Jim, I agree with your 50% guesstimate.

Your eventual goal/plan sounds wonderful to me. However the stress of getting to that point would be tough on me. Hopefully there are jobs in the quieter place and that you have a skill set that transfers easily. See, I'm already worrying!

Unexpected noise, claps of thunder, loud situations, traffic, my husbands' driving, etc. make me very nervous/anxious. Nervousness then causes me to be distracted from peaceful moments and thus starts the viscous circle of nerve pain. At least that's my experience in our rat race.

You're a considerate husband.

Nancy