[pea-jay]

The decision to leave should never be taken lightly nor should ones existing situation be totally negatively viewed without rational examination.

Five acres in a semi arid may not be great if you are trying to feed a lot of people. But for a small family it shouldnt be too bad. If your area is surrounded by similar or larger properties it also means your overal population density is lower. I'd rather be on a five acre spread in your area than a five hundred square foot apt in NV or AZ. If you lived on a large piece surrounded by small houses on the other hand, id be thinking about leaving.

Is it windy there? If so a wind pump may work well (in conjunction with storage). Reuse of water helps too. Think greywater irrigation. Dont discount rain water capture. Every inch of rain you do get, collected on a 1000 square foot surface area will yield 623.37 gallons of water. Not great but it does help, especially if it is stored.

If you do leave, make sure you like the area and its population as well as the climate and energy concerns.

[TheTurtle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pup55', 'I') stopped by the mall this afternoon on the way home. I did not have anything to buy, so I just people-watched:

In the big sporting goods store, I saw a 300 pound 60 year old, trying out a reclining lounge chair.

A group of fat 12 year old boys was crowded around a video game console.

A three year old boy was laying on the floor not far from the food court, screaming at the top of his lungs. The mother was hovering over him, trying gently to negotiate him into standing up and walking.

Groups of young females with big shopping bags were walking around talking on cellphones.

An Asian security guard with a bad complexion cruised by on a Segway.

So, here is your competition. Make sure you are in better shape, smarter, and/or more determined than this group, and you will be fine.