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yes! i grew up in pittsburgh and lived in both los angeles and atlanta. four years ago i retired to outside a very small town about 30 miles from augusta (ga not maine). i love it. very little traffic. slower pace of life. nice people.
i thought i would be going to augusta a lot for shopping and entertainment but find my trips are fewer and further between. i have found i am fine with my satellite tv instead of cable. i miss my high speed internet (i have wireless aircard).
things like gas are more expensive but i save money not wandering the malls and buying things i don't really need. once in a while i miss not getting dressed up, but that is not often. do wish we had more places to eat.
Maybe u can have a formal office division of a room, and dress up to sit there, lol. Do a skype with someone like a virtual meeting. Or u can dress up for church or an icecream in town (lol). I do that sometimes. Dress shoes and all, even though I'm still at home. An alternative to eating out could be cooking out, home or a park. Could make mexican or corn or tofo fajitas bbq chicken etc.
7 years on, I don't regret my decision to move to a small town. I have to admit, the first year, I wasn't sure it was gonna work out. I used to hate going shopping at the last place I lived in the city because everything was like 4 miles away, so inconvenient. Now, I'm 180 miles from a walmart and 220 miles from a Costco. Going shopping often requires an overnite stay! We order alot of stuff from Amazon. There are stores in town, but honestly, at times they make it real hard to support them between outrageous prices and rude people. There are some things I miss from city living. The only movie theater withing 125 miles just closed down. The only entertainment options left in town are bars. But I don't have to worry about my kids playing outside. I will most likely be moving back to the urban jungle in a couple of years, but I don't look forward to it.
Maybe u can stay a distance from the city if you move. Where I live its not uncommon for people to live in PA and work in NYC. That works better if you only need to commute 3 times a week. Some take a weekly speed-train ride. Or u can live by a state forest/park and commute and that will be less a change from now. Some cities actually have nice natural scenery. There are hidden spots, ocean-edge cliffs and hidden waterfalls that many in the rat-race don't know about. You can still do all these things in the city, just at a higher price. Maybe the price won't be worth it.
I grew up mostly in the 'burbs of New Jersey. I did live in a rural area of PA for a few years in my teens and HATED it. Yet, I moved to Missouri several years ago, first in the Kansas City area, and now I am in a very rural area. To my surprise, I love it. I'm actually not too buried...Walmart is 25 minutes away and the nearest "big" town with a mall is about an hour away. I have a 35 minute commute to work but being from NJ, that is no big deal. The WalMart is open 24/7 but other than that nothing is open 24/7 and most local businesses are closed on Sundays.
Life is definitely not what I expected. I love watching the outdoors. I have bird feeders out and I am enjoying learning about all the birds that visit. I probably would not have enjoyed this in my 20s like I do now in my 30s. I shop online more than I ever have. I love my home, which is far nicer than anything I could have afforded in NJ. Honestly I am very happy with my life and I think that makes all the difference; if I weren't happy with my personal life, I might not be so happy here.
I do miss a more populated, diverse area at times. I miss the foods, the shopping, the different things to do. But I know I can take a weekend and go to the city and enjoy those things any time. And I fly "home" about every nine months and get my fix.
If someone handed me $10 million right now, I would not move back. There is a beauty and peacefulness in the country that touches my soul...I can't get that in a more populated area and it means more to me than being able to run out to the store on a Sunday night.
16 years ago, we moved from a city rowhome across the state to a century old frame house in the rural outskirts of a very small town, and never regretted it. The value of our city house had declined considerably, the neighborhood was going to ruin, and, besides, we wanted our daughters out of city schools, and away from the crime, growing gang violence, and street culture. Here, there is room to roam, lakes to swim in, and we don't have to lock our doors. Our oldest daughter complained about the "boredom" of the area in her teens, but years later has bought a house in an even more rural area. I would never move back to an urban area for anything.
I used to live in a big city, and now moved to a very small town. I sort of miss going to the mall. I also miss being anonymous. In a big city you go to the gym after work, you relax. Here, you run into people you work with, same with medical/pharmacy issues, yor doctor is someone you see at church on Sunday, and your pharmacist, is your neighbor. So, it feels a bit claustrophobic. Like you can no longer just live your anonymous life, because you know everyone, and everyone knows you.
That was the "adjustment". Once you get over that, it is much nicer, the pace is mellow. I don't miss the big city. Small town life is okay.
No cable, no DSL, no nuthin'. I get my TV in a combo of satellite and over-the-air, and have satellite internet as well because it was either that or () dial-up.
No cable, no DSL, no nuthin'. I get my TV in a combo of satellite and over-the-air, and have satellite internet as well because it was either that or () dial-up.
My daughter doesn't have cable in her new house, either. Surprisingly, they don't miss it. This winter, they've been spending evenings in front of the fire, looking out the glass doors at the surrounding woods, fields, deer and wildlife, etc. and enjoying not having to see neighbors, houses, cars, street lights, etc. They live in a restored old farm house, and the previous owner built a huge combination "great room" and kitchen, with a large fireplace and glass sliding doors on three sides of it. I think watching the view from them is better than TV!
I have traveled all over the country on business; born in Charleston, lived between Hilton Head SC and Savannah, GA, spent a lot of time in DC, lived in Albuquerque, San Antonio, and Columbus, OH.
4 years ago we packed up, sold out, and moved to a town of 145 people. The closest WalMart is 2 hours away, as is any interstate. The closest mall is 3.5 hours away.
Yesterday we went to dinner at the only restaurant in 40 miles; it was Chicken Dinner Sunday. Everyone who walked in the door we knew; everyone stopped at everyone's tables and said hi, we all asked about our new grandkids, new calves, work, etc. It is like an extended family; lots of hugs and lots of jokes. Then we go home to our 100-year-old house on our 60 acres and feed the horse, chickens, and cows, play with the new calf, and enjoy the silence. I built a fire in the woodstove - we're expecting 3 inches of snow today and I wanted it to be ready - and we have a friend's pig and our own steer in the freezer, lots of home-canned goods in the cabinets, and fresh eggs every morning for breakfast. DH has his shop out back where he works on other peoples' small engines, or builds stuff for the house. His ATV has a plow on the front to clear the driveway for the snow. In the summer we drive it all over the acreage, fixing fences, etc; it has a plow we can attach to plant our garden, as well as a system on a trailer to water and fertilize, and this spring we have 125 fruit trees on order we are getting from the co-op. Also, this year I take a university beekeeping course over the weekend in March to start to set up my own little apiary. Ummmm honey! We have a herd dog we trained (we knew nothing about it, so we bought a DVD course from a professional) that was given to us; he is a year old, and not only herds the cattle to and fro on command, but tries to herd the barn cats and wild turkeys on the hill. He is a source of entertainment for us and the neighbors!
Who needs traffic, a mall, or a 24-hour store? We have satellite TV and a good internet connection, and lots to do and good neighbors with whom to do it - or not. We are quite content.
As long as you decide what's right for you, and do your research - you don't want to pick a place where, say, you have blue hair and tattoos and there are 5 churches within a half-mile! - you can be happy.
Born and raised in and around Detroit. Moved to BFE North Carolina in 2009 for work and I lLOVE it. I can see stars, hear crickets and see wildlife--all things that are no longer seen in the big city. Sure I drive 10 miles to a grocery store. I just make less trips. I have broken myself of the CVS addiction and actually like talking with neighbors and waving to folks driving past the house..
Quote:
Originally Posted by SCGranny
I have traveled all over the country on business; born in Charleston, lived between Hilton Head SC and Savannah, GA, spent a lot of time in DC, lived in Albuquerque, San Antonio, and Columbus, OH.
4 years ago we packed up, sold out, and moved to a town of 145 people. The closest WalMart is 2 hours away, as is any interstate. The closest mall is 3.5 hours away.
Yesterday we went to dinner at the only restaurant in 40 miles; it was Chicken Dinner Sunday. Everyone who walked in the door we knew; everyone stopped at everyone's tables and said hi, we all asked about our new grandkids, new calves, work, etc. It is like an extended family; lots of hugs and lots of jokes. Then we go home to our 100-year-old house on our 60 acres and feed the horse, chickens, and cows, play with the new calf, and enjoy the silence. I built a fire in the woodstove - we're expecting 3 inches of snow today and I wanted it to be ready - and we have a friend's pig and our own steer in the freezer, lots of home-canned goods in the cabinets, and fresh eggs every morning for breakfast. DH has his shop out back where he works on other peoples' small engines, or builds stuff for the house. His ATV has a plow on the front to clear the driveway for the snow. In the summer we drive it all over the acreage, fixing fences, etc; it has a plow we can attach to plant our garden, as well as a system on a trailer to water and fertilize, and this spring we have 125 fruit trees on order we are getting from the co-op. Also, this year I take a university beekeeping course over the weekend in March to start to set up my own little apiary. Ummmm honey! We have a herd dog we trained (we knew nothing about it, so we bought a DVD course from a professional) that was given to us; he is a year old, and not only herds the cattle to and fro on command, but tries to herd the barn cats and wild turkeys on the hill. He is a source of entertainment for us and the neighbors!
Who needs traffic, a mall, or a 24-hour store? We have satellite TV and a good internet connection, and lots to do and good neighbors with whom to do it - or not. We are quite content.
As long as you decide what's right for you, and do your research - you don't want to pick a place where, say, you have blue hair and tattoos and there are 5 churches within a half-mile! - you can be happy.
Ive lived in cities and small towns both and have all my life been a small town girl. Always. I hate traffic, dont like crowds or convenience stores on every corner, and love towns where everyone knows everyone. A town of about 4,000 people or less is perfect for me, so if I have to commute a bit for work, so be it, but put me in the middle of nowhere and Im good. Grouchy in crowded areas.
SC Granny, I love the sound of your town!! Out here, Walmart is the only store other than a couple of ma and pa convenience stores. Nearest 'big' grocery store otherwise in Piggly Wiggly and its about 10 miles from here.
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) dial-up.
Out here, Walmart is the only store other than a couple of ma and pa convenience stores. Nearest 'big' grocery store otherwise in Piggly Wiggly and its about 10 miles from here. 
