I think one of the questions most people have on their minds, at some point or another, is, “Can I or do I want to live where I am for the absolute rest of my life?” If a person hasn’t asked him or herself this question, they’re either not old enough or are content where they are. Laura and I are content where we are. Although, I’d say we’re content because we’re relatively young and are able to handle the natural elements that are thrown at us. I’m currently healthy and strong enough to shovel snow and split wood. Will we be this content when we’re in our 70s? 80s? 90s? Will I still want to deal with snow and firewood then? We’ve discussed topics like this quite a bit and have come to the conclusion that there’s no one place on earth that’s perfect for everything all of the time, rather, there are multiple places that are perfect for some things some of the time. While I’m frustrated by realizations such as these, I’m also a realist and realists need to recognize reality for what it is.
Spring and fall in Maine are superb. The weather couldn’t be better. The temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold. Traveling is easy and home maintenance is low. Even the summer isn’t terrible. Yes, the air gets hot and sticky for a few weeks and the bugs certainly are annoying, but absent of living in the middle of a town or city, I think that’s something we’ll simply need to get used to. Regarding the type of place we like to live, bugs are merely a fact of life.
The greatest threat to our happiness, peace, and survivability is the snow and bitter cold of Maine winters. While I do absolutely love the winter and most of what comes with it, it may not be a sustainable option after retirement age. Consider this scenario: I’m shoveling the driveway, I slip, I fall and break my hip, Laura calls an ambulance, they can’t get to me because of the snow. It’s a valid concern. Most friends in our area are seniors and I worry about them constantly. Preparation is key. I’m not sure people prepare nearly enough and they suffer because of it.
Quality of life is another concern. Laura and I like to walk, hike, garden, and generally enjoy the outdoors. We’d like to do that for as much of the year as possible. We’d also like to experience the types of culture only city centers can offer. So having a large town or city somewhat nearby would be wonderful. Having it accessible via a medium other than a car would be even better.
What I’m building up to here is that perhaps an idea is in the works. Not officially or anything, but perhaps the idea of, in 20 years or so, living somewhere else for a few months out of the year might be a wise idea. Someplace that would give Laura and me most of what we’re looking for in regards to what I mentioned above.
There’s a place in Scotland called Dunkeld. It’s a small town of approximately 1,100 people about an hour and a half north of Edinburgh. It’s referred to as the gateway to the Highlands. If Dunkeld had a twinning city here in the U.S., it would (or should) be Farmington, Maine. Dunkeld actually does have a such a city. It’s Asheville, North Carolina, but I find the notion of this twinning silly. The two are similar in some respects, but as far as population size goes, there’s not much similarity there at all. I know I’m being partial and wishful here, so please just let me have this. We’ll go with Farmington as opposed to Asheville. Please.
Dunkeld appears to offer much of what Laura and I look for during the times of year that are toughest in Maine. It also offers proximity to the culture we seek. I suppose part of my motivation for writing this post is to remind me of the working and evolving checklist of satisfaction that we’ve already applied to this tiny town. Dunkeld offers: a small population of people, a country setting, hotels, pubs, and tourism, more than enough local hiking trails, elegance and wealth, restaurants and local shopping, history, a nearby medium size river as well as a smaller one, accessibility to a primary Scottish thoroughfare, cool summers and temperate winters (as compared to Maine), stunning architectural and natural beauty, an incredible topography, a nearby railway, relatively close proximity to towns and cities, and much more that I’m sure I’m forgetting. Basically and most importantly, it seems as though Dunkeld is a nice town, not too small/large, in a location where it does snow, but that snow doesn’t turn to ice and hang around for five months. That’s a huge plus.
I’ll keep this post updated as I learn more, but as of right now, I think Dunkeld in Scotland is a primary contender for lightening the burden of Maine’s harsh winters. We’ll see what happens over the next few decades.
