Coming to New Mexico--What's Your Story? (Albuquerque, Farmington: transplants, mortgages, how much)
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I've lived most of my adult life in southern Arizona, after suffering through many cold, dead winters in other states. I have always thrived in the hot dry desert, but just wanted a change from AZ. The obvious choice was to move next door to NM, so here I am. After a year here, I've still barely explored everything I want to see. Lots of untouched, empty spaces here.
Do you find that people think you are crazy? People ask me why I am leaving, do I know someone there? Why am I leaving a good job and friends and family? I don't know anyone there. I just feel like I'm supposed to go.
This is exactly what my husband and I have heard from family and friends ever since we let the word out about our plans! No one actually believes that we are indeed going to move! We too feel this is our calling, what we are supposed to do...the chance of a lifetime. We're planning on moving to Las Cruces in March of 09'...leaving our secure jobs behind and hoping we can find jobs that we actually like! We know our pay will drop dramatically but we don't relly give a hoot! We'll survive. We're boomers...too young to retire; to old and too smart (I hope) to stay stuck in the rat race. We're leaving the western Washington clouds and rain behind and we certainly don't care if we ever see them again! We're both originally from southern Oregon and have lived in northwestern Washington since the early 80's. We don't know anyone in Las Cruces except our realtor who showed us around when we visited LC for two weeks last year.
We are excited and full of hope. Only seven months to go! I wish it were tomorrow!!!!
Exactly! I'm glad to hear you are really going to make the move. That's just about the time frame I'm looking at too. I just don't know if I can make it through one more winter in Seattle. I grew up here and all I want is some light and warmth on a regular basis. I am also a boomer and want to spend the rest of my life doing what I want to do where I want to do it. Friends and family will just have to wonder if I really lost it or not.
DVSABoss, I probably don't have to tell you, but Las Cruces is growing strong. I'm sure you guys will find a comfortable balance between what you want, what you need and what you have to do there.
I moved here from Sonoma County, a beautiful area north of San Fransisco in the Wine country. I left my grown kids and really everyone, to be able to buy a home. I knew I needed to make a change and I was really nervous, scared. It was a brave move that has since turned out well. It will be 2 years over Labor day weekend I moved. Since that time, I met someone and fell in love, got a beautiful German Shepherd, love being a home owner and in fact am putting in a offer on a second home, more of a destination home since the one I am in now will be rented. I was so unsure about my move that I thought if I do not like it here, my Aunt, the one person I knew here, can rent out my current home and I can go back to California.
I now know I will never do that and am here for good. My 24 year old daughter is joining me at the end of the month to finish her degree. She is excited and anxious too.
Sometimes a move is a really good thing, I felt stuck in a rut there and a new sky and new life can often do wonders.
I felt really called here as well and did for a long time, but not until my son turned 21 was I ready to move. I am really enjoying my life here. I am going back to the bay area for a visit over Labor day with my new love. I miss the bay area sometimes but not as much as I thought I would. I certainly do not miss the fog, or the crowds, or the high expenses.
I love the sun here, the puffy clouds, the wide open space, the chance to own a home of my own.
I think it is a very healing, magical place. There is still so much to explore.
I've lived most of my life in the Toledo/Sandusky Ohio area. The last 24 years have been in SW Florida. My youngest son now lives and works in Hobbs NM. I had to tell him a story about some of our family who lived years ago in Pacific Palisades Calif. The Ohio family wanted a bed that so and so was born in to be moved to Toledo. Calif. family said, "No Problem!" The train that had the bed derailed outside Albuquerque. By the time the bed reached Toledo it had cactus and all kinds of plants in with the broken wood. I was a kid at the time and could have cared less about the bed. Beds are to jump on anyway. What I seen and pressed in my scrapbook were some pretty NM flowers that made the trip to Ohio. And my grandmother saved a cactus she had for years. She was known in the neighborhood as, "Green Thumb Gracie." I showed my son the pressed flowers and told him, just love to see NM. Can't do it this year the way things are in SW Florida but will soon it's a given for sure.
This is the second go around in N.M. for the wife and I. Decided after Hurricane Hugo hit us in St. Croix,USVI that we would leave the islands and return to the mainland. Since I was the one to push for the tropics it was the wife's turn to pick the next location. She's always been partial to mountains so Albuquerque it would be for the next move. Spent a little over three years that time but both started to feel the lure again of the beach so we headed back to Florida(3rd.time there) And as you've probably figured out by now we tired again of Fla.(traffic,crowds,noise etc.) and made our second move back to N.M.
Wife called some old contacts and landed a nursing position with the Alamo band of Navajo Nation in west central N.M. We've been back this time for almost 10 yrs. and have no desire to leave. In fact, we bought our retirement home in ALAMOgordo (wife/mountains). We both love this state with it's laid back atmosphere and natural beauty and while I will miss the water I will not miss the humidity and palmetto bugs of the tropics. Our home in Alamogordo is older and we find ourselves spending weekends working and pouring money into what we lovingly call the black hole. But, as the wife says it's a labor of love and I hafta agree it is kinda fun to watch an older home metamorphosis into the retirement nest we envisioned.
On a separate note, If any of you out there are looking for jobs in health or teaching to help with relocation and to establish a base in N.M. my wife is the Health Services Director at Alamo Navajo and she and the school are always looking for qualified personnel. If interested PM me.
Note to moderator; If I've stepped over the protocol line please delete what you deem necessary.
I dont live in NM (yet), but definitely plan on retiring there, which is many years from now. I, too, felt a strong pull to NM. After several visits it just reassured me that NM will more than likely be my future home.
Steve.......Maybe you can retire to the East mountain area as you and Pintada could be neighbors ...lol....
This thread has been so fun to read. I too have felt a pull to NM for many years. Although I'm from KS, I learned to ski in Red River and Taos...spent summers (and some winters) in Angel Fire and explored Taos and Santa Fe before they were trendy! I still have many turquoise necklaces from that time in my jewelry box (although no one wears them in CO). Now my employer will be transferring our center to Rio Rancho within the next two years and I'll have my move paid for! I can't wait to explore Albuquerque and the area, call NM my home and retire there (although that's quite a few years away!)
This thread has been so fun to read. I too have felt a pull to NM for many years. Although I'm from KS, I learned to ski in Red River and Taos...spent summers (and some winters) in Angel Fire and explored Taos and Santa Fe before they were trendy! I still have many turquoise necklaces from that time in my jewelry box (although no one wears them in CO). Now my employer will be transferring our center to Rio Rancho within the next two years and I'll have my move paid for! I can't wait to explore Albuquerque and the area, call NM my home and retire there (although that's quite a few years away!)
Welcome to the New Mexico Forum, Lainy. I am really enjoying seeing so many new members posting to this thread.
~clairz
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Memories....
...lol....
Coming to NM
