Moving to the South Land
Splendid News
Last summer (2020), the US Gov told Karen to promote her and move her to Huntsville in Alabama. It was splendid news! We had been keen to get away from the DC Metro area for years. In many ways, it's a great place. But, we loathed the wretched commute and the awful traffic, Karen's workplace was 24 miles away, but the drive took her 90 minutes each way on a good day. Everyone has to aim off for the awful traffic during the 'commute' whatever the destination and purpose of the trip. It impinged on all aspects of one's life. Eighteen years of that is enough.
Getting a Move On
We got the green light to relocate during the first week of November. During the next five hectic weeks, we were to:
- Market and sell our home in Lake Ridge, Virginia.
- Drive to and from Huntsville to find and buy a new home. It's a 680-mile drive each way, and we took the dogs along.
- Organise some essential work on the old house to ready it for its new owners. The aim was to close with them in 30 days from their offer – on 10th December.
- Have Karen fly down to Huntsville and back for the buyers' inspection of the new house.
- Get our goods and chattel packed up and moved.
- While they were en route, we drove back to Alabama and closed on our new house on 11th December.
Moving house at any time is never fun. Doing it during the COVID 19 scenario is scary. A Government Relocation Group managed our move. They did the administrative and procedural heavy lifting working with our Realtors at each end.
Sweet Home Alabama
Our new home in Owens Cross Roads, a small township about 8 miles SE from Huntsville. The Hampton Cove division lies over Monte Sano Mountain from Huntsville. We are in a community called "The Meadows". It has a gateway, i.e. one way in and out, but no gate or gatehouse exists.
Property prices are significantly lower here than in NOVA. So is the cost of living in general. So our house is better, and our dollars go farther.
It's a brand new house, we bought it from the builder.
- There were no window treatments of any type. We have some on order, but we are in plain sight for a few weeks more for anyone to see. That is except for bedroom windows, where we have pinned up a sheet for the sake of decency and public order.
- There are no towel rails, door hooks, toilet roll holders etc., any place. These are on order, too, and in transit from Oregon with the US Postal Service.
- The backyard is waterlogged by natural runoff from the massive ridge behind us. We mop muddy dog paw prints continuously from the floor.
But, in general, we are thoroughly enjoying our new surroundings. And frustrated, too, because bloody COVID 19 stands in the way of becoming more acquainted with them.
Living in Hampton Cove
A local real estate agent makes these videos about relocating to Huntsville. He provides a good idea of the scene. The new guy in it bought a house in a neighbouring subdivision. Good schools for his kids are the main drivers. For us, it's a good score on the dog-friendliness index.
A Superior Commute
Karen's commute to her office in Redstone Arsenal is about 15 to 20 minutes. She takes a scenic back road up and through Blevins Gap, down into Jones Valley, and then to the Arsenal. There's still has a couple of miles to go once she gets through the gate.
A Better Workplace Too
Redstone is nominally a US Army installation. For instance, I went to the US Army Missile and Munitions Center and School in 1975 to train on a particular missile. It has another but similar title these days. NASA, the FBI and other Federal Agencies have long been housed there. The other day, they announced that Space Force would be headquartered there in due course.
Alabamians
We are enjoying living amongst Alabamians. Huntsville attracts people from all over the country. But the incomers dilute the local stock much less so than is the case in NOVA. We find them engaging and friendly to a fault. This little film is superficial but nevertheless provides a good glimpse of them.