# Not sharing retirement dream



## tripletmom

Dilemma, long...
I retired end of last year after 33+ years at a pretty good job. DH hasn't worked at a job off the place since 2008. We made that choice and it was a good choice. He raised our kids, triplets no less, tended the garden, did canning and laundry plus all the guy stuff, he's extremely handy. My job supported us, and then some.
We have 10 acres and he's been raising cattle for always, and I've always supported his farming dream, financially as well as cheerleading.
Herein lies the problem...I want to travel the US in the lovely van he converted to a camper, he don't want to leave the farm for more than a week or so at a time, especially in the winter when cows need hay and water ain't wet. I hate winter, that's especially when I want to be gone.
He talks about buying some adjoining properties if/when is folks estate is settled, so he has no plans to stop. 
I asked him to take a year off to road trip with me, but he won't. He has a nephew, whom we're very close with, who farms and lives 5 miles away. My suggestion was for the nephew to tend to our place as if it were an extension of his own property keeping any money from selling calves or whatever. 
DH knows the farm isn't my dream and after supporting his for some 23 years, I get to feeling resentful. He knows what I'd like to do and how I feel. I've mentioned taking the van and dogs and going by myself. My biggest fear being the van, a 95 chev conversion, will break down and there I'll sit. When it breaks, he fixes it, I don't have a clue about these things.
The other concern is really in my head, what will others think? We spend a lot of time doing our own thing already, but if I headed more south for the entire winter alone, tongues would wag!
Anybody else out there with this kind of problem?


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## HDRider

Wow - I am sitting here in the same quandary, except wifie and I both want to travel. I just can't figure out how.

Let's logic through this together.

How can you be gone when so much needs attention?


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## AmericanStand

Get some sort of towing insurance and set out. 
Let him come with or not but certainly don’t support his dream if he won’t support yours. 
Who cares about Tongue wagging at your age? It won’t impact your employment or dating !


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## tripletmom

That's just it, there isn't that much that needs attention anymore, aside from his cows. The kids are grown, 4 live in a different state and the other 2 are on their own. The garden is a fraction of what it was. And in the winter there is no garden and the lawn don't need mowed so it's just back to the cows who need hay and wet water. He keeps tank heaters so the wet water isn't even the biggest of deals.
Oh, what to do what to do?!


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## AmericanStand

HD why can’t you travel ?


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## tripletmom

AmericanStand said:


> Get some sort of towing insurance and set out.
> Let him come with or not but certainly don’t support his dream if he won’t support yours.
> Who cares about Tongue wagging at your age? It won’t impact your employment or dating !


I


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## tripletmom

I like the way you think @AmericanStand


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## anniew

Wagging tongues wouldn't be my first or last concern...


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## AmericanStand

You can rent one way if you breakdown and need to get home


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## anniew

Loads of married people or those with long time SOs seem to be stuck and not able to do things on their own. If his and your retirement ideas don't coincide, go out on your own for a week at a time, and get the wanderlust out of your system, or decide it is what you want to do forever...better than staying home (it's for the cows) and resenting being stuck there.
I'd think a compromise would be the best solution, if you can reach one.


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## AmericanStand

How about a job that would pay you to tour the country ?
Or at the least pay your way ?


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## tripletmom

AmericanStand said:


> How about a job that would pay you to tour the country ?
> Or at the least pay your way ?


Had been working remotely since 2011, could have done it from any campsite with cell service. Not exactly sure what you're meaning...


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## Terri

It sounds like your husband is not ready to retire.

My husband brought up the subject to me. I suggested we use our son as a house sitter for a short time during the winter and we could go where ever he wants. Florida, perhaps. Or Louisiana. Depending on how well it goes we might take more vacations and longer ones.

What I would NOT do is to take a full year off.

Your husband has spent a long time developing his bloodlines, and if he sells the cattle then he cannot ever get those bloodlines back. In essence you would be forcing him to retire, and he doe not wish to retire at this time.

Edited to add: perhaps he could help a young farmer get started by allowing him to run the wanna be farmers livestock on your husbands land, in exchange for taking care of things while you guys take a vacation that is longer than a week?


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## HDRider

AmericanStand said:


> HD why can’t you travel ?


I have a lot of cattle, sheep, dogs, chickens and a couple of cats that have no one but us to care for them.


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## HDRider

tripletmom said:


> That's just it, there isn't that much that needs attention anymore, aside from his cows. The kids are grown, 4 live in a different state and the other 2 are on their own. The garden is a fraction of what it was. And in the winter there is no garden and the lawn don't need mowed so it's just back to the cows who need hay and wet water. He keeps tank heaters so the wet water isn't even the biggest of deals.
> Oh, what to do what to do?!


What would you do about the cows?

That is all of the animals you have?


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## tripletmom

anniew said:


> Loads of married people or those with long time SOs seem to be stuck and not able to do things on their own. If his and your retirement ideas don't coincide, go out on your own for a week at a time, and get the wanderlust out of your system, or decide it is what you want to do forever...better than staying home (it's for the cows) and resenting being stuck there.
> I'd think a compromise would be the best solution, if you can reach one.


I have no problem doing things on my own, I very much enjoy my own company.


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## HDRider

tripletmom said:


> I have no problem doing things on my own, I very much enjoy my own company.


My wife is in Branson right now, she is going to NYC this fall, Chicago and Dallas late summer. I wish we could do it together, but,,,


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## AmericanStand

Bet you could find someone!
Probably on this forum. 

Think something like two weeks training two weeks on the road the. Back for a week then gone two or three weeks and back a week etc.


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## tripletmom

HDRider said:


> What would you do about the cows?
> 
> That is all of the animals you have?


The cows and dogs. Dogs go with us, I mentioned an idea for the cows in my original post, we have a nephew who farms a real farm and is very close, both in proximity and friendship. I call this nephew 'the other woman' if that tells you how close they are.


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## HDRider

tripletmom said:


> The cows and dogs. Dogs go with us, I mentioned an idea for the cows in my original post, we have a nephew who farms a real farm and is very close, both in proximity and friendship. I call this nephew 'the other woman' if that tells you how close they are.


Sorry, I missed that.

How long do you want to be gone on these trips? Days, weeks, months?

What is he giving up?


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## tripletmom

That's ok, it was long and buried in there. 
I originally asked for a year but was willing to back off from that.


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## AmericanStand

Ok I’m lost cows are pretty hardy and with someone to attend them a few minutes a day will be fine for long periods. 
You could even plan trips ahead so he could make quick flights home every couple weeks.


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## HDRider

tripletmom said:


> That's ok, it was long and buried in there.
> I originally asked for a year but was willing to back off from that.


I bet he would go for a week trip, and then try a two week trip and see how things go.

Do you really want to be away from your house, your home for a solid year?


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## tripletmom

AmericanStand said:


> Ok I’m lost cows are pretty hardy and with someone to attend them a few minutes a day will be fine for long periods.
> You could even plan trips ahead so he could make quick flights home every couple weeks.


I know right?


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## HDRider

AmericanStand said:


> Ok I’m lost cows are pretty hardy and with someone to attend them a few minutes a day will be fine for long periods.
> You could even plan trips ahead so he could make quick flights home every couple weeks.


How many cows have you manged, all by your lonesome?

I am developing a young man to watch things. I don't have family here to watch things. Knowing who to trust is the key.


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## HDRider

tripletmom said:


> I know right?


I think I see the problem. Good luck to you


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## tripletmom

We've been doing 1-2 weeks for several years already. The difference being that until this past March we had one of the kids still home. And, the nephew I've mentioned before came every 3-4 days to hay the cows when it was winter!


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## tripletmom

HDRider said:


> I think I see the problem. Good luck to you


Really?!! If I'm taking you wrong HD I'm sorry, and please say so if I am, but are you getting snarky thinking I'm missing the big picture?
Did I mention that we have only 10 acres and I think 13 cows, including calves? A couple minutes a day is all it would take unless there were to be a problem.


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## AmericanStand

HDRider said:


> How many cows have you manged, all by your lonesome?
> 
> I am developing a young man to watch things. I don't have family here to watch things. Knowing who to trust is the key.


 I’ve never owned cows myself. 
But I’ve been the guy that. Cared for someone else’s 
What’s required varies a lot. I would far rather care for 200 beef cows in summer than 5 dairy cows in winter that need to be milked!


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## AmericanStand

We are all about the country life here but honestly fair seems to be that he supports her dream a while. 

I’ve seen many cases where a man has supported a woman’s dream of kids and then education for 30 years. Then as soon as he wants to relax he is out on his butt. 
This seems like the other side of the coin.


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## Alice In TX/MO

A year is a long time. I think short trips. Week or two. See how that works.


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## AmericanStand

A year-long trip is an entirely different thing than two weeks they really aren’t the same thing and that year long trip cannot be created by 365 one day vacations.


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## tripletmom

I'm even good with a month or 2 at a time. Like I said, we already done 1-2 weeks and always have a blast but the places I want to go, and him too, like the west coast, Yosemite and the redwoods, Washington state and everywhere in between can't be properly enjoyed in 2 weeks time. It takes 12 hours just to get to the kids and grands in Wisconsin. I do drive there by myself often enough.


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## roadless

Do you have a close friend to travel with you? 
I went to Europe for over 3 weeks alone, while it was a trip of a lifetime , it was sad not to share it with someone.


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## [email protected]

I would pick a place I wanted to see. then go there.
take your time and do some side trips to break up the long drive. 
start with a place you can reach in a day and then come back home. then plan a little longer trip, and come back home.
I met a retired couple who lived in a 40ft RV.
they owned a place in Alaska with 6 camper hook-ups.
if anybody came to visit, they just hooked up to one of the sites.
then this couple traveled all over the country . they also stayed somewhere in Florida, that's where we met them..
they had a large chest freezer in the RV. they hauled beef to Florida and Fish back home..


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## Alice In TX/MO

Did you guys discuss this in the past? Did he know this was your goal? How did he react?


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## tripletmom

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Did you guys discuss this in the past? Did he know this was your goal? How did he react?


We did discuss, more than once, before I decided to retire now. Tshtf at work a year ago April, and that's when I decided to retire at the end of the year.
I think he thought retirement wouldn't happen for at least 5, maybe more, years.


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## AmericanStand

tripletmom said:


> I'm even good with a month or 2 at a time. Like I said, we already done 1-2 weeks and always have a blast but the places I want to go, and him too, like the west coast, Yosemite and the redwoods, Washington state and everywhere in between can't be properly enjoyed in 2 weeks time. It takes 12 hours just to get to the kids and grands in Wisconsin. I do drive there by myself often enough.


 For trips to places that the driving travel eats up to much of your time park near there and fly home and back.


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## Alice In TX/MO

When the previous discussions took place, did he just tolerate the topic... or act interested? 

He may have remained quiet, hoping it would go away.


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## dsmythe

TripletMom;
I am afraid I may just make some folks here angry at me BUT I must share this with you;
My wife suffered a heart attack in 2000. She recovered and became the hairdresser for a Retirement Village here in NEGA. She shared our dream of traveling when we retired. We wanted to sell out, buy an RV and just travel where ever our hearts lead us. Everyone of the residents told her to do what you can while you are "ABLE" to do it physically. These people were living in an Assisted Living Home. Most were very well off financially and could travel anywhere they wanted to. The problem was that they just could not travel because of Dr Appointments or other physical problems, a large portion of them were incontinent and had to wear appropriate under garments.
My wife's health has declined to the point that she is on O2 and a host of other health challenges so we will never be able to leave for more than a Day Trip....at best. We could not travel if we wanted to now.
I would tell you to GO and do what YOU WANT to do while you are able to, It may not be as much fun to be by your self but at least you could do something to enhance your life. In our digital age you could stay in contact with each other. If he simply just does not want to leave the farm, I can understand his concerns. I LOVE my place but would be quite content to leave to travel but it is not possible now. I am not griping about our situation, I am my wife's full time nurse. Do not wait for "all of the planets to line up" They probably won't anyway.
I had a Therapist help me once while I was trying to make a decision to place our handicapped daughter in a group home. She asked me point blank, What Do YOU Want to Do? I had never considered myself before.
Do what YOU would like to do! I hope you all can come to terms that suit BOTH of you. Dsmythe.
Sorry for the long post but my heart goes out to anyone who wants to travel but can't.


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## Alice In TX/MO

Well said.


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## AmericanStand

Does your Husband suffer from FOS ? I suddenly remembered how prevalent and debilitating it is.
I spent a year delivering motorhomes for a company once Noticed that most of their drivers were retired farmers working through their issues with fear of sloth.
Fear of Sloth Leaves its victims edgy and uncomfortable when not working.
Lots of farmers came to move motorhomes because it was an excuse to go somewhere while working. It gave them bragging rights at the village café to say something along the lines of “yeah I had to take a motorhome to Vegas last week “ Where fear of sloth would never have allowed them to say I blew two weeks on a trip to Vegas.

Honestly this is a real issue for many retired people that edgy discomforting feeling when they’re not working.
Could this be the problem with your husband ?


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## tripletmom

AmericanStand, I never thought of that!! You may have hit the nail on the head there! He never stops! Sometimes we'll just take the van down the road and park for a weekend just to not be doing something. 
His dad was this way. It was all his mom could do to get him to come visit us in wi for a long weekend every other year. And in the end, he expressed regrets that they didn't travel! DH and his brothers sold the cows after his dad died, so there ya go.
Thank you Dsmyth for your story, that is the direction my mind is going. I also mentioned to him I may go visit a gf in Panama for a while in the winter.
Alice, he acted interested at the time. He even outfitted the Luv Machine(what we named the van) so I could work while we traveled, and I did. But again, that was while we still had a kid at home. And the nephew was always on call and tended to the cows when needed. Our kids didn't turn out to be farmers!
And to whomever mentioned a traveling companion, I've been thinking about that as well.
Thank you all so much for the suggestions and support! I think the support was my main goal.


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## hiddensprings

I wouldn't worry about what other think. Who cares about them. And, there is nothing wrong with heading out on your own. He has his dreams and you have yours and from the sounds of it, it has worked quite well for you guys. My hubby travels for work and is gone for months at a time. I hold down the homefront and do the things I love to do while he is gone. We've been married almost 38 years and it works for us. I'm sure people in my little town wonder about what going on, but that's never bothered us. I say plan your trip, give hubby a kiss and let him know where you're headed and check in with him along the way.


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## AmericanStand

Does he have a Cdl? If he does I can tell you how to make money AND have a great time traveling where ever you want. 
It was that working aspect that let all those old farmers get away for a vacation.


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## tripletmom

AmericanStand said:


> Does he have a Cdl? If he does I can tell you how to make money AND have a great time traveling where ever you want.
> It was that working aspect that let all those old farmers get away for a vacation.


He does not...
And he'd still need someone to tend his cows...


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## FreeRange

AmericanStand said:


> Get some sort of towing insurance and set out.
> Let him come with or not but certainly don’t support his dream if he won’t support yours.
> Who cares about Tongue wagging at your age? It won’t impact your employment or dating !


Yes, check into Coachnet RV insurance. Your van may or may not qualify. I've heard that it will pay for a rental and tow your rig home. I have Good Sam insurance and it is pretty worthless for breakdowns.

BTW, there are a lot of women who RV together. Check on some of the RV forums, or conversion van forums. If I had a small van or motorhome, I'd go with you. But I can't pull the 5er.


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## AmericanStand

tripletmom said:


> He does not...
> And he'd still need someone to tend his cows...


From what you have said I don’t think finding someone to tend the stock will be a problem. 
It’s getting his head into the trip.


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## MoonRiver

Check out cheaprvliving on youtube or at that web address. I think you will find you're not alone. Many married women find themselves with a husband who wants to stay home, so they travel alone. Bob (cheaprvliving) has many interviews with woman traveling alone and how they got over their fears.


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## tripletmom

MoonRiver said:


> Check out cheaprvliving on youtube or at that web address.
> 
> This is an amazing site! Thank you so much for the tip!


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## emdeengee

I think that a lot of people do not plan ahead as to what they will be doing in retirement so it comes as a bigger shift and shock to their lifestyle. Developing other interests before you retire is pretty important. Those who we know who have done so always say they do not know when they found time to work and are busier in retirement than they ever thought possible.

And of course making plans with your partner is also pretty important. Not likely that you will agree on everything or even want to do everything together but compromise is vital. And of course sharing part of your life. When we were both working we did not share every minute or every activity but we shared a lot. No reason to change in retirement. If your partner does not want to do anything that you want or with you then that is a big problem. My friend loves to stay at home and her husband loves to travel. They bough a big bus RV and it becomes her home for 3 or 4 months of the year as they travel. That still gives her 8 or 9 months to be a home body and he gets what he wants while they can do it.


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## ridgerunner1965

yu really need to sit down and talk with hubby. he sounds a lot like me. ive never been a sahd. but I hate traveling. when I do I just think of how much work I could get done at home.

I just cant leave my responsibilities to sumone else. that being said id be fine with my SO traveling without me.

that 95 van will need to be updated. bet he is sick of fixing it. I know im sick of fixing my SO car that is almost as old.


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## MOwoodsydad

My wife would love to travel a lot when she retires. Me, not so much.
Can you go for a week, then your husband meets you and spends a week? Then you go home for a few weeks? 
What about shorter but semi-frequent trips?


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## Solar Geek

FWIW we have a dear friend whose husband was a cop in WI and worked like a dog. Then she (worked for Walgreen's) decided they needed a warmer climate and he agreed. So he got a job at Walgreen's also and they got transferred together to FL. But she never intended to be apart from their 2 sons forever who were grown and had families. She wanted the 6mos/6mos thing after retirement.

Well sadly one son died shortly after my friend and her DH retired. DH decided he hated the 6/6 or any variation thereof but it really was the only way to see the dead son's family (still in WI) and their other son and family. And alot of their friends are here also. 

SO she rents a place in WI for 6 mos and he comes and goes (drives to save $$). They still get called to help at various WI and FL Walgreen's so it isn't so bad. Her entire family is in WI so she is not lonesome. I think they do travel some together but not alot. Just different feelings I guess but they worked it out.

So maybe some practice trips as suggested and maybe your DH would be willing to do 3 weeks on somewhere else, 3 weeks off. I would really sit him down and tell him how lonesome he will be and how "mono" (meaning no one to play with) it will be without you.

Good luck


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## Evons hubby

Last year my Yvonne loaded up the truck (89 Ford F-250) and took the fifth wheel to New Orleans for three weeks. She and a freind had a great time. I stayed home and took care of the farm. Yeah, they broke down, spent a couple days getting truck fixed. No biggy, they just had a good time where they were. Best part was truck got fixed and I dint scuff my knuckles!


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## tripletmom

Great ideas all!


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## mml373

tripletmom said:


> Dilemma, long...
> I retired end of last year after 33+ years at a pretty good job. DH hasn't worked at a job off the place since 2008. We made that choice and it was a good choice. He raised our kids, triplets no less, tended the garden, did canning and laundry plus all the guy stuff, he's extremely handy. My job supported us, and then some.
> We have 10 acres and he's been raising cattle for always, and I've always supported his farming dream, financially as well as cheerleading.
> Herein lies the problem...I want to travel the US in the lovely van he converted to a camper, he don't want to leave the farm for more than a week or so at a time, especially in the winter when cows need hay and water ain't wet. I hate winter, that's especially when I want to be gone.
> He talks about buying some adjoining properties if/when is folks estate is settled, so he has no plans to stop.
> I asked him to take a year off to road trip with me, but he won't. He has a nephew, whom we're very close with, who farms and lives 5 miles away. My suggestion was for the nephew to tend to our place as if it were an extension of his own property keeping any money from selling calves or whatever.
> DH knows the farm isn't my dream and after supporting his for some 23 years, I get to feeling resentful. He knows what I'd like to do and how I feel. I've mentioned taking the van and dogs and going by myself. My biggest fear being the van, a 95 chev conversion, will break down and there I'll sit. When it breaks, he fixes it, I don't have a clue about these things.
> The other concern is really in my head, what will others think? We spend a lot of time doing our own thing already, but if I headed more south for the entire winter alone, tongues would wag!
> Anybody else out there with this kind of problem?


I think a lot of replies here border on resentful and dangerous to your marriage. Different people get rejuvenation from different things. I know that after 11 moves in 20 years with the military, I've seen A LOT of the world and want a chance to settle down and be still, close to the land.

You have supported his dream. He likely supports yours but doesn't want to be gone for a long period of time. Do what others have said. Get good towing insurance and set out for longer treks. Take your husband with you for those shorter ones. There is plenty to see here in the U.S., much of which may be close to you.

I'd caution against turning adversarial and don't let his failure to share the depth of your dream hurt you or make you bitter. Share the times together that you can, support each other for those things which are not mutual dreams. Dance apart when needed and dance together when you can.


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## tripletmom

@mml373, thank you, I love what you say in your last paragraph!!
Update, we are planning a month or so in September. After our usual week or so with the kids and grands, we're going to head for Glacier park to visit an old friend in Kalispel!!


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## mml373

tripletmom said:


> @mml373, thank you, I love what you say in your last paragraph!!
> Update, we are planning a month or so in September. After our usual week or so with the kids and grands, we're going to head for Glacier park to visit an old friend in Kalispel!!


Enjoy your travels! What I said in my post was advice from a friend years ago.


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## Terri

Have fun!


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## Miss Kay

I'm late to the party here but wondering how it went? Did you travel and how did you both do with being apart?

My husband and I are both retired but we are both workaholics and simply can't be still. We are building our retirement home so we stay busy each and every day doing what we love. Other folks think we are crazy and should travel and enjoy ourselves while we can. I learned a long time ago that people do exactly what they want to do. If I wanted to travel, I would. We may make excuses as to why we "can't" travel but the truth is we don't because we don't want to. I hope it worked out to where you both got what you wanted.


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## AmericanStand

Lol yes it’s time for results and pictures!


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## tripletmom

Alrighty, here's where we are...
We spent 1 day short of 4 weeks not at home over September, it was great! 
Spent a week+ in Wisconsin being taken advantage of by our kids and grands(and we loved every second of it!). Then headed west. Moochdocked for almost a week reconnecting with a high school girlfriend in Columbia falls, mt. Beautiful country there!
Then slowly made our way home camping in free BLM and national forest on the way.
I'll see about pics after I finish this.
No plans at this time for travel this winter. I know he is most hesitant to leave in the winter so I'm trying to be as considerate as I know he is trying to be. DD getting married in April and GrDD graduating hs in June, both in wi so will plan travel around those.
We paid the gr niece and nephew to tend to stuff here every 3 days and to mow the yard. They are 12 and 14 and rode the 4 wheeler up. Win win! Their dad was available for problems. 
Also, I have since taken up with a group of ladies who like to bicycle. We meet up and ride on the greenway couple times a week as weather permits. That helps, a lot!!
I am looking at some cycling tours in warmer places for this winter as well. 
I still hate winter, still dream of getting away, still antsy. Have discussed the bike tour, so he's aware. I've gotten him away for a couple weeks in winters past so expecting to get that at least.
Thanks ya'll for staying with me on this!!
I'll try now with the pics...


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## tripletmom

And @Miss Kay , yes, I'm trying to be more involved in the finishing up of the house that dh built pretty much all by himself. I've always just sat back in my office working while he's spent the past 8 years building this place up from pasture. The house is finished on the outside. He started on the inside last winter.
Back to those pics...


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## tripletmom

Dh, me, gf I'd not seen in 40 yrs, her dh





























The 'mean green luv machine'


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## SLADE

Now that looks like a lot of fun.


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## tripletmom

SRSLADE said:


> Now that looks like a lot of fun.


It was! We always have a good time on our adventures!! I really have not much to complain about.


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## Lisa in WA

I love your hair!


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## ChuChan

Awwww, so happy you had that time together! Great update and pics. Hopefully, he will want to head out more with you. I totally get your traveling bug!!

Seeing this makes me even more ready for a road trip! 3 years ago a gf and took a 5 week trip and left our dh’s at home. They weren’t interested so we piled our stuff into a van and went to see the country! We slept at truck stops (they have showers!), in hotel parking lots, and at Walmarto. So many good pics and memories. 

Last year I traveled from SoCal to PA to visit moms and sis by myself. DH has hotel points so I spent have my nights in a room or the car depending on how many miles I could drive. Stupid car broke down 3 times and I was ripped off at 2 garages. But I made it safe and sound with G-d’s awesome protection! And I would do it all again in a heartbeat!! It’s more fun with the dh or gf tho.


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## Michael W. Smith

I can understand your husband not wanting to leave for up to a year - he would miss several births over a year.

However, I think you are on the right path - take week - 2 weeks trips at a time. I'm not so sure I would want to live in a van for that long - so maybe mix things up - stay in the van for a few days, then stay in a cheap motel for a fews days while on the trip.

I don't understand him not wanting to leave during winter. During winter, really the ONLY thing to do then is feed and water the cows. Most farmers have big enough waterer's that are either spring fed or heated enough that they don't freeze so water isn't an issue. Having someone to stop by twice a day to check on the cows and feed them would be all that is needed - and it sounds like the nephew can do that.

Perhaps you can plan a nice getaway during the winter for a week either on a cruise ship or an all inclusive. That way you both get a break from living in the van - you get to see places you couldn't in your van - and you are waited on - both for meals and bed making / room cleaning. Nice warm climates and different countries.

Good luck.


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## AmericanStand

Lol
I had forgotten how sometimes the BLM in the forest service plop picnic tables down almost at random in the middle of nowhere


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