Can we talk?

[Golddollar]

Jack, I have an attachment to my house just like you have to yours. I had it built from the bare lot, and I helped to design it. It was always intended as my forever house, and I say that the only way I'm going to leave it is in a straightjacket or feet first.

 

[susieqz]

as i get older, people tell me i should move to town.
never happen.
i need to live where i can shoot in the yard.

 

[rubiranch]

I don't drink beer and I don'd drink wine.

I do love a margarita, short glass, no salt and gold tequila neither stirred or shaken. I don't do shots either.

I had a drinking problem in my younger days. These days I only drink with friends either while having dinner or sitting around a fire.

I can't remember the last time I had more than 3 mixed drinks in a sitting.

I love where I live and hope that I never have to move.

 

[Kurusu]

I don't drink beer and I don'd drink wine.

I do love a margarita, short glass, no salt and gold tequila neither stirred or shaken. I don't do shots either.

I had a drinking problem in my younger days. These days I only drink with friends either while having dinner or sitting around a fire.

I can't remember the last time I had more than 3 mixed drinks in a sitting.

I love where I live and hope that I never have to move.

JFYI. Mixed drinks are the work of the devil. I much prefer an honest 70% proof than anything in disguise.

 

[pawngal]

Got me to thinking, I don't feel any great attachment to the house I've owned and lived in here for the past 28 years. At the time we bought it, it was what we needed, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, fenced in yard for the the dogs, and close to work. During the time my kids were growing up we moved 8 times so they have no real attachment either. I have no plans to move until I can't do stair steps at all. Yes, it is home but just a house.

The one house I loved I never had a chance to live in. It was on one of the family farms. A big old four square with all the nice built-ins, was a catalog house from either Sears or Montgomery Wards. But it was always rented with the farm.

 

[billwill]

Walkin' Jack....lifting a bottle of Moose Drool Brown Ale to you. You made it this far and you'll do just fine the rest of the way. Happy Life to yah!

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

When we moved to our present location, Ozark forest next door, I said
the next move I make will be in the back of a long black hearse. Move
up to Benton Co. Arkansas to the family cemetery and become part of
the landscape.
And if I remember Deer Park is in Harris Co. Texas. Just drive up to
North Texas, take the Train, bus or other means to visit a few times
per year, or let the North Texans come visit you. Unless you are
talking someplace like Dumas or Texhoma in the panhandle, which would
be a much longer drive.

 

[walkin jack]

I do appreciate all the responses. A tremendous amount of support. personal experiences and advice. I can see by some of the above that I need to clarify my situation. Let me just preface the following by saying that I do have mixed emotions. Don't want to leave this house or this neighborhood. I know that my sparkling personality is going to be adversely affected being that far away from salt water. (400+ miles) But this event was always gonna happen and it's time has come. As time passes the list of physical impairment conttinues to grow. Miss Pam isn't driving any more and I don't know how much longer I'll be driving either. If something happens to us down here we're blowed up. Up there We have people to help us out if anything happens. I am also looking forward to it. Its a beautiful part of the state and I'll be surrounded by my people. They are really eager for us to get up there.

They have their names burned into a wooden plaque hanging on the gate that lets on to the property. They have already put our name on it and sent us a pic. It's going to be nice but I just gotta get past the move.

Used to laugh at people that were moving after living in the same house for a long time. I would jokingly say that I would never try to move after 5 years because I'd have too much stuff. I'd just have a fire and be done with it. But I ain't laughin' now. Anyway it will all get done. We will be leaving a lot of stuff behind and either having an estate sale or just giving it away.

So then, here's the deal:

When Miss Pam and I got married all of her people and almost all of my people lived very close by. 47 years on the situation is just the opposite. our parents, all of our aunts and uncles have passed away. Our son has passed away and so has his wife. Our grandchildren are in Florida with our daughter and her husband. We have no one here. a few cousins in North Carolina. And Pams folks up in the Texoma area, where we will be moving to.

When my FIL retired in '83 they bought 30 acres not 20 minutes from the Red River. We have stayed here because I had a good job and not much prospects up there. Plus I was not about to leave our beaches, no way, no how, no time.

Pams sister and her husband and Pams brother and his wife and kids moved up there and built houses. Now my niece and her husband and my nephew and his family have houses there and we call it the "compound".

My MIL passed away about 17 years ago. My FIL passed away a couple of weeks ago. So...My niece and her husband will be getting that house and the modular home they have been living in will be sold and taken away. We will build on that plot.

It's gong to be some time before we actually move. Lots of "stuff" to get through. A real bottle neck in the time line will be the fact that Cook County only has one surveyor and he's backed up for months. We are on the list but it will be a long time. Meanwhile the FIL's house needs a lot of work...a LOT of work and my niece and her husband are working on it but they will have to hire professionals for a lot of it and money is tight so that will take some time.

Once the modular home is out of the way we will begin construction on our new pad. Once we move up there this house will be empty and well have it cleaned and put it on the market.

I am not looking forward to the move itself but I am in a positive mood for BEING up there and having all the commotion over with. The task that lies before me is daunting. I give myself a 50/50 chance of survival. the really good part is that we will have plenty of time to "small up and simple down" per Waylon Jennings. If I can NOT procrastinate too much that will be a big help.

 

[pawngal]

It will all be good when all is said and done. Having family close by can be priceless. My family is scattered so doubt I'll ever live close to any of them. Southern California NO way, northern AZ maybe, Minnesota nope,
southern Missouri maybe. Only a couple of cousins remain here in the old home territory.

 

[Golddollar]

Good luck and blessings to you, Jack.

 

[ExRanger714]

Beer is a necessity.
Cold beer is a luxury.
Good tequila is made from the tears of angels and I hear one crying now.
YBACMV (Your blood alcohol content may vary)