My lady friend's son is autistic so we can't go really far away, he lives with his g'friend but we'll see how long that lasts.

Being 7 hours away is one thing, being a full day's drive away is something else.

My dad retired, 25 some odd years ago, to the White River, just down stream from Bull Shoals dam, I know that area well, it's just too far away.

There are some nice lakes is southern Illinois too, but this state is a mess, no point in leaving and staying in this state.

Btw, she lived for years on a farm in southern IL, neither one of us needs to be in a city, nor wants to anymore :)

Bill H.