[Mikendebbie]

I am not retired (yet - Grrrrrrrr!) but we have done several 3-month long relocations for my work - both in winter and summer.

Generally I stop the mail and have the post office hold it. I do all of my bills on line so I don't need the paper copies in the mail. Most of the mail is junk anyway - except we do expect to win the publishers clearing house sweepstakes any day now...they promise!...and I would hate to miss that notification in the mail - but we take our chances. In summer I set up garden hoses on several timers to water the plants and trees that DW says need the attention. I just let my weeds/lawn grow and deal with it when I get back. We live in the country so there is no neighborhood group/HOA rules to abide by or face penalty of death.

We take both dogs with us (a young Australian Shepherd 70 lbs male and and old Border Collie mix female 50 lbs. They are good travelers.

Our youngest son lives in the city 40 miles away and he will make the drive and check up on the place if needed/requested...we buy him a tank of gas for making drive! Texas had the coldest weather of the winter (so far) during the first week of November (2018). We were doing a week in Houston for my work. I forgot to leave the house heat on and temps were expected to drop into the 20's. I called my son and he went out there and turned on the fawcets to drip and the furnace heat! Problem solved!