Thanks to Chris, I think I finally got a photo in here for you to see what it looks like around here. Yes, that's our house. It's not as rustic as it may appear. We had it built that way, so that it would fit into the landscape. It's less than two years old. Enjoy.

:D

Looks very arid - quite different to our wetter climate!

If you folks want a night out how far do you have to travel to the nearest town.

Let's put it this way. We drive ninety miles--one way--to the nearest movie theatre, pharmacy and hospital. Our favorite dinner spot for special occasions is sixty miles from here. The nearest Wal Mart (do you have those in England?) is 150 miles up the road. The only reason we stay overnight when we go to El Paso (250 miles) is because our friends insist. And you don't know what a party is until you party with Mexicans! I don't drink, and people who get beligerant when they drink make me nervous. Mexicans seldom get nasty. They usually get very affectionate in a nice way.
Anyway, we're used to driving, and we'll have a rental. When we look at our atlas of England, I can't get used to the fact that an inch on the map is only five or six miles. I don't think you could plan a trip that would be too far for us. (My husband keeps saying he wants to go the Outer Hebrides...... :lol:

I hear it rains over there just about every day. Down here, we scold anyone who complains about anything moist that falls from the sky or any drop in the temps. In June, we see triple digit temps. UK will be a nice change. I grew up in a part of the US that has the second hightest rainfall in the country. It's one of the things I miss about my hometown.

We have regular rainfall here, though it really only comes in small amounts and the total for the year isn't that high - about 800mm a year (which is less than New England in the US for example).

Funny you should mention the rain Kat,we have just had the driest winter for years,they could be in trouble down the south of England if we get a hot summer.
You say 60 miles to the nearest town,does that mean that in the event of an accident for instance your doctor has to travel that distance to reach you.

90 miles to the nearest hospital!! Id love to live out in the sticks but that would be a bit too remote for my liking. Dont you get fed up of driving?

I like your house by the way, its just how id imagined it when you mentioned it in another thread. I could just imagine sitting on that deck in the evenings...

Wow! that's amazing. I just couldn't imagine what that would be like... and what about the nearest watering hole (pub)? - I think I'd have to move a bit closer to one.
Some really stunning scenery in Texas.Being such a vast, open place, I wonder - do you ever start feeling a bit closed in after a while, when you're staying in a town or city? - I think that I probably would in your shoes- er I mean, boots.

We do have doctors here, and an ambulance service. There's always the option of going over into Mexico. They have doctors, hospital, pharmacies, etc. We do go there for dental work. But the hospital and the pharmacies in the US are ninety miles away. We don't go to Mexico for regular medical treatment because of the pharmacies. Some things are ok. But these people who are going out of country for prescription drugs should beware. The quality control standards are not the same.
I don't mind the driving, Willow. I'm one of those people who enjoys it, actually. And it's all scenery between here and there. We keep a comfortable, mid sized SUV for travel, and use my old Jeep for around here.
As for the deck (here, it's a porch, when it has a roof) it's great just about anytime of the day. We go out there in the morning sometimes, and the dogs and the cats are out there sunning. At night, we can see the lights of town in the distance. Did I mention that to reach our house from town is up five miles of dirt road?
We do have bars in Mexico, and we know which are safe to go to. But we usually just get together, buy the beer (mineral water for me) and have a barbeque.
We travel more frequently here than anywhere else we've ever lived, mostly for my husband's job. It's a nice change to be able to go to a movie and do some shopping. But it wears out quickly. We moved out here where there is no one else around--that's right, no neighbors--because we really enjoy the peace and quiet. It also got us out of the dust that plagues the town because of the agriculture. When they work the fields, it puts so much dust in the air that it hangs over the town like smog, and you can't keep the house clean. I haven't dusted my windowsills in a year because I don't need to. No matter where you go, there are trade offs, and we chose to live out here, in spite of the draw backs.