Seems like I spend a part of every day going online and searching real estate all across the country. I look for existing homes (new and older) as well as land from one coast to the other trying to find the perfect "fit" for our retirement home... from Virginia to Vermont to Minnesota and to California. As of today, we're focusing on California but 5 years is still a long time and plans can always change.
So, where in California? What can we afford? What do we want to spend? What do we get for the money? What about the average daily temperatures--between the mountains, the valley, the ocean, or way up north in CA?
Then there's our girls...Sara's moving to San Diego soon and Holly and family are an hour north of Los Angeles. What are their plans down the road? Who knows. So, it's up to Mark and I to pursue an area where we would be happy to live in. These are the areas we're currently researching: San Luis Obispo, Lompoc, El Dorado Hills, Placerville, Catheys Valley, Mariposa, Sacramento. I'll write about what I'm finding in a future blog.
We've lived in our house 18 years this coming June and in that time have accumulated so many things: mementos, our daughters' childhood toys, books, books, and books! I think Mark could open a store on his aircraft and car models alone! He's been spending a lot of time sorting through things in the basement. He said it's going to be a five year process just to move! I believe that's a fairly accurate estimate! During our military careers, we moved every few years so we were used to packing and unpacking. It got us in the habit of streamlining our "things". But 18 years in one place...we're in for a surprise!
Several months ago, I came across a box...What's this? Old maternity clothes? Hmmm...wonder when I'll need those again...:) Not only are they awfully out of style, but I couldn't get pregnant if I tried...I passed that magic age years ago! Well, maybe I can keep one outfit...maybe my favorite one...just a memento, dear.
We have a whole storage room to go through but I won't get to it for a month or so. Then, it's onto the attic. That has never been sorted or organized because it's only accessible by ladder through my closet. I'm sure there are many boxes of our daughters' childhood toys. I vowed I would not get rid of their toys. I remember the angst I experienced after my parents divorced and virtually all of my childhood toys disappeared. My mother only managed to retrieve my one and only Barbie doll and my teddy bear. No...those boxes will go to both of them within the next 5 years.
I'll have to post our success at "downsizing" over the next few years. More on this later!
My Plan B involves the next phase of my life with my husband, Mark. What do I want to do after both of us retire (for the second time)? Where do we want to live? What have I always wanted to do but never had the time for? What does Mark want to pursue after retirement? And most of all, when should Plan B be implemented?
Lots of factors impact our decision...where our daughters live, parents health, sibling locations, climate, financial goals, grandchildren, traffic, lifestyle, and so on. But there needs to be something to plan towards so April 2013 is our goal to move into Plan B!
