If I Could Choose


Last week at work, a customer said to me, if I could choose where I wanted to be right now,
where would I choose to be? And what would I like to be doing?

My immediate answer was "not here that's for sure".

He then said I should give it some thought.

(D and his wife K are lovely people, they come in every single week, one of my favourite couples)

If I had unrestricted choice, globally, where would I like to be?

Globally? Wow!

And what would I like to be doing?

Since then, I've been thinking about it.

Quite a bit.

My first thoughts were for faraway places that I've always wanted to see.

Canada, New Zealand, Tasmania, even Ireland. (I might get lucky and meet a Leprechaun....)

All of these are English speaking places and I would love to live in each one for a summer. No winters, I couldn't handle snow.

But permanently? No.

So I'm trying to think of places in Australia where I would love to be. Where I would love to live for the rest of my life.

There's quite a few things to consider in this fantasy. I still want to be near my family. I'd need reliable digital TV reception. I'd need internet access. High speed broadband? Yes. Mobile phone coverage? Yes. Easy, (well reasonably easy), access to a shopping centre, library and medical/dental centre. Keeping in mind that I don't drive.

(And since I'm dreaming, I'd like to live in a place where the summer temperatures don't get above 30*C too often, or winter temperatures don't get below 20*C, or 16*C at the very lowest. Does Australia have such a place?)

I'd really love a little country town, with a small population, beach in front, rain forest behind.....neighbours within yoo-hoo distance but not so close I can hear their toilet flushing....I'm not a social person although I do enjoy occasional company, maybe at a cafe. And no 24/7 semi-trailers barrelling down the road in front of my home.

But I've narrowed it down to three areas. With a fourth possibility.

> Adelaide, (eastern suburbs) which I know and love, but a house of my own away from main roads that have non-stop traffic.

> One of the small towns in the Adelaide Hills area. Again, a house of my own, with space for family to visit and maybe sleep over, a yard (not too big), where I could plant vegetables in the ground instead of in pots, maybe have a few fruit trees. And a rainwater tank.

> Victor Harbor. It has all of the above things, plus a beach. I've heard it's very nice there, whales and dolphins can be seen in the ocean and it's not too far from my family. They could drive to see me, I could catch a bus to Adelaide and see them.

>The fourth possibility? Tasmania. Yes, I know it has a little snow in the winter, (brrr), but it's still Australia, there's a ferry to the mainland, buses and trains to my family. And good growing soil.



The second part of this question, what would I like to be doing?, is much easier to answer.

Nothing.

Well, not working anyway.

I'd like to be retired.

Because I'm weary.

Not just tired, that's easily fixed with a few days off and lots of sleep.

No, I'm weary. I just don't have the get up and go that I used to have.

Being bright and cheerful for customers day after day, when I'm normally a quiet loner type, is tiring.
 The aches and injuries I'm constantly recovering from are wearying.

I would like to be able to sit down in between jobs around the house, I can't do that in between customers. It's go go go.

I would like to be able to sleep when I like, for as long as I like, or as little as I like.

I would like to spend the whole day reading, on the internet, or a book.

I would like to be able to potter in my garden if the whim took me, or walk into town to a cafe and have lunch, maybe meet up with friends or neighbours, or not, as I choose.

I want to never wear a uniform again. Ever.

If I could find that little country town, I could gradually get to know the community, eventually do a little volunteer work or some other community type thing with friends that I'd make. Bingo? Baking for fundraising cake stalls? I can do those....

So there it is. I want a quiet life, a home of my own, away from constant traffic, but close enough to family and friends. Time and space to just sit and dream.

Comments

  1. Sounds perfectly doable.

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  2. I am hoping you achieve your dreams. They sound lovely. Tasmania for me - but then I like the cold. Small town.

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  3. well before you mentioned Tasmania, I was visualising Kettering as a good place to be.
    but
    'not here that's for sure' - when you can't change something you want to, just change your approach to it: see yourself as A Helper, because it is true. and valid.
    peace and love

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  4. You've helped me realize in the things you'd like to do, that I already do most of those things and it pretty much makes me happy doing them. I just need to find the cafe that isn't here yet.

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  5. hi River,
    Victor Harbour fits all your criteria!! You should definietly give it a go. My in-laws (Kath Lockett's parents) live there and enjoying every minute of it. If you like I can introduce them to you, they are very nice people.

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  6. mybabyjohn; all I need is a smallish lottery win, just enough money to cover the cost of relocating.

    EC; I like the idea of Tassie, I already have friends there. It's the thought of snow that's not so appealing. I like the cold, but not that cold.

    Ann O'Dyne; Kettering? I'll have to get out my maps. What state is it in? Mostly the job isn't too bad, I get on well with my colleagues and customers, and at quiet times when I can slow down a bit, I'm okay. But on rush days, when the checkouts have customers lined up four or five deep, trolleys overflowing, everyone in a hurry, I don't cope as well as I used to and it bothers me. Physically and mentally.

    Linda; no cafe? Maybe you could hve an occasional random coffee morning/afternoon at your house or a bingo hall, a church hall...anywhere that has tables & chairs and a kettle.

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  7. I'm very lucky indeed because what you want i've managed to acheive i'm referring to the last paragraph in bold type. Its not paradise but it suits me down to the ground :-).

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  8. drb; I'm thinking of a weekend down there to see if it "fits".

    Windsmoke; I'm not looking for paradise, just peace.

    Jayne; I downloaded google earth yesterday, I'll have a look at Dunolly that way. Does it have a shopping centre/mall?

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  9. Time to just sit and dream - that sounds ideal. I would like to be able just sit for a while and watch the world without having to do, constantly. Oh to dream.

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  10. Sounds like a good plan to me!

    I, too, grow tired of the public...I work for the post office.

    I dream of quiet times with no phones but internet and lots of books. I love being surrounded by nature, with no have to dos. Loving my horses and dogs and taking it slowly, one day at a time.

    May both our dreams come true.

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  11. I hope you can find the city of your dreams and live there. I understand weary!!! Most of the towns of your description fit the ones in Montana. I chose Bz for all your reasons but it does get cold in the winter .

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  12. Can't wait to read the post stating you have found the place and a move is in progress!

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  13. myrelish; I have time to just sit, but I'm constantly thinking about how things need to get done in just the weekend because there's work to got to, (which I'm enjoying less and less)and after work I'm just too tired to do it. Also the non-stop traffic noise is getting to me.

    Gail; welcome to drifting. No phones, books, internet, and dvds, it's the perfect plan.

    Manzanita; the search has begun.

    halloweencouple; it'll be a while yet, it's more of a long term plan, I still have search and save.

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  14. Yep Victor Harbor for me, too and not just because my parents have retired there. It's small but got all the essential facilities you need; lovely beaches, nice spots to walk; good climate; friendly people and lots of things to do. Perfect place. Maybe we both need to buy a lotto ticket? (they're called Bonne Chance here but I haven't braved my non-existent French to get one yet).

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  15. sleepydwarf; I'm great at making plans. Carrying them out is a whole different story. For instance, I planned on vacuuming my floors...(about six months ago)

    Kath; I recently gave up buying lotto tickets, but there's a mega draw coming up......I think I'll get one for that. You go ahead and buy a Bonne Chance, then I'll meet you for coffee at Victor Harbor.

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