LIFES CHOICES

A great line from an Indiana Jones movie that says it all was "HE CHOSE POORLY." That speaks volumes to me. I have always tried to do just the opposite as have all of you I am sure. When I retired from the military I researched thoroughly my future residence based on many factors. I looked at all the variables and made a decision based on what I considered important. The place that I/we chose was not what my wife would have liked but in explaining why and for the sake of our then small children she agreed. We had lived in a large population center with vast amounts of Gang activity, excessive crimes of all kinds and limited resources.

My current home is in a relatively secure environment. No gangs, crime is extremely low, abundant resources, low cost of living, semi rural with lots of farm land surrounding it, with locally grown vegetables, dairy, beef, chicken, wheat, barley and more. We have many local farms that raise anything needed and several organic farms for both meat and veggies. Water is very abundant since we live near a Major river.

The surrounding area has vast amounts of wildlife, dove, pheasant, geese, ducks, deer, elk, moose, rabbit, antelope, grizzly bear, black bear, mountain lions, wolves, Great fishing in lakes, rivers and streams. Lets just say paradise for the outdoors type. I can sit on my front porch and see Bald or Golden eagles fly by, hawks of all kinds looking for food and the occasional owl. Lets just say we have it all here.

We have 4 seasons with moderate winters. As I type it is snowing and we expect about 1' total for the next few days. Its a wet snow and that's good for the local farmers.

The population of the surrounding area is about 80,000 which includes the 50,000 in my town. Now that may be a lot of people to some but that 80,000 is spread out over a VAST area.

While driving around town you may see people riding their horse on the same street. Not a strange sight here just your average day. When trying to change lanes here on a busy road people wave you in instead of speeding up to keep you out. There are still gentleman here who hold the doors for ladies. If a motorist has car trouble here at a stop light or anywhere folks go out of their way to help. It is not odd to see maybe 4 big guys pushing a car out of the intersection that has stalled. People shovel each others sidewalks in the winter when needed not when asked. People helping people that's what we do here.

This state is one of only a handful that has a budget surplus and we even got check from the surplus.

Natural resources abound from coal, timber, gold, platinum, palladium, copper, oil, natural gas, sapphires, diamonds, water as already mentioned and hydroelectric power right in town. We even have 6 HUGE wind turbines that I can see from my house with more to be installed soon. We also have a local oil refinery.

The unemployment here is about 5.9% but several surrounding areas have 3.5% or so. Both my wife and I are lucky to have great jobs. I consider my job the best in the NATION. Its just my boss and I and the business is BOOMING! The business relates to one of the above mentioned natural resources. No its not oil.

Now I am not on a bragging rant here but with everything that is going on in the world and the recent events I consider myself VERY fortunate to be living where I do in these times. This was one of my better decisions. So to quote that Indiana Jones movie again "I CHOSE WISELY."