The Perfect Retirement

 In my dreams, I would actually get to retire, rather than work until I drop dead. I would have enough money to move away, since I've never lived outside Texas. I would move to Henderson, Nevada or Las Vegas, My dream retirement would involve Nevada, mainly because the cost of living is cheap and it's close to California. Not to mention the fact that although it's in a a desert, there are mountains that get snow every winter, several national parks nearby, plus it has beautiful canyons and an international airport.  I'm not enamored of the Strip like people seem to be, I don't gamble or drink much at all, but Vegas has every kind of food you can imagine to eat and most things are open 24 hours a day. and the neon lights are pretty.

I think I'd like living in the desert more than in a forest, because there are fewer bugs and low humidity. Dry heat IS a thing, folks. Anyone who's endured a sweaty Texas summer with 90% humidity that makes your clothes stick to your body and your makeup run in rivulets down your face will know why dry heat is better.

If I could not afford to move to Nevada, then I'd just move back home to Dallas, where I'd be closer to my friends and family. When you start getting old, proximity to people you know well takes a more important place in your life. Nevada is probably more an "ideal situation" type of retirement, rather than  what will actually be waiting for me in a few years. Hell, Nevada may be completely out of water by the time we could afford to move there.

A perfect life after retirement in the desert would include lots of thrift shopping, selling the stuff on Bay, drives to California, two cats, more cooking, more choice in restaurants for Sunday dinner, writing a book, and enough money to fly back to Dallas on holidays to see friends and relatives who cannot come out to Vegas to visit. Having enough money to travel a bit internationally would be fabulous.

More than likely, my Dallas retirement will consist of lots of thrift shopping, selling the stuff on Bay or in yard sales, hanging out with friends and family, lots of reading, taking part in "Friendsgiving", more cooking, writing a book, and two cats. Since most of our friends don't have kids and are getting older like us, we could all keep an eye out for each other. Sounds pretty nice.