Larry and I are looking for 'our next stop'. Trying to decide where to go or how to spend our retirement years is becoming an obsession. While we have a couple of ideas our focus so far has been in a small corner of the North Carolina mountains. Recently Larry and I visited Murphy and did some house shopping even though the main event is a few years off.
Much of what we like is a Chalet style house. They are perched in the mountains with huge windows and great views. Last year we found one house that was in a pretty remote area, but had everything we wanted. It was still on the market this year, so we went back to take another look. Too often when we go back to look at something after a year, we find we have built up all it's finer points and forgotten the flaws. As I climbed out of the car I breathed in and looked around. Total peace. The more I walked around the property the more at peace I felt. The house overlooked a vineyard in a clearing below. The rest of the view was of forest and mountain ridge.
It even had a fair amount of relatively level, usable land. There was one major flaw. When I mentioned it was in a pretty remote area, that was not an overstatement. The house is 35 minutes from ANYTHING! Gas, Food, town... There is no cell phone reception. And there is no hope for it coming. The house is on the edge of the national forest. What to do? Could I be at peace here if I was so far from anything? My first feeling was Yes. I loved it. I would be fine, and since Larry would be retired, I really wouldn't be alone.
We looked at another house that Larry really liked. He had found it on the internet and it looked perfect to him. The interior was beautiful and would have worked well for us. Unfortunately it was clinging to a mountainside, and there was no usable land around it to add a pull off or a carport. We wanted a place where the kids could come visit, but there was no place for children to play or guests to park cars. Larry is a fisherman and likes his toys. Where would he keep a boat or a trailer? I could hear the disappointment in his voice as he realized this house wasn't going to work.
Heavy discussion and soul searching followed. One thing I discovered through this process is that I make choices emotionally. I've never been overly practical. I can talk myself into anything I want. Larry is much more practical. He gave up the fight long before I did. He knew his house was not going to work. I wanted another chance. Back to the house we drove. 35 long twisting, turning minutes on a narrow winding road. We roamed the property, talked to a neighbor, who pointed out some other problems we had overlooked. And then we began the trip back to town. Finally, I knew. I loved the house. I loved the valley, the vineyard, the forest, the ridge. It was my zen place! BUT...I hated the drive. And I would have this drive everytime I wanted to meet friends for lunch, work out, shop, go to church, get groceries, play Bunco, attend a book club... Peace is a good thing, but you can get too much of a good thing.
I hate reality checks.
When we were looking for our home here in AK, we looked at so many beautiful homes high in the hills, overlooking the mountains in the distance. The weather is warmer up there and the ice fog is practically non-existent too. They were gorgeous and we really wanted to buy one. But the road leading to these neighborhoods was steep and twisty (with no guard rails) and our winters typically have a lot of ice and slippery snow. I realized that I would become a hostage in our home during the winter months, because I drive a small compact car and I'm petrified to drive on steep icy roads. So we settled for the valley, with level roads, even though it's colder down here. But at least I can get out if I need to!
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean about this. I think that as one ages, one has to think about amenities in a way that you didn't have to years ago. Everything from easy access to stores, medical centers, and even phone, cable and internet access comes into play when choosing a house. Steep windy roads to get to your mountain house seem romantic at age 20 - not so much at age 65. Sad but true....
ReplyDeleteRay's parents got caught in this trap a little more than 10 years ago. They had gone up to "The Highlands" in NC - and wanted to purchase a condo because summers were cooler there in the mountains. It was in a golf community, so it wasn't that remote, but stores were far away, and the roads to get there were curvy and narrow. Ray and his sister urged them not to do this, as we had a feeling that the problems would be these issues. But - they were adamant - and they purchased. They spent just one summer up there, and upon return they decided to sell. It was all too much, and at times they felt very isolated. Yeah -- maybe they had opted for too much "peace".
The picture of that house is wonderful, though. I can see the lure of living there.....