Life On and Off an Acreage

In-sights into moving from an Acreage back to Town, plus a few things I find of interest.

Two things that horses are scared about:


1. Things that move
2. Things that don't move




Old enough to be eccentric, but not rich enough

February 11, 2010

Why Did I Quit Flying?

The question that some readers were asking is a good one! When we made the decision to retire early and move to Whitecourt, the die was cast. After 2 years living in town, we made the decision to purchase an acreage. This meant that all the equity that we had in the previous house was applied to the purchase. We were still tight on cash, so sold a bunch of stuff to make it happen with a very small mortgage. Once the decision was made to get the horses there was a shortage of both time and cash that said flying had to take a backseat. The above plane is a 1933 Pietenpol that I scratch built from a copy of the original plans. It was my intent to complete it, retire, and fly around the country side. The reason for building the plane was to reduce the exhorbitant cost of flying, by eliminating the major capital involved in buying a plane, and the fact that as a builder, I could do my own maintenance. The picture is about 10 years old when I was 65 pounds heavier, and the plane was a work in progress for 10 years. It was a tough decision to sell it as it basically only needed a bit of engine work and the covering. It has since sold again.
The main reasons for selling were the Acreage, the high cost of flying, and a shift in interests to life on the acreage. Some of the best people that I have met over the years were pilots. Do I regret giving it up? You betcha I do. However, for every season there is time to move on.

(Click on picture to enlarge)

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7 comments:

  1. You were the first one to follow my blog besides a family member and I've always been thankful for you putting up with all my Old Geezer stuff.

    For some reason I think of you as always being a rancher.

    The plane story is another part of your life that I never could of guessed?

    When we get to heaven maybe we can sit down over a cup of Folgers and talk about our life on earth, only the good stuff of coarse.

    God bless you Ian

    Ron

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  2. That is a great story to hear! However it is always tough to give up one thing you love for another! Tough decision but I am sure the land and horses make you smile everyday!!

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  3. Oh wow! Thats very interesting..... choices we make always have a cost of gain or loss or both ...but I agree with you when you say there is a season for moving on... I know that when its our season to move on and we have to give up certain things that my heart will always remember the time fondly but, sometimes we have to change, grow,go a different, albeit radically different direction .... you have wonderful fond memories of a special time and now your making new ones.

    Love the picture !!!!!!!

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  4. Hi Ian, thanks for the explanation. In a way my heart goes out to you and your wonderful build dream wich you couldn't maintain. Yet I totaly understand why your heart made these choises.
    My Golden Dream is to have an acreage in Canada BC one day...(or just an old shack) and only be happy in the presents of my loved ones and God. And some times leave the world to the world as it is. I know it's a silly dream, but a girl has to have one doesn't she? ;-))))
    I'm truely glad your happy with your way of living as it is right now. And yea new paths give new horizons. You go and explore.
    Happy times my friend, see you soon around again in blogland.
    Dagmar

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  5. The paths we take... some are so hard to know what to do aren't they?

    We make the best choices we can given the information we have at the time to work :O)..

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  6. It's really hard to have more than one or two hobbies and the flying is pricey at least around here. But life is always about decisions. I'd choose the property over my hobbies too.

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  7. to quote from one of my fav movies "the sound of music"... "somewhere where the L-rd closes a door He opens a window ".

    amen amen
    shalom
    gp

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