24/7 Chat About Anything

[camperdan]

^^^Problem is cheap apartments especially handicap accessible ones are maybe hard to afford and find. An apartment or condo in an over 55 community that may better accommodate an older persons mobility issues or assisted living are usually way more than the average person on Social Security can afford at least the ones I have looked into. One solution is to assist a younger person by buying a property and allowing them to live there in exchange for help maintaining the property with a rent to own type agreement. Another that I have seen work is a young widow who was about to loose her house was doing cleaning work for an elderly woman who through a mutual agreement, the elderly woman sold her house and build basically an apartment onto the house the cleaning woman was about to loose and move in. She lived there a few years comfortably until she passed and the cleaning woman inherited what the elderly woman had left which paid off her house which now had an apartment to rent and increased value. A good deal for both of them. Most RVs are not made to last but usually as long as you are mobile are the cheaper alternative. Many Escapees parks have become basic retirement communities but expensive as improved lots are in the majority of the openings. Cheap living near hospitals and in communities with elderly accommodations like medical transport and social services is difficult to find. More and more good friends are moving onto property together for mutual benefit.

What a great story. Thanks for sharing that with us nomads. Like many of you, I am in my late 70s, and follow the weather in an RV. I have been thinking about "plan B" and your mention of more good friends are sharing a piece of land resonated with me. That could reduce the amount of travel to find reasonable temperatures, as well as provide a
community where everyone would look out for each other. Wouldn't it be a great resource to have a website that had current info about land for sale, including availability of water, supplies, services, zoning. I would love to be able to rent a spot on 20-40 acres for a reasonable rate. The challenge for the land owner(s) would be to only allow "compatible"
people to share the land. I believe that a trial period being standard for anyone fairly unknown to participate.

I am always going to be a SW person, with a dry climate. AZ and NM are wonderfully blessed with charming smaller communities, as well as elevations of 3-8000 ft to suit the time of year. That being said, the idea of buying a small
stick and brick with someone totally compatible has a great appeal.

 

[NctryBen]

I’m not hashing over stuff we already know Carla…
I’m just saying we need to be proactive now… there should be a plan A that includes your nomadic lifestyle… and onward. I think travel around was extremely wise to hold out for the home she’s now in. That took a lot of patience and persevering… personally I’m ok out here. I have places I can go… truly blessed.

 

[maki2]

Travelaround already owned the land she rebuilt on. She appears to be happily now living her dream and that is all that counts. No judgements or comparisons to what she is doing is needed. Just remember she never did become a nomad even though she considered it.

I have aways enjoyed her post and t does not matter to me that she chose to live on a fine new cottage on her land in a small rural town. In fact think it is a very fine way of life. The best life is the one you chose… if you can make it work and be content with it.

 

[camperdan]

A couple of entries into this theme:
Todays' Atlantic has an article > The Friends Who Are Caring for Each Other in Older Age
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/...ving-friendship-dependence-elder-care/677410/
This could be applied to a "group" settlement for aging nomads such as many of us.

On the government program issue, we have occasionally touched on how Norway has one of the smallest homeless populations in the world, with only 0.07% of the total population being homeless. Part can be attributed to their "housing first" plan, but it has also been pointed out that this works because of the amount of housing is actually built or owned by their semi-socialist government. Personally, I think if that's all that is required to solve homelessness and senior housing, I'm all for it.

On the subject of social issues, I forgot to mention UBI (universal basic income), which has been shown through over a hundred studies, to be effective at lifting up many people on the verge of poverty, ill health, homelessness and staying
employed and present with family. Makes me smile when I think about how the gov"t could shine and demonstrate
what leadership really is.

 

[maki2]

OK safety net folks let’s talk about what your plans are for this week

 

[user 22017]

I’m not hashing over stuff we already know Carla…

I sincerely don't know what you meant by this, because there was not even one example:

Like I say… government programs drive up property taxes forcing people out of their homes and landlords to have to sell houses because rent isn’t able to cover their costs anymore.

Well, except keep jobs at home and keep people working… but there we go… government regulations make it impossible for that to happen.

 

[vanbrat]

The weather is now getting into the 70s up at Lake Havasu City. That means the Nomadic population in Quartzsite is continuing to downsize quickly. Not sure when I will head north but for now I am content where I am with this good weather and better cellular speeds.
Now that there is some excellent weather it is time for me to start tackling some routine outside maintenance's chores on my car and trailer.

I am a bit jealous as we might get up to 50 and all the news people are saying it is so warm..... Nope not warm just not as cold as it has been got to play in frozen mud puddles this morning with the kidos we cracked ice and poked ice down the slide and stomped on ice and even threw some against the fence.

 

[maki2]

I am a bit jealous as we might get up to 50 and all the news people are saying it is so warm..... Nope not warm just not as cold as it has been got to play in frozen mud puddles this morning with the kidos we cracked ice and poked ice down the slide and stomped on ice and even threw some against the fence.

Vanbrat, maybe next year you will get to join the snowbirds.

 

[vanbrat]

Vanbrat, maybe next year you will get to join the snowbirds.

I have not totally given up on this year. If the new scans show no cancer we are going to Florida so I can kayak with the Manteis... We will find out next week. If we have to stick around here at least I have a really fun job

 

[Malamute]

What good story , even though sad parts are there. I think many of us nomads are thinking about "Plan B".....where do
we want to end up if we need to / want to stop traveling or following the weather. In have met a couple of people who
want to buy land and start a community, including gardens and a community space. I would love to be part of a community, away from cities but near enough to basic services. Maybe at a middle elevation to avoid temperature extremes. In AZ and NM there are many elevations to choose from. Around 4500 FT would be a reasonable 4-season elevation.

What do some of you think about a Plan B? How many of you have thought much about this? What does yours look like?

Plan A for me hasnt been to be full time nomad. Its a part time seasonal plan for me to escape winter, so semi-nomadic seasonally. A friend that sold his place in the Rockies is now full time nomad and currently in Quartzite. When I mention how much I dislike winter now he keeps telling me to just sell my place and go full time nomad...I did it in my 20s, I really dont want to do it again full time. I know I could if I had to but I dont have to. I have tons of junk, junk I like, motorcycle projects and other things, a cabin I built, a shop I need to get built, none of which I choose to dispose of, its things I enjoy doing. Same for a couple vehicle projects. Swap transmissions and I'll have the 95 suburban running so I can go offroad exploring again, It can all sit over the winter when i snowbird. On the longer horizon, if I get the other cabin set up, Ill have space to have someone younger to come take care of me in my geezerhood when I get older. The younger widow idea sounds feasible.

The group land thing is tough. People are not easy. If land is for sale, how would you only allow nomads? Anyone looking for affordable land would be able to buy, and theres all sorts of people looking. Some may wish to buy, build, and sell, raising the values, taxes and all that. the group thing sounds good on paper, but Im not sure how workable it is. Im not sure how many people I already know and like that Id want to live next to.

In watching various travel/adventure videos, a guy went through a small desert town in CA, I tend to look up things when I see or hear of them. In one he mentioned a town that was mostly dried up, but still has about 1000 people, a store, restaurants and basic services. real estate is still not bad for fixer upper places, like the old company houses built for the trona and borax mines. Some such places are desolate wastelands with nobody around, this is sort of in between that and a real full size town. I bookmarked some real estate.

OK safety net folks let’s talk about what your plans are for this week

My short term safety plan this week is not drive long distance on snowy roads.

 

[maki2]

All this distrust of the USA government had me lookiking up some status texts. T
First thing, since the group started tracking it in1958 the trust in the USA Government has pretty much been in a steady decline since the Kennedy and Jonson era. Compared to other countries USA is not at the bottom of the list but it is further down than halfway. I will let you be surprised by the top of the list countries.

 

[vanbrat]

My plan is to work in the yard a bit and work on something yummy in the kitchen. work in the sewing room (as in find the floor) Chase the dog out of the mud and fill the bird feeders and finish the book series that I have checked out of the library and maybe see if the neighbors are going to be around for dessert later maybe work out at the gym.... and eat all that Valentines day candy

 

[RonDean]

Sometimes these comparisons of what one country can do compared to the USA is apples to oranges stuff. Reality check here please. Norway in terms of size is only a little larger than the state of New Mexico. It has about two and a half times the population of the not at all densely populated state of New Mexico. There is a very long North Sea oils coastline in Norway as much of the shape of Norway is long and skinny.

True, but the figures were adjusted per population and GDP.

 

[maki2]

True, but the figures were adjusted per population and GDP.

how do you think a country wide statistic should be measured? What would be your baselines?

 

[RonDean]

how do you think a country wide statistic should be measured? What would be your baselines?

I was not suggesting otherwise. It SHOULD be measured relative to population. The GDP thing is less so when being applied to individual circumstance. Gross domestic product (GDP) is fine for measuring or contrasting a national economic performance but does not address individual variation, such as income disparity, within the gross numbers.

 

[maki2]

I was not suggesting otherwise. It SHOULD be measured relative to population. The GDP thing is less so when being applied to individual circumstance. Gross domestic product (GDP) is fine for measuring or contrasting a national economic performance but does not address individual variation, such as income disparity, within the gross numbers.

It also does not account for what those dollars can buy in different areas of a country.

 

[maki2]

I have a list of chores that feels like a mile long. Maybe I will get to at least a few of them today. Yesterday I got a. Few easy things done. Then started on my car starter battery maintenance by washing off the top of the battery with some baking sodas water. I had just finished with that and had the hood open letting it air dry when an unexpected visitor dropped by and it was just after sunset when he left. Of course what I should have done is played helpless female and watched him do the job for me when he asked if I needed help when he saw the hood up. But I was too dumb to play at being helpless. Oh well my loss, his gain. Finishing the battery maintenance is therefore still on my chore list.

 

[Gr8ful]

Norway rates #1 in Happiness. U.S. rates #15 You Tubes explain why!

 

[Happy Camper]

Tips for achieving happiness in Norway.

Have a crap ton of national resources in the form of oil.
Sell oil.
Take care of the 5 million people in the country with money from oil sales.
Create EV buying programs that the entire population can afford without the incentives.
Sell more oil.
Tell everyone they should be as happy as the population of Norway.

 

[Gr8ful]

Happy, the U.S. has abundent oil & gas but gave away the rights to Corporations. IIRC when they started drilling in the Gulf it was not taxed unless that changed it was a STUPID MOVE & some politicians got RICH. I think most Danes have Great attitudes & may have better leaders while many in the U.S. are Angry, have Bad attitudes, are Greedy, Rude, Wasteful & don't Trust our leaders & it's all gotten way worse since covid.