For Older People with Sense
Comments
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I've been running the numbers, trying to figure out both a way to retire, and a good place to live after I bid the daily grind goodbye. Washington (where we live now) is an option - but I get so cold and depressed in the winter, that I'm not sure I want to stay here any longer. I think both California and Oregon are out of the running due to income taxes. Anybody have any good suggestions?
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Gardengumby, No suggestions, but let me know what others suggest. I'm fed up with the endless construction and traffic jams in Seattle. It's becoming a city geared to 30 somethings who ride bikes and have high paying jobs. Grandchildren and a big garden are the glue that keeps us here. Maybe the snowbirds have the right idea. Seattle in the summer, places south in the winter.
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You are right about California and Oregon. We spent quite abit of time exploring before we settled on WA. i agree about the winters and we try to travel as much as we can when it gets really gray. We live near the Hood canal and I have to say I love it. Yes we are small, rural and it takes a car ride to do significant shopping but the views, blue skies, friendly people all make up for it. No rush hour traffic even though we are less than half a mile off 101.
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gardengumby: Florida has no state income tax, and the home prices are very reasonable right now. North Florida has cooler winters, but any way you cut it, the summers are hot! I'm in Hendersonville NC for the summers and I understand that the winters are very mild here. You also have the mountains which are beautiful! There is a state income tax but you get breaks for retirees, and the property taxes are low. We pay only $1,500 a year for a 2,600 sq. ft. home. I think TN also is a good state to look at for retirement with no state tax.
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ptdreamers - the option of traveling in the winter is one my hubby has been pushing. There are so many things we enjoy doing around here - horse track, museums, wine tasting, fishing, beach exploring, clam digging, hiking - the list goes on and on and on. We could end up here maybe up around Whidbey - but I have to admit that I personally would prefer living somewhere that's great 90% of the year and crappy 10 instead of the other way around....
Kaara - thanks for the suggestion. I'd probably move to Florida in a hot minute, but the other issue that we have to be VERY cautious about is allergies, and we've found that my husband's allergies do NOT do well in Florida. In fact, he has asthma pretty much the second we step into the state until we leave. The weather is lovely, but hot and wet spell mold, and that's his very worst allergen.
Neither of us have yet visited NC, so maybe we'll make a trip there to check it out. Family is a concern as all are left coasters, but they have this new-fangled invention called an airplane that makes that somewhat moot (thank God).
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Gumby, a lot of folks I know in the northern Sierras move over to the east slope, into Nevada, where there's no income tax but still not far from the CA attractions like the mtns & beaches. The NV climate might be an option for your DHs allergies & asthma. I don't know NV well at all, but some parts are not so desert-ish.It would sure be a different climate and terrain.
No way I'm going to be able to catch up here ... have been busy getting ready for our Fire Safe booth at the local fest; plus taking care of yard & garden while DH rebuilds the big shed.. Started freezing vegs this week and am giving away cukes & (of course) zucchini.
Today was a huge thrill for me. My big dog (125#+) decided he really doesn't like to travel and he already hated going to our normal vet. It was time for rabies & other shots, and I was in a real dilemma until I found a mobile vet - in the yellow pages. She came out today & gave the shots & he didn't even notice. The dog liked her, and the clincher was she was so reasonable this actually saved me money over going to town to our regular vet! Oops, she now is our regular vet.
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Lost Creek...what a great idea...a mobile vet. We used to have a terrible time getting our cat to the vet...he hated the car! He tore up three of my good pillowcases when I was trying to swaddle him so he wouldn't claw. This was before they invented cages you could put them in.
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maca
So glad to hear you are hanging in there ...you have been through so much with the breathing, but seems like you are in good spirits.
Enjoy those hummingbirds!
GardengumbyMy friend just bought a mobile home in FL. $50000.00 and she is loving it . Not tiny/ a double wide .
She is having the time of her life and says prices are reasonable.
Good luck on whatever you decide .
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Hi everyone,
My dog Stewie was neutered yesterday. He was groggy and sleepy all evening. We are told he isn't to run free for some time. This will be difficult to manage as he will run wildly from one end of the house to the other if he needs to go out and run.
Isabella, About my back, I was in the hospital for about 10 days all together. Three of the days were after the surgery. I was released the day I got up and walked around the floor pushing my IV pole. I had micro surgery (a small incision)on L4 and L5, a discectomy and laminectomy. As a side effect my sciatic nerve did respond by firing spontaneously for some time, about 6 months. Neurontin cured that! That was very difficult, but the constant back pain was gone. Knowing what I do now, I would have gone for the surgery a year or more sooner! My delay only made it worse. The meds after surgery will be good, I do not remember pain after except the Sciatic nerve firing now and then. I hope your surgery comes soon and you can let go of being the strong one.
I think that "being strong" might be a way to feel we are keeping control of our own lives. I know for sure that letting back pain go can cause "foot drop" and that can be permanent and impair our mobility. So being prompt in getting treatment can affect our quality of life and we are in control of a lot of that. I hope your treatment is just right for you. I had a neurosurgeon do the surgery. I just don't see how this sort of surgery has been delayed for you Isabella. I hope there are no more delays.
Hugs Ginger0 -
LostCreek - thanks for the suggestion - we've considered NV before... I guess we're going to just have to wander around the country-side like a dandelion seed until we find a place were we can plant ourselves...
In regards to getting animals to the vet for shots... though we have no pets at this moment in our lives, we've always had animals up to about 5 months ago and for years and years have administered the shots ourselves. It's much less expensive, and less traumatic for the animals, as they know and trust you. It's not difficult once you get the hang of it.
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I have foot drop now!!!!! Yikes!
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Hi girls! Just taking a moment of peace and quiet before hitting the pillows. It's been a busy day of constant chatter and jokes.......you know, the kind a 13 yr old boy likes to tell.......lol. Love him to bits but so looking foreward to my peace and quiet again......lol.
Gardengumby good luck on your search for a place to settle in your retirement!
I have a cat at the moment that has a full blown panic attack if she even sees the carry cage! She has a heart problem but I'm loath to try to take her to the vet as I'm sure she would give herself a heart attack long before we'd get there. The vet just has to go on what I tell her and give me meds when I ring to organise them. It's just unfortunate that the nerest vet is a half hour drive away.
Barbe.....drop foot! Oh no! Can anything be done about it? I am supposing that you are using a cane for stability but still, you be very careful moving around........we don't want you falling over!
Hope you girls are not melting in the heat!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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We used to have 4 cats and 2 litter boxes going. One cat was sick. The vet asked us to bring her a sample of the sick cat's stool. I just stood there, then said "Why don't we bring you the litter box contents and you figure it out?" Vet was not impressed. But seriously, how do I get ONE cat's poo? Watching this cat was not an option as it obviously had performance anxiety...
Chrissy, I can't use my cane anymore as it's just too much for my arm. I put a lot of weight on my cane, which means my wrist is really taking a load. I've been falling a lot lately; so much that I'm getting a brain CT on Monday! My DH says I always fall to the left. I wonder if it's because he's supposed to be on that side for me!! Tripping over my feet with my dropped foot doesn't help either! Shoes that were perfect for walking before, now seem to make me more clumsy.
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Barbe I'm really sorry to hear that things seem to have deteriorated for you. Would a walking frame make it easier for you to get around a little safer? Gee I'm hoping your brain CT give you a good picture of whats going on and hoping there are no nasties lurking. Please let us know.
I don't know about anyone else but I have missed not seeing you here and reading your acerbic wit.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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We have the perfect climate..not too cold in winter and not too hot in summer...It does get some gray clouds in May and June..we have about ten inches of water a year...right on the ocean...our climate is much better than Orange County or LA..so we pay taxes, that is life..when my husband retired from the Navy 30 years ago now he asked where do we go now..I said, I don't know about you but I am staying put right here in San Diego..he found another 20+ year career here before he retired for good...I have lived many, many places and this beats it by far..
In Washington a couple of my friends moved to Sequim WA...it has a microclimate that gets very little rain...
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We also have sandy beaches..
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Love San Diego...particularly like La Jolla...but of course it's out of my price range:( My favorite restaurant is George's at the Cove. The oysters with champagne sauce are to die for!
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La Jolla is pricey, but there are other nice areas too Kaara...
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My Mom visited San Diego when my brother was in the navy. She pronounced it the perfect climate. I'm sort of afraid to go there for fear I will agree. I was born in Long Beach, CA but left before I was old enough to remember it. A cloudy May and June would sure beat a cloudy Oct to July.
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I love love love San Diego and environs. Sequim, WA is nice from the lack of rain point of view (it's because of the rain shadow from the Olympic Mts), but it's about 10 degrees cooler there during the summer than it is in Seattle - so from the warmth point of view (which is really important to my aches and pains) it's not as good. Still it is an option that we've considered, as it also has good fishing and boating. Right now we're strongly considering moving to Hawaii. It satisfies two of our lusts - mine for heat, his for fishing (and both of ours for salt water). So we'll see if we can make it work. If we can - great, if we can't then we'll keep hunting. I'm a little afraid of getting "rock fever" which has been my big hang-up over making that move, and why I keep hunting for other (cheaper) options....
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Always best to start with a rental to see if you would like to relocate
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True - especially so since a move there is SOOOO pricey. But my in-laws spend 1/2 (a little more) of their time in Hawaii, so we can probably use their condo in the summer for a few months to see how it "fits". We're spending a month this winter and hopefully will be able to extrapolate some from that - but knowing you're leaving as opposed to knowing you're staying can certainly give different dynamics in how you feel about a place.
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What is rock fever garden? Is it like my gypsy feet that keep wanting to move on? I have already repainted 2 rooms of this house that I painted 1 1/2 years ago when we moved in! Redecorating makes me feel like I've moved sometimes...
I do have a very nice walker that I can balance my weight better on and even has a shopping basket! I put glittery smiley face stickers all over it to take the seriousness of it away when I first got it years ago. I've had a handicapped license plate for 4 years now and just dare (!) anyone to question my right to use it!!! I don't use it all the time, but appreciate it when I need it.
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Rock fever (or island fever) is the feeling that you are trapped on an island (rock) in the middle of the Pacific with no way off. 0
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Ahhh, opposite of gypsy feet really. But WHAT an island to be trapped on!!! I wouldn't be able to handle the humidity, the wind/breeze or the hilliness. At least I know what to look out for.
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Gumby, also hurricanes, etc. I lived on St Croix for six months and definitely "rock fever" can occur. I think that if I were serious I would give it a year going through all the "seasons" I know its always 82 but you know what I mean before I purchased anything.
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My DH was stationed there for two years..Hawaii that is And they called Island fever back then...it happens..
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hi everyone! Barbe: it's so good to hear you again.. im still ill, and haven't been around much, but i gather you've been missing, also. we have so many ailments in common, but seem to deal with them, the same.. i also use a walker . one with brakes, and a wheelchair now, almost always, for distance.. im so used to them, it doesn't faze either i, or DH.. we DID have a problem with Marybe when she was here.. she walked behind the wheelchair, behind DH, so i never heard a word, nor coulod talk to her.. after awhile, and some explaining, i got her to walk beside me.. she was worried we were taking too much room.. too bad, i gotta live, too.. Go around!!!
i also have drop foot from the ms, so hence the walker.. i have to lean on the wall now, to put my pants on. Pathetic!!but, im still walking, so i can't complain..
so, here's my last 2 days.. yesterday, to the ent.. he was horrified! i had blood work done by my EX gp last week, and the nurse called to tell me to pick uop Lipitor at the chemist.. not.. its contraindicated for muscle problems, which i def have.. but, no mention of my diabetes.. so, i think its' ok..
the ent; who i adore as you know, tells me my A1
C is so high, i should be hospitalized.. He didn't know why
Gp didn't out me in the hospital.. obviously, im glad he didn't..my thyroid is getting better, but no change in the symptoms, so he thinks now its the diabeties..
i promised him id go on a strict diabetic diet, and quit fooling around.. he said, no, its not your eating (but some of it is..) its your meds.. told me 2 new meds i should be on.. so, its look for an endo again,, the one i have now, i a joke, and obvy the gp is no better. so, we'll see how that goes..
i had the best one at cleveland clinic ( you know Kaara) he'd say he wanted to see me in two weeks, but they couldn't get an appot for 2 months.. geesh..
After THAT good news, the ent tells me "there's no time like the present" i'm going to remove the permanent tube i put in your ear two years ago( the one that keeps getting infected) he thinks it'll stay open by itself, after all this time.. if not, he can pout another one in, as i have the place for one drilled into the bone.. so, off to the surgery room i go!ouch!!!
but, beter that way, then sitting around wondering.. he sched, me for the last yesterday, which makes me think he planned on it ahead of time. he knows me, and knows i'd be a wreck waiting..
in bed early, the drugs sent me for a loop..
today was the uro, and i ended uo having a us (no biggie) and a catherization.. he found white cells (infection) but no red cells.. he thinks its odd. so, a culture, then anti bs; then a real check of the bladder. he thinks the sling to hold the bladder up may be failing.. oh joy..
at least i know he's good, and will get to the bottom of it. he also said that's probably why i've been fighting infections left and right.. and not to go too crazy about the diabetes, since i have at least three, maybe 4 infections going right now.. its been a tough 2 days!!!
but, i get to see Fischer tommorrow, and that'll be my reward. DH works with a guy who's daughter is five tommorrow, and he wants mur to bring the kids.. i said no to finley, its at "chucky Cheese" and i can't keep track of both of them there! Fischer listens to ME, so i know i can handle him,i told my son id take fin out to dinner at burger king, for the ball crawl next week, to make it up to her.. she'll be thrilled.
thats Quite enough for me for awhile..
Chrissy, im so happy to nhear you're still dancing with ned..
mac, i sent an email, hope you got it.. we don't get the hummers here, but my mom had one alwys art the window in west tisbury...
i know im missing a lot of yu, but i gotta lay it down...
let me know how the esto works for you, chrissy.. i got offerred vagifem last week, but im afraid to use it.. it would be nice to be able to WALK comfortably, though...hahaha
love to yu all..3jays
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saw this today, and thought of all of you..haaha3jays 0 -
LOL (moving a dead body) 3 jays, i'm sorry you are having such issues, but glad you get to go play with the kids. I did not see an email, yet. I'll send another so you have my address again.
Barbe I've missed your humor also, so glad you're "back".
we have the "stuck on the rock" syndrome here. Even tho we are only 7 miles off the coast, you can only get there by boat or plane. This time of year it is really hard to get a boat reservation to get a car off island. We really need to plan ahead for trips. If it is really windy, the boats and planes don't run.
Speaking of trips, I have never been to CA or the left coast of US. Since I am not working, it might be time to plan a trip. Hopefully I will be getting some energy back one of these days.
Kaara, is there anywhere you have not been?
I had a long phone conversation with sas today. She gave me some really great advice about how to advocate for myself with my docs about my lung issues. She encouraged me so much. I would really like to have some definitive diagnosis, instead of just throwing meds at it.
My brain has stopped working for the night so I will wish ya'll sweet rest and peace.
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