June 6, 1944, was
the day that Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in order to force
the retreat of the German forces and the eventual defeat of the Nazis.
June 6 is also a
significant date for us, since it is the day that we will be starting to load
all of our moving boxes into the moving truck for the trip north.
So far in our 50+
years of marriage, we have moved 12 times. The move to New Mexico will be #13,
and almost certainly will be our last.
Moving is never
easy, and it seems like each one has presented its own unique challenges.
Our neighbors down
the street moved to New Mexico last year, and we though they were crazy, since
they were both well into their 70’s. Their main reason for the move was to be
closer to family, which is one of the most common reasons for moving. Now that
they are settled in, their move is starting to make more sense.
There was a time
in the not-too-distant past that we had vowed to never move again. We like the Tucson
area (in part because both of our children had moved here), and I really enjoy
working for the local school district, which provided a nice supplemental
income. Most importantly, we had established connections to a number of medical
professionals.
Our daughter now lives
just outside Durango, Colorado. Since she is a nurse, she was well aware of the
problems that people encounter as they got older – and she is right. Although
she is now a 10-hour drive from Tucson, she will be less than an hour away
after we move to Farmington, New Mexico.
The town that we
are moving to is large enough (just under 50,000 people) that it has all the restaurants
and grocery stores that we need, and it is also the home of the San Juan
medical center, which is an excellent medical facility,
Last year, Sharon
went through 2 major surgeries just a few months apart, and I recently
discovered that I may be needing some heart surgery sometime in the next year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_New_Mexico
By a happy coincidence,
Farmington is just a short drive to Aztec, which has one of the few remaining A
and W root beer stands in the country.
I had always been
under the impression that New Mexico was a “red” state, but that is no longer
true.
New Mexico has a
total of three legislative districts – and all three are Democratic.
I plan to continue
working for a few more years, but plan to retire for good when I hit 80. The
local school district has 4 high schools, 4 middle schools, and 11 elementary
schools.
Surprisingly, there
are some million-dollar homes in Farmington, so it is more affluent than you
might think. The home we are moving into is very similar to our current home,
and our monthly housing expenses will be very similar to what we are paying
now.
We started the packing
process in December. Although both of us have done our share, Sharon has done
the majority of the work, and we are now almost done with the process. Since we
will no longer be under any deadline after we move, the unboxing process can be
much more leisurely.
On the positive side,
we will less than 5 miles from the local library, an important consideration for
a couple who are avid readers. There is also a senior center in town
Farmington rarely
gets over 90 degrees, a nice change from Tucson, where temperatures can hit 115
degrees during June and July.
Moving is both terrifying and exciting, but it is a smart move for a couple who are not getting any younger.
Arizona has many
positive traits, and so does Tucson.
However, New Mexico
is now the “land of enchantment”.
How can you beat
that?
(New Mexico is called the "Land of Enchantment" due
to its stunning scenic beauty, vivid landscapes, and rich cultural history. The nickname highlights the state’s blend of
mountains, deserts, and artistic, multicultural atmosphere—featuring Native
American, Spanish, and Mexican influences. It was first used for tourism in
1935 and officially adopted in 1999.)
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