More often than not . . . I'm just sayin'

It's not an identity crisis, per se.

We know who we are. We know what we like. You would think choosing a place to live would be easy!

Yeah. Not so much.

We're coming up on retirement from this man's Army! It's gleaming on the horizon!

For the first time in 20 years we have total control over where to live.

Exciting!

And infuriating.

You hear all the time, "It's a small world!"

Well when you're staring blank faced at a map, it can seem pretty darn big!

Lot's of factors in a decision like this;

location

job availability

population

safety

schools

cost of living

yada, yada, yada ...

Factors are supposed to help you narrow things down.

Ha!

After months of conversations we've come to only one conclusion so far - 

North America.

We seriously considered staying in Europe. 

There are lots of opportunities. 

(Paris! Oh my gosh we'd love to live in Paris!)

And I know my parents would throttle us support us if we stayed.

But . . . the girls would like to finish up their junior and senior years in public school. And they've already got their eyes on certain state-side colleges.

And after 20 years of networking, Joey has possible connections to better jobs back home.

So, North America it is.

Still a lot of ground to cover!

Here's the real meat of the problem . . .

We love the mountains! The cool crisp air, higher elevations, crystal clear springs feeding azure blue lakes. Camping at 10,000 feet. Bears coming right up to your campfire. Elk 10 feet away posing for a quick pic! Breathtaking views of the Great Divide to the west and the great plains to the east.

We love the beach! Sea level, salt life. You can feel it on your skin and smell it in the air. Southern beaches with palm trees, sea gulls, dolphins, and manatees. Or northern beaches with puffins, whales and oh so yummy lobster! The sound of waves through an open window lulling you to sleep at night. 

We love the city! The people, the shops, the sights. A great skyline all lit up at night. Stepping out the front door and onto a street full of sidewalk cafes, markets, and newsstands. We love coffee shops, and museums, and the symphony, and the convenience of walkability. We love Chinese take-out!

We love the country! Peace and quiet. Being able to sit out on the back porch, sip coffee, and hear the birds and the breeze and absolutely nothing else. We love having a yard full of flowers and a deck to grill on and room for company aplenty. We love being able to actually see the stars while sitting around a toasty open fire on a crisp fall evening.

We love the south! (Let me interject here. There's a big difference between southern and redneck. Big difference. HUGE!) We love the south. 'Ya'll', 'Bless your heart', and 'Fiddlesticks' - it's part of our DNA! Sunshine lovin', sweet tea sippin', front porch swingin', howdy wavin', azalea growin', SEC watchin', southern sensibilities! Magnolia trees, spanish moss, live oaks, about a week of winter, and a closet full of capri pants and blingy flip-flops! (That last bit would be for me, of course. Joey would be decked out in a Magnum P.I. luau shirt and khaki shorts!)

We love New England! Now, I realize some of our deep south friends would rather die than go yankee! But geography doesn't change who you are. We'll always be "Whoo-Pig" and "Roll Tide".

It's just that New England is one of the most picturesque places on the planet! Port towns, historic homes, steepled churches, covered bridges. Breathtaking autumns followed by white Christmases. Early American history abounds. Museums, orchestras, playhouses, universities - so much culture and learning in such a small area. And the festivals! Maple, Apple, Pumpkin, Garlic, Lobster . . .

so many festivals!

Where to retire?

Portland

Ozarks

St.Augustine

Plymouth

Boston

Savannah

Colorado Springs

Williamsburg

Hard choice.

A wonderful conundrum!

So you see, it really isn't an identity crisis.

We know who we are and what we like.

I guess the question really should be what do we like more often than not?

I'm just sayin'. . .






"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. . ."
James 1:5