Just when I’m whining about being short on dish towels, Nicole posted this picture with their bread rising under Louisiana tea towels.
Can you see Westlake on the map? That’s where I grew up. Lake Charles is where I worked and Moss Bluff is where I lived as an adult.
Chad will probably always feel like Louisiana is his home state, even though we moved away when he was 9. Nicole loves Louisiana and Addie may love it more than both of them. She LOVES my uncle who lives there. She loves Holly Beach in Cameron, Louisiana. Addie would be a good cajun girl . . it doesn’t bother here one bit to help clean a fish, skin a squirrel or butcher a deer.
Up until a few years ago, I always thought we’d retire back in Louisiana but I know now that we will not. Is it weird that the two states I’d like to go back to live in retirement are the two states that Vince will not consider? I wonder if I said “Anywhere EXCEPT Louisiana or Missouri” . . if that might help me end up there. You know I always said I’d move anywhere in the south EXCEPT Texas and you see where we ended up.
Maybe it’s time to try a bit of reverse psychology with him.
Nelle Coursey says
But you would have to have exactly what you have right now wherever you moved.
Laurie Rose says
I believe if your want to retire to Louisiana you should. I grew up being surrounded by family – both sets of grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins all within a couple of miles of my childhood home. It was a wonderful way to grow up and phone calls and facebook are not the same. I was never able to have children (infertility) so of course there are no grandchildren, and sometimes I still experience the longing for family even though I am now in my sixties.
Life is very short, and if you have no ties holding you to Texas than go where your heart is, and live where you are happy.
Judy Laquidara says
I have a husband and he gets a say in it too and he does not want to go to Louisiana. By the time we leave Texas, I doubt there will be any grandparents, uncles or aunts still living there. I’m old so my parents, aunts and uncles are really old! 🙂
My preference is MO near Chad, Nicole and Addie but Vince doesn’t want that either so we’ll figure out a place we can both be happy. You’re so right . . living where your heart is would be the best thing but when there are two and one heart is in one place and the other isn’t, there has to be compromise. We just haven’t managed to do that yet.
Joyce says
Could you find a place in North Texas close to the Oklahoma border? You would be closer to Missouri, but still have the advantages Texas offers.
Judy Laquidara says
About the closest we could get to them and stay in Texas is 5 hours and, at our age, it isn’t worth it. At some point, we’re going to need to be within a couple of hours of them (or closer) once we’re really old and every day, that time gets nearer. I want to move one more time and let that be the last move.
Except for the pandemic, having the little place of our own in MO is ideal so long as I’m able to drive that far by myself. That buys us time to figure out where we can agree to live.
Susan Nixon says
Both of you are far, far from decrepit. No hurry yet. I’m leading you by several years and still drive anywhere I want to go, by myself – whether it’s to see a friend in Ohio or across the country to Arizona. I know you can get to Missouri for a long time yet. =)