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BS: Moving out of the city
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Subject: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 04 Oct 06 - 09:26 PM Himself and I have decided that when he retires in a couple of years we will be moving out of Sydney. We are almost certain that we will be moving to the town where I was born and bred, and where my family roots go back 130 years. I left over 30 years ago, and the reasons I left don't apply now. I have sussed out a quilting group whose members are very welcoming, and Himself plays lawn bowls - there are 5 lawn bowls clubs in the town, so he can play somewhere different every day of the week if he wishes. We still need to find out about live music. Have any Catters done this - moved away from the big city,and survived? Any pitfalls? Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: pdq Date: 04 Oct 06 - 09:49 PM The fresh air can be a shock to your system, and the friendly people may be a put-off at first, but you can accomodate if you try. Being able to see 50 million stars abundant wildlife should make-up for the aforementioned problems. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 04 Oct 06 - 09:56 PM I moved from four years in New York City, to 30 in a city of 100,000 located on the most heavily traveled interstate in the country, to our postage stamp of a City, Derby. We're only 5 miles long by a mile and a half wide, with a population of about 10,000. The crickets have to organize a group and sing under the street light on the corner, this place is so small. I've gone full circle, from growing up in a small town (not this small, though) to retiring to one. My wife grew up in Brooklyn and has lived in large cities almost all of her life, but she loves it here. For us, being fifteen minutes from New Haven, with all it's cultural rewards, and a reasonably pleasant hour and a half train ride to downtown New York City gives us a cushion, if we want to go to concerts, book stores or specialty music and record stores. On a daily basis, there's as much to do here as you find to do. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Oct 06 - 12:28 AM Watch out for snakes... I moved from Sacramento to rural Placer County, California when I married my wife Christina in 2002. For the first couple of years, I was known as Christina's husband, and did not have an identity of my own. I found that I had to watch what I said, because people here are interconnected in countless ways - and everybody knows my wife. I also had to be careful about expressing my political ideas, since many of the people I've come to know here just don't understand us liberals. But it's lovely here, and the people are nice. I hope that by the time I'm seventy-five, I can have a house with central heating again.
But most of all, watch out for those snakes. -Joe Offer in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: NH Dave Date: 05 Oct 06 - 01:22 AM All of the above plus if you live in snow country, buy the best snow or multi-use tires you can find, keep your vehicle in good nick, and keep plenty of food that will not spoil on hand, as storms may knock down power and phone lines. Not only will you have no electricity, but you can't call someone about your problems. We always used to keep kerosene/parafin lamps and lanterns around in case the lines went down, but today I'd suggest Aladdin Lamps, since with a mantle, they give so much more light, as well as heat, a freeby in cold weather. If you aren't completely sure you can press through heavy or drifted snow, go back! You can usually retrace your route to the nearest motel or whatever, and caution can keep you from spending the day or night in your car, wondering if you have enough fuel to keep the passenger compartment warm until help arrives. Incautious people have frozen to death in cars that got stuck on an infrequently traveled road, and then ran out of gas to keep the engine and heater running. If you must travel in snowy weather, be sure to carry a large duffle bag of extra cold weather clothes, insulated parka, heavy mittens - gloves cut off the circulation in your fingers which may freeze - a good sleeping bag, as well as some dry food, and a way to cook it. You may never need it, but when you do, it is more comforting to remember that you did sling it in the back of the car, rather than leaving it in your cellar or front hall. I hate to make the country seem totally inhospitable, although it may seem so. If you try to meet it in its terms you can have a wonderful life away from the city, but you will have to make some attitude adjustments before you will be completely happy away from town. Dave Who grew up in the country, and loved its simplicity. I can't go back, as the whole area has become very urban and restrictive, but I can always remember how things used to be. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 05 Oct 06 - 01:50 AM The town we are planning to possibly move to is a large (by Oz standards) country town, the combined population of town and surrounding district is about 50,000. This means facilities are reasonable, including medical facilities, unfortunately something one has to keep in mind as one gets older! We have it in mind to settle in the town rather than in a small village. Joe - I know what you mean about the way people think - they are much more conservative in the country, although sometimes there are surprises! Dave - it never snows in that part of Oz, although less than an hour away it can get very cold in winter, including snowing. We are planning to visit the town as often as we can before making the move, hopefully we will start to get to know people which should make it easier when we take the step to move there. It probably won't be difficult for me as I grew up there; Kevin has been a city boy all his life but says he is more than ready to move out. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: GUEST,Art Thieme Date: 05 Oct 06 - 11:18 PM For me, it was an O.K. move. Positives and negatives. But I was surprised by the fact that for the longest time I totally mistrusted air I couldn't SEE ! Art |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: GUEST,Art again Date: 05 Oct 06 - 11:20 PM ...and I'd wake up every morning listening intently to hear the birds coughing ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Joe Offer Date: 06 Oct 06 - 12:54 AM Hi, Jennie - it doesn't sound like you're really "roughing it." I can't say it's too tough here, either. We don't have high-speed Internet service here, but I can go a mile down the road to the library and use their broadband service there - and it's a quiet, pleasant library where I'm greeted by name and sometimes with a hug. If I schedule myself so I don't have to go into town for errands, I can go a week without seeing a traffic signal. Usually, though I'm in town four days out of seven, or more - but the town has only 20,000 people, and the city is a 45-minute drive away (when traffic allows). It's nice to be away from the traffic, that's for sure. Sometimes, though, I yearn for what I used to have - a garage, a garbage disposal, dishwasher, and dryer, and a house that wasn't heated with firewood. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 06 Oct 06 - 04:47 AM wot, another friend leaving the Big Smoke! My colleague & friend, Katy is our first telecommuter & notices on her fortnightly 2-3 hour train trip to Sydney, that air quality becomes noticably less! As to music, you might have to change genres. Unless you can convert a few to our way of music. Or maybe just leave town at the appropriate time, like most ot the other locals. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: John MacKenzie Date: 06 Oct 06 - 05:25 AM I am a Glaswegian, by birth, but went to live and work around London at 20 and forgot the road home. After over 30+ years there I sold up, and went to live in a cedar shingled house on the side of a hill, looking out over Loch Ness. There was a little shop/post office about 1½ miles away, and it was a 30 minute drive into Inverness. After about 5 years of that I got it out of my system, and moved north to a stone house in a small village, with a bank and a post office, and 3 small general stores, along with a few other small shops. I miss the deer at the back fence, and the red squirrels coming to the bird tables, but where I am now makes for an easier life. I would NEVER go back to city living, and my only big regret is the lack of my sort of folk music, which is song based. There is lots of diddly diddly, accordion and fiddle stuff, but one can have too much of it! So here I sit looking out over my little loch, and watch the birds come and go, now I await the arrival of our Whooper swans from Russia for their winter visit, along with all the little migratory ducks that visit. It's not so bad really! Giok ☺ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: jacqui.c Date: 06 Oct 06 - 08:06 AM I was born and brought up in a suburb of London and always lived within an hour's travel to the Smoke. Two years ago I changed continents and am now living in a state that has only 1,000,000 people in total, although it has a land mass the size of England. I agree with Giok - I would not want to move back to London at all and find the crowds when I visit the UK to be aggravating. There is less music here, but I have made friends and we have started our own song circle. Good luck with your move Jenny - I hope it works as well for you as it has for me. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 07 Oct 06 - 12:05 AM Finding like-minded musical folks is a big requirement. Tamworth has a HUGE country music festival every January, and many of the locals leave town for the duration. Apart from that there is the local brass/woodwind band, bagpipe band (my uncle used to play drum in that band when I was a child, a thousand years ago), a musical theatre society (believed to be the oldest in Oz and still going strong), hopefully a choir, it's always been a town with lots of music - but as for folk music, I still need to find out. I'm with you Jacqui, once I move out of Sydney it will take wild horses to drag me back kicking and screaming, even though it's only 6 hours away. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Barb'ry Date: 07 Oct 06 - 10:02 PM Moved from the city to a very, very small village in the middle of nowhere (Lancashire UK). Had visions of twittering birds, clean air, country walks, laughing, friendly villagers - you know the one.. And what do I get? Air that stinks of cow s**t, footpaths that have been fenced off by farmers or alternatively have large bulls roaming free in the fields and villagers who wont talk to you unless you are a 4th generation inhabitant. Yes, I tried to join things but the WI isn't for me and apart from the pubs, which I go in when I get chance, there is little socialising outside the church, which I don't go to. Oh, there are lots of birds though - one out of four isn't bad! Glad your town sounds a bit larger, Jenny, so you stand more of a chance of being spoken to. I found myself looking forward to visiting the supermarket so that I could have a conversation with the woman on the till! And there's no music here, either.. We're moving soon! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Hrothgar Date: 08 Oct 06 - 05:23 AM Just bad luck that it's still in New South Wales, Jen. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 08 Oct 06 - 07:46 AM Roger, you can just pop down the road to visit! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: LilyFestre Date: 08 Oct 06 - 08:25 AM I grew up in a small town (pop. 4,000), moved to a university town, then to a city (Providence, Rhode Island), then moved to an even bigger city, Atlanta, Georgia. I now live out in the country, on top of a mountain in a little blip on the map with a population of under 75 (spread apart). I love it here and am glad for the life we have here. It IS isolated and it IS quiet. It's what we wanted. I'd say that if you are making a big change, make sure you KNOW what you want and what the place has to offer. I know you aren't moving to the countryside but keep in mind that there are countless stories of people moving from the big city to a small town or the countryside to live off the land, to be free, to homestead, etc. They are great ideas but they HAVE TO BE tempered with some form of reality. Yes, living off the land is incredible but you'd better have some start-up money. You better enjoy your own company because while folks are helpful, many people who chose this lifestyle tend to keep to themselves. It's hard work, etc. You get the idea. People in smaller towns sometimes view "outsiders" with a suspicious eye and it can take time to fit in or make friends. As long as you have researched the new location, are realistic with your expectations of what the place has to offer (or not offer) and it still suits you, I think you will be fine! Good luck with your new move...enjoy the adventure!!!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 14 Feb 10 - 07:13 PM Refreshing this thread, because our dream is closer to reality. We have listed our house to sell, and will move with great relief. So.....hopefully in a few months we won't be living here! Houses in our part of Sydney are selling very quickly - goodness knows why because it's a bit daggy, but it's fairly central to a lot of other parts of Sydney - then we will have less traffic and a nicer outlook. We would really love to live on a few acres way out of town (the result of inconsiderate neighbours over the last several years here) but are realistic enough to know that we have left it a bit late. My inner hermit will have to be satisfied by being in a smaller town. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 14 Feb 10 - 07:35 PM Good for you, JennieG. I hope you absolutely love the change. As for finding simpatico music, I operate on an assumption that works for me: If a town has 1,000 inhabitants, at least 30 of them play and sing. Of those 30, at least 10 of them would like to find someone to sing and play with. I'm going to find those 10 people. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 14 Feb 10 - 10:02 PM True, Ebbie....there is a lot of music in the town we are moving to, and like seems to attract like, so I'm sure I will find at least one other person. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: CarolC Date: 15 Feb 10 - 12:29 AM I've gone from living in one of the largest megalopolises (the suburbs of Washington DC - a part of the megalopolis that stretches from Boston Massachusetts, to Atlanta, Georgia (USA), to a smallish city (Tulsa, Okahoma, USA), to living out in the middle of nowhere with the nearest neighbors being a mile away (and a few other places with very small populations). I love living out in the middle of nowhere, but I don't like not having easy access to the things I need, many of which are not always easy to find in a rural setting (I'm a vegetarian who has food allergies, so I need a good natural foods store in my vicinity). My compromise is to live in a very small city that has a population of around 100,000, and two pretty good natural foods stores (and a beach), and is not particularly close to any megalopolises.So far, we've been very happy here. Prior to living here, we also lived in a city that was a little bit bigger, but culturally, it just wasn't a very good fit for us (and it didn't have a beach). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: CarolC Date: 15 Feb 10 - 12:43 AM Oops. I noticed only after posting, that this thread is more than three years old. Ah well. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 15 Feb 10 - 01:35 AM No, Carol - I refreshed it earlier today! I'm interested in hearing people's experiences. Funny, in the US you call a city of 100,000 a "very small city", the town we are moving to has a population of 50,000 which, by Ozzie standards, is a "large country town". Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: CarolC Date: 15 Feb 10 - 11:03 AM I don't think my perspective is all that different from yours, JennieG. To me, 100,000 is right on the edge of the distinction I would make between a city and a town. I often have some difficulty deciding whether this place is a small city or a large town. I expect if this place had 50,000 people, I would also call it a large town. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: SINSULL Date: 15 Feb 10 - 11:29 AM Jennie, I moved from NYC with an uncounted population to South Portland, ME and have never looked back. South Portland (pop. 80,000?) is the fastest growing city in Maine and is getting too crowded for me. Sometimes my 10 minute commute to work takes 15. LOL - NYC commute was 1 hour 45 minutes. Mary |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 15 Feb 10 - 11:33 AM Juneau, Alaska, has only about 30,000 people on a narrow strip of coastline but it is considered an urban area because there is little or no farm land and there are no other towns within 4 hours' sail. And compared to the villages up and down the coast, this is the BIG town. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 Feb 10 - 03:03 PM Until our masters in Brussels changed the definition, the touchstone for "city" status was having a cathedral. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: gnu Date: 15 Feb 10 - 03:15 PM 40 years ago, Moncton, New brunswick, Canada (Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview) had about 40,000 peeps. We lived in the last subdivision in the north end. As soon as I left the back yard, it was field and woods. I now live in the house next door. From my back yard, I see a long, two storey apartment building. Just in the fields between my house and the brook I fished as a lad of 9 years old are $30M of apartment buildings. Just beyond the brook are "big box" malls with stores like Costco, Home Depot, Kent Building supplies, Walmart... and further, 20 or so HUGE hotels and motels, and soon, a casino. I used to bring home trout and partridge for supper. I still can, but it's not quite the same. The population of the Greater Moncton Area is well over 100,000 and the catchment population is around 350,000 (guestimate). I always figured I would move up Kent County when Mum decides to leave, but I am employment is scarce and I am a two minute drive from the hospital. At almost 53, with no wife or kids or dog, and not feeling well some days, my dream probably won't happen. Which kinda sucks because the peeps here CANNOT F'ING drive and they are rude... very, very rude. What is it about city life that has people always rushing and seldom being nice to each other? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 15 Feb 10 - 05:23 PM Bugger, I wrote a post and it disappeared into cyberspace! Wonder where it went - probably joined the other missing posts. Goonoo, you have hit the nail on the head. When cities get to a certain size they lose their soul and people stop caring about each other. Ebbie, Juneau is a city in THE most beautiful setting, we really enjoyed our visit and would love to go again! Here's where we are moving. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Tangledwood Date: 15 Feb 10 - 05:41 PM When cities get to a certain size they lose their soul and people stop caring about each other. Definitely! Throughout my working life I was transfered around the country from state capitals to isolated towns (e.g. Gove). In a city of a million people you can know nobody and feel quite alone whereas in a small community half the town are friends and you can enjoy social activities every night of the week. Your inner hermit can still stay at home if she wishes. Acreage living looks attractive but as in everything there's a catch. I live on a quarter acre block in an acreage area and see my neighbours spending many hours each week on their ride-on mowers. You don't want to spend your new free time tied down to maintaining your property. Good luck with the move Jennie, hope it all goes smoothly. Might see you again at the Nationals? Mal |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: gnu Date: 15 Feb 10 - 05:57 PM JennieG.... When cities get to a certain size they lose their soul and people stop caring about each other. Yeah... it`s a micro of the same thing that involves a country like Canada in killing Afghans for no real reason except field testing weapons and battle training troops. Peeps can`t get their grocery carts and big asses out of Mum`s 83 year old and nearly blind way at the grocery store... and our PM can`t stop killing peeps in Afghanistan... and can`t help the starving peeps in Canada while giving billions of dollars to rich corporations... because nobody gives a shit about anybody else. Sorry.... city life is gettin me down. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 16 Feb 10 - 12:46 AM Jennie - my maternal ancestors lived in Tamworth & surrounds from c.1840s & Chaffey Dam was named after my great aunt's brother-in-law & his son, both members of NSW parliament. When you move in, I can send you to Tamworth Local History Society to look up stuff! In the time you have left after visiting quilting shops & quilting groups. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 16 Feb 10 - 12:55 AM I'll be at the Nationals Mal, I'm volunteering again. Sandra, I remember the Chaffey family, the local MP when I was growing up was a Chaffey. And I plan to get involved with the historical society as my family moved to the area in the 1870s; my great-grandparents moved from Wollombi with three children and proceeded to have eight more. My grandfather was the seventh. Couldn't imagine Himself hooning around on a ride-on mower.....although on second thoughts, maybe I can. He used to race his ex-police Mini Cooper S before I knew him. Gnu, you need a shopping trolley to bash the legs of the peeps who won't get out of your mother's way. Don't know that you could go and bash Stephen Harper's legs though. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 16 Feb 10 - 01:36 AM Was Tamworth small enought for your relos to have known mine? My brother & I met your retired local member in the mid 70's. When he visited Sydney he stayed at a small inner-city pub (The Exchange in Darlinghurst) where we met him. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: CarolC Date: 16 Feb 10 - 02:34 AM While our little city has lost its small town atmosphere, our neighborhood is just like a small village. We're surrounded on all sides by either wild areas (meandering creeks and cypress swamps, and fields and trees), or graveyards, with only one road going in and out. Many of the people here either grew up here or lived here most of their lives. Everyone knows everyone else, and many of them are related in one way or another. We walk a couple of blocks to visit our friends frequently, and we've got a little park where people can have events and family reunions (and there's a canoe/kayak put in where the park goes down to the creek). Some of our neighbors hunt in the woods around the neighborhood, and we've got deer, foxes, bear, and alligators along with the smaller wildlife. I feel like it's the best of both worlds. When I look out the windows in the back and one of the sides of the house, all I see is trees. It's a lot like living out in the country, or in a very small town, but we have many of the conveniences of a small city. I don't know how unique our situation is, but I feel like we were very lucky to find our house. Here's our neighborhood... Love Grove |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Feb 10 - 02:40 AM I saw this thread, and the first thing I thought was, "Watch out for snakes." Hmmmm. I see that's what I said here in 2006, too. But now that I've lived in the country for 8 years, I have had no unpleasant encounters with snakes or any other animals - except for the rats that chewed the wiring on my car. I do wish I lived in a house that had a thermostat. Building a wood fire on a cold morning can be quite an ordeal. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 16 Feb 10 - 11:42 PM Carol, that's a lovely place to live....as you say, the best of both worlds! Joe, most snakes are more frightened of us than we are of them - that's really saying something, snakes are not my friends. The 'For Sale' sign was put on our front lawn this morning, it's all happening now. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Desert Dancer Date: 17 Feb 10 - 12:09 PM They've got an Eisteddfod... might be a sign of some folkie inclinations! Becky in Long Beach (transitioning from a city of ~85,000 that can often feel very small townish but which 4 years ago was feeling much too big, to the Los Angeles area -- hoping for a small town on retirement??) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: frogprince Date: 17 Feb 10 - 01:20 PM I've been grinning, reading things like Jerry's "our postage stamp of a City... only 5 miles long by a mile and a half wide, ... population of about 10,000. I grew up with a phone number listed under a town of about 250, our mailing address was under a town of about 100, and we attended school in a metropolis with 60 residents. Graduated from high school, went to school in Chicago, and wound up living in Chicago for 15 of the next 22 years. One example of a moment when, visiting back home, I knew that I didn't want to go back: a group of old friends at a social gathering got into a long debate over the merits of planting flat kernal vs round kernal corn. I really enjoyed (on the balance) city life for most of my time there. Then the negatives started to add up, rather abruptly: step out of a cafe smiling because you had been joking with the waitress, and a stranger would be in your face snarling "what are you grinning at"; pause on the street and wipe your eyes because some grit blew in them, and young thugs would start circling, homing in on what looked like a "victim" cue. (note: these were never racial minority pople). I never got brutalized, but I was getting fed up. I didn't actually flee the city, but life happened to bring me here to the fringe of a semi-rural town of 9,000. It was a little bit of a cultural jolt at first, but I found the local art association, there is actually a fair mix of music in town, and there are folk-focused groups 20 miinutes in one direction and 45 minutes in another direction. I've learned to like it here quite well. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 27 Feb 10 - 02:54 AM We have a buyer! Yesterday afternoon we signed the contract to sell our house, so provided all goes well we will be out of here in ten weeks - Friday 7th May. So two days later I will celebrate my birthday in our new house. Like frogprince, I am hoping the positives will outweigh any negatives in our new town. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Tangledwood Date: 27 Feb 10 - 03:07 AM Congratulations Jennie! :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Bobert Date: 27 Feb 10 - 08:35 AM Movin' to the country Gonna eat a lot of peaches... Nevermind... Congrates on the contract!!! Goin' to the country Gotta gte away... Nevermind... Yeah, I wouldn't live anywhere else as my primary residence... Okay, it would be nice to have a little apartment in Richmond so I could go down, play music and then not have to drive back but... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: maeve Date: 27 Feb 10 - 08:49 AM Congratulations, Jennie. I can't imagine any place that wouldn't count itself fortunate to have you and your husband live there. Have a happy adventure, maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Dharmabum Date: 27 Feb 10 - 08:50 AM Congrats Jennie! Wishing you a smooth transition. The biggest nuisance I've had so far,with living in the boonies,is those damn porcupines! Those things'll chew the brakelines right off of your car! I'm temporarily stuck back in civilization for the moment. God knows what kind of damage I'll find when I get back to the hills. DB. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 27 Feb 10 - 09:28 AM watch out for the wombats Jennie sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 27 Feb 10 - 12:19 PM Man o' day, you listed and sold your house in two weeks! That's not happening in the US anywhere, so far as I know. I know houses around here that have been up for sale for more than two years! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 27 Feb 10 - 05:34 PM Actually Ebbie, it was just over a week.....when we listed the house with the agent there are still a few more things to be done before tie sign can appear on our front lawn and the house picture can go in the local paper ads. This particular agent seems to be selling local properties quickly, which is why we chose him. We're flying to the country town on Wednesday, house shopping! Dharmabum, porcupines? what are these critters of which you speak? I don't think we have porcupines in Oz, however we do have echidnas . Sandra, i know there are wombats in the hills to the south-east - we saw one last year. Unfortunately it hadn't quite made it safely across the road. The road at that point was a narrow dirt track, so it was one very unlucky wombat. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Dharmabum Date: 27 Feb 10 - 08:02 PM Here you go Jennie, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine DB. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: maeve Date: 27 Feb 10 - 10:09 PM Dharmabum's Porky link maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 28 Feb 10 - 06:06 AM I didn't know porkies were that big! I always thought they were little and cute......like echidnas are. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 28 Feb 10 - 06:26 AM Ebbie, our real estate market is moving well - last week friends bought a fancy apartment in my street within hours of it being listed. When the seller moves out, I'll wander in with the new owners for a look at the building. They'll be renting it for a few years before moving in. The building is an old (c. 1920s??) 4-storey building that has an extension of several stories at the back & is very upmarket! My building & most of the other buldings in the street are same height & similar dates & not so classy. The other side of our street is 2 huge modern buildings (15 storey award winner & overwhelming 38 storey tower) sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Dharmabum Date: 28 Feb 10 - 09:42 AM Yes Jennie, Not only are they not little & cute,but getting too close to one will leave a lasting impression. Maeve,thanks for setting that link. I guess I'm outta practice on that blue clicky thing. DB. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 28 Feb 10 - 10:59 AM JennieG, given your craft(s)y interests, you may be interested to know that many beaders in Alaska utilize porcupine quills in their earrings and such. The quills are hollow so craftspeople snip off the pointy ends and lace them onto their own designs. Snipped quills are about one and a half inches long. One beader I know told me that it's easy to gather the quills (they are in great demand). She said to take a sponge bat and make a pass at the critter. The sponge will collect oodles of quills which you can then take home. So the next time you come to Juneau we'll get you some... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 28 Feb 10 - 04:13 PM You did, Ebbie....you gave me some on my one and only visit to Juneau, I haven't used them yet though. Commonsense should have told me that the larger quills come from larger animals than our little echidnas. On our (also one and only) visit to the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada - now that's a fascinating place - we saw some moccasins and boots decorated with beads and/or quills. But I would still like to return to Juneau, I loved it. Just the thought of packing up almost 23 years' worth of living is giving me a touch of the vapours. We have decided that we are not going to have a garage sale - anything we don't want will be donated to the Salvation Army to sell in their stores. They have done well out of what we have cleaned out so far, and there is a lot more to come. As far as we know, the money is used for welfare programs for people who need it more than we do. But they are not getting my fabric stash........ Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: kendall Date: 28 Feb 10 - 04:35 PM There is no city that I would choose to live in. Edinburgh is my favorite, but it is too big. Where we live the loudest sound at night is grass growing. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 28 Feb 10 - 05:47 PM Jennie - I'm off fabric hunting today. With my stash of 4 shoeboxes of Japanees fabrics ya'd think I'd have 2 small pieces (less than A4 size) of fabrics that go with a 3 colour Japanese braid I have. I'm making a small bag for that competition on Saturday! The one I started didn't work, fooey. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Dharmabum Date: 28 Feb 10 - 05:56 PM I'm with you Kendall. I'd have a tough time living in the city. When I'm up at my place,I can listen to the spring water trickling down the hill behind the house,and the bullfrogs in the pond. Though,them "peepers" do tend to make a racket in the spring. DB. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 28 Feb 10 - 06:23 PM I forgot that I'd found the quills for you, JennieG. but if you come back, we'll find something else for you! Do you scrapbook? I know some scrapbookers. I also know a lot of quilters- so cme back when you have more time. I remember what it is like to live where the grass grows loudly. On the other hand I also remember having trouble sleeping the first week or so when I moved to the residential section of a small town after having lived in the boondocks with a stream at my window and trees all around. - it was too quiet! I would gladly trade where I now live for where I am housesitting. This is a fairly large house in a residential section with a large back yard and with windows in every direction, some overlooking a quiet, grassy cemetery. .Lovely. Where my apartment is - and where I will have to return in a week and a half- is in the hub of city streets, a spot where I am in earshot of four or five bars with all the nightlife that goes with it. My friends' house, where I am housesitting, has an apartment below- small but with lots of windows. I remember that years ago they asked me if I would consider moving into it- but I was committed to a different place and said no. Since then, they have spread out their own hobbies and the apartment is now in full use, with everything from a drafting table, a painting table, a beading table and counter, a sewing machine and large cutting table and lots more.. (S)he who hesitates is lost. Pity. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 28 Feb 10 - 07:47 PM Ebbie, pity indeed.....none of us know what's around the corner! The house we really really loved has been sold, so we have missed out on it, but that's OK - we obviously weren't meant to have it. Second choice is still available and we have booked an inspection on Thursday morning. Kendall, it's right on the edge of town, with hills behind and a view over the town across the valley. You can keep your oceans and lakes, lovely though they are; give me hills any time. Gotta have hills. Cheers Jennie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: kendall Date: 01 Mar 10 - 02:40 AM We have hills, ocean, mountains and lakes. My favorite hills are the Grampians but they won't sell them. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 12 Mar 10 - 08:21 PM It's done, we have sold this house and bought another. Not our first choice (which we missed out on), not even the second (which turned out to be too small, too many steps and quite a steep driveway, not good for knees), or even the third. It was further down the list, but having seen it we like it better than the others and it certainly suits our needs. It has bushland the other side of the back fence which is apparently a bird sanctuary, so Binky The World's Friendliest Cat will find herself confined to barracks forever more, although she is a mouser not a birder. (Bianca The Beautiful is an indoor can already) And it has a lovely view across the valley from the front verandah. At this stage official moving-out day is Friday 7th May so I may be celebrating my birthday in our new house. The land in that area was part of an army camp during WWII, and my father was stationed there - that's where my parents met, she was a Tamworth girl and he was from Melbourne. So I suppose that's how I came to be. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: maeve Date: 12 Mar 10 - 08:44 PM Ah...Jennie that sounds lovely! I'm enjoying imagining you two moving your treasures to your new home. What a gift to be near a bird sanctuary, and to have a view also! Best wishes for a minimally tumultuous packing-moving-settling in transition. I'm delighted for you. maeve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Tangledwood Date: 12 Mar 10 - 08:44 PM That sounds wonderful Jennie. Hmmm, Tamworth. Can you play banjo and yodel? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: katlaughing Date: 12 Mar 10 - 09:23 PM Congratulations, Jennie. That really does sound lovely! Keep us posted, please, at your pleasure. Birthday in your new house? That would be a treat. ATB, kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 13 Mar 10 - 01:02 AM Thank you, maeve! I'm not looking forward to the actual move but settling in will be enjoyable, I'm sure, once I get used to the pink walls. I've never been a pink girl. We can repaint but it's only a few walls, so I might live with them until we decide otherwise. Ah...no, Mal, I can play guitar and ukulele, and yodel a very little bit....very little.....we might just hunker down in January and not stick our noses out the door. On the other hand, it could be fun and hopefully there might be some good music that isn't just pop with a country beat. Thanks Kat - my birthday this year is on Mother's Day so we might have a quiet one! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 13 Mar 10 - 02:59 AM Jennie, folks like Jason & Chloe can get to Tamworth, & they certainly aren't pop with a country beat! Tho Chloe can yodel. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 09 Apr 10 - 10:05 PM Official moving-out day has been brought forward to Wednesday 5th May, so it's all getting closer! In just three weeks I will be gong to Tamworth, Himself will drive our car and caravan and then leave me there while he comes back to be here for the packers - I will be staying in a local caravan park for a few days so I am on the spot to collect keys when hand-over time arrives. I plan to take my guitars (and uke too of course) with me rather than trust them to the removalists. It's funny.....we have lived in this house for nearly 23 years, but while we have been happy living and bringing up our sons here, we have no pangs about leaving. The thought of having a lovely view from the front verandah, and bushland over the back fence, is so nice to look forward to. We like the idea of being being bushies instead of city slickers. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 29 Apr 10 - 03:46 AM Moving day has been put back to Friday 7th May again because of our purchaser. But never mind, it is getting closer - day after tomorrow I won't be here. Our cats are flying and boarding for a few days, as the alternative.....taking two cats on a car journey of at least six hours.......doesn't bear thinking about. We have told them they will enjoy their holiday but I don't think they are convinced. When I get to Tamworth I will suss out what there is in the way of do-it-yourself music. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: katlaughing Date: 29 Apr 10 - 04:16 AM This is so exciting. You'd be surprised what cats can put up with in a car, as long as they are confined and have water and it's not too hot. We drove from New England to Wyoming, over the course of 4 or 5 days with six birds, a dog, and six cats! Oh, and a turtle.:-) Have fun regardless...it's going to be so nice from the sounds of it! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 29 Apr 10 - 06:22 AM Thank you Kat.....it will be lovely! Just over a week to go now. It will be better for the cats if they aren't here when the packers come, and there is no chance of them escaping through an open door if they are not here. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 29 Apr 10 - 07:32 AM or getting packed in a box! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 29 Apr 10 - 10:23 AM Is there such a label as a 'city bushie'? It sounds wonderful. I have long thought I would like to live next to a Sate or National park. Not only could no one build there but I'd have all those miles to roam. I like to move. And I like to unpack. Until it gets down to 'miscellaneous'; I can never decide where those go. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 16 May 10 - 02:36 AM Well, we have moved and are in our lovely new house! The reserve on the other side of the back fence has lots of birds including some lovely parrots, and there is a small mob of kangaroos who visit from time to time - the other day they hopped out of the bush as we were having breakfast, it was a delight to see. I don't think the cats saw them, I would love to see the looks on their little furry faces if they saw the "giant mouthe"......remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon? "It'th a giant mouthe, Father, a giant mouthe!" Haven't yet had a chance to suss out what's avail in do-it-yourself music, but that will come. I have met a couple of women from the local quilt group, and one of them sings in a choir as well! So there may be hope for me there too. The unpacking is proceeding slowly, the kitchen and our bedroom are done and over the next couple of days I will decide how I want my sewing space to be. We had no computer access until a little while ago because we hadn't found the box with the cables and bits, but all is now up and running. While it hasn't been long we are very glad we took the step of getting out of the city; sitting on our back patio (aka the beer garden) watching the bush has taken years of stress from us both. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 16 May 10 - 04:58 AM welcome back! good to see you first priority was the quilting group & good karma to find a singer there, too life will be good with roos brekkie-ing at the next table! sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 16 May 10 - 08:45 AM So long as they stay on their side of the fence..... Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 16 May 10 - 11:03 AM Keep us in the loop, JennieG- I'd love to hear about a typical - or not so typical - day! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Joe Offer Date: 16 May 10 - 04:28 PM Are ticks just an American thing? Since I moved to the sticks, I get a tick bite every year or so. I just got over a case of poison oak, and now I have a tick bite, down where the sun never shines. Ouch!!!And then there's snakes.... But I love it here. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Leadfingers Date: 16 May 10 - 04:57 PM Sounds Great Jennie ! Let us know when you start the Tamworth Folk Club ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: SINSULL Date: 16 May 10 - 05:13 PM Oh WOW. Imagine looking out a window and seeing kangaroos. Blessings on you and your new home. Treasure it. SINS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Tangledwood Date: 16 May 10 - 05:46 PM Any day which starts by sitting back watching and listening to the wildlife has got to be a good one. Your new place sounds wonderful Jennie. It's quite surprising how a good location can change your attitudes. Get woken in the night by a noisy neighbour and we get irate and all wound up. Get woken by a possum on the roof and you think "how cute", roll over and go back to sleep. Joe - yes, we have ticks here unfortunately. I usually only seem to pick them up in long grass or bushes. Unpleasant, and with a long lasting itch for humans, they can kill domestic pets. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 17 May 10 - 07:30 AM Sins, we couldn't believe it either.....being able to see kangaroos from our kitchen window is really something. The other day we saw a kookaburra fly down from its perch on a tree branch into the grass and come up with a mouse. While we've often seen kookas before we have never seen one catching its dinner in front of us. Joe, yes indeed, Oz has ticks. In the early 70s my lovely young grey and white cat Smokey (geez - what an original name eh) was bitten by a tick and it was touch and go for a day or two, but she recovered and went on to live to be 15 before she crossed the rainbow bridge. And you are right about the noisy neighbours too, we haven't heard much from the neighbours at all yet even though one family has three kids. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: katlaughing Date: 17 May 10 - 12:08 PM Congratulations, Jennie! That sounds so lovely...esp. the birds and 'roos! How kewl is that! Sounds as though you are doing the unpacking in a good way..planned and not rushed. Please do keep us posted...this will be fun to learn more. Ticks pass on Lyme's disease which can cause all kinds of problems. Using a spray, wearing long white socks with pants tucked in and long sleeves, can all help to repel them. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 18 May 10 - 01:43 AM Freshen up |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 18 May 10 - 04:20 AM I will put pics on my blog - one is up already, of the view we see each time we step out the front door. I took that a couple of months ago when we first looked at the house. If you click on the pic to enlarge it, you can see the view south-west-ish across the valley. We spent most of today out and about, so tomorrow I will unpack a few more cartons. I want to get my sewing/music space organised......that's very important to me. I've slowed down with the unpacking though, the arm I broke last October has been giving me trouble (both radius and ulna bones were broken at the wrist end) as I think I was a bit too enthusiastic unpacking the kitchen stuff and my clothes. But I am looking forward to finding my Bernina sewing machine though! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Ebbie Date: 18 May 10 - 11:09 AM Hi! Just back from reading the last page of your blog. Interesting and fun. And please post more pictures- that's a great one of hills and valleys. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: wysiwyg Date: 18 May 10 - 02:21 PM Have any Catters done this - moved away from the big city, and survived? Any pitfalls? The one to avoid is thinking that you know [anything] better than locals. They always know more. They will not share it unless they feel respected (unless there is something wrong with them), more than once or twice. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 18 May 10 - 09:14 PM Country folk have a very active bullshit meter.....you can't put much past them. The people we have met so far have been very welcoming, and friendly. Himself has joined a local lawn bowls club and I have been invited along to a local quilt group at the end of this month too. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: wysiwyg Date: 19 May 10 - 01:17 PM Yes, that is exactly what the rural folk here call it too. Here's a snip of what we learned from them: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=129212&messages=172 ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: open mike Date: 20 May 10 - 06:45 AM have you seen any wombats at your new place? We have a group of wombats here the initials are from their name: Woman's Mountain Bike and Tea Society.. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 20 May 10 - 07:43 AM LOL, Laurel - that's good! Have also heard Waste Of Money, Brains And Time - to call someone a 'wombat' is therefore not a compliment. No wombats here unfortunately......or perhaps fortunately, as they be destructive when they dig. And wombats dig where wombats want to dig. Never mind about the humans' fence or wall...... Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 10 Jan 11 - 05:13 PM Having a revisit of this thread, just because I felt like it! We have been here for over eight months now and are so pleased we moved. Since coming here the town has had a few floods (nowhere near any houses though) and is getting itself into gear for the country music festival (locals call it The Festival) held each January, when the population of about 50,000 more than doubles. Looks as though numbers may be down this year because the floods in Queensland, to the north, are keeping away many people who would normally not miss it. Local reaction to The Festival varies from enjoyment, to tolerance, to dislike, to vitriolic hatred. It's interesting....... I have joined two choirs and two quilting groups, and volunteer each Monday at a small college, I'm now their librarian. Himself was shanghaied onto a committee at his lawn bowls club, he grumbles but I think secretly enjoys it. However I am still disappointed by the lack of do-it-yourself music here - I am hoping that The Festival may throw up something. I met a local bloke and we got together to play music a couple of times, but he has been away for a few months. He's tempting me with country music and I am throwing some folk at him - he had never heard Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" before, but loves it. The view over the valley is still there, and the birds are still in the reserve over the back fence. We love it. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 10 Jan 11 - 06:01 PM I'm listening to the radio where flood reports are the order of the day - a reporter in Toowoomba, one of the many flooded areas, was driving down a suburban road, fortunately following a Greyhound bus & saw it drive into water that was up to it's wheel walls so chucked a very smart youie (U-turn)& got out of there fast. Other cars followed the bus (authorities are telling folks NOT to drive into water) & he found out later that people had died in the area. Death toll set to rise after flash floods On a lighter note, enjoy the bit of The Festival you participate in! If there is 1 known muso in a city of 50,000 people that calls itself the Country Music Capital of Australia, there must be a few more lurking in the suburbs! Even if you have to educate them in folk music. sandra ps. JennieG is hundreds of kms from the really big floods, but there are smaller floods in many river systems |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Joybell Date: 11 Jan 11 - 03:09 PM Jennie -- so good to read about your adventures. We moved to the "Bush" -- volcanic plane actually -- 15 years ago. I was born and raised in Melbourne. A really good move. It's great you are so happy with your move. Cheers, Joy |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Leadfingers Date: 11 Jan 11 - 07:15 PM Can I put in a VERY small moan ?? Looked through The Blog and the piccies were ALL of bits of (Very pretty) Cloth - I would be happy with piccies of Roos from the back Porch and such !! Glad you ARE settled na d I am STLL waiting to hra about the Tamworth Folk Club ! The Festival could well be Good Fun . if its not TOO amplified ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: maeve Date: 11 Jan 11 - 07:33 PM Leadfingers, Sir: No small moans unless they are stitched together into a quilt of complaints. You agree, Jennie and Sandra? Jennie, I'm glad you're settling in and finding a comfortable fit. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: JennieG Date: 11 Jan 11 - 09:46 PM Well, Terry, I do occasionally cut up bits of coloured fabric and sew it back together again......sometimes it's for a quilt, and sometimes it's clothing to wear......the world is not yet ready for the alternative! We haven't seen the roos for quite some time. Must be....oh....a month or more ago now, when a few of them hopped out of the bush up on the hill and hopped just outside our fence. It was autumn going into winter last year when we saw them frequently, so perhaps they will be back at the same time this year. There are three horses who visit occasionally, and we have been told by locals that roos don't like horses - ergo, if the horses are around the roos won't be. The first time our cats saw the horses was very funny, being city girls they had never seen anything like that, and the looks of aghast consternation on their little furry faces was priceless to see. Our back yard is quite small, only a few metres from the house to the fence, but with a whole reserve on the other side it feels as though our yard goes on forever. We have had so much rain that it's all very lush and green. Friends visited recently on their way back to Sydney, and they spent quite a time just sitting in the beer garden gazing over the fence, relaxing. As do we. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 12 Jan 11 - 09:38 AM my latest bits of coloured fabric sewn together! 80 one inch squares for a doll quilt. sandra thread with 80 squares picture in case the earlier link doesn't work |
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Subject: RE: BS: Moving out of the city From: Bonzo3legs Date: 13 Jan 11 - 07:54 AM Booked for The King's Speech naturally. |
