Dallas versus Southern California (Austin, Fort Worth: affordable house, safe neighborhoods, good schools)

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by socketz

Was Johnmarg the one from a while back that was looking to move out here but didn't, then spent the next 2 months on the boards bashing Dallas and the heat ? I think he wanted to live some place that was colder. I've been in extreme humidity before and tha last few weeks have not been that bad. Extreme is the East coast. You can't breath there...

As for the traffic here, yes the tolllway and the 75 are not fun....however, to go north and south on any given day there are about 40 other options. None of which are all that bad. LA traffic is far more brutal.

Wow!! We all remember Johnmarg!!! Memories........... As far as the heat goes.....I actually went outside to make phone calls today to get warm...hubby was freezing me out....it's like he's going thru MENopause or something!! lol The backyard was lovely today I must say.

[Lakewooder]

Johnmargie - the heat has been so oppresive here that you have to wait for an hour or two to get a sidewalk or patio seat at the restaurants!

socketz I still find it amusing that you are so 'askeered' of Fair Park. You are missing one of the world's unique places.

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by shannon94

I use to travel the 101 regularly.......NOTHING compares to that. You could knit a blanket before getting home from work!! I don't have to travel from Ft. Worth to Dallas very often...but I can say for a fact that it is nothing like the 101...that my dear is an exaggeration BIG TIME!!! In fact on a Friday night during rush hour (labor day weekend last year as a matter of fact) I drove from the HEB area to downtown Dallas and it took about 50 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised. (Took a group of kids to the Animefest.........yeah I'm a trooper!! lol)

California's "rush hour" traffic is like 4-5 hours. It's still packed at 8pm! Dallas rush hour is 2-2.5 hours, and it's no where near the intensity of California. Anyone trying to compare 183 to the 101... heck, I want what they're smoking, cause it's gotta be some good stuff!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Johnmargie - the heat has been so oppresive here that you have to wait for an hour or two to get a sidewalk or patio seat at the restaurants!

socketz I still find it amusing that you are so 'askeered' of Fair Park. You are missing one of the world's unique places.

NO KIDDING!!!! At all of the places around me that have outdoor seating you can't get a table for anything. They are PACKED! And the people are ejoying it so much they are just hanging out for a long time AFTER they have eaten. Then you have all of the car shows that have been going on every weekend and on some weeknights (one tomorrow night at Taco Casa in Garland -big bad scary Garland - on Broadway at I30). There were several this weekend and they were NOT lacking for participants in the heat of the afternoon in concrete parking lots.

Fair Park is pretty neat. I'm an architecture nut though. OH, and do take the kids to play in the water at Fair Park. Make sure you have a change of clothes in case one slips in. There are large stones that meander thru one of the water features for the kids to walk on. And the swans............ Okay, how many more days till the State Fair of Texas????

Shannon, my child that came home from church camp today was complaining this afternoon of being "FREEZING". LOL!!! Found her covered up w/ the thickest blanket in the house w/ the ceiling fan off. Well honey, you have been outside constantly from sunup to sundown for 5 days straight. Of course this house is going to be cold. LOL!!! We cooked out on the grill again tonight (did something like 4 times last week) and the kids swam. After dinner while they were swimming I was lounging out by the pool with them and it was VERY comfortable.

[lh_newbie]

Just to balance out this love-fest for our weather...

I was working around the house yesterday, mowed the lawn and building some shelves/organizing the garage. Abnormal humidity yesterday. It felt like being in a sauna at first, but after 20-30 mins, I got somewhat used to it (i.e. didn't feel too bad, but was still less than desireable).

The next week is going to be strange - 88-95 (depending on the day) with rain - VERY strange to get this sort of rain/humidity at this time of year - but heck, I'm happy to take it. My lawn is loving the wet year (although I'm not since I have to mow it... hehe).

Brian

[socketz]

Originally Posted by shannon94

Wow!! We all remember Johnmarg!!! Memories........... As far as the heat goes.....I actually went outside to make phone calls today to get warm...hubby was freezing me out....it's like he's going thru MENopause or something!! lol The backyard was lovely today I must say.

I hear people complaining about the heat and I don't think it's that bad (yet).

Seriously, I have to wear long-sleeve button up shirts for work and I'm not skinny....I thought that I'd be sweating like a pig by now, but it seriously hasn't been that bad. I can't get over all the complaining I hear.

[socketz]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

California's "rush hour" traffic is like 4-5 hours. It's still packed at 8pm! Dallas rush hour is 2-2.5 hours, and it's no where near the intensity of California. Anyone trying to compare 183 to the 101... heck, I want what they're smoking, cause it's gotta be some good stuff!

And in CA, you don't have little north south gems like Preston, Coit, Custer, Independence, etc.

That's what I love about here, there are 10 ways to get the same place.

There are points on Custer (above Hedgecoxe) where it looks more like a highway than the 75 does (the part that is only 2 lanes is lame)

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by socketz

I hear people complaining about the heat and I don't think it's that bad (yet).

Seriously, I have to wear long-sleeve button up shirts for work and I'm not skinny....I thought that I'd be sweating like a pig by now, but it seriously hasn't been that bad. I can't get over all the complaining I hear.

OMG!!! YOUR NOT SKINNY!! And your from California?!?!?!?! Are ya sure? I thought everyone in Cali was fit, buff and skinny? Or is it all that good food here in Texas that you have been eating?

I'll have to say though that late this afternoon I was hot and sweating. My youngest wanted to ride bikes, ACK!!! No thanks. But looking at the weather radar there are storms around so that has increased the humidity level but the heat itself is not that bad. If you were outside this afternoon and in the shade it was fine.

[socketz]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

OMG!!! YOUR NOT SKINNY!! And your from California?!?!?!?! Are ya sure? I thought everyone in Cali was fit, buff and skinny? Or is it all that good food here in Texas that you have been eating?.

But I'm not fat either :-) I've got that 30 something dad look going on.

I get flirted with alot by 50 something year old women alot....so that keeps me confident (I'm a Senior Citizen Boy Toy)

I do eat healthyl though, but that's just become a way of life for me. I need to eat 'less' or healthy though and exercise more - but my time management skills need work.

Is that Red Hot and Blue I smell ?

I told you already, I'm an anomoly wrapped in an Oxymoron. Just today I was listening (iPOD) to some Kenny Chesney while reading the Wall Street journal in the airport...people got confused. So I switched to some Disturbed to confuse them more, then cracked open my new issue of Maxim.

There isn't single brush you can paint me with because I'm not really one to fit inside someone else's mold of what they think I should be....you seem to be the same way, that's why I like you of course ;-)

[momof2dfw]

OMY!!! LMAO - "Senior Citizen Boy Toy". GREAT ONE! hahahahahaha

Ya do have tickets to Kenny Chesney for Saturday night right? I'll be there I don't care how skinny and scrawny that boy is he is just downright HOT! Those abs and barefoot in the sand do it to me. And then I go for some guy in boots, jeans and a hat or the preppy guy.... I'm so not in a box either My husband is so NOT a cowboy of any type. LOL!! But he drives a pickup. LOL!!! A 4x4 too. I also like to mess w/ people and the stereotypes. It is not uncommon to see me get out of the BMW wearing jeans and boots. Then I'll be in the mom bus wearing something so totally not momish.

Speaking of time management...... managed to make it to the gym today. That stairmaster thing will kill ya. I only kept going because this guy in front of me well he was HOT!!! And sweaty and it looked so good on him. I need something to keep this 40+ year old woman going. Like my neighbor and I told our husbands. If anything ever happens to them w/ the money we will have we will be some HOT looking old women. Screw being the "Senior Citizen Boy Toy" I'm going after the younger guys (which by that time will be 40something guys, lol and I'll be looking for the Senior Citizen Boy Toy). I don't think I look my age either so that may be why I seem to notice younger guys looking (and NO they are not looking in disgust ). I also would not classify myself as "hot". Maybe after a couple of more months on that stairmaster...... and staying away from the Chick-Fil-A sweet tea. You do know that just by sitting you can work on your abs? Hold them in tight for 10 seconds at a time, relax for 10sec then tighten again for about 30 minutes a day and you will notice a difference.