Good evening, I am glad you asked this question, Colleen. For some reason, I have made that decision several times and then situations changed and the decision was in front of me once more. What I dreamed of was living surrounded by nature and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

The first time I tackled this question, I was wrapping up my career in Hawaii. Beautiful, yes! Easy living, yes! Surrounded by nature, yes! However, my father was in a memory care center and my mother was living in a senior center fighting breast cancer. My dear daughter was trying to care for them and her two daughters when her husband committed suicide very suddenly. I could not leave her all alone and so I returned to the mainland. I found a beautiful mountain village where I could have my own art gallery and design business. Just a 4,000 population but lots of nature and room for Cavaliers plus a couple of Maine Coon kitties.

The time went by with every thought of staying. I knew I was in Paradise. Then I was evacuated three times during those horrendous California mountain fires. Multiple spine and leg surgeries had put a stop to my love of trekking around the world with my lady friends. And health care was 45 miles away unless you just needed a blood pressure check from the firemen.

It was obviously time to put on the thinking cap again. There are only a few states I have not visited or lived in.....and one was Minnesota. After meeting a gentleman who would become my life partner, (thank you, E-Harmony) I began to visit the wonderful state of Minnesota. Six years later I made the decision to sell my home, leave my "village", and take up residence where I would be surrounded by nature and the Mississippi River. Not surprisingly I fell in love with the wonderful medical care available and learned what "Minnesota Nice" was all about.

So, this time....... did I choose the best place for growing old? Time will tell.

Chris