This is also one of the reasons we moved. We used to live pretty remote. It was a task to get any help. And the snow was feaking ridiculous I had to plow it myself. When I had my hip replaced, I hired someone to plow for us. This dude got stuck 4 times. I had to use my plow truck to pull him out. What a mess. He did not ask to renew the contract, he was in way over his head.
Now, at the new place, I have a connected 4 car heated garage. My tools aren’t all crammed into a 10’x12’ shed 100’ feet from the house. This is luxury.
I’ve thought of that, but we’re really limited in our space. It would take a major remodel. I think at that point, it would be time to move. We have 3 young-ish, big dogs now and as much as I love dogs, I’ve announced that when these boys are gone, no more dogs. Well, maybe a small dog.
With our current situation (3 large dogs), there could not and will not be any moving/down-sizing. But even without the dogs, I would need outdoor space. I don’t want to have to drive somewhere to enjoy the out of doors. I love summers on my deck/patio. I’m rarely in the house during the summer.
Yup. I bought a marble chess set for our rear porch. Marble because it is sort of immue to weather and heavy enough that the pieces don’t blow down. When you drop one, they can break but I have a special glue that fixes them right up.
I’ve also read your many words of wisdom following this. I completely agree with you and I admire your ability to downsize like this. I simply cannot do it. I’m obsessed with sentimentality and that makes me a pack rat.
Here, let me take youi down into my basement, in a house that is about 10x larger than I actually need. Here you will find, among a bazillion other things, a 1940s era console radio with scratches on the bottom panel made by my first dog when he was a pup, and on which I remember, as a very young pup myself, listening to a Jack Benny radio show. Wouldn’t give that up for the world. Then dressers, couches, and credenzas that used to belong to my parents. Silverware and chinaware that actually has value, but that I never use and don’t need. It goes on and on. Put all this useless but sentimental stuff on a scale and it would weigh tons. Being burdened by tons of sentimentality seems to be my lot in life.
I also recognize the wisdom of moving to a smaller place, probably an apartment, but I dread doing it. I want a home, and have worked for fifty years to gain one. We paid off this place two years ago and achieved my lifelong dream, home ownership. An apartment would feel to me like trying to live in a temporary hole in the air (to quote Clarence Day), with noisy neighbors above, below, and on both sides of me. And we would probably be on top of each other in a smaller place, which would be awful. We can probably install a stair lift in our current place when the time comes.
The stuff I kept from my moms house are absolutely beautiful and a perfect fit. We bought a bunch of new stuff. and almost have all the artwork on the walls. Most of the art is our choosing. But a few are my parents creations.
Our gifts to each other on our aniversery was a piece of art. We got over loaded.
My wife want’s a map of the world of where we have been. It’s not gonna be terribly Impressive, but ok. It’s someting you just stick different colored magnets too.
We divy up jobs I’ll let her find that, I’ll hang it. It’s gonna be big.
I was a GIS pro so maps are my thing. They where my life.
