Lundema Looking Back and Forward

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

By thy Rivers Gently Flowing Illinois, Illinois Part 1

2 years ago Gary and I set out on a quest to find a home in which to retire someday. Looking only in the on line realty sites I realized three things. The first was that we could not afford to live close to home. The second was that I wanted somewhere different. And lastly no fixer uppers! It must be move in ready. And so began our house hunting adventure into the land of the new homes.

We made a list of what we wanted and did not want in our future home/home site. First and foremost we wanted familiarity. We are Midwesterners. Although we love the beauty of Montana and Wyoming, we are not Westerners. I am the perpetual flatlander. There is something to be said for seeing the horizon line without having to tilt your head back. I also wanted to be able to hop in my car and drive a few hours to my sons should they need me. I would find it hard to live without Lake Michigan or Lake Superior being in close proximity. It was decided. Our search would cover Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and maybe Indiana or Minnesota. We began our hunt in Illinois.

We traveled first to the areas just beyond the suburbs of Chicago both west and north. Looking to downsize, we had no interest in the the new home builds which consisted mainly of 2 stories. Most of the one floor homes were in 55 and older neighborhoods. That does not appeal to me. We continued to look further and further west. Lordy, when God passed out the natural beauty sprinkles the wind must have blown them right through Illinois without allowing them touch land. Don’t get me wrong. I grew up here and I really am drawn to the beauty of the flat lands, the unending sky, the fields of corn and soy, the plowed tilled earth are all in my blood. However,when I wake up in the morning and sit with coffee in hand, I want to look out the window and smile at the beauty spread before me. There are a few beautiful places in Illinois, such as the river valleys, but one of our taboos was to not live on a river. As we continued our search we decided to include newer construction as well. Building from scratch is a lot of work! After a long exhaustive search there were many reasons we did not find Illinois appealing. The quest for the final home continued.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

1st real tree in 25 years!

The Search for My Own "Green Acres" The intro to our new home search

At 1am the sky was filled with stars. The air was silent. Getting up just before dawn, I find the day may bring snow. The stars have been replaced by the dull grey of morning clouds moving quite rapidly from the west. My husband, perusing his kindle for the weather, announces that the winds could hit 40mph. The tall oak beside my window is swaying in the breeze. It takes some doing to make that oak sway. Our home thermometer reads in the teens. Winter has finally come.

I have not written much since I turned 60. I am not sure why that number seemed to change things for me but it did. I felt the same way about 30. I could no longer blame my follies, my indecisiveness, and my inexperience on my youth. It was a number that marked, for me, my entry into adulthood. I am not sure why turning 60 made me rethink things but it did. I began to question my priorities. What possibilities await me? It is said that change is harder as one grows older. For me, to move, to switch careers, is like breathing. And I haven’t done that in quite some time. I had children to raise, parents to care for, a career to nourish. Well, the kids are grown and at least one is soon to be married. Gary and I cared for and buried our parents many years ago. As for my career, I am still wrestling with that. But wrestling will keep me growing and expanding.

One thing that Gary and I knew for sure was that we would not stay in the house we called home for the last 12 years. As beautiful as it is, as gorgeous our yard is, it is too big, too costly, too much work. And so our quest began, like Frodo and Samwise, like Jason and his Argonauts, like the Joads in “The Grapes of Wrath”…well perhaps not like any of these but it was a journey that ended happily. I know this because I am already at the end of the home search journey as I sip my coffee, finally writing again. It feels good.