Helen Nicolaysen (Thompson)

Mike, I'd like to recommend a very pleasant place to stay during the winter with ideal temperatures, tons of sunshine, and cheap golf. We've been in Hemet, CA, Golden Village RV Resort since November 1, 2012, and will be heading back to Colorado on April 1, 2013. 75% of the people here in the park are Canadians, however we've not met an unfriendly person this entire winter! This park has 3 heated pools, 3 hot tubs, Pickle Ball, Volley Ball, Putting Green, Shuffle Board Building (looks like a bowling alley inside the building), exercise gym with tons of equipment, large club house with continuous activities all winter long, laundry, 5 or 6 full size pool tables, party rooms, computer room and library, clean and well groomed all the time, security gates, and within an hour away from LA, Tiajuna, gamling, ocean, and mountains. Shopping areas in Hemet and nearby areas and population similar to Bloomington. Yes there is crime here as in most areas, however it is minimal. Nights are cooler, but days are mostly beautiful. They say that summers are very hot here, however since we're snowbirds, we depart prior to the hot weather. Look it up on the net as follows: goldenrv@sunlandrvresorts.com

This is our second winter here and we love it!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Helen:   That all sounds great and entertaining!

Mike: Helen's idea sounds so fun!   If however, you are looking for ethnic social diversity, artistry, architecture, and for  food and apparell areas, then I suggest the following places that might allow you to experience life outside of your norm.  You might be able to stay in one of these places or move from place to place after you have absorbed what you are looking for in an experience.

Old Mesilla, NM: It has an old fashioned plaza, a lot of history, Mexican flavor in architecture, food, clothing, and is fairly small.  It is ony a few miles from Las Cruces.  The Fountain family were early pioneers there and their family are friends of mine.  In fact they own and run the Gadsden Museum.  The Mimbres ruins are nearby as well as the Cave Dwellings by Lake Roberts. You will find many different tastes of Mexican food here.

Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, TX:  The Tigua Indians and their life is on display that includes their food, dancing, clothing, history, and architecture.   It is the site of the real "First Thanksgiving" in the U.S.

New Braunsfels, TX:  Allows a German influence in all of the above, plus it is closely located to the Slidderbahn.  You can float down the Rio for a few miles in an innertube while wearing a hat that holds beer!

Baton Rouge, LA: It is comfortably and happily multi-ethnic, with great food, shotgun houses from history as well as plantations, and is continually interesting.   The music makes you have happy feet!  Crawfish (Texas lobster), Cajun food, Creole food, French food, to include Fried green tomatoes and Pecan Pralines, with several small delicious Gourmet restaurants. It is so interesting to see and hear all of the homemade things that are used to make music.  You have to be careful not to fall in love with it so much that you can't leave!  The gorgeous live oak trees with the hanging moss on starlit nights make it feel like a movie from a love story!   Be careful!  You have to try the coffee and binets, etc. There is a mix of African food blended with French and American food that is just delectable!

Port Aransas, TX:  You will find Mex-Tex everything......including the fishing and shrimping.  The fish is so inexpensive and delicious!

Del Rio, TX:  Amstead Lake for great fishing.  Is just across the border from Mexico on the Pecos River.  Wild pigs are in abundance and are hunted.  You would find Mexican food and a lot of Texas "country cookin'. (It is what I refer to as Redneck 'shit-kickers' delight!   You can find some of this at Caddo Lake, TX too! (on the border of Louisiana)

These are only a few places off the top of my head.   If you want more ideas, just let me know.

Good luck.  Linda

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Mike:

I forgot to include Hillsboro, NM.  It is what many refer to as an artsy-fartsy community.  Quiet, a lot of artists and their art for sale, with adobe houses that remind you of yesteryear.  One or two restaurants and extremely quiet.  It is extremely quaint and picturesque of our desert!

Linda

Michael (Mike) Franks

Thank you Linda and Helen. I appriciate your help and I intend check out all of your suggestions. I like the southwest, although I perfer to stay away from AZ. I think it's time to discover other places to live. Illinois has become very undesirerable and there aren't that many connections here anymore.

Thanks again. I'll keep you posted.      Mike

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Mike:

Boy do I understand!   I won't move back to Bloomington (although I miss family and friends) because of the taxes in Illinois: state income tax, estate taxes, and inheritance taxes.  I have to settle for visiting.

You are welcome to pass through here.  I can show you several places in NM.

My daughter is trying to get me to retire in Longmont, CO to be near her in Boulder.  That doesn't thrill me either.

But it would be a good plan to visit places so you don't have to move more than once to find a place where you think you'll be comfortable.

Good luck!

Linda

Victor Jackson

If I can get in on this we have been looking at medford  OR!  A little snow, and cold, rain in the summer, green all year! People say thank you and hold doors for you, Very little crime. All the fishing, hunting, gambling you could want!  1 hour to the beach. But don't let this get out or all the over the hill people will be moving!

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Victor:

Happy to have you enter into the conversation.  I hope you will enjoy Medford.   It is nice.

However, my daughter and her family lived in Oregon for 7 years, in Eugene and Corvallis.   Especially in Eugene, there was a problem with moss growing on the roofs.  Annually, people had to protect their roof to keep the moss from causing rot in their roof.  They would either have to get on the roof and scrape it off, then treat with bleach to retard growth, or pay someone else to do it.   Also, there are long periods without sun that causes SADS.  Special lights are used to help compensate for it.   But, the condition does present a higher rate of suicide.

When it is nice, it is very nice and abundant with organic grown berries, fruits, and vegetables.  It just depends if that is what you're interested in at this stage of life.

Good luck to you too!

Linda

Gerald (Jerry) Plummer

Mike, If it's taxes you wish to avoid, don't consider California. We;'re among the highest if not the highest taxed population in the country.  Recently read an article (yes paper not iPad) which ranks Illinois as the number one state for resident migration as a percent of population.  California is currently loosing about 3 mil annually, which I recall places us second or third and is fine with me.  Point of the article is the problem migration creates for state budgets which project X$ revenue from a shrinking tax base.

All that being said, Kate and I live part-time in Carnelian Bay, California in the Lake Tahoe region.  We can still leave doors unlocked at night, people are friendly and when there is work to be done on the home, we simply hand the contractor, plumber, carpenter a key to enter and exit the home if we're down in the Bay Area.  Never had a problem, the keys are always returned and the bills come in at the quoted amount.  Never leave your key with a bear, however, they'll tear up the place.  However, let's not also discuss the cost for a gallon of gas.

Victor Jackson

Ed Stanfield

I am considering spending winters in the Baldwin County area of Alabama. It is on Mobile Bay, (on the esat side) away from all the development. Bay Minette, and the surrounding area remind me of Alabama in the 1950's and i do feel at home there, even tho it is at the opposite end of the state from my home.

I know we have folks staying in Gulf Shores, but that is waaay too touristy for my taste

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Over the course of this last year I kept track of times when there wasn't any activity on this venue.  I was trying to get a feeling of why it would be silenced for a week or more at a time.  So .........I began to experiment with asking a question or reacting to others input.

I noticed that if someone started a conversation to someone, or a statement, then others reacted.  It seems that few people would initiate communication.

So I find this puzzling!   Why....at our age, a lifetime of experiences.............do people hold back and not just say what they would like?   Are they afraid of: hurting feelings, feeling embarrassed, not interested, bored,  not stimulated by communication, or what?  I don't want to appear too wordy by being on it every day.   But people.......everybody/or any of us can participate every day.

I look forward to seeing what you all think.   Everyone will probably have a different opinion.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter!

Love to all, Linda

Judy Tynan (Danielson)

Ed,  We have spent the last 3 winters in Gulf Shores, Ala and love it.  We have met alot of wonderful people from there and of course alot of snowbirds from Indiana, Michigan & Wisconsin.  Spent 7 winters in Mesa, Az , love the region but the people leave atot to be desired.  We were joined in Alabama this year with Ron, Marsha (Hutson) Brownfield, Rita(Moore) and Jim Duncan, Carol (McCauley) Alan Swartz.  Next year  Helen (Nickolayson)  Tommy Thompson will also join us.  Always a good time, good food and beautiful beaches.  If you decide to locate to Bay Minnet during the winter, please be sure to look us up.

Victor Jackson

It would not let me on to post for the last 2 days

Helen Nicolaysen (Thompson)

Judy, I couldn't resist giving you a hard time about knowing you longer than anyone else and reading how you slaughtered the spelling of my last name? Do ya think it could possibly be CRS or what? (HA HA) Just in case you need a little coaching, my maiden name is spelled NICOLAYSEN. Is that pronounced Huchie-Coochie or something like that? Hopefully by the time I see you in June, you will have done your homework, because there's going to be a spelling B to see how many of us can spell names of people we've met over the course of our life times and hint hint, my maiden name will be included in the test! TEE HEE! ONLY KIDDING YOU! HA HA!

Terry (Max) Maxwell

Helen...

I didn't hang around with you in high school, but I did notice yesterday that Judy spelled you last name wrong.  C'mon Judy, don't play the old age card now!  Helen... is that Spelling B or Spelling Bee?  Ok... I'll go back to just quietly reading the Message Forum every day and quit being a smart a**.

Max

Helen Nicolaysen (Thompson)

Max...............that "B" is the new text way................C'mon Gramps, get with it! HA HA!  Guess we're just NOT HEP ANYMORE? S'pose?  Guess I didn't realize others know how to spell my maiden name too? Thought I'd mention that while my Mom was still living she had to correct ME on the spelling of my own name! And I wasn't even a Sr. at that time!  What's my excuse? TEE HEE! Silence IS Golden for you Max! HA!

Terry (Max) Maxwell

Helen... 

I understand the 'B'... IF you were texting, but you weren't!  :)  I don't know that I would have spelled your name correctly, but I knew there wasn't a 'k' in it. 

Max

Judy Tynan (Danielson)

Helen, sorry about misspelling your last name.  As soon as I hit send I realized what I had done.  I used to excell in spelling when I was alot YOUNGER, but that seems to have gone away as I grow older.  Sorry about that .  Anyway, you git (?) my drift???

I also used to beable to cook without recipe's too, if you care.  Looking forward to seeing you in June.  Did you make your reservations yet?

Welcome home. I hope all was well when you got there.

Helen Nicolaysen (Thompson)

Judy, all is good at home EXCEPT it's not as warm here as in SO. Cal! Darn it! And No I haven't made reservations yet, but plan to do so on Monday! We got home late afternoon then Friday and Saturday (we're still getting settled). It's easier getting ready to leave for 5 months than coming home and putting it all away again! Guess we got waaaaaaaaaaaaay too relaxed!

I was only kidding around with you about the spelling BEE (Max)! See you in June! Another fun thing to look forward to ahe? Been around too many Canadians all winter ahe? And FYI, you ARE A WONDERFUL COOK! AND I'm glad you're following the recipe's because I DO CARE!

Victor Jackson

Gerald (Jerry) Plummer

Well regardless of the calendar, winter is officially over.  Did a little skiing with three of our grandchildren last weekend at Lake Tahoe.  Snow was very wet and heavy.  Time to put the boards away until next season but as you all know, any time spent with the grandchildren is a blast.

Helen, during our trip to Palm Desert while the temperatures in SoCal did warm as the week progressed, on our way down, between Tehachapi and Mojave, it snowed the entire way.  And, the grapevine was closed.  So much for warm, sunny Southern California.  Not a nice way to welcome visitors from the North.  We did wave as we passed above Hemet, however.  By the way, I will defer to sounder judgement and avoid any attempt at spelling your maiden name.

GO GIANTS!!

Helen Nicolaysen (Thompson)

Jerry, due to the aging process, I wasn't able to see your wave, however I did think of you passing through! My brother and sister-in-law gave us the grand tour of SanFrancisco (Northern CA.) area. Water temperatures only vary by 2 degrees during the summer months at Lake Tahoe. Waters are clear as can be, but ever so cold. Did you wear your Wet Suits to help keep you warm? Maybe in 2 more years, when we return to Hemet, CA., we can meet you for lunch somewhere and reminsce about the good ole' days! I do recall the Grapevine being closed while there!

Michael (Mike) Franks

I can't help but feel a little bit older today. I have just read the news of the passing of Annette Funicello. Though she was a few years older than most of us, I felt that she was sort of an icon of our generation in our grade school years. It seems scary, when we are reminded of our mortality and just how short life really is. I would suggest that if you have someone in your life that you truly love; please tell them.  Hug your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, and your parents. Don't wait, because no one is guaranteed tomorrow.

Linda Bristow (Elias)

Mike:

I understand.  My tummy sank when I saw the news.   Besides being on the Mickey Mouse Club with Darlene, Cheryl, Cubby, Tommy, Bobby, and whoever I forgot..........she was also in the Spin and Marty series and several Beach Party movies with Frankie Avalon.  I too was one of those kids that excitedly watched for her appearance.   How fun that we got to live during her time to experience her work!   I think it's just a perk of our life.   Sometimes I wish I could of thanked them for sharing with us, though.  Bless her heart!

Linda

Michael (Mike) Franks

Linda, I'm glad that you responded. 

Those were the days when we were all so innocent. My, how things have changd in our lives. When I try to tell my children the way thing used to be, they just think that I'm an old windbag that can't let go of the past. Maybe they're right. I will say, that I'm glad that I grew up in the era that we did. I'm not ashamed to be old fashioned. If "The Mckey Mouse Club" was square.......so what!