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My dad was in the military and moved a lot, but retired when I was two, so I lived in the same house from age four to twenty.
Since then, I've lived in more than a dozen places in California (owned one), eight in Hawaii (owned one outright), one in Minnesota, and I'm looking for my second in Arizona. The one in Hawaii was our "forever home." Turns out, "forever" is about ten years for us. We're thinking of getting an RV, but there are a lot of costs besides the price, and it might just be cheaper to stay in motels.
After 50 years in the same house, I expected my mom to be all weepy when we helped her move to a senior apartment. Instead, she flopped down in an easy chair and said "I'm so glad to finally be out of that big old house."
Fearing an early death, I traveled/wandered all over the planet, thinking I might not live long enough to do it all. Well, I'm now traveled out and I can hardly be tempted to do a short car trip, or even a short plane trip, or even to explore the outer reaches of the city I'm going to die in. For those tempted into this retirement lifestyle I'll guess they didn't do much wandering when they had the chance.
Nowadays, I just wait for a Senior Moment to come along, and do something stupid and regrettable like taking a long car trip or a plane trip somewhere. But where? I've been to all 50 and I'm averse to seeing anything 2X over.
I'm now traveled out and I can hardly be tempted to do a short car trip, or even a short plane trip, ... For those tempted into this retirement lifestyle I'll guess they didn't do much wandering when they had the chance.
I am sooo glad that I did a lot of travelling when I was in my 20s, 30s, 40s and early 50s, because even if health issues hadn't ruled out practical traveling about five years ago, I just do NOT have the patience anymore to fuss with luggage, airport security, hotel rooms that may or may not have bedbugs, ugh the list is endless. Plus the cost just doesn't justify itself anymore to me.
When I/we traveled during our 20s and 30s we were always the only non-senior people on the various daytrip tours we took. American Express had a thing called Freestyle where you could take advantage of the lower airfares and hotel rooms and then choose day trips or not, as you please, once you got to your destination. I swear there was never anyone under 60 on any of those trips but us, LOL.
My philosophy now is that if I can't get to and back home from a place BY CAR within no more than 18-24 hours and without including an overnight stay, I don't even consider going.
The only place I wish I'd gone to, but didn't, is Australia. Even in my 20s/30s the prospect of a 23-24 hour plane ride was just too daunting. As a teenager I wanted to visit Egypt to see the antiquities but when the Middle East started to become more and more of a powder keg that notion lost its appeal.
There is no right or wrong way to live, and lucky are those who recognize what is the best situation that meets their individual living needs and desires and is able to fulfill them.
Commercial just came on in the background. Mentioned having a home and feeling secure in your forever home.
And I thought, am I the only one that can feel at home in many places?
I tell everyone that I am going to sell my house or even just sign it away to the roommate or whoever.
They say I should wrangle every dime I can out of it.
Isn't that house prostitution?
Maybe I was born to be a wanderer and thank goodness I have a pension!
Anyone else feel this way?
I'm not a 'forever home' kind of person, either. Quite honestly, nothing on this planet is permanent. We never know what can happen. Look at what just happened in Paradise, California. A whole town was wiped out overnight. I kinda feel like all h*ll is going to break loose sometime in my lifetime, so I don't like getting too emotionally attached to one house and having absolutely everything revolve around it as if nothing will ever change. I don't think it fits the times we live in.
Last edited by mysticaltyger; 11-25-2018 at 08:47 PM..
After 50 years in the same house, I expected my mom to be all weepy when we helped her move to a senior apartment. Instead, she flopped down in an easy chair and said "I'm so glad to finally be out of that big old house."
I am sooo glad that I did a lot of travelling when I was in my 20s, 30s, 40s and early 50s, because even if health issues hadn't ruled out practical traveling about five years ago, I just do NOT have the patience anymore to fuss with luggage, airport security, hotel rooms that may or may not have bedbugs, ugh the list is endless. Plus the cost just doesn't justify itself anymore to me.
When I/we traveled during our 20s and 30s we were always the only non-senior people on the various daytrip tours we took. American Express had a thing called Freestyle where you could take advantage of the lower airfares and hotel rooms and then choose day trips or not, as you please, once you got to your destination. I swear there was never anyone under 60 on any of those trips but us, LOL.
My philosophy now is that if I can't get to and back home from a place BY CAR within no more than 18-24 hours and without including an overnight stay, I don't even consider going.
The only place I wish I'd gone to, but didn't, is Australia. Even in my 20s/30s the prospect of a 23-24 hour plane ride was just too daunting. As a teenager I wanted to visit Egypt to see the antiquities but when the Middle East started to become more and more of a powder keg that notion lost its appeal.
me too - got to see so many places while in the military. All we did was travel and stay in hotels. Maybe why I don't mind hotel life either -
I've taken a couple of trips with a senior group - but they do everything for you. You only touch your luggage when you are at the airport. After that it is taken to your room etc.
Owning and staying there forever! And if something were to happen to it, you would just die.
This is me to a "t", only I told my sister-in-law I would want to die if I didn't get it. Under the circumstances of my life at that time, I was totally serious.
I was blessed with my house after going through a terrible tribulation that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It is perfect for me, it was 4 years old and owned by an elderly man whose kids just put him there to live, basic build with no upgrades. It was like moving into a brand new house. The location is excellent, on a cul-de-sac on adjoining streets, I am 2 houses away from the walking trail, I am on a greenbelt.
I have been updating it a little at a time, and making it mine. I have now lived in it longer that the first owner, so I feel it is "legally" mine, LOL.
I was able to afford it at the time, I couldn't afford it today. I love it, I will only be leaving it "feet first" or if I lose my faculties and have to go to a memory care facility.
I seem to have a "7-year-itch" when it comes to houses. That's how long I've lived in my last 3. When I got close to retiring 3 years ago, I downsized into the small house I have now. It's got a lot of things going for it, including super-nice neighbors, a very quiet location, entrance to a 25-mile long paved trail right across the street, walking distance to the hospital where I volunteer, and less than a 10-minute drive to the stables where I ride. The only thing I would like to have that I don't, is to be close enough to a grocery store to walk to, but then I'd probably be in a little noisier area. And the closest store isn't very far.
The house is well-built and I figure I'll stay in it until dealing with the yard and maintenance starts to become a dreaded chore, then I'll look for something like a quiet ADU or apartment over a garage, or a stand-alone small condo, something with no shared walls since I play a couple instruments and don't like bothering people with my noise. I think this will be my last house.
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