# Why do you live where you live?



## Claire (Oct 26, 2011)

I've lived everywhere from Europe to Hawaii and back again.  My husband has lived from Southeast Asia to Korea, to the U.S. east coast.  We have a lot of the globe covered.  But we chose a small town in the U.S. Midwest.  Why do you live where you live?


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## babetoo (Oct 26, 2011)

i love the weather and my family is here


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## jabbur (Oct 26, 2011)

My husband's job brought us to the area as newlyweds fresh from college.  We hadn't planned to stay here 27 years but that's the way it's worked out.  It's home now.  Many good friends here and family is not far.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 26, 2011)

The weather is perfect, normally between 40F and 80F year around, it seldom rains, and it has the least expensive property prices for a California beach community.


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## buckytom (Oct 26, 2011)

i was born in brooklyn, raised mostly in jersey, went to college in the bronx and have lived in the city and in jersey (and a short stint in madison wisconsin). the only 2 jobs that i've ever had were in nyc, and most of my family is here.

and this is where they send my mail. 

vacations are great, but i know i'm home when i see the skyscrapers of the city as the airplane descends for a landing.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 26, 2011)

Claire said:


> I've lived everywhere from Europe to Hawaii and back again.



+1 

The company I am currently with is the reason I am, where I am. Has been a much better quality of life compared to years prior, and though missing a beach like crazy, I like it here.


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## Andy M. (Oct 26, 2011)

People from Massachusetts are notoriously a very parochial bunch of people.  The story goes, If a nuclear bomb fell on NYC, the headlines in the Boston papers would read:  "Boston Man Killed In Big Apple".  

I was born and raised in Massachusetts.  Where else would I live?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 26, 2011)

Missoula, Montana...is that a good enough reason?


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## Claire (Oct 27, 2011)

Of the many places I've been in the U.S., Missoula is up at the top.  Seriously.  Galena won, but Missoula and Dillon were up there.  

We actually shopped for our new home town.  We'd planned on retiring to our townhouse in Hawaii.  But husband decided he didn't like it there and Florida would be just as good.  Then the real estate market in Hawaii went over the top and we wound up doubling what we paid for the damned thing.  I wanted to stay, he wanted to go.  I couldn't argue with his logic of being near my family.  So we lived there for 6 years.  But Florida just wasn't "us".  And, being an only child, with, by then, parents who'd passed away, he really didn't "get" what large, extended family means when you live near them.  

So ... we went on the road.  We narrowed it down to a few towns, then contacted real estate agents in our top 3.  It was a decision I've never regretted.  I never say never or always, but we've been here ten years and just love the place, our old historic home.  Midwesterners are the friendliest people in the world.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 27, 2011)

I have lived all over the eastern part of the country.  When I stopped working I decided to come back to where I started.  Initially that was a good choice.  Now my close friends and family members have died and I really don't have any reason to stay in this area other than the fact that it is familiar to me.  Any ideas on where in the U.S.A. would be good for an old person without a beach body to live?


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## Silversage (Oct 27, 2011)

Aunt Bea said:


> Any ideas on where in the U.S.A. would be good for an old person without a beach body to live?



Southeast Florida.  Anywhere on the Gulf Coast south of St. Pete, all the way to Naples.

Most of us are old and and at least somewhat overweight.  There are lots of communities and activities geared for us.  Many people here have no local families, and therefore form new circles of other friends to fill the gap.  There are lots of reasons that the southern Gulf Coast attracts so many retirees.

We leave the beaches to the tourists!


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 27, 2011)

I started out in Pittsburgh PA, moved to Chicago burbs as a small child, and left for college in Southern Illinois at 18.

I was married for 25 years to a US Forest Service employee.  He was very ambitious, and told me over and over again that he had to move in order to get a promotion.  So--my older son lived in 3 states before he was a year old--born in Washington State, 8 months in south Alabama, and celebrated his first birthday in Morehead, in Eastern Kentucky.  

We also spent time in Louisa Virginia, London and Berea Kentucky, Manila Utah, Brownstown Indiana, and Ely Minnesota.  (I always say I will never have to go to hell, because I spent my time in northern Minnesota freezing for 5 years.)

When we divorced, I decided to move closer to family, so I looked for work in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.  I am now in Ironton, MO, and I hope to heaven that I never have to move again. I am an hour from my mom, and two or three from my siblings, aunts and uncles and cousins.

I am a gardener, and MO has seasons and rain.  I garden from March til October, and plan my next year's work the rest of the year.  For the first time, I have planted fruit trees and seen them fruit, and have divided my perennials!  

I plan on being buried up here on this hill--I ain't leaving!!


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## 4meandthem (Oct 27, 2011)

Because I don't do snow.


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## jusnikki (Oct 27, 2011)

Where I live is a nice, small town where everybody knows everybody. Most of my family is here and it's a pleasant place to be.


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## Kayelle (Oct 27, 2011)

I guess I'm a big believer in "bloom where you are planted".  My parents planted me here in Ventura County, Ca. as a baby, and I have never had any good reason to leave.  For me, this is the ideal place to live and although I've visited all over the world, I've never found anyplace more appealing to call home.  This area is known for our Mediterranean climate, and our beaches are lovely and not crowded.  The most important thing is everyone I love lives here, so this is my little piece of paradise.


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## Claire (Oct 27, 2011)

Sparrow -- I was born in Wash, DC.  Lived in NH and France before I started school in northern CA.  part of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and part of 5th outside of Reno, NV.  The rest of 5th in Clearwater FL.  6th in Ramstein W. Germany.  7th and part of 8th  in Wiesbaden, W. Germany.  Part of 8th in one school in Utah, 9th in another Utah school, 10th and part of 11th in another school in Utah, then the rest of my high school years in central CA. 

Then, are you ready for this?  I turned around and enlisted in the Air Force.  It gets more and more.  I married an Army officer.  

I've lived here for ten years, but .... who knows what will be next?


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## Alix (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm a bit like Kayelle, "bloom where you're planted" is a great way to put it. My basic philosophy of life is to leave things better than how I found them, be happy and bring happiness to others. For me to be happy, I need to be near those I love, and most of them are close by. I love to travel and visit all over the world, but I'm going to keep working on making my corner of the world a little better than when I got here.

I like the seasons. I can even find good things to say about the long winter. (usually in the summer though!)


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## Timothy (Oct 27, 2011)

When the house I live in now was on the market, it was next door to my wife's best friend. It was also only 1.5 miles from my work place.

I live in this part of the country because of finding work here, but it's really the perfect place in the world for me. It has everything I love.

Great salt-water fishing, great fresh-water fishing, beautiful weather, very friendly people, a small-town feeling in a fairly large town, great hunting, good land and house prices, and the town has about a thousand restaurants in it.


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## Kayelle (Oct 27, 2011)

Sparrow, I really had to laugh over this:


> We also spent time in Louisa Virginia, London and Berea Kentucky, Manila  Utah, Brownstown Indiana, and Ely Minnesota.  (I always say I will  never have to go to hell, because I spent my time in northern Minnesota  freezing for 5 years.)



My Mom, always said the same thing!  She was a native California girl, and when my dad moved her to his big family farm in Minnesota she was *miserable* for five long winters.  The fifth winter, I was born and she had enough.  She convinced Dad to return to California that spring and I thanked them the rest of their lives!!


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 29, 2011)

Oh, Kayelle, I know that Hell is cold. Or at least my version of Hell is cold. I could happily bask next to the eternal fires, so that wouldn't be much punishment for my evil deeds.

Ely is a big tourist town, because of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and I don't know how many tourists claimed to be so envious of me. They were there in August, when temps were pleasant, and not in February or March or during the agony of April, when the hunger for green was so deep and the snow kept coming.

Even now, 10 years later, I still have bad dreams where I am somehow married to the Evil One again, and in the dream he is telling me that I have to leave my little paradise here on Sparrowgrass Hill and move back to Ely.

'Scuse me, I have to go think about something pleasant for a while, before I start sobbing.


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## licia (Oct 29, 2011)

I live within 30 miles of the hospital where I was born. We moved to the country when our first child was 10 and younger was three. Dh drove into town for years until his retirement and now we only have to leave our little "burg" for grand occasions - of which there aren't that many.. Our daughter has been all over the country with her navy husband and now they have moved back here. If only we could talk our son into getting closer, it would be perfect.


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## pacanis (Oct 29, 2011)

I live where I live because I've got a clear shot for at least 200 yds in all directions...


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 29, 2011)

pacanis said:


> I live where I live because I've got a clear shot for at least 200 yds in all directions...



Great fields of fire, eh? That's how I'd pick a foxhole, not a home. Are you expecting an invasion?


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## pacanis (Oct 29, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Great fields of fire, eh? That's how I'd pick a foxhole, not a home. Are you expecting an invasion?


 
Ya just never know


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## buckytom (Oct 29, 2011)

pacanis said:


> I live where I live because I've got a clear shot for at least 200 yds in all directions...



now if you only had a neighbor who could support with overlapping fields of fire...

any houses for sale near you pac?


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## pacanis (Oct 29, 2011)

buckytom said:


> now if you only had a neighbor who could support with overlapping fields of fire...
> 
> any houses for sale near you pac?


 
That depends, do you have any skills besides cooking and running CBS?


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## kadesma (Oct 29, 2011)

I live in what most would call a hick town or a burg it's know as the home of the Gallo family, but it's only about 30 -40 miles from where I was born Stockton another burg I stay because it's too late now to move and my heart is here I could never move away from what keeps me going my grand babies. M y parents are buried here  and I couldn't leave them now more than before. I guess you could say this is where my heart is. I remember my horror when my husband came home and said were moving I bought a drug store. I was so stunned I couldn't wrap my head around the idea for several weeks. I hated  Modesto for years until the grand kids came and my parents moved here with us. then life became more the way I loved it. I think we all end up where we are meant to be If life hands us lemons??? well you know the rest. My life is my grand kids and my very dear husband as well as my DC family.
kades


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Oct 29, 2011)

I live here because my parents moved us here when I was in grade school and I just haven't left yet. Leaving soon though. Hubby is looking for work downstate and I can't wate to join him.


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## kezlehan (Oct 30, 2011)

Because I live with my Mum and Step-Dad and they unfortunately decided to move in to this house. We had 2 years of hell with the neighbours, who eventually got evicted, and then we had a year with no neighbours. Now we have more neighbours from hell who think it is perfectly acceptable to blast the TV at 2am and repeatedly shout at their daughter, who must only be about 3, to shut the "F" up. 
Oh how I love it here!


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## Bolas De Fraile (Oct 30, 2011)

Where is here Kez? I could lend you my 130lbs boerbeol. Max hates a disturbed night.

Clic on pic to make bigger


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## kezlehan (Oct 30, 2011)

Aww he's gorgeous! 
Our dog Patch thoroughly enjoys barking at the neighbours!
And I live in Leeds, England. Can't stand it. Hope to one day live in America, I'd love to live in San Francisco!


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## Bolas De Fraile (Oct 30, 2011)

kezlehan said:


> Aww he's gorgeous!
> Our dog Patch thoroughly enjoys barking at the neighbours!
> And I live in Leeds, England. Can't stand it. Hope to one day live in America, I'd love to live in San Francisco!


 We live 8 mls from Chester just inside Wales.


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## kezlehan (Oct 30, 2011)

Lovely! I've never actually been to Wales, although I really like Chester and Cheshire in general. Nice countryside.


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## recipedirect (Oct 30, 2011)

We moved to Charleston, SC as a career move for me 18 years ago. I love Charleston beaches, restaurants, the weather, walking in downtown Charleston. Charleston is just a great place to live.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 30, 2011)

With just the little "Taste of Winter" we had here yesterday, I was ready to call it in, pack a bag, and head straight back to Oahu. . . I still just don't care for cold, wind, snow, rain all in one!


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## Timothy (Oct 30, 2011)

TATTRAT said:


> With just the little "Taste of Winter" we had here yesterday, I was ready to call it in, pack a bag, and head straight back to Oahu. . . I still just don't care for cold, wind, snow, rain all in one!


 
I hear you Tattrat! I haven't seen snow in 34 years and don't miss it! cold, wet and nasty stuff!

A warm ocean breeze with a light wind. That's the winter weather I love!


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## Steve Kroll (Oct 30, 2011)

I live where I do because this is where my house is.


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## Chef Munky (Oct 30, 2011)

We live here because of Hubby's job. It pays the rent.
I like California. was born and raised here. Now that were heading into retirement were looking forward to moving out of this state. Buy a few acres of land way out in the country. Montana here I come!


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 30, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> I guess I'm a big believer in "bloom where you are planted".  My parents planted me here in Ventura County, Ca. as a baby, and I have never had any good reason to leave.  For me, this is the ideal place to live and although I've visited all over the world, I've never found anyplace more appealing to call home.  This area is known for our Mediterranean climate, and our beaches are lovely and not crowded.  The most important thing is everyone I love lives here, so this is my little piece of paradise.



I bet this is why we both live here!

Port Hueneme, CA
Sun 10/30/2011
Current (10:30am PT): 65°F Sunny
Wind: N at 0 mph (how do they know the wind is from the north when there isn't any?)
Humidity: 54%

Sun -76° | 49°

Mon - 70° | 49°

Tue - 67° | 50°

Wed - 76° | 54


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## Kayelle (Oct 30, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I bet this is why we both live here!
> 
> Port Hueneme, CA
> Sun 10/30/2011
> ...



*Waving like crazy...... Hi there neighbor!!  I'm in Santa Paula.   I figured out from some of your past posts that you must be nearby........Yep, this is part of California is a great place to hang your hat, and  it's another world away from L.A.  
By the way I think others may get a kick out of the pronunciation of the town of Port Hueneme (Chumash Indian).  It's pronounced Port Whyneemee. 
*


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 30, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Where is here Kez? I could lend you my 130lbs boerbeol. Max hates a disturbed night.
> 
> Clic on pic to make biggerView attachment 12299



Do we really need to make Max BIGGER???    He is such a good looking dog, would he let me pet him?  After you gave me permission, of course.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 30, 2011)

Chef Munky said:


> We live here because of Hubby's job. It pays the rent.
> I like California. was born and raised here. Now that were heading into retirement were looking forward to moving out of this state. Buy a few acres of land way out in the country. Montana here I come!



I suppose you want me to skootch over a bit...


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## Chef Munky (Oct 30, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I suppose you want me to skootch over a bit...



LOL!!! That's right.. have me a pie ready


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 30, 2011)

Chef Munky said:


> LOL!!! That's right.. have me a pie ready



That would be easy, as long as you don't want me to remove any bears or big cats from your land...


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## Chef Munky (Oct 30, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That would be easy, as long as you don't want me to remove any bears or big cats from your land...



No no no.. Local wildlife will be replacing the security fence and cameras.
We can pretend and make Bear Claws.. Shake them up a bit..


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## Dawgluver (Oct 30, 2011)

Wonder how Max would deal with Patron?

Love the DC pups!


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 30, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> By the way I think others may get a kick out of the pronunciation of the town of Port Hueneme (Chumash Indian).  It's pronounced Port Whyneemee.
> [/B]



Really? I pronounce it Port Who-Enema


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 30, 2011)

Chef Munky said:


> No no no.. Local wildlife will be replacing the security fence and cameras.
> We can pretend and make Bear Claws.. Shake them up a bit..



Nothing like waking up and finding whitetail in the yard.  Love it!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 30, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> Wonder how Max would deal with Patron?
> 
> Love the DC pups!



Max would think he was a flea, one sniff and Patron would disappear.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 30, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> Max would think he was a flea, one sniff and Patron would disappear.



I saw a recent pic, on Paw Nation, I think, with a mastiff nose to nose with a chihuahua.  Must have been before the mastiff inhaled.

I got my first job out of grad school here.  We're somewhat out in the country, and have a lot of wildlife too.  I love living near water, and having grown up in North Dakota, am almost used to the cold!


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## Kathleen (Oct 30, 2011)

After moving nine times in eleven years, I thought I would always have a bit of wanderlust.  I wanted to be near a city, and country, and mountains, and open water, and live where it is diverse, etc.  My list went on and on.  I wanted seasons but not winter like they had in Chicago, etc.  In 1989, I moved here thinking I'd stay for "a year or so."  Love it....never left...maybe I'll move in a year or so.


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## Kayelle (Oct 30, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Really? I pronounce it Port Who-Enema



  do you also call Ojai,  Oh Jay, instead of Oh Hi ??


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Oct 30, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> do you also call Ojai,  Oh Jay, instead of Oh Hi ??



I usually say "Oh, Hi! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and wave


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## bakechef (Oct 30, 2011)

I moved here to Raleigh with my job.  I always dreamed of moving away from Maine and this was my first opportunity to do so.  I never felt like I fit in Maine, my entire family is there, and I love them dearly, but I always felt like I should be somewhere else.

At first I wasn't crazy over this area, but in time it really grew on me, and I now love it here.  I love my partner, my home, and I even tolerate my job 

I like the weather, I could deal with less humidity in the summer, but the mild winters more than make up for it.


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## kezlehan (Oct 31, 2011)

I love Raleigh! I've been there on holiday about 5 times when me and my family used to go to the US once a year. 
Oh how I miss those times...


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## Vanilla Bean (Oct 31, 2011)

I live here because of Mark, and I love the scenery.  The only thing that stinks is my family is about 3000 miles away.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Nov 1, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> *Waving like crazy...... Hi there neighbor!!  I'm in Santa Paula.   *


*

I just got my King Arthur catalog in the mail. Seeing you live so close, do you think you could come over to my house and hide all my credit cards?*


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Nov 1, 2011)

Vanilla Bean said:


> The only thing that stinks is my family is about 3000 miles away.



That's one of the GOOD things about where I live!


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## Timothy (Nov 1, 2011)

Vanilla Bean said:


> The only thing that stinks is my family is about 3000 miles away.


 
I live in Florida and my Brother and both sisters live in Maryland and Vermont. When they ask when I'm coming up for a visit, I tell them "People don't LEAVE Florida for vacation, they COME TO Florida for vacation. Vermont? What in the heck is in Vermont? MY back yard is larger than Vermont!


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## forty_caliber (Nov 1, 2011)

Texas is a state of     mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation 
    in every sense of the word.  - John Steinbeck

.40


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## roadfix (Nov 1, 2011)

If I didn't own my small business I've been running for nearly 30 years I would have been outa here years ago.  L.A. is good for business but I've always hated living here.  I can't wait to get really old and retire so I can move to somewhere down south of the border on the Baja Pennisula.


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## Timothy (Nov 1, 2011)

roadfix said:


> If I didn't own my small business I've been running for nearly 30 years I would have been outa here years ago. L.A. is good for business but I've always hated living here. I can't wait to get really old and retire so I can move to somewhere down south of the border on the Baja Pennisula.


 
Man, you don't have to wait until "you're really old" to retire! I did so at 56 by just eliminating bills and saving money. I made double payments on anyhing I could until everything but the house was paid off.

I worked as much overtime as I could and made each pay check as large as possible and then saved as much of each pay check as I could. when I got to the point where everything was paid off except the house, and I had an entire years income saved, I was done! I still do side work for about $1000 income per/month, but that's not as hard as it sounds. Almost anyone can make $250 a week doing something! I make as many meals as possible at home from fresh veggies and stretch each dollar as far as possible.

Man, driving around LA on my way to San Diego was  a trip I've always looked forward to. From up in the mountians, LA looks like it has a dome of smog over it. I always thought "Man, no way am I going down ino THAT!"

Retire while you're young enough to enjoy it!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Nov 2, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I just got my King Arthur catalog in the mail. Seeing you live so close, do you think you could come over to my house and hide all my credit cards?



I haven't looked at my KA catalog, yet...is looking at it a bad idea?


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## Timothy (Nov 2, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I haven't looked at my KA catalog, yet...is looking at it a bad idea?


My neice worked at KA and ran their test kitchen for quite some time. She knows the real story of the place and if you or anyone has any questions they would like to ask her, just post them and I'll email her with them. It's change to "employee owned" was not a smooth change over and the company suffered many bad problems as a result.


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## Claire (Nov 2, 2011)

Timothy, I like your attitude.  We retired quite early through certain decisions and deciding what we could do without.  No regrets.  But we never made what anyone would consider a big amount of money.  I guess deciding not to have kids was a big part of it for us.  Like some have mentioned, when we retired, we did so to Florida, then decided to move north.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Nov 2, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I haven't looked at my KA catalog, yet...is looking at it a bad idea?



It depends on what you want, what you actually need, and your will power.


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## CWS4322 (Nov 2, 2011)

roadfix said:


> If I didn't own my small business I've been running for nearly 30 years I would have been outa here years ago. L.A. is good for business but I've always hated living here. I can't wait to get really old and retire so I can move to somewhere down south of the border on the Baja Pennisula.


 Life's too short. If you don't like where you live--sell the business and start packing! Or, relocate your business to where you want to live...


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## Timothy (Nov 2, 2011)

Claire said:


> Timothy, I like your attitude.


 
Well there's something I haven't heard recently! Thank you. I"m loving retirement! Of course the money-panic-thing still happens periodically, but that's a life-long habit and not really a worry any more. 

the hardest thing I've had to adjust to is the freedom to do any damn thing I feel like doing every day, all day. Quite often, I just go down to the tourist part of town and walk around in the sun and drink sodas. Then home for supper and a movie. It's a hard life, but someone has to do it!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Nov 3, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> It depends on what you want, what you actually need, and your will power.



All of it, none of it and Shrek's credit card...I'll be opening it this weekend.  Take my time and choose wisely...


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## Addie (Dec 28, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> People from Massachusetts are notoriously a very parochial bunch of people. The story goes, If a nuclear bomb fell on NYC, the headlines in the Boston papers would read: "Boston Man Killed In Big Apple".
> 
> I was born and raised in Massachusetts. Where else would I live?


 
Five times I have left this state and kept returning. Moved to South Texas, Hawaii, Tacoma twice and back here each time. Reason? Who needs a reason. This is New England! Did you need to ask?


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## chopper (Dec 28, 2011)

The USAF landed me here in 1979. I met my husband and married him in 1980.  I am from Michigan and he is from New Jersey. We fell in love while dating on a 79 Suzuki 750 (we still have that bike), and we never looked back. We love the mountains in Colorado, and we decided to stay. Now if we left, we would leave behind our kids and grandkids who have made Colorado their home. Good thing we like it here.


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## Addie (Dec 28, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> We live 8 mls from Chester just inside Wales.


 
I have always wanted to show up in Wales in the spring for the choir practice and contests. My favorite folk song is "_All Through The Night"_ Learned it in the third grade and have been singing it for the rest of my life. You will often hear me humming it while doing housework.


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## tinlizzie (Dec 28, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> People from Massachusetts are notoriously a very parochial bunch of people. The story goes, If a nuclear bomb fell on NYC, the headlines in the Boston papers would read: "Boston Man Killed In Big Apple".
> 
> I was born and raised in Massachusetts. Where else would I live?


 
I read an anecdote recently where a Boston matron was asked why she doesn't travel.  She reportedly said, "Why should I travel?  I'm already here."

I'm in south Florida because this is where my late husband wanted to retire to.  My oldest child is here, so at my age it just makes sense to stay here, though my heart belongs to St. Louis, Mo.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Dec 28, 2011)

Christmas day it was 74F here. Nuff said?


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## tinlizzie (Dec 28, 2011)

Aunt Bea said:


> I have lived all over the eastern part of the country. When I stopped working I decided to come back to where I started. Initially that was a good choice. Now my close friends and family members have died and I really don't have any reason to stay in this area other than the fact that it is familiar to me. Any ideas on where in the U.S.A. would be good for an old person without a beach body to live?


 
It's actually not too shabby down here, AB.  I haven't been to the beach, which is all of 30 minutes away, for about two years.  And that was to look at the water, stick my toes in, and come back home.  The sun is shining, it's going to be a high of 78F this afternoon..... migratory birds are in town.....could be worse.


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## Katie H (Dec 28, 2011)

I've lived up and down and backwards in the United States, but mostly east of the Mississippi River.  My longest stint was 30 years in Washington, DC before I moved back to western Kentucky in 1994 when Buck retired.

I was born in Nebraska and only stayed there about 4 years before moving to northern Minnesota...near the maligned Ely area.  I still have family there.

Left Minnesota to go to Kentucky because that's where work plopped my father.  Then, since I was wise beyond my years upon high school graduation, I went back to the same area in Minnesota for a few years.  After that it was my D.C. time.

When Buck retired, we moved to within 8 miles of where I spent my elementary and high school years.

After Buck died in 2008 and I remarried I moved only about 50 miles away, still in Kentucky.

It's lovely here and I feel "at home and at peace" here.  Although, I have to say that I've always enjoyed wherever I've lived.  I'll be here until I die and that's just fine.  This is my home.


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## CraigC (Dec 28, 2011)

Two words, "Salt Life".

Craig


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## Timothy (Dec 28, 2011)

Katie H said:


> I've lived up and down and backwards in the United States, but mostly east of the Mississippi River. My longest stint was 30 years in Washington, DC before I moved back to western Kentucky in 1994 when Buck retired.
> 
> I was born in Nebraska and only stayed there about 4 years before moving to northern Minnesota...near the maligned Ely area. I still have family there.
> 
> ...


 
Hey Katie, I've traveled around the USA quite a bit and with no hesitation, I can say that Kentucky is the most beautiful state I've seen. Streams, hills, valleys, all beautiful. Florida is beautiful also, but you can't walk in the woods here. You might get eaten.Some of those old gators have never seen a human and if they did, it would just look like supper to them.


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## babetoo (Dec 28, 2011)

days like today are why i live here. it is 78 degrees and sunny in december


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## pacanis (Dec 28, 2011)

babetoo said:


> days like today are why i live here. it is 78 degrees and sunny in december


 
We had an eight in our temperature today


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## Claire (Dec 29, 2011)

I have always loved ... I don't know how to put it.  The western parts of the eastern states.  Appalachia, and around there.  But when we found communities we liked, we found people who "didn't take to outsiders", something I haven't found in the Midwest, where we were welcomed with open arms.


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## pacanis (Dec 29, 2011)

I was watching this very biased program the other night, well, at least for a while until I couldn't take anymore, about southern living or something like that. It surprised me how far north the "southern" states came, including Virginia. When it came to states like KY, VA, TN, the folks they were interviewing were reluctant to accept them as southern. The one guy said about VA, "They ain't southern. They may be hillbillies, but they're yankee hillbillies". I thought that was funny. They weren't very fond of FLA either.


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## roadfix (Dec 29, 2011)

babetoo said:


> it is 78 degrees and sunny in december


This ain't right.  That's a bit too warm.  70 would be just about right for me this time of the year...)
Football fans visiting here from Wisconsin must be panting in this weather...lol...


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## chopper (Dec 29, 2011)

roadfix said:
			
		

> This ain't right.  That's a bit too warm.  70 would be just about right for me this time of the year...)



I like temps in the 70's, but not with the snow!  Guess I live in the right place for me.


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## Addie (Dec 29, 2011)

pacanis said:


> I was watching this very biased program the other night, well, at least for a while until I couldn't take anymore, about southern living or something like that. It surprised me how far north the "southern" states came, including Virginia. When it came to states like KY, VA, TN, the folks they were interviewing were reluctant to accept them as southern. The one guy said about VA, "They ain't southern. They may be hillbillies, but they're yankee hillbillies". I thought that was funny. They weren't very fond of FLA either.


 
You were watvhing "You Don't Know Dixie." I think what I found most disturbing is how tightly they hold on to their traditions when they no longer serve a purpose.  Their reverance for the gun is passed on down to the kids as young as five. Five y.o. have no need to be going out and shooting their supper. Write down your traditions. Talk about them around the supper table. For those states that they think are not southern enough, listening to them talk, they sure sound southern.


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## Timothy (Dec 29, 2011)

Addie said:


> You were watvhing "You Don't Know Dixie." I think what I found most disturbing is how tightly they hold on to their traditions when they no longer serve a purpose. Their reverance for the gun is passed on down to the kids as young as five. Five y.o. have no need to be going out and shooting their supper. Write down your traditions. Talk about them around the supper table. For those states that they think are not southern enough, listening to them talk, they sure sound southern.


 

Local, back-country folks here in Florida think of themselves as true Southerners. "Bubba" is one of the most popular baby names here. Hunting and Fishing are HUGELY popular pastimes here.

When I was up North in Maryland, visiting my Sister and Brother, I was received with much laughter when I told them "You guys talk funny".

They said I have what they called a "Real Southern Accent" and that folks up there had a hard time understanding what I said. I told them that "You folks up here talk like machine guns. I only catch about every fourth word you say because you talk so danged fast."

A very popular phrase around here is "You can take my gun away, but you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

I have a friend who witnessed a street robbery of a tourist, pulled her gun from her purse and put the robber on the ground, spread eagled, under threat of death. She said when the cops came, the guy had peed himself.

btw, she's licenced to carry concealed and is a very good shot.


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## pacanis (Dec 29, 2011)

That was it, Addie, thanks.


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## Claire (Dec 29, 2011)

Timothy, you and I have so much in common.  I do think northern Florida has more southerners than south Florida.  St Augustine is probably my favorite Florida town.  That said, I don't believe that any of us should feel apologetic about deciding some particular place is where we feel at home.  We aren't, after all, the old soviet union.  We're all USAmericans.  We should all grow where we are planted.  Talking funny!  I love it!  I'll start another line on that one!


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## Kayelle (Dec 29, 2011)

Living in this part of the world all my life, I've never know what it is to be *REALLY cold!!*  Last Feb. we visited Yellowstone for an unbelievable and rewarding winter experience.  I was up close and personal with bitter cold for the first time in my life. The temp. dipped to 24 degrees below zero the night before we left, and we gained nearly 100 degrees when we got home the next day.
East West, home's best.


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## Timothy (Dec 29, 2011)

Claire said:


> Timothy, you and I have so much in common. I do think northern Florida has more southerners than south Florida. St Augustine is probably my favorite Florida town. That said, I don't believe that any of us should feel apologetic about deciding some particular place is where we feel at home. We aren't, after all, the old soviet union. We're all USAmericans. We should all grow where we are planted. Talking funny! I love it! I'll start another line on that one!


 
St. Augustine is a tourist town, but the tourists are only a tiny fraction of the people here. St. Augustine has a wide business base also, it supports the multitude of locals in the area.

One of my favorite things to do is to go walk St. George Street and enjoy the tourist side of town. I know some of the people who work down there.

I'll take it you've visited our little town before then, Claire?


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## Skittle68 (Dec 30, 2011)

I'm also "blooming where I was planted". I live 3.6 miles from the hospital I was born in, in Duluth, MN. I moved to California for a couple years, but I came back to be close to my family, even though it meant braving the winters. I met my wonderful boyfriend shortly after I got back, and have been with him ever since. Now, his company wants to make him district manager, so he might be uprooting me and moving us to Minneapolis. On the plus side, since it's a couple hours south, it stays a few degrees warmer in the winter. The downside is that I can't handle heat very well, and it gets hotter down there in the summer.


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## Addie (Dec 30, 2011)

Timothy said:


> St. Augustine is a tourist town, but the tourists are only a tiny fraction of the people here. St. Augustine has a wide business base also, it supports the multitude of locals in the area.
> 
> One of my favorite things to do is to go walk St. George Street and enjoy the tourist side of town. I know some of the people who work down there.
> 
> I'll take it you've visited our little town before then, Claire?


 
When I worked in Downtown Boston, I used to go sit on a bench during my lunch hour and just watch the tourists. You could always spot them. They were the ones who had their maps upsidedown.


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## joesfolk (Dec 30, 2011)

I ended up in the Grand Rapids area after a fairly fruitless job search.  Had friends here who allowed me to stay with them while I looked for a job.  At the time any job any where would have done.  Now I am so thankful that this is where I landed.  The area is clean and the people friendly and of course this is Michigan's Bible belt. The older I get the more I appreciate living where folks care about everything around them, clean fresh yards, friendly neighbors, quiet neighborhoods.  If I really wanted to party, well, like most other places I could find lots to do.  But these days I prefer the quiet life.


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## Addie (Dec 30, 2011)

There is something to be said for relly good friends, and the quiet life. It doesn't have to be boring.


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## Katie H (Dec 30, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Hey Katie, I've traveled around the USA quite a bit and with no hesitation, I can say that Kentucky is the most beautiful state I've seen. Streams, hills, valleys, all beautiful. Florida is beautiful also, but you can't walk in the woods here. You might get eaten.Some of those old gators have never seen a human and if they did, it would just look like supper to them.



Yes, Timothy, Kentucky IS a beautiful place.  I recall when I was about 13, my father loaded us up in the car and we spent a couple of weeks touring the state.  We lived in the far western part (near where I am now) and made a loop from the southernmost part of the state toward the far easternmost part, then up and over to the top of the state and traveling back home.  We essentially visited any and everything to see on our route around the perimeter (and sometimes into) the state.  I'll never forget it.

After that trip, my siblings and I always refer to the bronze historical markers as "hysterical" markers because Daddy would all but screech the car to a halt to "educate" us as to what the marker was telling us about its area.

My husband and I live in a beautiful area that is quite near a twin lake resort that offers all manner of water fun.  And, yes, we have hills, valleys, streams, woods...you name it.  Kentucky is rolling, lush and green.  Er...blue.  It IS the bluegrass state after all.  Come visit sometime.  You won't be disappointed.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 30, 2011)

Addie said:


> When I worked in Downtown Boston, I used to go sit on a bench during my lunch hour and just watch the tourists. You could always spot them. They were the ones who had their maps upsidedown.




I used to spend quite a bit of time in Boston during my working years.  I used to sit and people watch around the Government Center area and Faneuil Hall.  The thing that always struck me was the expensive neck ties that all of the men wore.  Those guys must spend a couple thousand a year just on ties!


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## Timothy (Dec 30, 2011)

Katie H said:


> Yes, Timothy, Kentucky IS a beautiful place. I recall when I was about 13, my father loaded us up in the car and we spent a couple of weeks touring the state. We lived in the far western part (near where I am now) and made a loop from the southernmost part of the state toward the far easternmost part, then up and over to the top of the state and traveling back home. We essentially visited any and everything to see on our route around the perimeter (and sometimes into) the state. I'll never forget it.
> 
> After that trip, my siblings and I always refer to the bronze historical markers as "hysterical" markers because Daddy would all but screech the car to a halt to "educate" us as to what the marker was telling us about its area.
> 
> My husband and I live in a beautiful area that is quite near a twin lake resort that offers all manner of water fun. And, yes, we have hills, valleys, streams, woods...you name it. Kentucky is rolling, lush and green. Er...blue. It IS the bluegrass state after all. Come visit sometime. You won't be disappointed.


 
Hi Katie, I'm shopping for a pop-up camper so I can start touring the USA. When I find one, Kentucky is one place for sure that I want to see again. The last time I went through Kentucky was in the spring. The streams were all flowing briskly and lots of animals to see along the highway, in the adjacent fields. What a beautiful state you live in!


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## Addie (Dec 30, 2011)

Aunt Bea said:


> I used to spend quite a bit of time in Boston during my working years. I used to sit and people watch around the Government Center area and Faneuil Hall. The thing that always struck me was the expensive neck ties that all of the men wore. Those guys must spend a couple thousand a year just on ties!


 
Very conservative city. Men still wear jackets in the summer, and casual Friday is not allowed in a lot of firms. Specially law firms.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Dec 30, 2011)

Addie said:


> Very conservative city. Men still wear jackets in the summer, and casual Friday is not allowed in a lot of firms. Specially law firms.


 
That's another thing I like about California:  Business Casual means you wear shoes. Business Professional means you wear shoes, and socks!


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## Addie (Dec 30, 2011)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> That's another thing I like about California: Business Casual means you wear shoes. Business Professional means you wear shoes, and socks!


 
For us, Casual Friday means jeans and sneakers. But no holes in the jeans, and sneakers have to be reasonably clean and not tattered.


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## justplainbill (Dec 30, 2011)

We live in a summer resort area and enjoy the less crowded / laid back winters.


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## Claire (Dec 31, 2011)

Skittle68 said:


> I'm also "blooming where I was planted". I live 3.6 miles from the hospital I was born in, in Duluth, MN. I moved to California for a couple years, but I came back to be close to my family, even though it meant braving the winters. I met my wonderful boyfriend shortly after I got back, and have been with him ever since. Now, his company wants to make him district manager, so he might be uprooting me and moving us to Minneapolis. On the plus side, since it's a couple hours south, it stays a few degrees warmer in the winter. The downside is that I can't handle heat very well, and it gets hotter down there in the summer.



I was in the Air Force, assigned to Finley AFS, ND.  My (then, evil) husband took a walk and left me there.  My next assignment would have been to Duluth.  I'd had enough of the cold midwest, and opted out.

Many moons later my (good) husband of 20 years (at the time, now it is 30), wanted to see the area where I spent my military years.  After we had a very lovely visit to Finley, we decided to see Duluth.  What a lovely town!  I can't say I regret my decisions, heaven knows where the radar station was where I'd have been assigned.  But it is a beautiful town, and like all of the midwest, lovely and friendly people.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jan 9, 2012)

joesfolk said:
			
		

> I ended up in the Grand Rapids area after a fairly fruitless job search.  Had friends here who allowed me to stay with them while I looked for a job.  At the time any job any where would have done.  Now I am so thankful that this is where I landed.  The area is clean and the people friendly and of course this is Michigan's Bible belt. The older I get the more I appreciate living where folks care about everything around them, clean fresh yards, friendly neighbors, quiet neighborhoods.  If I really wanted to party, well, like most other places I could find lots to do.  But these days I prefer the quiet life.



I'm now in the GR area. Hubby and I are staying with family until I have a job. Really liking it so far. It's significantly bigger than what I'm used to but still kinda has a small town friendliness.


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