Moving to the country?

My husband has been joking that we need to move out to the country for a while. In a strange, strange conversation this morning I think we just decided to go for it. :shock:

It means I'm not going back to school I think. And I find I don't care about that at all. I am sort of...shell shocked. Not sure whether to be cautiously jubilant, or terrified. So this is me processing. :shrug:

If it came kind of out of the blue, I can see where you would be a bit shell-shocked. Just take it a day at a time... or an hour at a time as needed. Pretty soon the dust will settle and you'll see what direction you want to take.

Having a dream suddenly become a real possibility is enough to shake anyone up.

We have both been wishing privately for years, but neither of us thought it was possible, or that the other one would really go for it. My DH isn't exactly a big talker. Now looking around just for fun we found it is maybe possible. And DH cancelled a trip to give more $$ to the cause, so that was serious. Talking to a realator...Yikes!! Breathing in, breathing out...Oh my!

oooh, lucky you! I know how you feel, though. DH and I have been talking for AGES about quitting our job and making a go of it somewhere more.....friendly?....but when we got fired, all of a sudden we HAVE to do it, and it is scary. Hang in there! I'm certain you'll love the ride!

^^^friendly?? lol....

Cool, eco2pia! i'll be living thru you for the next couple years until our property values come up.

Ha, it is because they are down that we feel we might be able to move.

Thankfully we are not upside down in our house, and could even maybe hang on to it and rent it for more than the payments. It is that part that freaks me out. I worry that property values will tank further, we will lose our renters, lose our job, and lose everything.

But, given our personal choices, that is highly unlikely, just fear talking.

Friendly....to rabbit keeping, or to people? The people friendly part is another thing that scares me...

edited because I can't type...

We moved out to the country three years ago. We're happy. I say "Go get em tigers!"

Couple of things you may want to consider, not that you probably haven't already.

A manual pump for the well because of the regular power outages, in fact that's on my wish list for this place. Nothing speaks more to quality of life than being able to drink water when you're thirsty and being able to bucket flush the damned toilet during a three day blizzard. A generator can solve this too if you're handy, if you've got fuel, and if it's sized correctly. Think 4000 watt minimum and much better if it's over 6000 watt.

Four wheel drive estate vehicle*, preferably with plow. (* An "estate vehicle" in my part of the world defines any unlicensed as well as uninsured vehicle usually purchased for under one thousand dollars and that shouldn't ever leave the property but functions well for little tasks like hauling logs out of the back woodlot or clearing the lane way of snow. It's worth mentioning that risk management and liability are completely assumed and local State, Provincial, or Federal law administrators may or may not have some issues with the operation of said same equipment. Always best to check! )

Outbuildings with power and light. You just can not have too many of them. In fact where we live now it's the sign of an established family to have at least three sheds. We've been by some rural homes that have seven sheds. Can you imagine what piles of crap they're hoarding back there?
Don't let a vendor fool you with cutie names like baby barn, or utility building; they're sheds.....really most of them will be shacks.

Don't expect locals to be overly friendly. I find the check out period can last between six months and twenty five years. So be patience and accept that you'll always be "From Away" even if you've only moved from two counties away and you're there for the next fifty years.
Honestly though, after meeting your neighbors eighth or ninth "cousin uncle" or "auntie sister" you should be pretty cool with the idea of being "From Away".

Buying used stuff and equipment off the folk you'll live around can be great but avoid Mr. Wheeler Dealer if you can. There's always at least one in every country community. Watch out for this guy or gal, they can sell ice cubes in the Arctic and sand in the dessert. Whatever you need, then that's whatever they're selling does best.

All kidding aside if anyone asks me about moving out to the sticks I say one thing in all seriousness. Rent for a year. If you love the life then buy something after that year. Saves a lot of broken hearts.

Actually, we both grew up in the sticks.

I remember the well issues, frozen locks, broken fences, flooding roads, loose cattle, using the winch on the Jeep to pull out a hi-centered vehicle, breaking ice for cattle, deer eating the--well everything. Stepping thru the snow into a warm, fresh cow pie in my school shoes--Ah, country life.

I also remember no neighbors, a billion stars, quiet, and no rules about the number of chickens I could have--unless they were Dad's rules. And acres to play in, instead of square feet.

I remember a nosy, close-knit, judgemental community who would come over and help with calving or haying.

I think we have a fair bead on the realities here. And nowhere in western WA is really "the sticks". But we may move our base of operations a few towns over, which means finding a new church, new stores, new doctor. Luckily we homeschool, so no new school, but then we have to find the kids new friends!!

If all works out for it to happen, it's what I will do within the next 2 years.

There are alot of conveniences involved with living in larger towns and cities, but there are a lot of problems, too. Small towns have the upside of everyone knowing everyone in town. The one downside about living in small towns is that everyone knows everything ABOUT everyone in town, or so it will seem. Since I grew up in a small farm town in Central Arkansas, moving somewhere that affords some elbow room seems comforting in the first place. It's what I believe you'll come to enjoy the most about it when it happens, but it will no doubt take some getting used to.

the journey will be fun

Dee and I will be living vicariously through you...

john_francis":3raebkt3 said:

All kidding aside if anyone asks me about moving out to the sticks I say one thing in all seriousness. Rent for a year. If you love the life then buy something after that year. Saves a lot of broken hearts.

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I so whole heartedly agree with this.

My fiance and I ditched our lives in downtown Anchorage in mid-summer after a small airplane crashed into the building we managed. We moved out to a little cabin on 35 acres and we love it....but we're having one hell of a time finding work!

At the moment, we're still trying to pull it together and put together some money so we can buy this place when it comes up for sale next spring. The owner is willing to cut us a good deal and finance it since we have established a good report with her and properties aren't exactly selling like hotcakes in the boonies right now. I am glad we are spending time here first, though, to see all the quirky weather patterns and get an idea of the costs associated with the property from an owner's standpoint, BEFORE we actually have to foot the bill.

I wish you the best of luck! In our specific situation, not having steady work has been stressful, but being out here and being able to build my farm and my bloodlines and my dream has made me SO happy. I hardly ever see other people, but I find I don't miss that at all!

Weeell, it looks to have been put on hold due to some health complications for DH, but I am equal parts dissappointed and releived. It gives me a little more time to shift gears and mentally prepare for the change--We were considering a move of only about 30 miles, and we know just what we would be in for...but now there is too much going on to make that big change. Maybe in another year...