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Yesterday, a friend drove me to the major metroplex in these parts for a medical appointment and.......OH, THEY ARE BUILDING SO MUCH!
Now, part of it is Covid. That with Covid around, I haven't been traveling outside of the local town so I haven't seen how much things are changing.
But I am wondering of what the culture shock will be when I am retired, when I retire to the ranch and don't budge except for a month or two at time.
Have others gone through this? Left the work world for home only to blink like Rip Van Winkle when they come back into the sunlight? Should we adjust our lives to a schedule to make trips "around", especially if we live without TV, computer imagery? In this world of ours, if we should, then how frequently should it be?
I’m not a fan of “should’s” in retirement other than we should do what best suits us individually.
For us we enjoy road tripping and exploring the world around us anyway, always have and I don’t see that changing. We’ve adjusted our lives to try new things now that we are free to do what we want, when we want and when we’re in the mood.
I have no plans to retire in isolation. I want to live someplace fun where I can enjoy my golden years and keep my mind active and sharp.
I've seen people living their good lives in 55+ mobile home parks. They have activities like horseshoe, sing songs around the fire pit, share their favorite adult beverages with friends and greet each new day with a smile.
I want no snow shoveling and no hurricane evacuations.
Probably a good thing....at least in the past, but has the current crisis changed that?
I mean, OLD was never particularly great but in the past year or so, it has been positively the Doldrums! Between that and the change of health in the past year, I am seriously questioning if the chase is at an end, is over.
So I am not sure if we can apply the way of things before to now and beyond.
I did not isolate myself but I did kind of hibernate the last 6 months or so. One thing I did do was take a drive around town just to keep up with what was going on and get out of the house.
I visited a gun show last weekend. It was crowded; I didn't see a single mask. Sadly, I didn't see much ammo, but I am well-stocked. Some gun prices were higher, others about the same.
I live in a 55+outside the city limits, in a larger community that has it's own name, that is becoming it's own community/small town. They are building all the businesses I need within a few miles up the road, so I don't have to go far. And that is fine with me! I had to go out a week or so ago, I took the back roads. Coming home I took the freeway to get to my main busy street which is ALWAYS backed up, BOTH ways. I was shocked to see the buildings that have sprung up where vacant land used to be along the freeway frontage roads. Building in my area is going full blast. I am looking forward to just going a few miles up the road and having everything there so I don't have to go out and deal with the masses in the real world.
I live in a 55+outside the city limits, in a larger community that has it's own name, that is becoming it's own community/small town. They are building all the businesses I need within a few miles up the road, so I don't have to go far. And that is fine with me! I had to go out a week or so ago, I took the back roads. Coming home I took the freeway to get to my main busy street which is ALWAYS backed up, BOTH ways. I was shocked to see the buildings that have sprung up where vacant land used to be along the freeway frontage roads. Building in my area is going full blast. I am looking forward to just going a few miles up the road and having everything there so I don't have to go out and deal with the masses in the real world.
Good for you! You've got it made. I wish we were within walking distance of anything, but can't have it all. I saw what we were missing while in Europe where we could walk to everything. I'm done with ranch life; we're too old for all that. Love our condo on the beach but to be in a city would cost more and be crowded and noisy and traffic....all that. Tranquility, deserted beach, means not much is around. It's a trade-off.
Good thing there are constant buses and cheap taxis.
I tend to recall the old adage "Use it or lose it" and apply it to multiple aspects of living, not just exercise. IME keeping myself somewhat up to speed on changes in my surroundings (neighborhood, town, a city I need to visit occasionally, traveling, doing business) flexes the ol' brain. More flex-ing, more flex-ible. I am pretty content being a homebody at this age and could probably become even more of a hermit than I am now, but I understand there's a price to pay for doing so. I'll become more rigid, intolerant, less adept. So, if/when I did venture into the world of others it would seem more likely to get overwhelmed, make mistakes, or possibly taken advantage of. If I keep a thumb on the pulse of the world I am less likely to have as many rude awakenings.
Last edited by Parnassia; 03-11-2021 at 02:53 PM..
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