100 million people in 20 states. If you are among them you probably are going to get hit hard by winter catastrophe Orlena. That will include bitter cold, heavy snow, and strong winds, reports Daily Mail.
But that didn't have to happen.
You could have relocated from where lousy weather is standard. Even on a budget. And with fear of being stranded in extreme loneliness in a new location.
Yes, I have pulled off a relocation. On budget. And without tumbling into the hell of social isolation. Earlier in my life I had experienced the 2013 - 2014 polar vortex on the East Coast. And, more recently I dug out from the snow in the midwest. The equipment is still in the back of my car.
How I exited The Horror was through comprehensive research. No, I didn't go with what the "experts" indicate are where to relocate when aging and receiving less income than we had in the peak years of our careers.
What I found had ranged from locations near the water in Alabama and North Carolina to the mountains in Arizona.
The next step was calling on the phone property managers with my questions about details. Those voice interviews ruled out lots of what I had assumed were choices.
Also I had to factor in a residential complex which was animal-friendly. My four-footer son LOV had been diagnosed with heart failure. The medication he was assigned would, research data indicated, gave him four to 14 more months. I was hoping for the maximum time. It turned out that he passed over about two and half weeks after we arrived in our new home. That was seven months post-diagnosis. But no way was I going to deny him one day on earth in which he could manage to stay alive. Our journey together west was full of motel rooms to sniff around, treats and the fun of truck stops.
Another to-do was to purchase a car with I could afford and which would get me 1,000 or 2,000 miles away from the cold, snow and winds. For less than $8,000 I found a Smart car at Fischer Honda in Ypsilanti, Ohio. That included all the incidentals such as tax, registration and, of course, the car. At that price I was able to pony up the cash, not taking on a loan. The manager overseeing pre-owned cars Curtis Gambrell got me through all the motor vehicle red tape in all the COVID-19 blockages.
Before winter really kicked in, LOV and I were on the road to do the 2,100 miles to Sierra Vista, Arizona. It's an enclave still affordable, despite the diaspora from California. That flood of new residents from that state has driven up the cost of living in many parts of AZ.
The WalMart in this town cuts the price for stables ranging from groceries to LED lamps.
The Friends of the Library bookstore on the main drag (Fry Street) stocks used books at prices ranging from 50-cents to five bucks.
The 99-Cents store a few storefronts down from the bookstore provides discounted merchandise whose quality and price, at least in my assessment, are better than Goodwill's.
The Sky Island Unitarian Universalist Church is a one-stop resource for just about every spiritual need. Its minister Tina Squire does personal outreach to newcomers like myself. For COVID time she has made available remote religious services, social get-togethers, meditation and book discussions. In-person there is hiking. That's informally overseen by a medical doctor who keeps everyone socially distant.
The gym is open. There is free membership with my lease. During the week that's from 4 A.M. to 9 P.M. On weekends it's a wrap at 6 P.M. So that it stays open, we are vigilant about sanitizing before and after.
A few days ago, there was snow. But not much. By early afternoon that was history. Yes, in the A.M., right now, a sweater is needed. But we run free without all that by lunch.
Yes, we all know how difficult it is to make new friends as we age. However, on my first New Year's Eve here, my dance card was full. There were three invitations. Of course, we masked up. When I returned from the Vet after allowing LOV to pass over, a neighbor had me in for tea. Another slipped a pet-sympathy card under the door. A third listened.
Trouble in Paradise?
The majestic mountains block the television signals I had had in midwest and east. I had to cave to subscribing to cable.
The relative remoteness fills me fear what will transpire if my Smart car breaks down. When I was having the oil changed in Jack Furrier I overheard an owner of a pickup complaining that he had to wait three hours for the tow truck.
The full-service city - Tucson - is an hour and 20 minutes away. To me, that seems far.
Of course, if your work isn't telecommuting like mine, this kind of solution for avoiding extreme weather won't be a fit. Here there aren't a lot of well-paying jobs, that is, if you are not associated with the military. Most of those thriving financially have their own businesses or are semiretired, with well-managed investment portfolios.
The Future is already underway. Ghostwriting/Marketing Communications and coaching on those issues. Sliding scale fees. Complimentary consultation (janegenova374@gmail.com)
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