 days of the week just doing the rider mower part. That is her retirement plan? There are many other chores that need doing, so she is never bored. However, she is getting long in tooth and I don't see her doing it much longer.
We get high winds and if a tree falls, or whatever, she cannot handle the heavy lifting. It is becoming apparent she needs to sell and move on.
Sadly, she has her place for sale, but no takers. She is pushing for a high price in hopes that some california person will come in and pay the outlandish price.
IMO, some people thrive on it, others would not be so happy.
One thing I don't believe I saw mentioned was the proximity to good medical care. That was one of our considerations when we retired and moved out of a city in one state to a rural area in another state 2,000 miles away. That also brings up the ability to get from your home to the points of services be it medical or shopping. Right now we have to travel 19 miles to the closest grocery store, pharmacy, Lowe's, our personal physician, etc. It's another several miles to the closest hospital. Our little community does have a marked, lighted helipad for emergency medical evacuation should that be needed but standard care has to be driven to. It's something to think about.
Due to distances we "bundle" our errands so we can accomplish as much as possible with each trip. A typical shopping excursion may consist of four or more stops, usually more, and we will end up driving a total of 40-60 miles round-trip. The closest "large" *(150,000 people) city is 60 miles away and the closest major airport takes 4.5 hours to get to. These are all things you should consider along with everything everyone else has said. We acknowledge that while we're good here for now, if we lose the ability to drive we'll have to sell the home and move to a town, likely to a condo, where transportation services are available and many things are within walking distance.
Best of luck, Cajun Lady. I hope you find or have found the perfect spot and follow your dream. Sometimes you just need to DO IT!
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if Cajun Lady is counting her pennies, gasoline use can be an expensive factor when moving to a rural area. I agree with Curmudgeon that bundling your errands is a good idea. We find on our weekly drives through the hinterlands of Kentucky that gasoline prices can vary greatly - sometimes prices are less money in rural areas - sometimes more.
My husband and I like an adventure - we made a big location change when we retired and it has been fun and interesting. I think it is good to shake things up a bit as we get older. Be cautious and do your homework before the move and you should be fine.
A neighbor is female, single, mid-70s, lives alone on 5 acres for past 30 years. She is very healthy and works daily on her yard. I feel bad watching someone spend 3 days of the week just doing the rider mower part. That is her retirement plan? There are many other chores that need doing, so she is never bored. However, she is getting long in tooth and I don't see her doing it much longer.
We get high winds and if a tree falls, or whatever, she cannot handle the heavy lifting. It is becoming apparent she needs to sell and move on.
Sadly, she has her place for sale, but no takers. She is pushing for a high price in hopes that some california person will come in and pay the outlandish price.
IMO, some people thrive on it, others would not be so happy.
I would feel bad for the person who sits around watching their neighbor mow their fields. Your neighbor probably thoroughly enjoys her place, and has for 30 years. Your yourself said she's very healthy. For all you know, she will be doing that for another 10 years.
And get this...there are companies out there called Tree Services that will cut up and remove downed trees....really!! Ive seen them! Ive even hired them! So I wouldnt worry about the little neighbor lady having to crank up the old chainsaw and stack up wood.
We get high winds and if a tree falls, or whatever, she cannot handle the heavy lifting. It is becoming apparent she needs to sell and move on.
Who here, or anywhere, can handle the heavy lifting when a tree falls? That takes special equipment.
I just hope that 10 years from now, when I'm in my 70's, I'm doing as good as it sounds like your neighbor is!
Biscuitpop and I hate lawns and mowing and have established sufficient native plantings to not need any kind of mower for our two-lot home, but is it possible your neighbor is one of many who gets kicks by riding around on a mower? My mom was happily doing that on her rural property well into her 70's. If cancer hadn't claimed her 10 years later, I think she'd still be happy tooling around on her John Deere.
If I'm off-base here and you know for a fact that your neighbor is miserable and stressed, disregard this. But if so, you didn't make that case at all.
That also brings up the ability to get from your home to the points of services be it medical or shopping. Right now we have to travel 19 miles to the closest grocery store, pharmacy, Lowe's, our personal physician, etc. It's another several miles to the closest hospital.
The biggest retirement dilemma, with which biscuitpop and I are wrestling, is whether to stay here or move.
One the one hand, we don't want to spend the rest of our lives in the same vanilla suburb in which we've lived for 20+ years.
On the other, we can easily walk to our grocer, bank, doctor, dentist, hospital, imaging center, optometrist, drugstores, Lowe's and Home Depot, and a half-dozen favorite restaurants/bars.
Yes, we know it's a good problem to have, and we count our blessings. While longing for a 1000 sq.ft. loft in an urban environment where we can walk to edgy art events.
Our most reluctant sacrifice will be our superb family doctor and bank. Everything else, we think, is expendable.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by biscuitmom
Who here, or anywhere, can handle the heavy lifting when a tree falls? ...
That is why I keep a bulldozer and Tracked Excavator around the place (handy for planting flowers too)
BUT... I am currently trying to move a 300 ft tall tree with a 7' dia stump, and my machine is complaining. I might have to use the neighbor's dozer (much older than me and heavier than my dozer.)
I remember helping another 80+ yr old neighbor take down a pretty big maple. He tied his tractor and a block and tackle cable to the tree and called me to drive the tractor while he cut... Whoops... we should have used his dozer . The tree came down and yanked me and his tractor like we were miniature toys.
We all survived, lucky (again). Sorry that ole boy passed away. We had LOTS of fun together.
Never a dull moment on the farm. Another 92 yr old friend got kinda tangled up in the grain auger, so he has been told to stay in the cab of truck, or on the tractor. We don't want to be stopping harvest for a 'medical emergency'
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cattknap
...gasoline use can be an expensive factor when moving to a rural area. I agree with Curmudgeon that bundling your errands is a good idea. ...Be cautious and do your homework before the move and you should be fine.
Consider alternatives to GAS (ick). Everything but my lawnmower and weed eater is diesel (and I aim to fix that this yr), Diesels will run on most any 'oil'... heating to waste engine oil (turkey fryer oil too). Brew your own Bio-Diesel. http://make-biodiesel.org/The-Apples...sel-Processor/
my $35 car gets 50 mpg on the stuff. I have several neighbors with the same economy and we share trips / errands, as well as our shops and barns are open to each other for supplies we have on hand.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 05-29-2012 at 12:48 AM..
Who If cancer hadn't claimed her 10 years later, I think she'd still be happy tooling around on her John Deere.
Well of course she would be. A John Deere ("Nothing runs like a Deere") not only gives ya a fine tractor but an owner's cap and braggin' rights. Life's good when yur toolin' 'round on one.
I had 10 trees fall (drought followed by severe chill) in the front yard no less.
Hired out the chopping down. And it was a crew, not a single man.
The only one I know who could lift a tree by himself is Superman And only if there is no kryptonite around.
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There are many other chores that need doing, so she is never bored. However, she is getting long in tooth and I don't see her doing it much longer.
)
... we should have used his dozer 
. The tree came down and yanked me and his tractor like we were miniature toys.
