Moving Forward, or life evolves

I really can't complain about my life, there are others that have it worse, much worse. I have had my trials over the last 5 and half years since my accident. But the past year and a half has more than made up for it. My beautiful wife has made such a difference in my life. Helping her through her periods of illness and having a teenager back in the house have been "character" building for me...they have also brought me great joy.
For a year now, I have been on disability retirement, next month we will lose a third of my income. While Natalie's books have grown in popularity and sales they will not replace the income we have lost.
We are moving ahead, it is a scary time...we will be putting the house on the market very soon. In this bad economy, and the fall in the housing market, we will be lucky to get out and break even after living here for over 6 years. But a bright future awaits us.

The dancing daughter is ready to graduate high school and move out on her own...within the parameters set by her mother...and hopefully assisted by her father. The whole applying for colleges and looking for scholarships is taking up a large part of our time. She has recently thrown a small wrench in the works, wanting to run off to Hollywood and become an actress as soon as she graduates...we are working on getting her a little experience in that field, hoping that she will understand that it isn't as easy as she thinks, or everyone would do it.
My own children, and grandchildren are doing well...all out on their own and developing in to productive parts of society...I'm proud of them all!!
Our other daughter, has become much more mature, and is having conversations with her mother again. Including me in her family and accepting my children as her sisters and brother.

For me and Natalie, the next question is where do we want to go together? She has never lived outside of the "Zion Curtain", oh she has traveled, but vacations are not the same as living somewhere. We are making a list,  "The Top 10 Places We Want to Retire to"...we are thinking that over the next 5 years or so, we will travel and live for 6 months in each of them, to get a feel for where we want to settle. Suggestions are welcome.

Natalie wants a beach and somewhere warm...but she will settle for somewhere that doesn't get snow, within a half day's drive of the beach.

I have lived all over, I have my ideal places, ones that include being near the wilderness, somewhere rural, but close enough to a "City" to have the conveniences and luxury we both enjoy.

For the next few years, having pigeons will not be an option...hard enough trying to travel with a Great Dane.

Wine will become something we buy and not make (well, maybe a gallon on the kitchen cupboard).
Wish us luck, give us suggestions on retirement areas we should check out, and continue to follow our adventures on our blogs...and read Natalie's books...suggest them to friends...buy them and give them as gifts.

Wine: The blackberry mead...didn't make it...I'll try again one day.  The Backyard Blonde is fantastic...and if you run into us, we might even share a glass. I got a start off the old vine in the backyard, so that will be going on with us...where ever we end up.

Birds: I am down to the last of the birds, still waiting to have the old racing loft hauled away by it's new owner. I gave a pair of my best birds to my sister...so I'll have the family when I want to get back into the birds. And my partner Eric Ellis has taken a couple of my breeder pairs to preserve the family I created.