Iowa, to Minn, to Houston, to Virgin Islands. To SW Mo?? (Springfield: how much, new home)

[gone-island]

Hi all,
I've been reading these posts and thoroughly enjoying them.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed so much time and effort.

I grew up in Waterloo, Iowa. Lived in St. Paul, Minn. Lived 20 yrs in Houston, and for the last 10 yrs lived on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. From another post I guess that makes me a LooPaulHoustIslander or a IoMinnTexCroixian. I think back fondly on childhood vacations our family took to the Ozarks. In my travels I've never seen such a beautiful area.
I often tell my wife "I think we should consider the Ozarks for retirement." We're both very laid back having lived in the "Slo Mon" islands. St Croix is great but after awhile gets a bit small. ( 7 miles by 25 miles.) It's also expensive to travel since a flight averages $800 to the states. I miss taking a roadtrip every now and then, calm cove fishing, big trees, 4 seasons, convienient shopping at reasonable prices. (Food here is very expensive)...............

Didn't really have a question. Just thought I'd post to say hey and see how many folks tell me I'm CRAZY for thinking about leaving the islands for the Ozarks

I do have one question tho. We love our 4 dogs but they hate thunder! It's rare here. How do the pets cope with storms? I read that you have lots of lighting storms. Last summer we shuttered up completely for Hurricane Omar and the dogs were nervous wrecks listening to the winds howl and the rain coming down in sheets. I can picture them all hiding in the closet

OK, more than one question but I'll post those another time.

[ShadowCaver]

One interesting take-away from reading this, I guess shows that even paradise [or what one may consider such] can still have some negatives... lol, picture a person here in the midwest thinking about going to the islands as such - man, that would be a dream come true! And here you are wanting to move to the Ozarks Speaks loudly and strongly of just how this place really is... ummm, however, don't let too many know of this, ok!

My black lab [9 yo female] is a nervous wreck about thunder - can detect a storm, no kidding, that is tens and tens of miles away. We hear nothing, and look at the radar, and sure enough there is a storm ~50-100 miles away... and she is fretting about; always been this way too, frustrating. Some helpful [at times,,, yet potentially contradictory ] hints:
How to Stop Your Dog from Being Frightened During a Storm - wikiHow
Dog Tip: Fear of Thunder and Lightning
Dogs Fear Of Thunder And Lightning By David Beart At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Yea, the Ozarks are indeed special, beautiful, and wondrous place to be; but even she is not without some 'special quirks' and wrinkles [ie: ticks, chiggers, ice & t'storms, poison ivy/oak, snakes, bugs, spiders, etc... ]

[ozarksboy]

[quote=gone-island;10128263Lived 20 yrs in Houston, and for the last 10 yrs lived on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands .... I think back fondly on childhood vacations our family took to the Ozarks. In my travels I've never seen such a beautiful area.
I often tell my wife "I think we should consider the Ozarks for retirement."

[/QUOTE]

Listen, I know you are going to consider this an insult even though it isn't meant to be, but I've got to say it: I don't think you've got what it takes to live in the Ozarks. You may think you are laid-back, etc., but I think fond memories from childhood are fooling you. Lots of people have similar fond memories or they've driven through southern Missouri and thought it beautiful.

Read the following and think carefully about whether you want to move to the Ozarks:

Originally Posted by Nexxie

It's almost like a miracle. I am here a year now and I actually survived. There were times when I actually contemplated checking out. It has been an experience and the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. It has been very difficult for me the last year living so isolated from family, friends, and good neighbors. If the cows, deer, and turkey could speak (maybe even some of you Missourians) I may have had an easier time here. At times, I relly felt imprisoned.

There are so many things I do not understand about the life of people here and do not care to find out, therefore I will not ask. What I will say is I do have great respect for you. It appears most have a very hard life here and if I did have a lot of money I know now what I would do with it.

I hope to sell this beautiful piece of land and gorgeous new home and return to an easy life, my cookie cutter neighborhood, starbucks, malls, great parks, beaches, shopping, sunshine, boating, diving, great HEALTHY dining, the arts, theatre, good conversation and most of all a better education for my son where technology is offered at a young age.

I thank you all again for all the posts, I have read them all. Please keep us in your prayers that we will be home soon.

Thanks,
nexxie

Originally Posted by Nexxie

Although I did not come here by choice and it was something that had to be done, I hope that my experiences here will help others before they hop the fence for whatever reasons they may feel is necessary. Wheather it be personal obligations, work, or you think you want the rural life, have a back-up plan or other options for an emergency escape. Unless you are born into this type of life you may not make it out here and be prepared for some serious culture shock. If you have to come here for whatever reasons, the life here is VERY hard but the Missourian's for the most part are generally good people with a lack of sense of humor. Lighten up Missourian's and don't take life so seriously, it is too short and definitely should not be wasted where you are not happy.

Nexxie

If you simply must continue thinking about leaving the island paradise and moving to the capital of ticks, chiggers, snakes and tornadoes, do a lot of research first as Curmudgeon has done. I recommend only the Springfield-Branson metro area for folks like you. That's the urban Ozarks. Don't go anywhere else. If you were to move to Shannon county or Reynolds County, or some other such place, I don't think you'd survive. Good luck to you.

[johninvegas]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Listen, I know you are going to consider this an insult even though it isn't meant to be, but I've got to say it: I don't think you've got what it takes to live in the Ozarks. You may think you are laid-back, etc., but I think fond memories from childhood are fooling you. Lots of people have similar fond memories or they've driven through southern Missouri and thought it beautiful.

If you simply must continue thinking about leaving the island paradise and moving to the capital of ticks, chiggers, snakes and tornadoes, do a lot of research first as Curmudgeon has done. I recommend only the Springfield-Branson metro area for folks like you. That's the urban Ozarks. Don't go anywhere else. If you were to move to Shannon county or Reynolds County, or some other such place, I don't think you'd survive. Good luck to you.

Okay, so this person has grown up in Waterloo, Iowa (a HUGE midwestern metropolis ), lived 20 years in Houston (can you say hurricane country, not to mention bugs) and you think he won't be able to make it in SW Mo. And you base your opinion on what? Because he says the state is beautiful. Well it is (at least some of the time ).

In the words of Warren Oats in "Stripes", "Lighten up Francis."

I moved on a whim to SW Mo in 1971 after having lived only in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. You want to think how small the Ozarks were then, how much culture shock? I took a road trip in June of that year and saw how green everything was. And I stayed for 16 years. Only left due to taking a job elsewhere. I LOVED the Ozarks. And I still LOVE the Ozarks. I hope to retire there after having lived in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and back again in Las Vegas. Now are you going to tell me, "OOOHH! He won't be able to deal with the humidity, bugs, lightning, thunder, tornadoes. He won't make it here. Better stay where you are!!!"

If you want to live somewhere and you are not a snob, you can make it. Gone-Island, enjoy the Ozarks and don't let people tell you it's not possible for you to make the move and like it. One thing I would suggest however, and on this point Ozarksboy is right. Take a trip in the dead of winter and see how you like it. It's not green, it's cold and very possibly slick. You've been many years without a winter.

And for those who think living on a tropical island is paradise, I lived on Guam for 6 months. So humid I needed to shower three times a day, bugs (especially flies) like you wouldn't believe. And if you think Ozarkers are closed minded, you have never lived on a small island. And let's not even get into cabin fever.

[gone-island]

Ozarks boy,
I too read nexxie's post and we are nothing like her. And... I don't consider your post an insult.
I didn't say I was moving to Mo.. Only that I've found this forum most enjoyable to read and that I've mentioned to my wife "We should consider retiring in the Ozarks".
I wonder how YOU would do in an environment that's 5% caucasian. We've adapted very nicely. I started a small biz here and get respect from the locals. Slowest moving people I've ever seen!
Need to renew the registration on your car? Plan a half day. And that may be for not because "she's not here today" "Try in the morning" arg!!! I could tell you stories but you wouldn't believe me. Moving from Iowa to Houston? Now that's culture shock! Whoa! But I adapted.
John,
I've never been to Guam but the humidity here is reasonable and even low considering that we are in the middle of the Caribbean Ocean. We don't AC or heat our house here. Bugs? Centipedes are the only ones that really concern. We have some ants and spiders etc.... but no-one gets too excited. Centipedes on the other hand are nasty! We control the ticks on the dogs with Ivermection. Give it to them orally and you can kiss those little buggers goodbye.
Shadow,
Thanks for those tips. Our German Shepard runs to the gate when my wife is easily 2 miles away. Daily I see her run to the gate and start prancing around. 5 minutes later she is barking with joy because she is pulling in the driveway. Never once was it a false alarm. Amazing!