Ok, I'm am officially freezing here in MA. I hate it. I actually refused to drive the kids to school this morning because it was too darn cold when we got up, and I had no interest in going outside and warming up the car, walking the kids into school, etc. I'd have been a popsicle by the time I got back to the car and tomorrow they are already posting school cancellations by the dozens because the wind chill could be as bad as 15 below!!! I am ready to sell the house and get the heck out of dodge. When I was a kid I loved winters, as an adult, I hate it plain and simple. I realize this cold is more severe than anything I remember, but all in all...
So let's see, my husband has his contractors license, has excellent building skills and custom design installation for kitchens, media rooms, bathrooms, home offices, etc. If we were to move around the Brooksville area does anyone have any idea of what kind of wages a construction supervisor could make there? Cause we could sure sell this house and pay half the price for a bigger home down there with a pool and I will never have to stuff towels under my doors again or along the windowsills to help keep the freezing arctic air out of my house!! Though the thought of tornados does freak me out a bit!! Just feed me some wage info as I hunt online for homes in that area. I've already found some gorgeous homes we could never ever afford to buy up here, but they are very affordable there. Help me with my Florida fantasy pleassssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeee!! Though anyone else in warm weather territory is welcome to chime in also!!
I lived in florida for a few years, I am now back here in N.J. COLD>>BURRRR When my Dh retires we hope to move to FLorida!!
The cost of living down here in FL is much cheapert than up there. Take that into consideration when looking for a job. The wages may seem less, but your buck goes much further here. Many yankee friends have moved here, selling their modest Northern homes, and buying a mansion when they arrived.
Lot of construction going on down here, so I imagine work in that field should be plenty. Tell him to get up to speed on the Dade County Hurricane Codes. It's a big deal down here. Many contracts specify the work must meet or exceed it.
Can't tell you about specific jobs available. Out of my field. Might check with Home Depot and Lowes though. A friend works for Lowes as an entry door installer. Makes mucho dinero. Gets $25 per installation estimate he sends to Lowes, even if no further work is done. He knocks out 6-8 of those out a day between installations.
Good luck!
how about half way.. We here in NC are growing and the economy is changing for the good.
In my county we just approved a sub division of over 258+- acres with 2000 homes & then with a 138 acre shopping center across the interstate from where these homes will be. We are putting in a new interchange at this time. This opens up one of the last large pieces of land that hasn't been developed, on the interstate.
So construction is on the rise.. A good home remodeler can make a good living around here also.
Plus we 4 seasons here, nice average spring, warm summer, nice fall, not to cold winter.
JMTCW.
randy
We hung up our winter coats 17 years ago, we're from Jersey and I got tired of the cold and shoveling snow. It's been great down here for us, started my own business 7 years ago and thank God all is going well. There's plenty of construction work down here and lot's of money for finish and specialty work. Lot's of millionaires down here who spend their money on custom work. I believe if you have a trade and are good at it, and most important of all willing to work you'll have no problem. I own a material handling company and am always looking for honest, hard working people to join our family. Notice the underlines if your willing and ready, come on down the weathers fine. :)
We just moved here to Jacksonville from CT. One of the main reasons for our move was I was sick and tired of nearly 6 months of winter! My DH just commented this morning that he has yet to even wear a jacket to work in the morning!
Now that we are here, there is no way we are ever leaving. It's heavenly. Being in the northern part of the state, we still get a change of season. Basically we have spring, long summer and fall.
The reason we chose Jacksonville is that my DH is a mortgage underwriter and business is booming here. He has so many mortgages to review that it's hard to keep up. New home construction is bounding! I am sure your DH would have no trouble finding work.
You are right about being able to afford a better house. If this home was in CT we would NEVER be able to afford it. We paid $214k for a 4br 2 bath with 2200 square feet. Plus a screened room of about 300 sq. feet. Just 4 months after we moved in the house was unofficial appraised for $225K. That's an $11k increase in value in just 4 months. Plus we put in an inground pool which brings the listing price (if we were to list it now) to a competitive $260k. We are in a planned community with golf course, aquatic center with 2 enormous pools and kiddie pool, miles of biking/jogging trails, basketball courts and over 100 acres of small ponds to fish in. They are also starting construction of a new fitness facility.
Keep in mind too that in addition to the cost of living being cheaper, you also get a Homestead tax exemption of $25,000!
Another reason we chose Jacksonville is the fantastic public school system here in St. John's County. It's consistantly rated in the top 15% of the country, I believe is the #. Because of the popularity of this area, St. John's county just opened a new, $14million school which our children attend.
We love it here and don't miss the Northeast one little bit!
Wow! Thanks everyone! Papaso you can bet my hubby is a very hard worker! Running his own business for so long you know what it's like...always have to be there for the customer and construction is obviously very physical work, but not just physical there's a big difference between someone who can build and someone who can build well!! He builds well and doesn't take shortcuts!! Your note was very nice but I think the Miami area might be a bit too hectic for me!! BTW what is a materials handler? Is that for construction materials?
MommaMia you sound like you have found an awesome life in Jacksonville. I can just feel your excitement about your life coming right through on the page!! Nice home, good community and school systems would be of prime importance for us with two children. 2manytoyz sound like you have found a nice life too! When we lived in CA he had a contractors license there and had to be up to code for earthquakes so I imagine if he got his contractors license in FL he'd get up to code so to speak in learning what the regs are. I think he if I can convince him of a big life change he would opt for custom installations of kitchens, baths, home offices, etc., like he's doing now. Up here in MA there's alot of folks spending big $ on having custom built cabinetry for their kitchens, baths, home offices, etc., and he now supervises the installations of these projects because being custom made...you can't run back to the shop to get another cabinet if someone messes up!!! Has to be right the first time.
Byrd1 NC sounds beautiful, but wouldn't have family around :( I do have family in FL but I also have good friends in GA who tell us life is good there, they too left the New England area and say they will never ever come back up North.
It's interesting to hear of folks who made the decision to up and leave a familiar lifestyle to try something new and know it does actually work out!! I'm going on the web now to research Jacksonville and check it out!!! By the way the temp here has now climbed to a warm 5 degrees with wind chill of 10 below!! I went out and started my car a half hour ago just to bring it up to a comfortable temperature inside the car!!! It's that cold that the minivan just takes forever to get toasty inside!!
Quote from: CamperrooI'm going on the web now to research Jacksonville and check it out!!!
Check out our page...
http://home.comcast.net/~hokan/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.htmlIt has some good info on Jax... as well as our photos of us in our new surroundings.
Also I have a fantastic magazine/book that I got when we moved in here. It gives info on almost anything and everywhere in Jacksonville. It's called Discover Jacksonville. It's also online at
//www.jacksonville.com . I'd be happy to send it to you.
Also, if you are seriously interested, check out Julington Creek Plantation, our community at
http://www.julingtoncreek.com/
Can I say.....WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! I was going to ask you if you were actually more in the city of Jacksonville or a "suburb" of it and you definitely are in a more "suburban" area as we are. We're about 30-40 min. from the Boston area. Where you live is absolutely gorgeous, your home looks just beautiful...I'm just in absolute awe. My DH actually sat down next to me to look at Julington Creek and after looking at the website said...why are we still living here!!!! I cannot believe the beautiful homes and compared to here where you spend double for an older home that needs work, we could buy such a spacious, beautiful new home for so much less that this area and have all those amenities of being in a new community!! The aquatic center looks absolutely magnificent. Do you have to pay a fee for belonging or is it part of living in the community? I have to tell you I am so stunned right now...I can't even think of the right words to ask you. I like the idea of it being a little more seasonal so far as maybe having to break out a sweater from time to time. As far as the schools do you have to drive into Jacksonville or are they close to your home? I'd have one in high school and one in elementary school. What would you say is the average age in your community? It certainly looks amazingly family friendly.
gosh...I'm speechless...I have to go pour over the community site again. Makes anyone up here wonder why we do it...high housing costs and cost of living, when there really is life outside of the New England area that is affordable and beautiful. I've got to find my DH a good paying job down there!! When I buy my house, your whole family is invited for a big cookout and then we'll go camping!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing all that info! DH and I are still kind of stunned after looking at it all!!!!!
Sorry but I have to douse the fire on living in Florida..I have been here for 20 years and the "honeymoon" has worn off.
I have lived in North Florida for most of 20 years and visited many other areas. Yes, nice place to visit, but do you want to live here?
It's not vacation land every day. The cost of living is climbing every day, go up a few miles to GA and the gas is 10-15 cents cheaper. Homes are even more expensive (I work in real estate and I know, Maybe not New England prices)
The schools here in Jacksonville suck big time!!! I know I had to put my son in private school to get him out of them.
This state caters to tourist, if your not one of them, you must work and get out of their way. There is no day at the beach for the working folk.
In the summer get ready for an afternoon thunderstorm, yes it happens most every day during the summer, here and gone in 30-45 minutes but it can ruin some camping equipment and any outdoor activities. Along with the humidity it brings can make an ordinary day miserable.
In North Fl we DO get temps in the 20-30s and have even had snow. I have had to wear a winter jacket a few times this year already and had to cover plants or bring them inside as well as run the heat and the fireplace. It also seems to rain on weekends only.
Most jobs will pay you $7-$12 an hour here if your lucky. Its hard to raise a family here and most people are not friendly. (You need to know someone to get in just about anywhere or they are bringing someone they know from up north or wherever).
Try going to a resturant on Friday or Saturday evening the wait could be up to over an hour. The grocery stores lack on fresh produce except the green house kind. Most of Florida's produce is shipped up north or wherever.
Sorry if I sound bitter, maybe it's because I am. I was raised in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. I miss it up there, I miss my family, I miss my friends and this place can not replace it.
THE GRASS IS NOT GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE!
Florida is a nice place to visit, but I dream of getting out of here someday. Paridise is not what it seems sometimes.
Quotethey too left the New England area and say they will never ever come back up North.
I too moved south many years ago. I'm a native of Worcester County Mass, and left there when I turned 21, that was over 25 years ago. The Navy sort of "dumped" me here in Virginia, and I've pretty much stayed here ever since. I moved back twice since then, but only for rather short durations of a year or two. Each time the cold Winters sent me packing back to Virginia. Much of Virginia still get's a pretty cold winter, here on the coast it's very mild, rarely snows, and the coldest we've had so far was about 25
The comments by MoW and Cliff, and their contrast to Cindy's, made me stop and think a minute about the question of how people feel about where they live and WHY they feel that way. A Michigan friend moved to Daytona and ADORED IT right from the very beginning. They had 2 little kids and gloried in not having to bundle them up in 4 layers of stuff so they could go outside to play. She said she never wanted to go north again and still feels that way many years later. I finished growing up in Coral Gables when it was still the "real Florida" and liked it a lot, but never intended to stay--just dont have the temperament to be a Lotus Eater all my life.
And while I love many things about country life in NE Georgia, I still regard Ann Arbor as my real "home town." A friend pointed out that for us Ann Arbor was a "cocoon, kind of like Brigadoon") and I guess this is true. Great schools, marvelous cultural events, never a job worry, lifelong friendships, and WONDERFUL winter sports! It is true that our Ann Arbor lifestyle was unusually happy, but aside from that, there is something in me that just wont "transplant" completely despite a great mountain view and a 3,500 square foot house. Go figure.
MoWalker sounds like you are ready for a change too. I don't think you sound bitter, I think you sound homesick and ready for a change as we feel ready for a change. I don't know how the economy or home prices are in PA now from when you left. It's my understanding it's more affordable than the Boston area however. The picture salary would be a big concern for us anywhere we went. As DH is in the construction trade here his hourly salary would break down to $30.00/hr plus benefits. Even though we are in a suburban town with a supposedly "excellent" school system, we have both our children in private schools. If we relocated we would most likely continue them in private schools as we like the smaller atmosphere and attention private schools can give their students, but that's a personal choice. Here in the Boston area people aren't so very friendly either. Walk in any grocery store and most people walk with their heads down and hardly ever look up for a friendly hello, instead they'll scowl at you if you're holding them up in anyway,unless of course you know someone. Drive around and see what happens when you try and cross the street!!! You probably find that everywhere as I think society as a whole has become pretty selfish. As for housing in the Boston area it is ridiculous!!! As an example, our house was assessed at $428,000. It is a 115 yr. old antique village victorian and not huge by any means and on a fairly small lot. With the latest cold snap we were stuffing towels by all the doors and windows to keep the heat in and being an older home the heat was being sucked right out of the house, I kept the heat cranked up to 70 degrees for 3 solid days!!! Our bathroom (one only) is on the first floor. We are currently planning on building an addition this spring to add a bathroom upstairs and a new bedroom as my son's bedroom in tiny. If we opt to sell our home, we could actually put it on the market for $465,000+ after the addition, and though it's a cute house, it is a far cry from what you would think half a million dollars should buy. Thank goodness we bought it when we were much younger and nowhere near that price. Younger couples today are nuts to pay these prices for these homes plus I don't know how they can even do it!!!
You are right in the grass is always greener, it's just depends on what side your looking in from. Some looking at us would say we're nuts with what we have for our home and hubby's salary but you have to understand it is so expensive up here that we are just keeping up and that's pretty much it. Couldn't afford to live here if he were making less. Will we stay or go, don't know. If hubby lost his job and couldn't find work substantial work here we'd unload the house and take the money to where it's more affordable, might make less, but wouldn't have to kill ourselves to try and keep up with expenses in the area and have enjoyable weather (like today it's snowy and wet and slushy out there...makes my joints ache...yuck!!!) I wouldn't mind a little chilly weather but I'm past dealing with the freezing cold and snow/rain from Nov. - March, sometimes even April. The campground we go to up in Maine could not open the first week of May because there was still snow!!!!!
When we went down to Williamsburg in mid-April a couple of years ago, we spent half a day shoveling our popup out from behind the house!! We probably will stay here till youngest starts college (7 yrs) because what is familiar is safe essentially. But DH and I were talking this morning about just what would happen if we opted to completely change our lives and move to an area like where MommaMia is ...or elsewhere...still have a best friend working on me to move near her just outside of the Atlanta area. Same thing...nice home, new communities, hubby got a good job and they can afford to live there unlike struggling as they did here in MA several years ago.
Gone Camping... we loved visiting the Williamsburg area of Virginia, DD wants to attend William and Mary!! New England is very pretty, but I find in the winter like now, most of us go into hibernation, little activity, etc. because the weather is usually so awful. You stay holed up in your house for 5-6 months except to go to work or run errands, etc. Our skiing days are over so outdoor winter activities don't rank up there on our list!! I had to run my car for almost 25 minutes the other day, just to get it to finally warm up because it was SOOOOOOO cold!!!!! Come on up for vacation and enjoy it when the weather's nice late spring and summer!! Turn on the Pats game and you'll see how yucky it is outside right now!!!! But I must say....GO PATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Camperoo, there's a lot of wisdom in your observations about the high cost of living in Mass (remember how A-B used to b*tch about the awful taxes?) and also about people being homesick like MoWalker, or ready for a change like you are.
I bet you'd love Florida. My folks sure did! After a winter visit with my grandparents when I was a teenager, they didnt wait--by the next summer, we had moved from Illinois to Florida and my father made the remark that he "never wanted to go North of Flagler Street again." (Flagler being a main East-West street and the dividing line of Miami that gives you a "north" street address or a 'south" address.) And actually, most people I have met in the South are a bit friendlier, not so "grim-looking", and a little more laid back. When I go back to Ann Arbor in the winter, I still enjoy the winter weather which, I have to admit, is a novelty for me now, but must say that at that time of year, people often look miserable in their heavy, dark winter clothes, and just GRIM while walking down the street, fighting a nasty wind with sleet in it coming out of a grey, sunless sky! (Who wouldnt look grim?) (And the snow I love so much turns grey after a few days.)
You-all are very fortunate that your husband has skills much in demand in an area where there is a construction and economic boom, and you are young enough to enjoy the adventure of a new place and a new home. Seems like you are the kind of people who can make it all work out. My bet is that if you decide to do it, the move will be as big a success for you as it was for Cindy and her family!.
Quote from: CamperrooCan I say.....WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! I was going to ask you if you were actually more in the city of Jacksonville or a "suburb" of it and you definitely are in a more "suburban" area as we are. We're about 30-40 min. from the Boston area. Where you live is absolutely gorgeous, your home looks just beautiful...I'm just in absolute awe. Yes, we are a suburban area My DH actually sat down next to me to look at Julington Creek and after looking at the website said...why are we still living here!!!! I cannot believe the beautiful homes and compared to here where you spend double for an older home that needs work, we could buy such a spacious, beautiful new home for so much less that this area and have all those amenities of being in a new community!! The aquatic center looks absolutely magnificent. Do you have to pay a fee for belonging or is it part of living in the community? Association fees run around $300 year and that includes maintainance of park and common areas and aqautic center passes. The golf club is an additional feeI have to tell you I am so stunned right now...I can't even think of the right words to ask you. I like the idea of it being a little more seasonal so far as maybe having to break out a sweater from time to time. As far as the schools do you have to drive into Jacksonville or are they close to your home? I'd have one in high school and one in elementary school. What would you say is the average age in your community? It certainly looks amazingly family friendly.Julington Creek Elem. and Fruit Cove middle scools are right within the community. Durbin Creek Elementary is about a mile and a half down the road. Bartram Trail High is about 8-10 minute ride away. All the schools have consistantly recieved an A rating. FCAT schools for ALLl of St. John's county are well above and beyond the state scores. Mandatory downsizing of classes in St. John's county (elementary schools)was just implemented bringing max class size to 16 students! Annual budget for St. John's schools is $187,254,455.
some school links....
http://www-dce.stjohns.k12.fl.us/
http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/
gosh...I'm speechless...I have to go pour over the community site again. Makes anyone up here wonder why we do it...high housing costs and cost of living, when there really is life outside of the New England area that is affordable and beautiful. I've got to find my DH a good paying job down there!! When I buy my house, your whole family is invited for a big cookout and then we'll go camping!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing all that info! DH and I are still kind of stunned after looking at it all!!!!!
Not sure if it posted right.....
Quote from: mowalkerSorry but I have to douse the fire on living in Florida..I have been here for 20 years and the "honeymoon" has worn off.
I have lived in North Florida for most of 20 years and visited many other areas. Yes, nice place to visit, but do you want to live here?
It's not vacation land every day. The cost of living is climbing every day, go up a few miles to GA and the gas is 10-15 cents cheaper. Homes are even more expensive (I work in real estate and I know, Maybe not New England prices)
The schools here in Jacksonville suck big time!!! I know I had to put my son in private school to get him out of them.
Going to have to jump in here Brenda..... Yes, some school districts are really struggling. Duval (which is where I beleive you are) is one of the strugglers. But St. John's county is thriving.
another helpfull school link... http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/
This state caters to tourist, if your not one of them, you must work and get out of their way. There is no day at the beach for the working folk. I wouldn't lump Jacksonville in the same category as say Orlando or Miami.... both places I would never live!
In the summer get ready for an afternoon thunderstorm, yes it happens most every day during the summer, here and gone in 30-45 minutes but it can ruin some camping equipment and any outdoor activities. Along with the humidity it brings can make an ordinary day miserable. Connecticut summers are extrememly humid... and the mosquitoes in CT were far worse tahn we have experienced here!
In North Fl we DO get temps in the 20-30s and have even had snow. I have had to wear a winter jacket a few times this year already and had to cover plants or bring them inside as well as run the heat and the fireplace. It also seems to rain on weekends only.Yes, but the temps typically dip down that low only a few times during the winter season, and only staying there for a few hours at a time. The next day the temps generally clinb to a comfy 60-65.
Most jobs will pay you $7-$12 an hour here if your lucky. Its hard to raise a family here and most people are not friendly. (You need to know someone to get in just about anywhere or they are bringing someone they know from up north or wherever).Not from what I have experienced!
Try going to a resturant on Friday or Saturday evening the wait could be up to over an hour. The grocery stores lack on fresh produce except the green house kind. Most of Florida's produce is shipped up north or wherever.
Sorry if I sound bitter, maybe it's because I am. I was raised in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. I miss it up there, I miss my family, I miss my friends and this place can not replace it.
THE GRASS IS NOT GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE!
Florida is a nice place to visit, but I dream of getting out of here someday. Paridise is not what it seems sometimes.
Brenda....
I really am surprised how bitter you sound. When I was getting ready to move here, you never gave me the negative review that you just gave here! As a matter of fact you were quite encouraging!
Since we have been here, I have only had favorable experiences. The second day here, I went to pick up a $35 chinese takeout order and forgot my wallet. The lady told me to take the food and pay her next time.
I don't know what supermarket you are shopping at, but our Publix is the best g-store I have ever been in. Wonderful produce... like none we ever got in CT! And on top of it, they bring your groceries to your car and Load It for you! And they refuse tips.!!!
My husband is well paid for his job, making more $ than he was in CT (certainly more than $7-12 an hour)and with the cost of living being so much lower than CT, we are quite comfortable!!
I don't know what has brought about such negativity, but maybe you ARE ready for a change. Just as we were sick of the past 20 years in CT!!! Duval County is not where families with kids should be looking to live.
We love only needing a heavy sweater on a few chilly mornings. I love gardening all year round. I love no snowy shoes tracking mud in the house. I LOVE the summer afternoon Thunderstorms!!! Besides... those are gone in 20 mins and pretty soon all the kids are back out playing.
I suggest you get that camper cleaned off and head down here for a week to see what it's really like!! We came here on a whim when a headhunter offered to fly us all down for an interview. Hubby wasn't even looking for a new job. The minute we got here, we decided this was the place for us. NO regrets!
BTW... Hubby works and we DO go to the beach... all the time. It's only 15 mins away and our new favorite pasttime is hunting for sharks teeth! So addicting!
Camperoo, Cindy is right--give it a try, look around, see what you might be able to work out.
And I agree with Cindy's remarks about Publix! They are fantastic stores--they stock a huge selection of great stuff,including produce, and have very courteous employees.
Brenda, you are right about gas prices in Ga being lower, but about 90% of the public school system here SUCKS, so it isnt paradise, either. (A lot of our friends and relatives send their kids to private schools.)
Perhaps you would like a good place which is booming in construction both in the larger cities and the small towns. You might like south central NC in the Pinehurst area. There's plenty of jobs in constructions and for others the hospital and country club each have more than 1000 employees. The whole county is around 100,000 people so it is still small town, USA and a premiere retirement resort with a 5 star 4 diamond hotel, many services, restaurants of many kinds, cultural events, community college, public and private schools, super Walmart, plenty of chain stores, nice grocery stores, farmer's market. It also has a horse country of big horse farms, rural aspects with different types of farms, a few campgrounds, industry and plenty of friendliness. It's a place where people speak to you on the street, the cost of living and housing is low, taxes are kept low, and life in general is as fast or slow as you want it to be but it is usually slow and relaxes. If you like doing things outdoors nearly year round, then this is the places to be. We generally only have about 3 weeks of cold weather which would require a coat;other times in winter a sweater might be needed. In summer there's a bit of humidity in late August into Sept but that's what air conditioning is used for. I can't think of a better place to live and it's been home for over 36 years. I came from an adjoining county after High School and have lived in the area since that time. In the Raleigh and Cary area to the north of here there's plenty of construction going on but the cost of living and housing there is much more. Quite a few of the working people live in my area and commute to their jobs which is about an hour away.
It's funny after thinking about all this, I got an email from a friend's sister whom I had written about a month ago and she just emailed me back today to let me know my former childhood friend is married and living in Sarasota!! It's a sign I tell you!!!
You know today was one of those days that was nice, in the high 20's, after the recent below zero spell, today felt like Spring. The kids had friends over to skate out back (DH builds a rink every winter) but for me the grown up, it's just cold and ugly out. The slush turned all to ice so alot of you former New Englanders knows what that means...bumpy, lumpy ice everwhere that makes it hard to walk without twisting an ankle!! From DH's call from work today, sounds like he was a bit fed up with something on the job site..then I get an email finding out my childhood friend I've been trying to find for the last few years lives down in Sarasota!! I can't wait to call her tonight. I'll have to look up my map as I have no idea where Sarasota is as opposed to the Jacksonville area. Meanwhile in my little nook of the country I spoke with one of the selectmen (happens to be my daughter's friend's dad) when he came to pick her up today, he told me about this building and that building being knocked down to make room for more townhomes and condos that are exploding in this town and being all schmooshed together and will be selling in the high 400's to 600's. They are wrecking this community with all this tearing down of older homes and putting up a slew of condos in their stead....talk about crowded.
We're really thinking long and hard about what will be right for us to do...as it's the middle of the school year we'd have to wait till June to move anywhere at this point. I told my DH I'm going to fly him down for a long weekend to check it out!! DD wants to go with him (I don't like to fly at all). I still can't help but feel that our pace of life would be a bit slower and less frantic if we relocated to FL. We love being outdoors in good weather and of course camping and the beach. It just seems to be a natural fit...it's just the doing it part that's hard!!!!
Cindy, now here's an important question for DS...he is into playing hockey big time here, plays all year round on a travel team. Is there a youth hockey league in your area?? Couldn't find any info on the web. I'll search again though.
MommaMia your encouragement and positive attitude are just so great!!
You should be a motivational speaker...you'd be awesome!!
Quote from: CamperrooCindy, now here's an important question for DS...he is into playing hockey big time here, plays all year round on a travel team. Is there a youth hockey league in your area?? Couldn't find any info on the web. I'll search again though.
MommaMia your encouragement and positive attitude are just so great!!
You should be a motivational speaker...you'd be awesome!!
Hey there!
Here are a couple of info places to get you started....
//www.nfha.com Is a link with info on the youth hockey leagues in the area. They offer leagues for players 3-17years old.
This next link is a press release from the Jacksonville Barracudas... the minor league hockey team in Jax.
http://www.jacksonvillebarracudas.com/press_releases/press.asp?comm=1&PressID=91And the Barracudas official website...
http://www.jacksonvillebarracudas.com/There is no Major League hockey team in Jacksonville.
In addition to ice hockey there are several roller/inline hockey teams. Hopefully one of these numbers can be of more help.
Jacksonville Hockey Association, Jacksonville. Bob Sabourin, (904) 399-3223
Jacksonville High School Hockey, Jacksonville. Dena Pantazi, (904) 262-9212, dena@pantazi.net
Jacksonville Jokers, Skate Station, Jacksonville. Terrence Kelly, (904) 384-0163, tjk01@bellsouth.net I have 2 girls, 8 and 6 and one boy, only 3 so I don't know much about the "boy sports stuff" yet. I will ask tomorrow morning at the bus stop. Someone will surely be able to point us in the right direction!
If you should decide to come down, I'd be glad to help you find your way around. Not only are there some pretty awesome "metro" type downtown activites like the MOSH museum and strolling the board walk at the Landing (especially pretty and romantic at night)and riding the water taxi or going for a dinner cruise, but I can show you some off the beaten path places. A particular favorite of mine is to head to Shand's fishing pier on the St. John's river. It's not the typical touristy fishing pier. On sunny afternoons, it's a favorite hang out for a dozen or so old southern folk whiling away the hours catching their dinner (mullet mostly)on raw bamboo poles! They say it's best pan fried, served with cornbread!
The San Marco area of Jax has some great boutiques for shopping. A drive across the St. John's river amd North on St. John's Avenue with take you for a ride past some gorgeous old mansions and find you in a quaint little shopping area the reminds me so much of Martha's Vineyard. There, you'll find a bistro type restaurant called Biscotti's. They have the most decadent deserts you'll ever eat!
I know it sounds like I am gushing over our new home, but honestly I really love it here. The way of life compared to the north is so much more at ease. I find that I am so much more relaxed. Northern winters left me tense. I hate truding through snow and shuffling along on that crunchy ice. I hate being all bundled up with bulky coats over itchy sweaters, stupid wool hats always mashing my hair onto my head! Tomorrow I will be spending a couple hours getting my new bouganvilleas in the ground out front. Also my roses are just finishing a bloom again and I need to prune those down to start a new bloom. I think my mom in CT was shoveling snow today. Hehehe!
The worst thing that I have found about the weather here is that we wear our shorts and t-shirts so much that they are wearing out! Up north, the shorts and t's would last a couple seasons, but since we wear them year round down here, they are going to have to be replaced more frequently. Tough one huh?
We moved here in August and yes, the summer was hot! But as you know, CT and MA gets their share of sweltering heat in the summers. I didn't find the heat here to be unbearable. Between the pool (community aquatic center last year and our newly installed inground) and the gorgeous beach just 15 mins away, we had no trouble keeping cool.
It's true that there are some areas in Jax that you just don't want to visit, but honestly most every big city has to deal with areas like that. And for such a big city, it has such an intimate feel to me.
One thing that was pointed out to me is how Jacksonville is also referred to as the "City of Seven Bridges" for the 7 bridges leading into the downtown area. One of the prettiest sights that I have ever seen is those bridges all light up at night. It's breathtaking!
Allright... The neighbor across the street is away and I need to go let her dog out. The only payment I asked for is that I can swipe some fresh oranges off the tree in her backyard. Yum! So I'm heading out!
I need to say this to defend myself.
No I am not homesick..I have made my home here and have been here 20 years as of june 2004. I have a good family life here my oldest son lives just around the corner and my youngest son is still at home going to private school. I do miss my mother and siblings in PA, as well as the mountains in central PA. I dont miss shoveling snow or driving in it.
I never invited or intended anyone to believe that Northern Florida is the place to live or move to to relocate their family. I was just warning those of you who may have considered it. Cindy may have a nice life here she may be one of the lucky ones). I did too for the first few months. But it wore off and it wore off fast.
We are taxed beyond belief here. My SIL husbands' brother was once Mayor of Jacksonville. He saw this City to do so much more than what has happened and still gets calls today for help from City executives. So I do have an inside view on things, not just hearsay.
I will dismiss comments made about my post as differneces of opinion and leave it as that.
I will turn on the furnace and throw some logs on the fire it's getting to 34 degrees here tonight. oh and turn on the mattress pad. oh that is so good :J
Be careful what you wish for!
Love always
Brenda
Quote from: mowalkerI need to say this to defend myself.
No I am not homesick..I have made my home here and have been here 20 years as of june 2004. I have a good family life here my oldest son lives just around the corner and my youngest son is still at home going to private school. I do miss my mother and siblings in PA, as well as the mountains in central PA. I dont miss shoveling snow or driving in it.
Brenda
Hey Brenda~ Glad to see you jumping back in....Please, don't feel like you have to defend yourself! If you feel that's the case, that must mean you feel like you are being attacked and I am sure that's not what I or anyone else intended!
I think this quote of yours is what made the rest of us think that you were homesick... " Sorry if I sound bitter, maybe it's because I am. I was raised in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. I miss it up there, I miss my family, I miss my friends and this place can not replace it."
The tone of your first post was very off and I think once again it may be that lack of clarity that computers offer.
I didn't mean to imply that you "invited or intended" for our family to move here. We made that choice for ourselves and are quite happy we did. But you never gave me the impression that it was a bad idea to move to Jacksonville. You certainly are entitled to your opinion, but we are thrilled with our community and so are all the other families that I have spoken with within our neighborhood. At least once a week someone at the bus stop will jokingly ask if any of us want to go back north and we all give an emphatic "NO WAY!"
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Anyway....
I don't know what things were like as far as taxes and such in PA 20 years ago, or in MA for you Camperoo...but in our area of CT we were being raked through the coals. Things here are much, much better.
While we are in Jacksonville, it's good to keep in mind that Jacksonville is absolutely enormous. Normally, a city/town is located within a county along with several other cities/towns being in that same county. Here, Jacksonville takes up 5 differnt counties! Just to give you an idea of size...In CT you could drive from the northern border of the state to the soutern border in under an hour and a half. In Jacksonville, you can drive for an hour straight and still be in the same city! So demographics can vary greatly from one area of Jacksonville to another. So comparing where Brenda lives (neighborhoods, schools, stores, etc.) to our area may be like comparing apples to oranges.
In choosing where to live it's important to keep in mind what your priorities are. For us, since we have young school aged children, our house hunt was focused by the requirement for a good school system. So naturally, St. John's county was our best choice. If we were older and had no children, we could have gotten an equally nice house, for much less $ since we wouldn't have to worry about the quality of the school system in other areas of Jacksonville.
We also like being a little off the beaten path and in a much more rural area. While we are in a community area, the Julington Creek Plantation community is surrounded by horse farms and nature preserves. We have more elbow room down here. But being in the most southern area of Jax, my husband has to accept that he's going to have a 35-45 minute commute. It's worth it !
OK...Yes, Brenda, it does get chilly, even dipping down to freezing at times but it stays that way for only a few hours during the night, not for weeks on end!!! And nothing to shovel here! The neighbors across the street have lived here since their 8 yo was born and she has never seen snow.
I should point out that another reason we chose Jacksonville is that it DOES have a change of season... it's just winter isn't one of them! We like that it does get cooler and we like to be able to use the fireplace. While we do need to turn on the heat, we also had to switch the ac on last week.
I need to get the sheets off the sensitive plants outside. Yes, we got down to chilly 34 last night but temps are going up to 51 by noon. And they are calling that a cold spell!
I was raised in St. Pete and drove through with my brother who was training in Lakeland the same week I was in Daytona. I picked him up at the motel and we went "home". I cryed when I left and begged my boss to let me telecommute. It had changed in the 30 years since I left (have been back a couple of times since). But our Extrememly moderately priced (caled low end of moderate) house in Delaware would by 2 to 3 houses in St. Pete.
My long term plans are that when I retire, in about 10 years or so, I want to sell our present house in DE and buy one in or around St. Pete. By that time all I will need is a 2 bedroom one.
I DO remember snow in St. Pete. I also remember ice on the palm trees (water tables are about 6' deep in most areas, and most people have wells), back in the 60's and 70's (do not know if this has changed) when there was a freeze, people would leave their sprinklers on all night and the sprinklers that move back and forth would coat the palm frons and there would be icicles for us to look at on the walt to school.
There is also another thing I remember my parents talking about. The first winter...my parents never donned a jacket (I was 6 weeks old and I am sure that they bundled me well), the second winter they could not stay warm...
Thanks for the great links!!
I would definitely love to have "cool" nights where you can have a fire and then the next day have it be in the 60,70, 80, 90's etc. That would be ok with me!!! We did live in CA for a few years before we came back East and I can remember waiting for the "chilliest" night possible in CA to go get our Christmas tree!!! Would go back to CA but we could never ever afford a home in our former town, it's as expensive in CA where we lived as it is here in MA. But what we did enjoy so much was the outdoor lifestyle, it's what we miss so much. CA winters were pretty much like Indian summer days here in New England. I just loved it so much. My friend I spoke with the other night who lives in Sarasota said she was so happy she was there, it's been 4 yrs now and it affords them the lifestyle they've always wanted! I checked the crime site though in comparison to our MA town and WOW was the crime rate high in the Sarasota area!!! I haven't plugged in Jacksonville yet. You are all helping with my mid life crisis I think, because both my hubby and I are ready for a change in locations as winters just aren't our thing anymore. Though DH did promise if we go to FL to live I can come back for the summers and continue to camp up in Maine, that way I can still see my family here and by the time the end of August comes I'll be glad to get back down to FL away from them all for a little bit!!! I love 'em but you know you can only take them in doses!!!!
Just emailed the President of the Youth Hockey League for Jacksonville!! Hope I hear back from him soon! Sounds like they have a growing and competitive program.
Quote from: CamperrooThanks for the great links!!........................
by the time the end of August comes I'll be glad to get back down to FL !
Glad to help out with the links.... We missed the bus this am so I didn't get a chance to ask for more resources.
One thing to keep in mind if you find you are serious about a move here...
The school year is generally August 1st until May 21st. So If you wait until the kids are out to move down, plan on a shorter summer this year. And if you are planning on summer vacations up north, you'll be heading back here for the end of July, not August!
Thanks for the school year info, I had no idea. I heard back today from the JAX Storm Youth Hockey President. What a nice guy, I only wrote him yesterday! He told me they have a very competitive youth league but travel team really means travel team down there as they go to Miami, Orlando, etc.,though their squirt team is ranked in first place as is my son's team now!! Though we have had to drive up to NH a few times also which is a few hours away. Anyway...to show you what an incredibly small world we live in, he said they moved to Jacksonville 2 years ago with their children and live in Julington Creek!!!! As a kid he grew up in in Marlboro, MA which is about 25 min. from here!!! My DH is going to call him to talk about why he moved there from here and get his impressions on work in the area, etc, and how his kids adjusted to the whole change. He said he too had to reassure his boys they could continue playing hockey when they moved to FL. This is becoming quite an interesting journey for us!!