starrs

I think MmePerdu is trying to do that.

I have limited experience with AZ. I was there about every other July for 20 years - because the resorts were cheap and our companies took advantage of that for meetings/conferences. My uncle inherited a home outside of Tucson and they go for several months a year. He loves it. My aunt despises it. She never leaves the home and stays in the a/c all of the time. They live in the temperate south so winters there are not as big of a difference for them. They are elderly now so I imagine I'll be involved in their move back at some time in the future. I think a big problem for many is missing the greenness of "home".

It seems to me that CA is a much better fit for you than AZ. You made a comment yesterday that gay people should be open as much as possible in all areas of their lives and my first thought was AZ may be a big challenge for you. CA would be a much better fit, if MmePerdu - and others - could find something suitable.

tomfuller

In December New Mexico became the 17th state to recognize gay marriage.
I looked around Lordsburg and Silver City last year but decided against it. Cost of living is somewhat cheaper than California.

MmePerdu

Here are a couple of my blogs this week showing a bit of the Sierra Foothills ambiance:

http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/gall...time-at-ananda
http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/gold...a-grass-valley

Another, Nevada City, will appear on Wednesday.

I know it's hard to look elsewhere when one feels they may have found the place. I think Jubilada is focused now on Tucson. But moving is about the hardest thing I've done in recent years and I hope never to do it again, having had the desert loose it's charms for me. It might be a good idea to have a peek at a few places before making that momentous decision. I have no doubt that if you can afford Tucson, you can afford some very nice parts of California. I think you'd be surprised.

If you'd like to have a look, I can offer you both my guest room.

jubilada

Thanks for the Sierra Foothills links, which I have explored and will happily read the blog entries and do appreciate the offer of a place to stay. I feel sure we will visit.

For right now,however, we feel that Tucson is our focus. Can't fully explain why but in fact we feel very at home there. It is a very diverse city, we love the Native American culture, we love the desert, there is Jewish life, we love many things about it despite the ways in which it may be problematic. I can swim outside all winter; for me this is huge as swimming is the only exercise I do happily.
We may not choose to fully move anywhere; may just snowbird it. We are in process .

I appreciate all responses. Thanks

jubilada

PS blog entries are lovely . I remember visiting Grass Valley long ago. It looks lovely.

Very similar to where we live now in certain ways. Maybe that is good, maybe not.

HappyTrvlr

The only comment I can add is that you mentioned how much better you feel in Tucson. That is why we came here. Our CA relatives don't get how pain levels rise when visiting them. It is as simple as that.

DebitNM

If you don't like AC jubi; there is also something that is used here in the SW called an evaporative cooler [aka "swamp cooler"] and isn't like the AC back east. You might prefer that and find it in houses that are older.

They work by running water [that is recirculated] over pads and air is then blown through the pads. The airs is moister than regular AC and works quite well if the humidity stays below 25% which usually isn't a problem here.

I am not sure they are more cost effective vs new models of AC [which we call "refridgerated air" here] which are very energy efficient.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooler

orangetravelcat1

It seems that some people think that if you are openly gay in AZ, you are going to be set upon by mobs!

As far as missing "green", I'm from NY and moved to AZ 34 years ago. You couldn't pay me enough to go back there. Snow and ice? No, thank you.

Fra_Diavolo

We have a gay, kosher vegetarian (meaning he eats dairy and fish, but not shellfish) friend who retired to Tucson five or six years ago and loves it. He teaches a course or two at the university. He does travel a lot, though.

MmePerdu

Of course there are people who love the desert and stay forever. And there are those, like me, who stay for decades and eventually decide it's not for us after all. And some arrive, hate it soon thereafter, and leave forever. But I'm sure that's true for everywhere. This is a self-selecting group here, not a scientific sampling. The only way to know is to try and very little we say here will make a difference.

I find, when trying to make a decision about something, all the talk just keeps me busy until the answer makes itself known of it's own accord. I suspect that's what's happening here, a very organic sort of decision-making and not much at all to do with the rest of us. Our votes don't count, and rightly so.

HappyTrvlr

Rent first for a while so you can make the right decision for you and your partner.

DebitNM

Rent first for a while

Excellent advice.

MikePinTucson

A little more perspective, from a former New Englander:

What I miss -- the ocean and lots of green

What I don't miss -- winter, snow, sleet, cold. Summer humidity. I also didn't like that trees obscure a lot of views, you can only see about a block away.

What I love about Tucson -- Winter, can be outdoors every day. Climate diversity -- can be in mountains, snow in Winter if I want, ponderosa pines and cool temps in Summer, within an hour. You can look in all directions and see to the horizon, or the mountains. I love the openness. People -- most everyone here is pretty friendly, no matter whether you are straight or gay, old or young, male or female. I love the sunsets.

What I don't like -- Summer afternoons. But, after all, if not for Tucson Summers, there would be about 10 million people living here.

Enjoy your winter visit. Please feel free to send me a PM. Would be happy to meet you.

Shanti

"But, after all, if not for Tucson Summers, there would be about 10 million people living here."

Give it time, Mike - whoever thought Tucson would have 1,000,000 people?

jubilada

Thank you all. We would certainly rent before buying. We might never buy, who knows.

I know for sure that we want to spend as much of the winter as we can, this year a month, next year hopefully two.
After that we will see.

MikeP, thanks. Will PM. We love the big sky, the mountains everywhere, the friendliness of people, the diverse population, the public art, the desert.


Re: being gay in AZ. I don't have fear about it, but do have some sadness..
Twice we have had people refuse to rent to us just outside the city limits.
That sucks.

Again, I appreciate your help. Your votes may not count but your thoughtful responses do.

giro

Have lived in AZ 40 yrs (came from MA).
Lived in the Phoenix area for over 30 yrs and now in Tucson four yrs.
We find the temperatures much easier to deal with here in Tucson. Whereas the nights never seemed to cool down in Phoenix, we find that Tucson is much more moderate when the sun goes down.

Tucson, being more of a University town has a progressive bent to it.
In all fairness to Phoenix, I find Phoenix to be more progressive than most people give it credit for. It is a Democratic city, however, it's voter base is diluted within Maricopa County.
Phoenix is also a much better managed city IMO.
I am sorry to hear about the rental issues you ran into. I don't believe that is representative of the Tucson I know.