It Was Fun While It Lasted

[Bailey Guns]

Lots of huge changes in my life over the past 6 months. Some good, some not so good.

My divorce was final 30 years and 1 day after the marriage. None of the usual suspects in regards to divorce...we'd just grown too far apart and from my perspective she was more married to her job than me. It was as amicable as a divorce can be, I think. As a matter of fact we've been living together, divorced, since late October. She's keeping this house for the time being and the re-fi is closing Thursday.

As much as I like it here, I'm leaving. After four shoulder surgeries and worsening back problems I'm not going to be able to go back to work. At least not at anything that requires a lot of standing, walking or lifting any substantial weight. Without working, I can't afford to live here. Breaks my heart to leave but that's how it goes sometimes.

So, I'm in the midst of packing for a move to southwestern Oklahoma near Altus. With the money I'll get from my share of the house I'm paying off what little debt I have and buying a place. Should close the end of this month. I spent a week in that area early last October hunting for a home. It's nothing special...smaller mfg'd home on about 1/2 acre, very nice shop, small guest quarters and a big fenced Corgi pasture and it's in just immaculate condition. Owned by another little, old retired guy with nothing to do but tinker in his shop and take care of his place. Absolutely tailor made for me. With the low cost of living there I'll easily be able to live on my VA pension. I'll work part time at something mindless if I get too bored. Napa parts driver or something like that.

This is really nothing like I pictured my life going as I head into my 60s but it's the reality I'm facing. On the upside I'm really looking forward to downsizing my life and enjoying retirement. And I'll be just a few hours from most of my family in TX.

Pro: only a few miles to a What-a-Burger! Woo-hoo! Con: I have to sell my tractor. I'm really gonna miss that thing.

An overhead view of Casa de Corgis:
https://i.imgur.com/N9kvGtl.jpg

[Mercula]

Sure sounds nice to me !

[Zundfolge]

Congrats and condolences all rolled into one. :)

We're in a similar situation with moving back to Wichita at the end of this month. Going to be nice living 100% debt free but we're also leaving a part of the country we love to move to the hot and sticky plains. But truth is we're probably going to end up buying a nicer home for only about half of what we're going to make off our house so even if I don't find a job within two years we'll still be fine (and I'm only 50 so I expect I'll find a job by summer).

I suspect we'll find out the same thing you'll find out and that's that living free of worry will bring more joy than any mountain range or beach or whatever other bit of topography you enjoy.

[rondog]

My condolences, and congratulations - whichever you need bro.....

And there's a few tractors in OK, bound to be one for sale just for you.....

[Zundfolge]

And there's a few tractors in OK, bound to be one for sale just for you.....

Yeah, that looks like enough grass to warrant a bush-hog.

[rondog]

Congrats and condolences all rolled into one. :)

We're in a similar situation with moving back to Wichita at the end of this month. Going to be nice living 100% debt free but we're also leaving a part of the country we love to move to the hot and sticky plains. But truth is we're probably going to end up buying a nicer home for only about half of what we're going to make off our house so even if I don't find a job within two years we'll still be fine (and I'm only 50 so I expect I'll find a job by summer).

I suspect we'll find out the same thing you'll find out and that's that living free of worry will bring more joy than any mountain range or beach or whatever other bit of topography you enjoy.

LIKE!!!

[rondog]

Yeah, that looks like enough grass to warrant a bush-hog.

Well, the man loved his tractor - they good for more than mowing. I've never owned one, but have driven/used a few. I could dig having one.

[ray1970]

Condolences and congratulations from me as well.

As I was reading along I thought you were going to tell us you were moving back to Colorado.

You know.... because you missed IKEA.

[Bailey Guns]

We'll just nip this IKEA thing in the bud. From one state without IKEA to another state without IKEA. My standards may be low but they're still standards:



https://i.imgur.com/YIOwGqQ.jpg

[brutal]

Sometimes life gives us lemons. Glad you're making lemonade.

[Bailey Guns]

I suspect we'll find out the same thing you'll find out and that's that living free of worry will bring more joy than any mountain range or beach or whatever other bit of topography you enjoy.

I suspect you're right. I'm looking forward to it.


My condolences, and congratulations - whichever you need bro.....

And there's a few tractors in OK, bound to be one for sale just for you.....

Congrats will do fine. But not even I will be able to justify a tractor at this new place. Believe me...I've tried.


Yeah, that looks like enough grass to warrant a bush-hog.

I'll still have my JD riding mower lawn TRACTOR.

[00tec]

I suspect you're right. I'm looking forward to it.



Congrats will do fine. But not even I will be able to justify a tractor at this new place. Believe me...I've tried.



I'll still have my JD riding mower lawn TRACTOR.

Didnt you have that big Korean tractor?

Need to get a little Ford 1210 or similar with a PTO so you can still drag around a little hog.

[spqrzilla]

Best wishes on your move.

[Bailey Guns]

Didnt you have that big Korean tractor?

Yep...it was a beast. I really liked it but it was a little too big to get into some places on the property. So I sold it about a year ago and replaced it with a mid-sized John Deere 2038R with a backhoe. Perfect tractor.

[Fentonite]

Sometimes life gives us lemons. Glad you're making lemonade.

Couldn?t have said it better. Best of luck.

[10x]

Wish you well. And Zundfolge as well. Both Ok and Ks are too hot and sticky for me in the summer.

[Bailey Guns]

Any time it's over 70 it's too hot. That's why God invented air conditioning. The new place has a brand new one. I plan to wear it out in a year or so.

[Mazin]

We'll just nip this IKEA thing in the bud. From one state without IKEA to another state without IKEA. My standards may be low but they're still standards:



https://i.imgur.com/YIOwGqQ.jpg

Maybe you should open one [Coffee]

My condolences and congratulations, atleast your going to be close to family and your not having to come back here!

[Beer]

[Gman]

Well...damn, man. Sorry to hear it went that way. I wish you the best and hope everything goes as smoothly as it can.

I'm not sure I'd be moving into a mobile home in tornado alley...

[hurley842002]

Sorry to hear about the divorce, but congrats on moving on to new things. Lots of forum members moving lately.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Aloha_Shooter]

As others have said, congrats and condolences all in one. I've seen men broken both by divorces and by NOT divorcing when they should have. Sounds like you have a solid plan moving forward, hope everything works for you.

[crays]

All I can say is Wow.

Best of luck in this new chapter of your life.

[Irving]

Unexpected, but looks like you're moving along the way you should be. Best of luck.

[Bailey Guns]

I'm not sure I'd be moving into a mobile home in tornado alley...

LOL...I know. But it's pretty solid and on a foundation. Probably as safe as most of the older stick homes in the area. And it has a shelter. It was hurricanes where I grew up on the coast, tsunamis when I lived in Japan, wildfires in CO...it's always something.

[TFOGGER]

Nothing in life is constant, save for change. Remember to good times, and look forward to the ones to come. Sorry to hear about the divorce, but sometimes they are a good thing.

[flogger]

^^ That ^^

[whitewalrus]

Sorry to hear, hope the next chapter in OK is great!

[Zundfolge]

I'm not sure I'd be moving into a mobile home in tornado alley...

Having grown up in tornado alley and spending almost two decades in wildfire country ... I'll take tornado alley.

You have to have really bad luck to get hit by a tornado, and tornados actually tend to hit the same areas over and over. You can do some research and find the pattern wherever you're living. Wildfires are much more random, much more wide spread and the threat lasts for months instead of hours.

[Bailey Guns]

The last tornado in the town I'm moving to was in 1960...which happens to be the year I was born. No injuries, no damage.

I've been in tornadoes and wildfires and I agree about taking my chances with a tornado over a wildfire. Any day.

[CS1983]

Maybe I missed it, but when are you moving? It?s a bit of a drive, but depending on timing I might be able to drive down there and help unload.

[Martinjmpr]

Doesn't that part of OK get hit pretty hard by hail though? Hail damage s a lot more widespread than tornado damage.

My earliest memories are of OK but the opposite corner, the Northeast up past Tulsa. Gorgeous area called the Osage Hills.

I just remember the heat and humidity in Summer. Oh, and the chiggers. Nasty little things.

Good luck with this new chapter in your life!

[Bailey Guns]

Maybe I missed it, but when are you moving? It?s a bit of a drive, but depending on timing I might be able to drive down there and help unload.


Tentatively first week of Feb but I'm not 100% sure of the timing just yet. That's really awesome of you to offer. But I think I'm gonna hire 2 or 3 guys from a moving company because I have a lot of heavy stuff...toolboxes, safe, etc, and they'll be able to knock the whole unloading thing out in a couple of hours.

I swore I'd never move myself again but I guess I will. But I'm gonna hire movers to load/unload. I have to make the drive anyway so I might as well take my stuff and save the trucking/storage costs. A buddy's coming up from Bailey to drive my truck and car hauler down. I'm leaving with a lot less than I came up here with...by design.

Now, if you wanna drive down and meet up for a beer or burger or something I'm dying to try out the Meers Store and Restaurant (http://www.meersstore.com/menu.html) that might be more fun and definitely worth the drive. I wouldn't wish a 3.5 hour drive just to help someone move on my worst enemy!

[Bailey Guns]

Doesn't that part of OK get hit pretty hard by hail though? Hail damage s a lot more widespread than tornado damage.

My earliest memories are of OK but the opposite corner, the Northeast up past Tulsa. Gorgeous area called the Osage Hills.

I just remember the heat and humidity in Summer. Oh, and the chiggers. Nasty little things.


Yep...and they have the insurance rates to prove it. Car and homeowners insurance rates are some of the highest in the country. My auto rates are doubling and homeowners is far more than I'm paying here for a property worth about 20% of what the Idaho property is worth. But my property tax will be $96 year and $5 to register a vehicle. So it kind of evens out.

Chiggers suck. Shouldn't be too much of a problem where I'll be. Here I have to deal with ticks. They are terrible in late spring early summer.

[Irving]

Now, if you wanna drive down and meet up for a beer or burger or something I'm dying to try out the Meers Store and Restaurant (http://www.meersstore.com/menu.html) that might be more fun and definitely worth the drive. I wouldn't wish a 3.5 hour drive just to help someone move on my worst enemy!

I just helped a buddy drive a Uhaul towing a Jeep Commando from here to Huston last weekend. Just to help.

[CS1983]

My company was bought out by a company based in TX. None of our IT jobs are staying in Tulsa and my last day of work is 3 February. So I might not have anything better to do that week :)

I may be doing a remodel on one of our bathrooms, but the timing on that is still up in the air.

Remind me closer to your move date and I?ll see what I can do.

[Gman]

Nothing in life is constant, save for change. Remember to good times, and look forward to the ones to come. Sorry to hear about the divorce, but sometimes they are a good thing.

One thing I remember from a Louis CK special: "No good marriage has ever ended in divorce."

[Great-Kazoo]

wowzer. knew you like ID.

Anyway. Altus is about 40ish miles away from some of what probably is some of the finest catfishing in the state,@ Lake Waurika. Many a drunk was put on when visiting friends, who lived down the road from the lake.




































Oklahoma OK!

[crashdown]

Bailey, seems like we were some of the first to get out of Colorado when the getting was good.
You sure you don’t want to go back to CO and get yourself a 1/2 million dollar tiny starter home?
Alaska will be here for you if you need, and no need to worry about wearing out your AC unit up here.

[brutal]

My company was bought out by a company based in TX. None of our IT jobs are staying in Tulsa and my last day of work is 3 February. So I might not have anything better to do that week :)

I may be doing a remodel on one of our bathrooms, but the timing on that is still up in the air.

Remind me closer to your move date and I?ll see what I can do.

WTF? Dude, seems like you just moved there.

[brutal]

BTW,


I've now got the song Oklahoma! stuck in my head.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbrnXl2gO_k


Looks like you'll have plenty of room to swing a rope.

[Bailey Guns]

wowzer. knew you like ID.

Anyway. Altus is about 40ish miles away from some of what probably is some of the finest catfishing in the state,@ Lake Waurika. Many a drunk was put on when visiting friends, who lived down the road from the lake.




Oklahoma OK!


Altus is a little further than that from lake Waurika but still close enough to make a day. It's about 95 miles or so. You might be thinking of Lawton, OK/Ft Sill...they're about 40 miles from Waurika. But Lake Altus-Lugert is close and I've heard good things about it.



Bailey, seems like we were some of the first to get out of Colorado when the getting was good.
You sure you don?t want to go back to CO and get yourself a 1/2 million dollar tiny starter home?
Alaska will be here for you if you need, and no need to worry about wearing out your AC unit up here.

My youngest son and DIL are stationed at Elmendorf. I'll need to go visit him at some point. I'm not into cold weather and no daylight, though. That's why I'm headed south.

[OtterbatHellcat]

It seems like a blessing to have amicable separation, when it occurs. That's how mine was as well, and my story line mirrors yours pretty much.

Good luck with everything, Bailey...I wish you the best. G beat me to the tornado alley thing, glad you've got a shelter at the new digs.

[theGinsue]

Carl, I read your post and could just think :Well, damn".

I know this isn't how you saw yourself spending your retirement years, but it looks like you're making the best of the situation as it presented itself.

Oklahoma is going to be a shock to handle after ID, but it looks like you're going to be set up nicely in the new digs.

I wish you the best of luck in your new surroundings and want to remind you that this site is still your home. We can't wait to hear about your new and exciting adventures.

[Bailey Guns]

I sincerely appreciate all the well wishes. I'm excited to see what the next chapter brings. It's all somewhat of a new adventure.

[StagLefty]

Best wishes for a new start !!!

[BlasterBob]

Good luck with the move. You WILL be closer to the huge Wannamacher Tulsa Gun Show, which beats the hell out of any Colorado show. Enjoy your new life! [Luck][blaster]

[clodhopper]

how did you select your new location?

[Bailey Guns]

how did you select your new location?

These are the things I considered in order of priority:

First priority was cost of living. I wanted to be able to live on just my VA pension. Work because I wanted to...not because I have to. CoL in OK is significantly below the US average. Housing is really inexpensive.

Close to family in northern TX.

No harsh winter weather. Winters are very mild in that area.

Solid gun laws. OK isn't perfect, isn't as good as ID, but it's way better than most.

Close to a military base (it's 10 miles from Altus AFB). I want to be able to use the BX and commissary.

I wanted to be an hour or less from stores I frequent...Home Depot and such. Lawton is about an hour away. Wichita Falls is just over an hour.

Solid conservative government was a consideration but not a heavy driving factor.

[Bailey Guns]

Good luck with the move. You WILL be closer to the huge Wannamacher Tulsa Gun Show, which beats the hell out of any Colorado show. Enjoy your new life! [Luck][blaster]

Not much for gun shows but I always wanted to see this one at least once.

[wctriumph]

Best wishes and have fun!

[Hummer]

+1 to all of the above. Thirty years is a long time to be with one woman. Most couples grow in different directions. Keeping a connection in spite of that is the hard part and that's not always possible, or good. The amicable separation is a tribute to both of you. Look to your future as a release of the reins and an adventure to find the new you. Best wishes to you, BG!

[Gman]

Look to your future as a release of the reins and an adventure to find the new you.
https://thoughtcatalog.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/shutterstock_134044577.jpg?w=1000&h=667

[Bailey Guns]

Yeah...that's me. A hippie.

[Gman]

I thought that might have been the "new you" that you might find. [Flower]

[Bailey Guns]

After looking at the picture of all that long hair I had to drag the Flowbee out and give myself a Flow-job.

[Gman]

After looking at the picture of all that long hair I had to drag the Flowbee out and give myself a Flow-job.

[LOL]

[Squeeze]

So sorry to hear, but it looks like it's working out in the end. Take care of yourself. Look forward to retirement one day myself.

[Ah Pook]

After looking at the picture of all that long hair I had to drag the Flowbee out and give myself a Flow-job.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQ7LcdXov8V2YFZk3CbnjegNOoenjtL WIKWEGXMyNYYP2Et9-X&s
https://i.chzbgr.com/full/2710557952/hA192D824/make-a-flowbee-joke-and-i-kill-you

Sad news. Good to hear you're landing on your feet.

Been down a similar road. Not a big believer in fate but I do believe that life is what we make it.

[cstone]

I am sorry to hear about your divorce.

I am glad you have found a place that works for you.

Your current situation reminds me of this YouTuber:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP2ir9Dnb3w

[Bailey Guns]

Just an update. Been in the new place for just over a week. So far, I'm really liking it. People are quite friendly. Went into the local cafe in the little town where I live and met the regular morning old-timer crew. They all offered to help me unload. Altus has pretty much everything I need. The house is small but I like it. The shop is awesome.

The mud/rock slide really screwed up moving plans. I'm flying back to Lewiston Thursday to make a second trip down with the rest of my stuff...including the Corgis. Haven't seen "the kids" in almost two weeks and I don't like that at all. On the other hand, I'll be spending 1650 miles with all 4 of them in the cab of the U-Haul on the second trip. I'll be ready to give them away by the time I get to Boise I'm guessing. First trip was pretty uneventful but 2 very long days with one long day of driving. I just want to get this second trip over with. Not looking forward to it at all.

[Gman]

The wife was wondering about the Corgis. Should be a memorable trip. ;-) Good to hear your getting settled and I hope your 2nd trip goes well.

[Hummer]

Hey, you've got a family reunion coming, Corgi style. Make it a fun adventure for you and them. Be sure to keep them safe in the cab when you get in and out. Focus on bringing family to the new home. It'll all work out.

And, don't forget to do a doobie for Gman. Mellow yellow, ya know.

[Mazin]

Be safe on this last leg!