"We Are So Spoiled!"



The "Golden Time" of day at Talking Rock.

There are moments when we feel so grateful for where and how we live that all we can say is, “We are so spoiled”.  I hear this same statement fairly often, blurted from my own mouth and uttered spontaneously by friends.  What is it about life here at Talking Rock Ranch in Prescott, Arizona that makes us feel this way?

As I’m having my coffee this morning, I’m watching the sunrise turn the mountains pink.  Late this afternoon, we’ll see the late afternoon light bathe everything in a golden glow.  The deep green of junipers pops against the backdrop of rosy granite rocks and grassy vegetation.  Distant peaks look blue and purple.  Sunsets paint the canvas of the sky with fiery shades of orange and crimson.  We can’t help being entranced by the constantly-changing display of color and form.

Step outside at night and you will see the Milky Way in the midst of a black cloak sparking with billions of stars.  Meteor showers provide special delights.  Daytime skies are often an uninterrupted, intense blue.  The air is clear and fresh, and scented with juniper and sage.  Desert rain coaxes a sweet, flowery scent from the chaparral. 

We happily share this environment with animal friends.  Coyotes yip and howl when they hunt at night.  Cottontails and jackrabbits flash through the brush and hop across the patios behind our homes.   Javelina appear primeval and comical at the same time.  Bobcats are abundant (watch out, bunnies!).  Deer take shortcuts across the golf course.  Dainty hummingbirds buzz happily among the desert flora.

There’s no question that we are spoiled by the beautiful facilities and wonderful staff of Talking Rock Ranch.  I worked in the hotel industry for 30 years, and this club rivals top resorts across the country - and we live here!  Our golf course is pristine, and the club house has one of the best chefs in Prescott.  The Barn fitness center is large and well-equipped, and the locker rooms clean and luxurious.  You can get your coffee fix at Coops, not to mention a stronger beverage, a sandwich, soup, a newspaper, or other everyday items. 

I maintain that it’s the people here that make us feel truly fortunate and spoiled.  The club staff knows us all by name.  Linda knows how you like your coffee.  Ryan keeps tabs on your wine preferences.  Jayce recalls that your favorite cocktail changes with the seasons.  You may get a hug from your server when you arrive for dinner at Morgan’s.  Chef Richard prepares custom meals for special events.  Matt readies your golf cart for a round, and provides valet parking services for the restaurant.  Brian gives great golf tips and lessons.  Members here are spoiled in the best possible ways.   

Lastly, we have wonderful neighbors who are becoming lifetime friends.  We share many interests, much laughter, and even our sorrows.  Doors are opened wide to fun and fellowship.  Together, we share the joy of having found not only a home, but a community.  There is so much to celebrate!

Maybe we’ll change Talking Rock’s tag line.  Instead of “There’s a Certain Spirit Here”, it should be “We Are So Spoiled”.  Both statements express the truth.

Deciding Where to Settle Down for Retirement

A treasured friend of mine recently sent me an email looking for my opinions about his list of possible retirement locales. He is a successful surgeon who is having trouble imagining his life after retirement. The request he sent, punctuated by, “C’mon Runaway Boomer, don’t let me down!” not only made me laugh, but got me thinking about how to approach the big decision about where to retire in a systematic fashion.

It’s very important to try to visualize how you want life to unfold once you are free from a career that absorbs most of your time and energy. What are the things you would do more of, if you only had time? Many look forward to having the freedom to spend more time socializing with friends and family. Others dream of travel and exploration. For some, it will be a time for more physical action and creativity. You may have thoughts about pursuing a second career, or volunteering in your community. This visualization step requires some pleasant introspection over a period of time.

Picking a geographic location can be complicated. First, consider that you may not need or want to move at all! If you already have a great social situation and the support of friends and family nearby, do you really want to start over in a new place? Or does your soul yearn for the beauty of the mountains or beach and a new beginning? Here are some practical suggestions for going about narrowing down your list of possible locations:

• Start taking short vacations (even 3-4 days) to check out places that you think you might be interested in. Make an appointment with a realtor to take you around, so you can get a feel for housing and neighborhoods available.
• Pick up magazines like "Where to Retire" or “Money”. They do nice profiles of towns and highlight different aspects for consideration, like cost of living, healthcare, taxes, etc.
• You can think about your post-working life in phases. If you decide to buy somewhere, it doesn't have to be forever – it may merely be your next chapter.
• See if you can narrow your options a bit... Mountains, desert, coastal, urban? All have their own beauty, but are all very different.
• Make a list of what you definitely want in a home... Single family or condo, # of bedrooms/baths, view, fireplace, garage, porch or patio, single level or 2-story, etc. This will help you when you work with a realtor, and also help you visualize how you want to live.
• Browse home sales websites for different locales so you can get an idea of what is available and see what places look like.
• Go visit friends in different areas so they can introduce you to what it's like to really live somewhere.
• Look at official websites of cities and town. Email requests for visitor and/or relocation guides. Most places offer them for free.

One more important thought… Be open to surprises changing your plan. My husband and I visited Prescott, Arizona a year and a half ago because it kept popping up on lists of good places to retire. It was love at first sight, and we bought a home in Talking Rock Ranch (SURPRISE: two years earlier than planned), on a golf course (SURPRISE: we had never discussed this before), and making scores of lovely friends (SURPRISE: an amazing bonus to buying into a community). We are having the time of our lives.

Enjoy your decision-making process. It’s a luxury to have the freedom to create your own grand plan.

Arizona Morning

One of the things that clinched the deal for me on our home in Arizona was the view from the wall of windows on the back of the house. Every day we see the green of the golf course, the desert scrub, hardy trees, and distant mountains…a wide, serene, and sweet-smelling landscape that lightens my heart.

Dawn is a magical time. The sun washes a warm gold light onto the hills. The grasses and flowers start to glow. Hummingbirds and cottontail rabbits feed, seemingly undisturbed by the mowers grooming the 2nd fairway. I don’t mind either, as the scent of freshly-cut grass adds a welcome dimension to the scene.

Even in this first week of August, nights cool down considerably. This morning’s 6:00am temperature on the back patio was 68 degrees. We’ll top out at over 90 degrees late this afternoon. With luck, monsoon rains will help cool us off in the early evening. For now the windows are open and we can smell the desert flowers and hear the buzz of hummingbirds zooming past.

I didn’t used to be a morning person; but an early Arizona morning is not to be missed. Excuse me while I go get my second cup of coffee.

Outline Next Chapter: Check

We just signed a contract on a house in Prescott, Arizona! This is a big first step in our plan to spend the next chapter of our lives in the high desert of the western U.S. We found this home during our March visit, fell in love with it and the community, and have been working on it since. Last night we got word that our contract offer had been accepted. We’ll close on May 12.

But wait; we’ll still be full time residents of Chicago for about two years. That will give us time to do what we want to do in the city, but now we can be snowbirds and prepare the house for future full time occupancy.

Prescott is 100 miles north (and slightly west) of Phoenix. It’s an hour from Flagstaff or Sedona, about two hours from the Grand Canyon, and three and a half from Las Vegas. There are 40,000+ residents.  It’s high desert, so there are four seasons, although the extremes are much milder than in Phoenix or Chicago. Our "Ranch Cottage" is in a western-style planned community called Talking Rock Ranch (so named for the Indian petroglyphs on the grounds). Talking Rock features a club house with a restaurant and fitness center, a pool, hiking trails, and a fantastic golf course. The back of our house faces the second tee, and mountains in the distance. If you’re interested, there is more info here: http://www.talkingrockranch.com/.

We couldn’t be more excited! And now, a few photos... (1) Front of cottage, (2) Kitchen from living room, (3) Back of cottage from golf course, and (4) Clubhouse and mountains.

Winter Escape with a Purpose

It’s always been our plan to stay in Chicago for just a few years – until we’ve “done” the city, and get weary of the expense, the crowds, and the politics. It’s probably not the greatest place for old-age retirement (although you might be surprised how many retirement communities there are here). So when we moved to Chicago, we decided that every year we need to make at least one trip to the southwest to scout our permanent home locale. It turns out that late winter is a good time to go; allowing us to temporarily escape the effects of cabin fever brought on by the brutally long season of cold, gray, snowy misery.

Last year, we took advantage of one of Southwest’s “Gotta Get Away” fares and flew out to Albuquerque for a week. We stayed at a Homewood Suites property on the north side of the city, and made several day trips to Santa Fe. The weather was fantastic, and we had a good time exploring the area. Pulte Homes has a beautiful planned community in Rio Rancho, and we looked at their model homes to get a sense of what was available in the area. It was very encouraging. There were 3 homes we both liked, ranging from $150,000 to $230,000. We liked Albuquerque and haven’t ruled it out, but aren’t totally convinced it’s the right place for us. Santa Fe is really appealing, but much pricier.

This year we plan to drive out to Prescott, Arizona to check it out. Prescott is in the high desert, 99 miles north of Phoenix. The population is just over 40,000, but it boasts several museums, a courthouse square near the restaurants and shops on “Whiskey Row”, summer concerts, a regional hospital, golf courses, and several colleges/universities. We could even scout the Cubs during spring training in Mesa. It’s an easy drive to Flagstaff, Sedona, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and even Las Vegas. We’ve booked four nights in a Bed & Breakfast, and plan to spend a few hours with a realtor to scope out the housing. I’m working on convincing Ron that we should bring our golf clubs and get in a round or two. A side trip to the Grand Canyon for some hiking and photo opportunities on the rim trails will wrap up the trip before we start the drive home.

How will we know when we have found the right place to settle? We want the dry air of the desert, but not the harshest heat…four seasons without extremes…outdoor recreation opportunities…cultural activities…a reasonable cost of living…the easy pace of a small town, with easy access to a big city. I think we’ll know what’s right when we see it. We’ll keep you posted.