M. R. Byrd Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 ... My father was born in the house in 1912 and my oldest brother also. ... Your father and brother were both born in 1912? Is that like some "I'm my own grandpa" type family you have there? And you thought that kind of thing only happened in ____(I won't fill in blank, because all those people from Arkansas will send me hate mail if I do). Link to post Share on other sites
brymoore Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I'm in Idaho for the free healthcare. Link to post Share on other sites
Wyo Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Taught Jr High science for a few years, then went into industry. Fast forward a few years, making good money for my age, and rapidly becoming more unhappy working 60-75 hrs a week in a dysfunctional workplace, no time for family, feeling trapped. Quit, moved west, took a job at lower money, never looked back. Lowered the lifestyle expenses, lived on less, always invested a portion of the wages, worked an extra job when money was tight. Got to raise my boys in one of the last best places w/ elk, moose, sheep, deer, bears, ducks, geese, out the door, Cutthroat trout 3 minutes from the house I built myself. Cut a lot of firewood, floated a lot of trout rivers, enjoyed a couple pretty good bird dogs, ate a lot of wild meat and Life was good. Now too old and stove up to chase elk ( that's pretty much a young man's game) but a good wife, good friends, birds and fish, picking a little guitar, make retirement worthwhile. Art, where in Wyo. are you located? Link to post Share on other sites
HuntersDad Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Grew up in southeast Kansas and planned on staying there as its close to family and friends and the hunting was good. (particularly in the 90's) Worked as an electrician in a small camper plant 30 miles from my home town. The pay was decent and I was content. Married my wife and started a family but when the towers fell the layoffs came and while I avoided the first couple of rounds I couldn't live waiting for the other shoe to drop. I had been in the national guard since high school and even deployed with them in 04. After a lot of thought we decided to try the Army as a career. I transferred to active duty in 06 and haven't looked back. Colorado is my second duty station and I have fell head over heels in love with the west and will likely never return permanently to Kansas. It breaks my mothers heart but I'm planning on buying a small parcel of land in eastern Washington or in the pan handle of Idaho in the next year or so and paying on it the remainder of my Army career and building a home after retirement. The fishing and hunting opportunities are amazing in both places and I honestly can't imagine retirement without cold mountain streams filled with cutthroat trout. Link to post Share on other sites
M. R. Byrd Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 HuntersDad, Ah, southeast Kansas. Spent a couple years in a little place called Frontenac. Link to post Share on other sites
HuntersDad Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 HuntersDad, Ah, southeast Kansas. Spent a couple years in a little place called Frontenac. Yep, right up the road from Pittsburg. My brother in law teaches school over there in Pittsburg. Link to post Share on other sites
erik meade Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I have lived here, basically, my whole life. Our town hasn't changed much - the population has hovered around 3,000 for as long as I have been alive. The county has fewer people than we did in the late 1800's. . I rather like that on a daily basis I run into people I have known my whole life, Even interacting with ones that I have not particularly ever liked, is probably good on balance. It is a good life to be with your people. If I am not careful I find myself feeling a bit sorry for the people who don't have a home town, or who leave their home town. - But I suppose the movers feel sorry for me too. I couldn't foresee living anywhere else unless, perhaps, the town suddenly started growing and turning into something it wasn't before. That happened to my father-in-law's home town about 40 miles away. It is hard to see how such growth amounts to "progress." If I did move it would be to a particular small town in Wisconsin. But I would want to take all the people here with me. Link to post Share on other sites
Kansas Big Dog Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I find it interesting that people who live in places like I do, see places like SD and ND as the Promised Land; while some who live in those places are just there for work and want out. I guess "the grass is greener" applies to most of us. Works for me and apparently for Robert Service There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will. They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain's crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don't know how to rest. Excellent! x2 Link to post Share on other sites
martydavis Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 If I moved to where I wanted to live I would have to move there alone. My mom, brothers, wife & kids - all right here in central Illinois - and I hate the place and can't get away. Link to post Share on other sites
HuntersDad Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I find it interesting that people who live in places like I do, see places like SD and ND as the Promised Land; while some who live in those places are just there for work and want out. I guess "the grass is greener" applies to most of us. Works for me and apparently for Robert Service There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will. They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain's crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don't know how to rest. Excellent! x2 I like that quote as well. Here's one from a different perspective. "There is a waver in the wildest of wanderlust, when the soul runs dry and must come again to the thing, the place, or the somebody that can make it replete." Mike Gaddis Link to post Share on other sites
erik meade Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I find it interesting that people who live in places like I do, see places like SD and ND as the Promised Land; while some who live in those places are just there for work and want out. I guess "the grass is greener" applies to most of us. Works for me and apparently for Robert Service There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will. They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain's crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don't know how to rest. Excellent! x2 That does sound like quite a curse indeed. I'm glad I am not so afflicted (I have enough problems as it is.) Link to post Share on other sites
vern faulkner Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Witness Protection Program Vern Link to post Share on other sites
erik meade Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 You are not supposed to tell people that Vern. Link to post Share on other sites
caleb Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 It is a good life to be with your people. If I am not careful I find myself feeling a bit sorry for the people who don't have a home town, or who leave their home town. - But I suppose the movers feel sorry for me too. Once upon a time, I couldn't imagine moving back to the area where I grew up. Today, I'd just about kill for a job there. Funny how things change that way. Link to post Share on other sites
valuman Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I have lived here, basically, my whole life. Our town hasn't changed much - the population has hovered around 3,000 for as long as I have been alive. The county has fewer people than we did in the late 1800's. . I rather like that on a daily basis I run into people I have known my whole life, Even interacting with ones that I have not particularly ever liked, is probably good on balance. It is a good life to be with your people. If I am not careful I find myself feeling a bit sorry for the people who don't have a home town, or who leave their home town. - But I suppose the movers feel sorry for me too. I couldn't foresee living anywhere else unless, perhaps, the town suddenly started growing and turning into something it wasn't before. That happened to my father-in-law's home town about 40 miles away. It is hard to see how such growth amounts to "progress." If I did move it would be to a particular small town in Wisconsin. But I would want to take all the people here with me. You are a lucky man. Link to post Share on other sites
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