Anyone who’s read my recent threads knows that (1) I am getting a divorce after 20 years and (2) planning to relocate to the Portland, Oregon area. Both the STBX and I are working to get this over with quickly - the kids are nearly 18 and she’s not arguing division of assets - so I could be ready to jump by late July or early August. She would like me gone the day I can go, and extra time in the house would come at the highest cost in every respect.
I’m in southern New England. Google says it’s 3003.8 miles from my town to the Portland suburb of Gresham.
So my life has turned into something that looks a lot like the old “get the fox, the goose and the grain across the river when you can only carry two at a time” conundrum. Assuming all the details are wrapped up legally, at the end I will be standing at the gate with the following situation:
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[li]…all my goods packed for transport in a nearby storage unit, except for a few last things for daily living. It’s probably about a 10x10 unit’s worth, not packed very tightly. Boxes of books, some big shop tools, some middling furniture, and the rest cases of stuff (well weeded, I hope).[/li][li]…that includes a very precious project car that rolls but is not drivable. A part of the above is the pile of boxed parts and so forth to complete it.[/li][li]…two Great Danes, one elderly.[/li][li]…one adult daughter, not elderly (and with her small amount of stuff figured in above.[/li][li]An Odyssey that we used to move 4 people plus 2 Danes from CA to Nwingland. I have a rear-kennel screen for it, so the back third will be the dogs’, I will probably ship at least one middle seat if not both to give room for “get started” cargo, and the two of us up front. I don’t want to use a cartopper; it was a nightmare coming out (limited my road speed, especially in high-wind areas).[/li][/ul]
So all that has to get to the new living situation, in some reasonably expeditious fashion. However, I (we) have…
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[li]No employment prospects in Portland. My daughter will probably be working waitstaff or equivalent by the end of day 2 (she’s pretty, agile, personable and experienced) but I will be a hard hire at my age and situation.[/li][li]No living arrangements in Portland. A decent rental with two giant dogs is going to to be a tough find, even though I am a sterling tenant in nearly every other respect.[/li][li]No healthcare as yet - I have to investigate how CT state insurance translates for the interim and on what basis I can get what insurance under OR offerings. I think I qualify for OHP with little or not initial income and can ride that until I qualify for employer coverage or the next tier of 'Bamacare. Assuming it still exists.[/li][li]Not one person known in the Portland area. A few Dopers have stepped up with info (public and PM and email) but I am not the type to impose on an e-relationship, certainly not to this level. Nor is that a back-handed request for anyone to go past info, advice and maybe a contact or two.[/li][/ul]
So the fox, goose and grain weigh a shit-ton, the boat is tiny and the river is wide. Time is of the essence - I need to have this worked out in no more than May-June-July, and having the major pieces in place would be a huge relief.
I am open to any and all thoughts about how to manage this and make our arrival over the Cascades a joyful thing, and not a white-knuckle o-shit-here-we-go.
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[li]Ideas on how to find employment, for someone who’s mid-50s, tremendously experienced and skilled and willing to take on a wide range of jobs in the graphics. publication, presentation, PR, communications etc. field… but has been self-employed for a long time and is coming out a dismal era of minor clients, committee-driven work and a shopworn portfolio? (Ask me how much I effing hate New England in this respect).[/li][li]Ideas on how to find a decent rental house with a dog yard - a little downscale is okay if it’s not Shitsville - for someone who is the best possible tenant excepting his two giant (lazy) dogs… and is a very skilled handyman, reno guy and light contractor? (E.g., I’ll fix all damage as it might happen, and would be prepared to upgrade the place on a continuing basis.)[/li][li]I would consider buying right off, but I’d really like to have six months to a year for things like employment, familiarity with the area, my daughter’s situation etc. to stabilize before I drive an anchor that deep in the ground. It also looks as if a large part of the divorce assets won’t reach me until the STBX sells the house next fall - I could leverage my cash assets and a mortgage into a purchase sooner, but for many reasons waiting a year is probably good. So a good, safe, comfortable, dog-friendly rental with a livable Portland commute would be a huge plus.[/li][li]Health insurance. Anyone moved in to OR and swapped plans under ACA etc. and can tell me tips to make it easy and safe from loss or gap in coverage?[/li][/ul]
I think that’s the basics. I am resigned to the divorce and will miss my (college-bound) kids, with whom I am very close (I’ve been the more stay-home parent for them), but right now it’s all this forward effort, and even as a stable person who’s far from broke, I’m finding it a little scary. Tell me some nice stories. 
