# Looking for a 55+ community and would like to talk with some folks with experience and recommendations.



## stokercv (Jul 27, 2020)

We are both 77, wife uses a walker 100%. We currently live in a townhouse area in Boise and would like to move closer to Meridian or Nampa.


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## Pinky (Jul 27, 2020)

Welcome to the forum, stokercv. There's a lot of information here, and hopefully, you will find some good advice.


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## stokercv (Jul 27, 2020)

Thank you for the welcome.  We have just recently started looking so hoping for good information.


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## PopsnTuff (Jul 27, 2020)

Glad you're here Stokercv....I'm sure you'll get some good feedback from our members  Wish I could be of some help but
I'm on the eastcoast in Virginia....you can start a new topic by clicking on Forum, then clicking on Senior Retirement....best wishes.


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## stokercv (Jul 27, 2020)

Thank you for your welcome message as well.


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## twinkles (Jul 27, 2020)

welcome  stokercv--thats a place i always wanted to live at but couldnt afford it


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## hollydolly (Jul 27, 2020)

Hi @stokercv  welcome from London...


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## stokercv (Jul 27, 2020)

Thank you from afar.  My father's parents immigrated from England in the late 1800's.


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## MarciKS (Jul 27, 2020)

*The 55+ retirement community here is $1600 a month for a studio apt. That's my entire monthly income.

I have a 1 bedroom apt for $500 a month. I'd rather stay put. *


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## Pink Biz (Jul 27, 2020)




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## bowmore (Jul 27, 2020)

If you want to get to a more temperate climate, come see us. We live in a +55 MHP in California's Central Coast


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## Manatee (Jul 27, 2020)

We live in a condo apartment near the gulf coast of Florida.  One thing that we have learned is that there are many varieties of 55+ communities.
Some are owned and others are rental.  We bought ours for cash, but there is a monthly maintenance fee that covers exterior maintenance, water, sewer, garbage and rec centers/pools and street maintenance.  The community has a population of approximately 9000.


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## macgeek (Jul 28, 2020)

I know one property management company *you should avoid*. Enterprise Community Partners. They go by other names like RHOME, Enterprise Residential. There main office is in Baltimore Maryland. Avoid living at any property these people manage. They are terrible.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 28, 2020)

I am in Utah, I use a walker.  If I could I would move to where it does not snow, I am pretty much trapped in the winter.  Welcome to the forum.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jul 28, 2020)

Welcome StokerCV.  This is an article about the pros and cons of 55+ communities that was posted back in December. There might be something in this thread that helps you with the decision to move to one of these communities. 
https://www.seniorforums.com/threads/55-communities-pros-and-cons.45443/


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## Sunny (Jul 29, 2020)

I'm in a 55+ community, which I like a lot. Big variety of homes, including apartments, town houses, and bigger, stand-alone houses. No need to cope with stairs if you don't want to. I'm in an apartment, and even though I can walk stairs perfectly well, I like not having to do it.

Prices vary a lot, but the smaller condos are very affordable.

What I mostly like about living here is all the activities. Of course, that's in normal times, not now. There's always something to do, and someone to talk with. 

But I am in Maryland, and it sounds like you want to remain in Idaho.  Not sure how many retirement communities there are out there, but I'm sure there are some.


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## MarciKS (Jul 29, 2020)

Sunny said:


> I'm in a 55+ community, which I like a lot. Big variety of homes, including apartments, town houses, and bigger, stand-alone houses. No need to cope with stairs if you don't want to. I'm in an apartment, and even though I can walk stairs perfectly well, I like not having to do it.
> 
> Prices vary a lot, but the smaller condos are very affordable.
> 
> ...


what do you consider very affordable? just curious.


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## Sunny (Jul 30, 2020)

A really small studio apartment is under $100,000.  Most apartments are under $300,000.  Mine has two bedrooms and two full baths and would probably go for about $250,000 now. Not sure, but that's the ball park. It's about 1100 sq. ft.

The big, standalone homes, and the luxury penthouse apartments are in the neighborhood of $600,000 or so.

The condo fee is about $500 a month for my unit. That includes all upkeep of the building (and they keep it immaculate), security, landscaping, free cable TV, admission to many activities though most of the individual clubs require yearly fees of about $10, free gym, pool, tennis courts, computer room, library, etc.  The golf course requires a separate membership. (I'm not a golfer.)  No meals included, although we do have restaurants. There is free bus transport within our community, and for a short distance outside of it. Which is very nice for people who don't drive.


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## fancicoffee13 (Aug 11, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> *The 55+ retirement community here is $1600 a month for a studio apt. That's my entire monthly income.
> 
> I have a 1 bedroom apt for $500 a month. I'd rather stay put. *


I agree, I live in an apartment and buy my own food.  I hear that the price of the meals goes up each year until you have to move out.  Otherwise the independentliving is great just the cost of the meals goes up until you can't afford it.  I hear about that, haven't done it though.


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## Sunny (Aug 11, 2020)

I just got one of those ads from a local realtor telling how much various units have sold for within the last month. I have no intention of selling, but I think my ball park estimate two notes above this one was too low. They said units similar to mine have been selling in the mid $300K range.  Just thought I ought to correct that, I don't want to mislead anyone.


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## fancicoffee13 (Aug 11, 2020)

Well, I have heard that there are independence villages that rent according to their income.  But, the thing that forces the tenants to move out is the cost of the meals.  They keep going up every year until it is unaffordable.  So, I can't buy, so I will just rent an apartment, stay put and continue to buy my meals by myself.


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## officerripley (Sep 6, 2020)

I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.

I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period. 

One thing I've discovered: I'm a member of a really large club; I keep talking to & hearing about more & more women in my age group who are in the same position. I told a middle-aged gal on a caretakers site who was venting about having to run back & forth to take care of both her and her hubby's parents and why oh why didn't they downsize out of their great big, now-unmanagable houses; I told her that I could really sympathize--I was about the only caretaker for 5 elderly parents altogether over a 10-year period--but that it was possible that at least 1 parent (usually the wife) on each side did want to downsize/see the need for downsizing years earlier but the spouse (usually the husband) wouldn't hear of it so that is a lot of the time the reason for what she's was going through.

Thanks for letting me vent; most of the women around here in my age group are divorced or widowed or of a fund. religious thing that the wife (even if she worked outside the home her whole adult life) must always do what the husband wants. So I mostly feel alone in this except for online. Thanks for listening.


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## hollydolly (Sep 6, 2020)

officerripley said:


> I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.
> 
> I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period.
> 
> ...


Oh I feel for you in your situation, I really wish there was something I could suggest that might help, but I can't!!


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## officerripley (Sep 6, 2020)

Thanks, Holly. I've sure wracked my brain but can't think of anything else either (except venting, lol; thank goodness for the internet! :-D)


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## RadishRose (Sep 6, 2020)

Just a wild guess; if you can somehow get him into a "model unit" in a small condo he might see how nice and easy it could be.

I'm so sorry for his horrific beginnings, but it's time to grow up.


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## bowmore (Sep 6, 2020)

We did exactly that. We moved from two1800 sq ft  two story homes into our 1400 sq ft single story home. We sure had to get rid of a lot of stuff


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## officerripley (Sep 6, 2020)

Thanks, RadishRose; I have tried that but he refuses to; he plays golf with a guy whose wife convinced him to sell their home & move into a condo & he hates it, misses their nice big house, he wishes he'd never let her talk him into it, keeps telling Hubby "whatever you do, don't let your wife talk you into it, you'll be miserable, wah wah." I said, "Well, if he hates the condo they moved into, why don't they go look at other condos? There are actually a lot of condos here." He says, "Oh, his wife just loves that darn condo & the neighbors & the neighborhood." I said, "Well, gee, then I guess the condo they're in must not be that bad then."

Sometimes I wonder: do some people ever actually grow up? One wonders...


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## RadishRose (Sep 6, 2020)

officerripley said:


> Thanks, RadishRose; I have tried that but he refuses to; he plays golf with a guy whose wife convinced him to sell their home & move into a condo & he hates it, misses their nice big house, he wishes he'd never let her talk him into it, keeps telling Hubby "whatever you do, don't let your wife talk you into it, you'll be miserable, wah wah." I said, "Well, if he hates the condo they moved into, why don't they go look at other condos? There are actually a lot of condos here." He says, "Oh, his wife just loves that darn condo & the neighbors & the neighborhood." I said, "Well, gee, then I guess the condo they're in must not be that bad then."
> 
> Sometimes I wonder: do some people ever actually grow up? One wonders...


You make perfect sense @officerripley . My thought was to sneak him in! 

Maybe get him over to the golf buddy's place for coffee. 

If you are the one cleaning that big house; quit. Insist he clean half of it or pay to have it done. 

Good luck!


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## officerripley (Sep 6, 2020)

I actually have just about quit cleaning the house (up to his standards anyway) except if some1 is coming over. And he does keep saying we should hire some1 to come in and clean; my prob is I keep wishing we were in a place with much less (or no) yard work, so we wouldn't have to have some1 to come in and clean the house; he & I could manage it us both doing it. But I think that's one of the reasons he doesn't want to hire some1 to do all of our yard work or move to somewhere with little or no yard because then he'd be expected to help with housework & doesn't wanna, lol. Some like most men don't; 1 of the other ol' guys he plays golf with was always griping about how he & his wife were on such a fixed income, really gotta watch the budget, etc. So they did move to a place with just about no yard & that was great: his wife did all the housework (even though she worked outside the home just as much as he did!); then his wife passed away & this guy, this guy so worried about $$ hires some1 to come in & clean for him because he's not about to do housework, ick ick. (I tell ya: sometimes it feels like it's the 19th century around here...)


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## fancicoffee13 (Sep 6, 2020)

officerripley said:


> I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.
> 
> I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period.
> 
> ...


It is very good to journal your thoughts as well.  Theraputic in some ways.  Being able to talk about it to someone, and in a way, you are journaling by writing about it here.  But, there are agencies out there for help, here in the town I live in we have Area Agency on Aging and in that organization are other areas of help.  Respite help and other phone numbers.  Check into your area.


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## officerripley (Sep 6, 2020)

Thanks, fanci; I do write poetry (only gotten rejections so far but still trying and it seems to help). We do have an Area Agency on Aging in our area but they were just about closed up & then the Virus hit. But the poetry helps.


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## FastTrax (Sep 30, 2020)

www.cityofboise.org

www.city-data.com/city/boise-City-Idaho.html

www.city-data.com/forum/boise-area/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise,_Idaho






www.meridiancity.org

www.city-data.com/city/Meridian-Idaho.html

www.city-data.com/forum/boise-area/2286420-moving-southern-california-merdian-idaho.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian,_Idaho






www.cityofnampa.us

www.city-data.com/city/Nampa-Idaho.html

www.city-data.com/forum/Boise-area/2553218-nampa-equally-safe-nice-boise-proper.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nampa,_Idaho






I hope this helped.


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## rgp (Oct 1, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> *The 55+ retirement community here is $1600 a month for a studio apt. That's my entire monthly income.
> 
> I have a 1 bedroom apt for $500 a month. I'd rather stay put. *




  Wow ! ......... what do you get for the $1100 p/month difference ?


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## fancicoffee13 (Oct 1, 2020)

FastTrax said:


> www.cityofboise.org
> 
> www.city-data.com/city/boise-City-Idaho.html
> 
> ...


I also was considering living there until they said the price of the food kept going up until they had to move into an apartment.  They being a senior, and apartment was much more affordable and can eat more food!


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## Colleen (Oct 1, 2020)

Boy, that's a tough one. If you are both on the same page as to what you want, that's half the battle...believe me! I was content with my home in beautiful NW PA, but hubby just couldn't stand shoveling (actually, he had a snowblower) snow any more, so he got a wild hair to move to AZ. That was in 2014 and he dragged me here kicking and screaming. I absolutely hate it here! We live in a golfing community and these are the most unfriendly people you'd ever want to meet. Everyone here is from some place else (mostly CA) and if you don't think, act, or agree with everything they are about, then you're shunned and no one wants to associate with you. I've tried to talk him to going back to PA but he refuses. I tell him we could live in a house in the town we came from that is maintained by the HOA. We have friend's that live there and they love it. Nope. I honestly get very depressed thinking about spending the rest of my life here...and dying here! There are so many other reasons this is a terrible place to live, but my point is.....be sure you both want the same thing. Good luck.


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## DGM (Jan 5, 2021)

I don't want to hijack this thread about +55 communities but I'd like to offer some of the best advice ever given to me about "downsizing".  When I visited on of my postal patrons after she had a mild stroke at age 105 she said "ya know David.....when I moved from a five bedroom home to a one bedroom apartment it was SO stressful; what to keep, what to donate etc.  All that stress and all that worry and THIS is what we all wind up with (she points to each item as she lists it):  A bed, a dresser, a TV and a chair".  This was our mantra when we downsized.  
Again I apologize of wandering off of the +55 original question.


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## MarciKS (Jan 5, 2021)

rgp said:


> Wow ! ......... what do you get for the $1100 p/month difference ?


The only extra thing they get is a pull chord to summon emergency services. Sorry I didn't even see this post.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Jan 5, 2021)

stokercv said:


> We are both 77, wife uses a walker 100%. We currently live in a townhouse area in Boise and would like to move closer to Meridian or Nampa.


Welcome from WI, stoker!  My husband and I are in our 70’s as well. We’ve looked at a couple of 50+ places but they are too far out of our price range for a decent one. And now, with covid, I would worry about getting locked in there with no way to see our family. Good luck with your hunt. Hope you find a place that is perfect for the two of you


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## Kathleen’s Place (Jan 5, 2021)

officerripley said:


> I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.
> 
> I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period.
> 
> ...


I know so many women in your same position, Office. My sister is one of them. She is 76, husband is 79 and there is no way on God’s green earth that he will move. Every year the yard work and home maintenance gets harder and harder for them. Why are men so stubborn? There is a whole lot to be said for sitting on your patio sipping lemonade while you watch someone else mow the grass on a hot summer day. Or looking out your window and seeing that it snowed two feet during the night and not really caring because you don’t have to shovel it.  Not having to worry if the heat should go out or the central air break down...or the refrig or oven or washer and dryer...it’s all someone elses problem and expense, and at my age, I like it that way.  I’ve had the home of my dreams, been there, done that, don’t need it anymore.  I hpe your husband will see the bright shining light one of these days soon and agree to giving you the peace and security you want in this life too


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## Packerjohn (Jan 5, 2021)

officerripley said:


> I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.
> 
> I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period.
> 
> ...


Gee but some men are stubborn.  Can't your husband see that there would be many advantages of moving to a smaller place?  I have heard these kinds of stories before & it proves to me that either:  a) Women are smarter than men, b) Women have to wait until their stubborn husbands "kick the bucket" before they can sell & move.  Shame on your husbands.  He is no longer the young kid that he used to be.  He needs to move on to another chapter in his life.


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## officerripley (Jan 5, 2021)

Packerjohn said:


> Gee but some men are stubborn.  Can't your husband see that there would be many advantages of moving to a smaller place?  I have heard these kinds of stories before & it proves to me that either:  a) Women are smarter than men, b) Women have to wait until their stubborn husbands "kick the bucket" before they can sell & move.  Shame on your husbands.  He is no longer the young kid that he used to be.  He needs to move on to another chapter in his life.


I appreciate all the support I've gotten from every1 here on SF about this. I've given up (for now anyway...aw heck, who'm I kidding, forever probably  ) mainly becuz Huzz's beloved brother has been diagnosed with a rare, terminal cancer (was told to get his affairs in order & given 2 months to live Apr. 2020--was 2020 a !@#$% year or what--so this has understandably thrown everybody so I've backed off on it. Ain't life grand sometimes...not.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jan 5, 2021)

officerripley said:


> I wish I could persuade my husband to downsize from this too big place (3 bedrm house on 1 acre) that's in a lonely neighborhood that most every1 is younger than us & still working so the place is a ghost town 40 hrs/wk and we're 4 miles away from a grocery store of any size or pharmacy so what in the world are we gonna do when we can't drive anymore. And sure, if you can afford it, you can hire more stuff (yard work, etc.) done which we've started doing. But then again, you hear so much about financial abuse of the elderly, sigh.
> 
> I would love to move into a nice little condo or apt.; there are some nice but inexpensive ones within walking distance of groc. stores, pharmacies, the library (my favorite place), etc. But Hubby says he's gonna have to be carried out of here feet first. We've discussed/argued about it for about 10 years and I've finally given up. It worries me all the time, espec. since I think our driving days won't last much longer and we never had kids who might be able to help. But he's determined to stay here and I'm sympathetic as to why: not only is this house the nicest place he's ever lived, it's the *only* nice place he's ever lived; he grew up very poor, they lived in their car sometimes (in a place where it gets up over 100 in the summer! And his poor mom was pregnant!). It's a constant worry to me but I don't know what else I can do; we've discussed it 'till we're blue in the face but he's not moving. Period.
> 
> ...


Officer, you are such a good, caring, charitable person. I wish things would get better for you!


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## officerripley (Jan 5, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Officer, you are such a good, caring, charitable person. I wish things would get better for you!
> View attachment 143360


Thanks, Diva, you are so nice, you're the  caring one   . I keep trying to tell myself that I'm still better off than a lot of others. For one, my poor, terminal bro-in-law; Huzz & I worry about his widow when the time comes having enough to live on due to their situation. Like I said, there are others way worse off than I.


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