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Land!!

While Lance was still in the Army we daydreamed of the place we would settle when he retired.  Being from Washington State originally we both wanted green trees and four seasons.  He dreamed of land to raise a couple cows.  I wanted to be hidden in the trees where I couldn't see a single neighbor and they couldn't see us.  These were lofty dreams from our small government apartment on a military installation!

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We considered several areas, looking at land prices, homeschooling laws, gun laws, property and income taxes, and benefits for retired military like VA offices and Commissary shopping.  Western Texas and northern Idaho were at the top of our list.  Idaho was closer to our families so my in-laws started looking for us.  They had never lived outside of Washington.  They fell in love with Idaho and we both put in offers of adjoining large country acreage lots.

We chose a lot with almost half tall pines and half acreage, a year-around stream, and mountain views.  They chose a stream and a creek and nestled at the foothills of a mountain.  At the time there were no roads in but it had been logged a bit previously so there were some clearings.  We're building our home inside one of those logged clearings.

We've been working for nearly six years to obtain permits, install a long compacted gravel driveway, run power from the road, install a well with sand trap and pump, put the septic tank and drainage in place, pour foundation footers and fill it with densely compressed small gravel.  I'm sure I'm forgetting something.  It's been a long few years to get this far but we've done it without any debt and I'm really proud of that.

See ya soon!
​Lorinda

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