Tuesday, July 27, 2010

An Update, Long Overdue

Yup, we're still on the road and loving every minute. :) So much so, in fact, that we've abandoned the notion that we'll ever do anything else.

We've rented a large storage space and are packing up our belongings as home time allows. The house will soon be occupied by another family who will love the large rooms, the cedar paneled four-season sunroom, the quiet surroundings, the nearby services and amenities, and the excellent school a quarter mile away. We'll leave the Albany politics and New York tax machine behind and find a more financially hospitable state - and an area that doesn't get upwards of 200 inches of snow a year.

We'll leave behind family and friends, but with luck, we'll get loads that take us back for frequent visits. Living just outside Syracuse has felt welcoming and comforting and well, like home, since I moved there 11 years ago. But surprisingly, what I'll miss more is the house itself. I love that house. Love it. It's the perfect size, the perfect layout, the perfect neighborhood. I'm going to miss it, deeply.

But as Wise Husband points out, we'll be working toward building another house that's perfect for us.

For now, the plan is to live on the road, save as much as we can, and look for the perfect property on which to build said perfect house. Of all the states we could settle in, Tennessee holds our interest the most. We like the four seasons with - bonus! - a shorter winter. It's within the expedited freight lanes, which will make sliding in and out of home time much easier. The contour of the landscape is breathtaking. And the tax base is pretty favorable, especially compared to New York.

Our first purchase will likely be a 5th wheel that we can move between Tennessee and New York - or anywhere else that strikes us - as the seasons change. With time, we'll gradually build the house.

But in the meantime, we're happy to live in our sleeper and enjoy the road.