The chances of this is looking good!

If it should happen to be in the San Francisco area, how about looking inland from there? I know- it's pretty urban for a long way around. But is there a user-friendly community east of there so one wouldn't have to drive the congested freeways?

Personally I like northern California much better than farther south; places like Dunsmuir and even more remote, Arcata, or in the other direction, Marysville and - humph, the cities have fled my mind...

Wells Nevada sounds good to me. At 5000+ feet it's milder in the summer too.

Hey, Rapaire, just how big IS your house? And your back yard?

:)