[tallrick]

We know how bad Florida really is, but years ago here's how I saw myself living in Florida when I turned 40:

I wake up in the morning, and get breakfast started. Go outside and grab a grapefruit and get some fresh eggs, and start the oatmeal. (alternative) I would have a wife and she would be making the meal for me. It's been a busy month at the business, and we are having to work hard to keep up with the sales. Looking outside I see the sun rising over the trees, and the fog is lifting. Beautiful tropical flowers and plants are abundant. Just grabbed a banana from the backyard, and come inside to enjoy the eggs and oatmeal with the fresh Florida grapefruit. Of course there's fresh orange juice with the meal. Then it's off to the shower and time to get ready for work. Sometimes I work from my home office, but it's a pleasant drive to the highway where our warehouse is. The cars sit in the garage, hmm which one today, the blue 69 Charger, Red 70 Charger, 55 Chrysler, or maybe the truck? It's not going to rain so I take one of the restored Chargers. 15 minutes on a two-lane road through ranches, farms and wetlands really gets me in a good mood. I arrive at the office relaxed, and ready for the day ahead. Our employees arrive, one after the other in a good mood and we start work at 9. Shipments arrive, and orders go out. Some walk-in customers come in for a chat about what they need. The day goes quickly and it's lunch time. We go in the break room and eat lunch with the sight of beautiful Florida outside. After lunch it's back to work and the time flies by. It's 5 and everyone starts going home. By 5:30 I am in my car and back on the way home for a great dinner. Whether I make it myself or have a family to come home to it's all good. After all I am in Florida where my property tax is less than 1% of my income and my assets are protected from lawsuits. Traffic is never a problem and business is fantastic! Many of my workers are also my neighbors and we get together from time to time. I have dinner and relax a bit. Me or the family goes to the rec room to watch TV or a movie and settle in for 3 games of bowling. The lanes take only minutes to condition and the pinsetters work great, I just replaced belts and bearings. Well it's getting late but the weekend is comming so some friends come over for the fun. Tomorrow we will be going to the Everglades or boating, not sure yet. But now my friends and I talk about the Category 5 hurricane we had a couple years back and how happy we were that our concrete roof homes survived intact. WOW no stress from storms, zoning inspectors or tax assessors. Our incomes increase 5% each year, and we are really seeing good returns on our investments.....life is good!

Well as you know this is the opposite of reality. Yet if it wasn't for high taxes, and things like zoning this could be a reality for me. With the proper freedom, I could still live like this by the time I reach 40. Yet I fear it will take a massive tragedy in Florida to stem the tide of the invaders. All of our problems are caused by people. You are either the solution or part of the problem. Even the most beautiful wealthy areas are full of problems. Places where people are crammed in and have no open space are simply hopeless. Want to know why I wish for hurricanes? Just look around Florida. The beauty of the state is blocked by greed. Wherever I live I blend with nature. Who does that in south Florida? You'll never be truly happy in a place unless you bond with nature. And if you live under the control of an HOA or zoning inspectors you will never experience the true Florida.

[Need_affordable_home]

So we keep asking and wondering when you will relocate.

[Blue Grass Fever]

Is there even 'country' to be found in Florida?

I just read an article about Orlando via National Geographic and get the impression that Florida is really, really built up, or for lack of a better phrase, 'maxed-out'.

[Magnolia Bloom]

[quote=tallrick;410503]We know how bad Florida really is, but years ago here's how I saw myself living in Florida when I turned 40:

I wake up in the morning, and get breakfast started. Go outside and grab a grapefruit and get some fresh eggs, and start the oatmeal. (alternative) I would have a wife and she would be making the meal for me. It's been a busy month at the business, and we are having to work hard to keep up with the sales. Looking outside I see the sun rising over the trees, and the fog is lifting. Beautiful tropical flowers and plants are abundant. Just grabbed a banana from the backyard, and come inside to enjoy the eggs and oatmeal with the fresh Florida grapefruit. Of course there's fresh orange juice with the meal. Then it's off to the shower and time to get ready for work. Sometimes I work from my home office, but it's a pleasant drive to the highway where our warehouse is. The cars sit in the garage, hmm which one today, the blue 69 Charger, Red 70 Charger, 55 Chrysler, or maybe the truck? It's not going to rain so I take one of the restored Chargers. 15 minutes on a two-lane road through ranches, farms and wetlands really gets me in a good mood. I arrive at the office relaxed, and ready for the day ahead. Our employees arrive, one after the other in a good mood and we start work at 9. Shipments arrive, and orders go out. Some walk-in customers come in for a chat about what they need. The day goes quickly and it's lunch time. We go in the break room and eat lunch with the sight of beautiful Florida outside. After lunch it's back to work and the time flies by. It's 5 and everyone starts going home. By 5:30 I am in my car and back on the way home for a great dinner. Whether I make it myself or have a family to come home to it's all good. After all I am in Florida where my property tax is less than 1% of my income and my assets are protected from lawsuits. Traffic is never a problem and business is fantastic! Many of my workers are also my neighbors and we get together from time to time. I have dinner and relax a bit. Me or the family goes to the rec room to watch TV or a movie and settle in for 3 games of bowling. The lanes take only minutes to condition and the pinsetters work great, I just replaced belts and bearings. Well it's getting late but the weekend is comming so some friends come over for the fun. Tomorrow we will be going to the Everglades or boating, not sure yet. But now my friends and I talk about the Category 5 hurricane we had a couple years back and how happy we were that our concrete roof homes survived intact. WOW no stress from storms, zoning inspectors or tax assessors. Our incomes increase 5% each year, and we are really seeing good returns on our investments.....life is good!

QUOTE]

Yeah, but those were the days when we didn't "just say no"...and there was more than citrus growing out in the backyard.

[tao777]

Do you know --I've been reading your name as "Talltrick" all this time??...hmmm, so maybe you will get your Florida one of these days...(and I'll get glasses...)

[backtofla]

blue grass, 75% of the ppl in fla live on just 25% of the land. obviously the article was wrong, or you misinterpreted.

[pslOldTimer]

Sounds exactly like life in Okeechobee, to me...which is why I'm moving there. Although I'm retired, everyone on my street drives to work exactly like you envision -- there's the owner of the fence company, a fellow that's an ag inspector for the state, a couple of deputies and a fireman, and several others I see pass my corner property, but I haven't gotten to know them, yet. The others have all stopped to talk when they see me out on the tractor. After the hurricanes, when the drainage ditches were clogged, they came up in small groups to the corner to help each other dig out the culvert and hang a handmade street sign until the county could get to us.

[nomoresnow]

The only unrealistic part I saw was where the workers arrive on time and in a good mood! ;-)

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

The only unrealistic part I saw was where the workers arrive on time and in a good mood! ;-)

That depends on where you work. That happens everyday in my school. I realize I am blessed!

So.....here's my real Florida day...

The alarm goes off at 5:45. I get up, dress and am out the door by 7:00. I drive back roads to my job in downtown Orlando and get there around 7:20-7:30. There is traffic, but it moves well at that time of the morning - at least on the roads I travel. The other employees are arriving, fresh faced and pleasant. After a trip to get a large mug of delicious Amaretto coffee, I am ready for the day. I have a completely scheduled day and often eat a working lunch at my desk. I leave work between 4:00 and 4:30 and get home about 20-30 minutes later. I drive through Thornton Park, onto the 408 to the 417. The only place I sometimes find it back up is the toll plaza on the 408 at Lake Underhill.

Upon arriving home, I immediately change into shorts and a tank top - NO shoes. Let the dog out in the back yard, pick up the mail, and get things started for dinner. By that time DH is home. We usually sit for a few minutes on the pool deck, having a drink (virgin...LOL), reviewing our day and enjoying the relaxation of the evening. After that, DH grills some fish, chicken or steak while I prepare salad, veggies and we continue our evening eating/relaxing poolside. When the weather is warm enough we sometimes swim before dinner, but most often after dinner. We may watch a favorite TV show or read our email. DH loves to do it on the laptop by the pool. We then walk the dog for a long walk around the neighborhood, before retiring to bed.

We try to plan to get away at least one weekend a month. There are so many wonderful places to explore in Florida, we haven't covered them all. But we've had great weekends, camping in Anastasia State Park, we love staying in the various Bed and Breakfasts in St. Augustine and exploring the old city, hiking, boating and eating the pancakes breakfasts at DeLeon Springs State Park, exploring Tarpon Springs, the Keys, Sanibel and Captiva and I could go on.

We live with woods all around us - several miles deep. We only have one close neighbor. We see and hear all kinds of wildlife. DH loves to sit on the deck in the dark and listen to the noises from the woods. Thankfully, it is county land, park land and protected lands so we don't have to worry about it being developed.

[FLPL75]

pianogal
you have a wonderful life
more people should look for the good things instead of focusing on all of the negitives