That’s a great idea, lb5! Then I wouldn’t have the stress of shipping old photos off somewhere and hoping that the company does it well (and doesn’t go bankrupt, etc.!).
I will check out Aura Frames. I have a bunch of 8 track videos (parents’ wedding, my early childhood) that I may have to send off, though…
We love our Aura frames! Everyone in our family has one and we send pics to each other via the app. My MIL loves it when we add photos of her new (and first) great-granddaughter! And yes, we have taken photos with our phone of old pics and uploaded them to the frame - works great!
Hi - wondered if anyone had downsized to a place where they knew no one and how that went?
I’m just trying to play out the scenario:
This is somehow kind of scary! lol I know people do it though. Thanks for any thoughts!
We’ve moved twice to places where we knew no one and had no problem establishing new lives, but neither of us found that scary. We were young(er) then, and DH has moved around all his life with parents who were itinerant professors. It was par for him and exciting for me.
More recently, we found our cabin in Maine online and bought it with just a Facetime walkthrough. We knew no one here and had never been in this area in any of our Maine travels. I’m a loner though, and socialization is what I try to avoid. We’re in the woods here and cannot see another neighbor although there are 21 lots in this rustic enclave. DH is very social, though. He stepped up to being president of the association, so we’ve met most of our neighbors at the annual meeting, and he corresponds with them as needed. I’m fine introducing myself and then not seeing them again for another year (and it seems, so are they). I’ve posted before that my dream retirement would be living in a remote lighthouse and going into town once a month for supplies. The pandemic proved enjoyable for me in this respect. We’re here half the year which is DH’s compromise to my need for isolation. I do suspect, though, that when our parents are gone, we may be spending more time here and may make a permanent move especially if our son ends up in one of the eastern states which seems likely.
ETA: So, I guess I don’t have any suggestions for how to make a move to an unknown locale easier as making new friends is not high on my list. My concerns are limited to how far I am from a good hospital and grocery store and can Amazon get to me.
Though I couldn’t be more areligious, I anticipate I’d join the local temple to meet people.
I think in this scenario you reach out to the people with a common interest. So for me that would be the local library (and I would never pick a town without a great local library). It could be an exercise class, a knitting group, a gardening group, the local senior center, a religious group, a volunteer group, etc. Actually, you would probably try to connect with several of these types of groups for your various interests!
We are doing this double life right now (apartment about 20-30 minutes from where my daughter lives in addition to living half time at our house where we raised her.) I have found people I really like at the library, joined several local book groups, am doing a regular yoga class, and have attended local events. I have found enough of these activities to keep me busy (along with my part-time remote job).
We’ve moved a bunch of times, often to where we didn’t know a soul. I think it’s much easier to meet people than it used to be. There are so many clubs, shared interest groups, community centers, neighborhood gatherings, religious organizations, etc…that it’s never been easier to meet people and get involved.
Our last move was as empty nesters and we had no issues making new friends.
If you get a digital frame, get the one where folks can send new pics via an email address.
We had a digital frame (old fashioned kind) and just hated having to load pics. These newer ones are just great.
ETA…I see folks have already given you the info!
Re: meeting new people…find a place to volunteer. That’s one way. And look for what your senior center has to offer. Some have very robust activity schedules.
My mother in two of her later in life moves joined the garden club, organizations that provide emergency help (food pantries, paying an electric bill etc.), and always always the book fair group of the local library.
I meet people at the senior center and at classes I take at the local college.
We have the same reservations Jolynne! Thanks for asking that question. It has been difficult - at least for two introverts.
It has taken us years to nuture our relationships, even in our home location. We now live in (2) locations , and have found it hard to create new connections at the second home. Our children are in the PNW, which is why we’re there at all, so we do have that connection, but obviously want our own lives there too. My parents retired 1200 miles from us when we were raising families, and I didn’t want the same, so our intent was to eventually move to the PNW, but have not done so, primarily due to the COL (and skyrocketing housing) in the PNW.
I’ve joined a class, and met some great people. We’ll occasionally meet for lunch, or a movie. But, for the most part, their lives are established, and revolve around their own circles. Then we leave for an extended period, which doesn’t help.
Covid of course didn’t help either, as most of the new friends are also seniors who were trying to be cautious. DH had a small social group, that disbanded due to Covid, and never reconnected. Hoping it will be easier, now that Covid restrictions have significantly eased.
I’ve taken many, many art classes over the years and meet people, but I’ve found it isn’t always the best way to make friends. Mostly you are in your own little world.
We are in Philadelphia this week helping our daughter.
They live in the city in a townhouse. Lots of places to walk to.
I would never want to live here as a retiree. Too much you have to walk to, I like the woods and my lawn and being able to jump in my car and drive somewhere that isn’t so busy.
Everyone has different ideas of what they like. But living as a senior here, not my cup of tea.
The issue becomes when you really shouldn’t be driving anymore. In a city you can call an Uber, get a taxi, find a bus. In the country, that’s not always so easy. My parents had a lovely 75 acre farm they lived on. (They didn’t farm it, except for a brief experiment with grapes, but they did rent it out to someone who raised horses there.) Eventually it just became too isolating and they got more nervous about winter driving.
When I downsize, it will be to move someplace where I don’t have to drive to get to everything. We love our home, but you can’t walk to anything except or neighborhood beach. Drive everywhere else. And there is no public transportation. Even Uber is not reliable…because we live sort of in the sticks.
I would love to live where I could walk to a small grocery, the Iibrary, some shops, restaurants, entertainment. I’d be very happy…since I know someday driving won’t be on my A list.
I can walk to 3 grocery stores (including Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods), restaurants, shops, a park and a movie theatre. I also have the trolley within walking distance to get to many places here in San Diego. I can also catch a bus within walking distance that would take me to the beach (2.5 miles away). This would work well for H and I if we could no longer drive. The only issue is that our house is 3 stories with 2 sets of stairs which may be a problem when we are older. My area is also not affordable to many as most homes in this area are $900K and up.
If I could afford to live in San Diego, I would definitely move there.
But affordability is part of our relocation issue.
Walkability is important to us. I’ve lived everywhere from farms to the city and I much prefer city living. My grandparents never learned to drive so walkability was always super important to them. They walked miles every day and both lived into their 90s. I’m hoping that holds true for me!
I was without a car for a week recently (H was out of town and mine was in the shop). I can easily walk to a very nice supermarket. a food coop we joined and a farmer’s market as well as many restaurants, coffee shops, the library, my hair stylist, several stores, a movie theater, outdoor concerts (in the summer) the yoga studio etc. There are buses and Uber/Lyft.
I have never liked driving and even less so now.