It was a huge adjustment for Bryan and me after we moved here. We felt lost and misplaced for a long time. Now after 18 months, I have a list.
1. Tax-free living. For the first 9 months, especially when we’d make a big purchase I’d bellow, “and it’s tax FREE!” Don’t hate me for it.
2. Nightmare traffic is a 6-car line at the 4-way stop. No traffic lights, no roundabouts–nothing.
3. It’s quiet and peaceful, especially at night. At first I couldn’t get to sleep because it was too quiet here, now I can’t get to sleep in the metropolitan areas.
4. Genuinely nice people live here. There’s a lot of OLD people here, but they’re nice.
5. It’s brilliant to drive to Missoula and on the way spot bald eagles, hawks or falcons overhead on the way there. Watch out for the freakin deer a-go-go though.6. The local school district is in the Top 5 in America.
7. My husband’s total commute is just 12 miles both ways, compared to 1.5 hours before we moved here.
8. The opportunities for mountain climbing, biking and camping are endless. The mountain views are also breath-taking.
9. It’s virtually stress-free, living here.
10. We’re just a 4 hours’ drive from five of the best fishing places in America. Neither of us fish though.
11. I’m only 4 hours south of Canada. It’s calling my name. I want to go buy some British food so bad.
12. It’s safe. If I’ve accidentally left the front door unlocked overnight I don’t go throw up when I realise it. I still worry a little, but it’s not a huge issue now.
13. There are plenty of places locally to go float the river.
a Brit different 
I remember from my last trip to England that a)Bangers and Mash is real good and b) so is Shepherd’s Pie. And in a little over two months time, I will have a chance to eat them again. Actually, I have B&M at home and I can buy Shepherd’s Pie at Jewel (Albertson’s to you guys out west) in the frozen foods. But it’s better in England, even though I’m not quite as fond of their Bangers as I am of our sausages here in the States. Bangers are a bit bland.
And I don’t lock my front door, either. Although I suppose I probably should.
Other than that – you win.
That top left picture could just as easily be Fife as it is Montana.
That’s the one good thing of my insane commute – Delaware is tax free. I usually wait to do all big purchases down there.
And except for the heavy traffic
Noise at night
Mean people
insane commutes
totally stressful living
being 8+ hours from Canada
And needing to lock your doors as a way of life,
I live in a place just like you do.
Unbelievable! 13 more reasons why I’m totally envious of you. *sigh*
😉
That’s why I live out in a rural place, too. I NEVER lock my doors.. I do lock car doors, sometimes, mainly in the summer, when we have more tourists and visitor’s kids. But, there’s no noise, no traffic, just peaceful. Worth any inconvenience..
Love the new site!
Hugs,
Jean
It’s all very well that the old people in montana are nice, but how do they smell? Or does the fact that you live in such a rural area negate the importance of that factor of quality of life?
Peace (and a grin,) Doc
Thanks for the invite to your new digs. I’ll certainly make an effort to drop by in my normal sporadic fashion.
You make Montana sound like a wonderful place for a country loving person. The one hitch is the cold. Well, there’s another hitch too – no local Wal-Mart.
Just got to ask if the penny was bright and gleaming? Can remember when my baby sister swallowed 7 dimes. Actually, the thing I really remember is Mom slicing and dicing until all of the dimes were accounted for. I envied her not for a moment.
Never did find the penny….lol
Thanks for letting me know where you “moved” to! You’re one of my favorites for sure.
Montana sounds lovely. Vermont can be nice, mostly in the summer. Right now it’s too cold! It’s also very expensive to live here if you can believe that. I sometimes wonder why I live here, but I don’t think I will forever. We’ll see I guess!
I’ll be back!