Moving ain't for sissies. (Aging neither.) But we got re-situated at last. We are in a good place.

[George McGovern]

Subtitle — Around the New Farm.
Thanks each and every one of you for your prayers, your good thoughts, your positive vibes and however else you fervently affected our 200 mile moving journey. It all helped!

Our new home. Shadow approves.


A family of killdeer lives here in the front yard!


This is how KC made the entire trip.


Here, now, he finds comfort in slipping back inside, when he's not lying on our bed.


Shadow was a champ the whole trip. Once we settled in she was plain poopered out.


Laurie set up her recliner in a good spot.


AND she set up a temporary but useful computing station.

[montanacowboy]

1. Wow, Nice Place

Looks like you have some acreage also, hard to find places like that. Good to see everyone made the trip safely!

[George McGovern]

3. And we crossed the Columbia alright, but watch for "slow down bumps" each new bridge section.

Thank You montanacowboy! This is the nicest house I've ever lived in. Wrap around porches front and back. Nine acres, plenty of space for Laurie's two horses and Shadow has her own 1/4 acre fenced yard.

[montanacowboy]

12. Wow

sounds like heaven!

Thanks for the speed bump info

[leftieNanner]

2. Congratulations on your move!

We moved 2.5 years ago, and it wrecked me for a while! Moving at 70 ain't for sissies. We had a 9 hour drive to our new house. Snoopy was a champ! We're delighted to be here now.

Snoopy says hi to Shadow.

[George McGovern]

5. Oh Wow Thanks leftieNanner! Sounds like delightment was worth the effort.

I'll pass on Snoopy's Hi to Shadow. Would you happen to have a photo of him (her?).

[leftieNanner]

42. Snoopy!

https://postimg.cc/vD9nL4J0/acc901c4

I hope this works!

[George McGovern]

59. Hey leftieNanner -- Yes, it worked. Snoopy appeared soon's I clicked on the link.

I just sent you a DU mail message with regard to your great Snoopy photo.

Thanks,
George

[SheltieLover]

4. I love your new home!

So glad the hardest part is over. Ty for the update.

[George McGovern]

6. Yw SL! Ty! More moving in pics to come in next week's usual postings.

[SheltieLover]

7. I'll be looking forward to seeing them!

I'm glad Shadow approves & I hope & trust KC wll adjust.

For dogs, it's all about being with their pack. For cats, it's much more about their territory.

Enjoy your lovely new hone!

[George McGovern]

19. Ty SL!

[George McGovern]

20. Ty SheltieLover!

[Polly Hennessey]

8. Looks like Shadow is adjusting nicely.

KC, like all cats, must contemplate this change, gradually.

[George McGovern]

21. Your perception, Polly, again is on the money. That is what is happening. Thank You!

[rsdsharp]

9. I like your new home! And old guys with white beards are the best (he said modestly).

I don’t envy you the move. When we bought this house 22 years ago, I told my wife to settle in because I was only leaving screaming and shouting, or in a box.

So far, so good.

[George McGovern]

22. Thank you rsdsharp. The move had its downs and ups. In the end we got here.

Laurie and I were at the old farm for 23 years. Planned for it to be our last home. The upkeep did us in. She found this new farm and so far, so good. Thanks!

[brer cat]

10. I'm glad you all survived the move, and it is good

to see you settling in. Shadow seems to feel right at home!

[George McGovern]

24. Thanks brer cat. Yes, we accepted, tolerated and survived the move. It's turning out well.

Shadow's getting there. The former farm was all she had known for her eight years. Yet she is proving remarkably adaptable. Every time we go to move another load into the new house she comes with us, picks up her blue Jolly Ball and carries it around in her strong jaws.

[usonian]

11. What a beautiful place! It looks so comfortable and you look so happy!

And it looks so maintainable!!

This is not about me, but you're an inspiration. I just finished my 100 feet from the home "defensible space" weed whacking and deadwood removal, and at 76, I'm pooped. It's crazy steep near the home. I can see you cruising on a riding mower. Many happy, happy, happy years at the new place.



‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
’tis the gift to come down where you ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed
To turn, turn will be our delight
‘Till by turning, turning we come round right.

‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
’tis the gift to come down where you ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.


Just Laurie and me, and pets they make four
We're happy with my blue iMac

[George McGovern]

31. You said it, usonian -- maintainable, beautiful, comfortable and happy. Thank You!

Saint Andrews Episcopal Church, Seattle

[dchill]

13. Looks like a sweet spot!

[George McGovern]

32. Thank You dchill! We are very fortunate to be here. We'll post up more pics this week.

[BigmanPigman]

14. I don't know how anyone can move.....

It is exhausting. My parents did it when they were 83 and I know I could not get that much energy if I had 10 cups off coffee a day. I think it is emotionally and physically draining.

[George McGovern]

34. I gotta tell you BigmanPigman, it WAS exhausting. Draining emotionally and physically.

Yet it needed to be done. No choice in the matter. Thanks.

[slightlv]

15. Congratulations! Looks like a great house and I love the land around it!

I salute you in getting this accomplished with you guys still in one piece! We just did an in-city move about 5 years ago, and it nearly killed the both of us! (LOL) I have great respect for what you did. I hope the house and land and great ambiance of the home gives me many, many years of peace and joy.

[George McGovern]

35. Thanks slightly! You know what it was like. I'm glad your move did not do you both in!

[democrank]

16. Looks like everyone made it in great shape.

My best to you and your family.

[George McGovern]

36. Everyone did make it, democrank, in pretty darn good shape. Thanks so much!

[LoisB]

17. I am so glad you all made it safely. I like it too. I love that porch.

[George McGovern]

37. Thank You Very Much Lois. Never had a porch before.

The front porch pictured wraps around at left and continues down the other side. There's a separate porch on the backside.

[2naSalit]

18. Wow!

I didn't realize you were moving. I just relocated almost 3,000 miles earlier this month.

It's hard to move while ageing. Hope I never have to do that again! Still trying to settle in, it takes a while. I came down to near sea level after being up around 7 - 5,000ft for 20 years, it's just hitting me now, naps help a lot.

Congrats on a successful move!

[George McGovern]

38. Holy Cow 2naSalit! You've been through a serious relocation! We're 73 -- naps do help a lot!

I hope your near sea level life works out well as can be.
Thank You Kindly!

[Walleye]

23. Glad you made it. Beautiful place and the fur babies look right at home.

I have a cat carrier kind of like the one KC is in. It works really well. Best of luck and way to go!

[George McGovern]

39. Thank You Walleye! We borrowed the cat carrier from our daughter. It's much

nicer than the one we had but couldn't find, which was just as well, better even!
KC did really really well for a first-time traveler who couldn't see where he was going nor why in the world he had to go there, wherever the heck it was.

[highplainsdem]

25. Congrats on your new farm AND a successful move! The new place is very nice - LOVE that porch -

and you and Laurie and Shadow and KC seem to be doing very well settling in. (Recliner and computer first, check.)

All those windows should make for cooling breezes indoors, too - and the scent of any flowers you have blooming - and with that porch you'll be able to enjoy having some of the windows open even when it's raining gently, which is a lovely plus.

[Scrivener7]

27. I'm with you!

After recliner and computer, make the bed and order takeout. Everything else can wait till after a night's sleep and a couple of Advil!

[George McGovern]

43. I'm with you too Scrivener7! How'd you know!?! Takeout was Papa Murphy's Pizza!

[George McGovern]

40. You got it hpd. Many advantages to being here. Cooling breezes do drift in, nice.

Thank You!

[Scrivener7]

26. That looks georgeous! All that space! Congratulations.

[George McGovern]

44. Thanks so much! This is the nicest home I've had in all my 73 years.

[samnsara]

28. hubby and i are in our 70s and we are inna house that is a hip breaker

..we always said we need to get out before we hit 80..and im 4 years older than he is. I love our home..its in the mountains with our own private forest ( lots of wild life!!) but its on a steep hill that needs to be plowed every winter..hubby is showing lot of signs of mental decline and Im not about to crawl on the tractor and plow. We are 10 miles from town and the closest neighbors are either un approachable or old like us...and our family is spread all around the US.

So I read your story and think that I need to get out of this two story house before long. I would LOVE a setting like you just moved into..I dont want neighbors and i want lots of land.

Thank you for getting this fire under me lit again!

[Katinfl]

29. M advice is to bite the bullet and do it now rather than later.

It sure won’t get any easier if you wait. Sounds like you have a lot to take care of right now. We did an interstate move 6 months ago from a 1700 sq.ft.home to a 1100 sq.ft.apartment. We are both 78 and we love it here. The move was hard but we are glad we did it when we did. We are in a 55+ new complex, amenities galore, pets welcome. Best part is if anything goes wrong, we call maintenance. Point it, you and your spouse have to decide when and where to move and then just do it if that is what you decide. The burden of maintaining your current place will just get harder and harder. That’s the reality. Good luck with your decision.

[George McGovern]

47. Thank You Katinfl for your very good advice. You have clearly learned from your experience.

Passing it on was a wonderful thing to do.

[George McGovern]

46. Hi samnsara, I replied to your post earlier today, but it must've gone somewhere else.

At any rate I agree wholeheartedly with Katinfl's advice above.

I have sent you a DU mail message with more information about our moving experience. If I have re-kindled your inner fire so much the better.

Thank You,
George

[viva la]

30. Lol, KC!

Cats choose the oddest beds!

[George McGovern]

48. Yes they DO viva la! Thank You!

[viva la]

54. I had one who crawled up in to the bookcase

and slept on top of the books, which were all of different heights. It couldn't be comfy... but I guess it was to a cat! They're so bendable.

[George McGovern]

56. They are that viva la! I've begun a weekly series of pet postings in this forum.

Mondays are for our puppy dog Shadow. (Now postponed until tomorrow due to yesterday's post which has run over into today.)

Wednesdays are for KC. Day after tomorrow I'll post a bunch of him adjusting to his new digs.

Thank You for your kitty cat insights!

[Diamond_Dog]

33. Hi George and family,

Your new home is absolutely beautiful! And plenty of room for the animals too!

I can’t imagine picking up and moving at this stage of the game, myself …. Like someone said above, it is emotionally and physically exhausting. Looks like you both handled it extremely well! Best of luck getting everything settled! I’m glad your computer is up and running! TY for sharing all the great photos! Looks like KC and Shadow are already good with everything.

[George McGovern]

49. Thanks so much DD! We all four were able to handle it -- well enough to get here.

YW 4 photos! TY!

[applegrove]

41. Looks lovely.

[George McGovern]

50. Thank You applegrove. It is.

[Staph]

45. Congratulations on the move and on the awesome new home!

I covet your porches. You need to get a porch swing - gently rocking on a porch swing in the evening breeze is a little touch of heaven on earth!

[George McGovern]

51. Now how in the world did you know Staph!?!? Porch swing is on my wife's list! Thanks!

[Biophilic]

52. Oh, my gosh, Allan, that looks like the perfect spot for retirement.

What a super looking house for the 4 of you. Yeah, KC will adjust...eventually, says anyone having lived with a cat. I love the self portrait at your desk. You look great. Congratulations on the successful move to all 4 of you.

[George McGovern]

55. Thanks so much Biophilic. Most all went well, despite the 200 mile journey to here.

'Twas a team effort, getting here.
My wife Laurie, our daughter Terry, and her best friend/real estate agent all agreed they liked this property at first visit. Subsequently, they all three, were here first in line for the initial open house showing. Laurie offered the owners their asking price and it was accepted the next day.

re: self-portrait — as Laurie focused the camera, I promised her my best
shit-eatin' grin. Guess it came out that way.

[Biophilic]

57. Definitely your best shit eating grin. Good for all of you.

[George McGovern]

58. Awww, you're so sweet Jane . . .

[Americanme]

53. Your new place looks great, congratulations!

I've been in our big old house since 1992, I know in 15 or 20 years I will be unable or unwilling to take care of it, but I dread the thought of moving.

[George McGovern]

60. Thank You Americanme! We were on our former farm for 23 years.

Any time the thought of having to leave one day cropped up we ignored it. Hoped to stay there the rest of our lives. As we got older, we are now 73, the farm work got harder and harder and reality rose up. We had to face the dread.

We are glad we did. I hope when the time does come that you can deal with it.