R & R and R & R - POST # 43 (9 OCT)
There is a lot more going into this boat purchase-return to the sea-move to Florence effort than what appears, this was not an accident, but instead . . . a plan.
M/V So fea is almost 40 years old, we are "R"etiring and "R"estoring this Tollycraft, and using Florence, Oregon as her last home port of call, for us . . . we are both over 70, and are needing the "R"est and "R"ecreation and a final home port as well, PLUS the "R"etirement and "R"estorative benefits of So fea . . . as a last project, we look at this as our Senior Retirement Home cubicle (afloat).
For us, Florence is a self-designed city, over our lifetimes we have lived in many places all around the Americas, there are great things and bad things about every town you visit or live in (remember most of my projects were 2-5 month long), when we looked at what Florence "DID NOT" have even we were amazed and impressed.
For us, the lifetime accumulated priority list of "hometown" requirements are a mish-mosh of the many places we have experienced, and are unrealistic . . . but Florence filled them all.
We like small towns (under 10,000) that are isolated from "big city" BS (ordinances), removed from the airports (danger), truck traffic, freeways (noise), throngs of people (strangers), and where the populace is educated/informed/efficient and middle class "mix" of non-aligned religions and ethnicities . . . those criteria alone are almost impossible to find or ever assemble in one place, but then, when you add-in our "other" requirements:
An active modern Hospital, serviced by an efficient Ambulance/police/911 support team, with medical staff and air life, a choice of multiple . . . 21st Century super markets, ancillary supplies of Hardware, Lumber, working Art galleries and events schedule, Auto Parts, Dentists, Veterinarians, Doctors, a DMV, Library, good restaurants, Pharmacy, thrift stores, service and repair stations, a harbor, fresh seafood availabilty, on a Ocean coast, in a temperate non-snow climate, in the US . . . you have now filtered out, screened out, "everywhere".
Go ahead, do the drill, try to match Florence to another "same scenario" town. (and report back).
The negatives ? rain ? (we love the rain and sea mist/fog), I "have" no negatives, only that other people may read this and move here.
M/V So fea is almost 40 years old, we are "R"etiring and "R"estoring this Tollycraft, and using Florence, Oregon as her last home port of call, for us . . . we are both over 70, and are needing the "R"est and "R"ecreation and a final home port as well, PLUS the "R"etirement and "R"estorative benefits of So fea . . . as a last project, we look at this as our Senior Retirement Home cubicle (afloat).
For us, Florence is a self-designed city, over our lifetimes we have lived in many places all around the Americas, there are great things and bad things about every town you visit or live in (remember most of my projects were 2-5 month long), when we looked at what Florence "DID NOT" have even we were amazed and impressed.
For us, the lifetime accumulated priority list of "hometown" requirements are a mish-mosh of the many places we have experienced, and are unrealistic . . . but Florence filled them all.
We like small towns (under 10,000) that are isolated from "big city" BS (ordinances), removed from the airports (danger), truck traffic, freeways (noise), throngs of people (strangers), and where the populace is educated/informed/efficient and middle class "mix" of non-aligned religions and ethnicities . . . those criteria alone are almost impossible to find or ever assemble in one place, but then, when you add-in our "other" requirements:
An active modern Hospital, serviced by an efficient Ambulance/police/911 support team, with medical staff and air life, a choice of multiple . . . 21st Century super markets, ancillary supplies of Hardware, Lumber, working Art galleries and events schedule, Auto Parts, Dentists, Veterinarians, Doctors, a DMV, Library, good restaurants, Pharmacy, thrift stores, service and repair stations, a harbor, fresh seafood availabilty, on a Ocean coast, in a temperate non-snow climate, in the US . . . you have now filtered out, screened out, "everywhere".
Go ahead, do the drill, try to match Florence to another "same scenario" town. (and report back).
The negatives ? rain ? (we love the rain and sea mist/fog), I "have" no negatives, only that other people may read this and move here.