LOL! Rich listed off a bunch of financial reasons, but mine are more like the peace and quiet, the personal freedom, the EXCELLENT water, and stuff like that. For instance, as long as it's not our "primary dwelling," we can put any kind of building we want on our property, because the county believes it is OUR property. No permission required, no permits required, nothing. You want an outbuilding? Build it. And the wide open spaces are nice because there are no close neighbors to hear me yelling at that stoopid dog when she's spazzing out over seeing the Pyrs, and if Jasper leaves to go have speaks with the local coyote pack, nobody even sees him, much less cares if he's out. (He always comes back as soon as he's finished schooling them. ) Because there are so few neighbors, we all look out for each other. Yeah, the winters are brutal, but it really is a nice place to live. There is zero crime here. No self-respecting criminal would dare venture out this far. The worst "crime" we get is litterbug tourists who throw their fast food trash out the window as they drive by. I hate that, but if that's the worst we have to deal with, it's OK.
Oh, I just remembered, there was this one time when there was a real criminal on the loose in the area. The neighborhood network got into gear to spread the word there was a "wanted man" in the area. I called the police and they confirmed it, and told me what the guy was last seen wearing, and his last location (about half a mile from us). So imagine my surprise when about half an hour later there's a knock on the door and it's THAT GUY! I had my .357 but didn't let him see it. I told him to leave and he said he wanted to use the phone (normally, anyone out here who needs to use the phone is immediately invited in, because it's 30 miles to the nearest village). I said no, and he kept insisting. I kept saying no, and finally he asked if he could get a light for his cigarette, at which point I showed him the .357 and told him he'd better leave NOW. Poor guy, I scared the crap out of him, and he left in a hurry. I called the police back and told them he was just here and which way he'd headed (he was on foot) out the driveway, and they picked him up a little while later.
Later that day, the arresting officer called me back (he's also a neighbor) to thank me and I asked what the guy did. Turns out it was "non-payment of child support!" I about blew a gasket! I told the cop I pulled my freaking GUN on him and all he did was not pay child support??????? He just laughed and said that was OK, the guy was in violation of the law, and the law is the law, but in the end, they didn't put him in jail, they gave him a ride to the ND border and bought him a hamburger for lunch because he was starving! I'd gotten so worked up over that, and afterward I felt so bad. But in the 13 years we've been here, that's the worst "crime" spree we've seen, besides littering. That's a huge reason to stay here, believe me. Rich and I came from the big city, where we didn't even know any of our neighbors, and you never knew when your car would be broken into or stolen, or you might get mugged or robbed, or your house broken into. You have to be cagey and suspicious, just to defend yourself. Here you can be friendly and open and not worry.
Can't really send folks an envelope full of card parts. lol
When I first went to the doc, he said he couldn't remove it because it was a "cosmetic" thing. So, after 5 months, I went back. It was so big, my right eyebrow had pressed down over my eye and I couldn't see out of it. I asked "Do you think the insurance would pay for it now?". You should have seen the look on his face!!! Epic!
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