Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maine Writer - Your status is very wise. Thanks for the word of wisdom.
"Talk to the doers, not the armchair experts."
Thanks. If you don't have personal experience all you can do is repeat what you've been told...like a parrot. I'm not sure parrots can give good advice.
What do you think of living in the Bangor area? I am moving there next week myself.
Portland is nice, but the best thing about it is that it's near Maine. LOL.
The main thing I love is how quiet it is. So. Nice. Sure, I live on a well used road and I can hear cars but no one is blaring on their horns and only yesterday I heard some bass boom thumping...but it took three weeks to hear ONE car like that. The nights are incredibly quiet. For someone who has been around a lot of noise, while I love that it's quiet, I'm not used to that...had to get a fan for some white noise. haha But, man, it's so quiet. I can't get over it. I love it.
Anyway, so far, almost everything is cheaper so that's also something very nice. Of course, it depends on where you come from. For me, after living in Miami and Seattle, this is WAY cheaper.
People on the road are courteous, for the most part. I'd say 98% of them are very courteous. The other day, I was at a four way stop, it wasn't my turn to go but the lady who was up waved me on. My jaw almost hit the floor. What a difference! You mean I not only don't have to fight for my turn but I'm getting a free jump ahead?
The people have been extremely nice. Businesses are happy to see you. When they say they will do something, they do it when they say they will or before. They are very helpful and I've met a lot of jokesters here...
This may seem "normal" to a lot of people but after living in a dog eat dog city, this is so refreshing.
Traffic is nothing. I even went to Acadia, twice, on Memorial Day weekend and the traffic was nothing, for me. There were more cars out and some of them drove reallllllly slow but it was still nothing compared to what I'm used to driving in.
Been figuring out my way around things and it seems pretty easy. There are three main exits for me to take to get to almost everything: Union, Stillwater and Broadway. They are all within a mile of each other. So finding things has been relatively easy.
The only things that are a little...different is that I can't see the lines. They are faded. Sometimes I have no idea if it's two lanes, if I'm in a turn only lane, where the line for the stoplight is...I would assume because of the snow is why the lines are faded or non existent. I figure I'll get used to that in time once I know the area.
The other thing is some of the freeway onramps are...in strange places. I got lost one day because the sign said, "I95 South" this way ----> so I turned...and drove for a few miles never finding that onramp. I've discovered that sometimes the onramp requires you go down a side street, turning to another sort of side street and then you'll find it.
Still getting used to the roads. Again, it's because of snow and ice, I'm sure. Some of these roads are a little...bumpy, shall we say. But I did see some construction workers in two areas fixing those bumps...so, again, I'm sure it's because of all the snow and ice and it's an ongoing job.
People do seem to keep to themselves but when they do talk to you, they are incredibly friendly. I have had some fun chit chat with other customers a few times and have to tell you, I like that. I like that I can be standing in one line, a lady standing in another line and we chit chat about who is going to be last because according to both of us, we always get in the line that takes the longest.
Simple, tiny little things that some may think is kinda dumb to point out but for me, again, after living in a city where no one cares about anyone else, these things are extremely charming for me to see/hear/encounter and I'm having a really good time.
The other thing is some of the freeway onramps are...in strange places. I got lost one day because the sign said, "I95 South" this way ----> so I turned...and drove for a few miles never finding that onramp. I've discovered that sometimes the onramp requires you go down a side street, turning to another sort of side street and then you'll find it.
Sounds like you were trying to go south from Union St.
Going south on 95 from 395 is a trip too- the on-ramp acceleration lane is *also* the deceleration lane for the exit only a short distance ahead. Sometimes it can get a little hairy with cars mixing together, some tromping on the gas to get up to highway speed and others tromping on the brakes to get down to exit speed...and sometimes, you get around the sharp bend, accelerating, and come right up fast on someone who doesn't understand the concepts of 'merge' and 'yield' (or is just plain scared of what he/she has to get into) and has come to a complete, dead stop.
Gatormama,
I know that people move all over the world all the time. But I think it takes guts as a single woman to just take this on. I envy you and your new found quiet and I admire your sticktoitiveness when others tried to dissuade you from going. Brava for you!!! I hope I can have the same conviction to my dream when my time comes.
Gatormama,
I know that people move all over the world all the time. But I think it takes guts as a single woman to just take this on. I envy you and your new found quiet and I admire your sticktoitiveness when others tried to dissuade you from going. Brava for you!!! I hope I can have the same conviction to my dream when my time comes.
Thanks!!
Granted, I've had a lot of experience with picking up and moving, (military brat + military), so it's not something I'm afraid of. Can I get anxious? Sure but definitely not scared.
I DO listen to warnings and I keep those things tucked away in my mind but I never let negativity guide me. If I did that, I'd never get anywhere in life.
At least when I'm 90 years old, sitting in my rocking chair, looking back on my life, I can say, "I tried".
And ya know what? No matter what, everything has always worked out. It's up to the person how much effort they want to put in to it and how badly they want it. If you want it bad enough, you will do it. If you make excuses as to why it can't be done, it's because you don't want it bad enough.
You can have the same convictions, as well. Listen and heed but don't let it stop you from trying if trying is what is going to make you happy and not look back with regret.
Sounds like you were trying to go south from Union St.
Going south on 95 from 395 is a trip too- the on-ramp acceleration lane is *also* the deceleration lane for the exit only a short distance ahead. Sometimes it can get a little hairy with cars mixing together, some tromping on the gas to get up to highway speed and others tromping on the brakes to get down to exit speed...and sometimes, you get around the sharp bend, accelerating, and come right up fast on someone who doesn't understand the concepts of 'merge' and 'yield' (or is just plain scared of what he/she has to get into) and has come to a complete, dead stop.
Union is the onramp I was talking about in regards to going down a side street to get to it.
The other was coming back from a job interview taking the ...Hammond? Hammond Rd exit...well, I drove back the way I came to get back on the freeway, saw the sign that said to go right, went right.....where's the freeway entrance? I saw the freeway next to me the whole time, lol! I ended up driving I'd say about 3-5 miles before I decided I was going to turn in to a gas station and ask where I was...as I sat at the light waiting, I saw a small sign in the distance with the I-95 markings on it so just turned. I ended up on the freeway 2 miles past my exit OFF of the freeway to go home. Obviously I messed something up there!
And, I kind of need to know how to get home correctly because that job hired me. Still waiting on background check and then I start. So, yah, sure would be nice to know how to get home. LOL!
Glad to see your here GatorMama! Hampden is a great area. Have you noticed how bright the stars are now that your out of the city? That is the first thing people say to us when they are visiting. All the best!
Welcome to Maine, Gatormama!
Congratulations on your new home. We are also neighbors. I wonder if you would keep me in mind for the day you go hiking in BSP. I would love to tag along if others would not mind one more person. I've hiked Borestone Mtn near that area ( gorgeous). Looked at the Knife-Edge trail on line when I first moved here; it's 4 years later and I'm still afraid to try it.
How is all of the yard work going?
There certainly are so many blessings to experience here- it's fun to see you write about them - I was the same way when I first arrived here. And the beautiful thing is, I will be driving somewhere, and suddenly a stunning mountain or water view will come by and I still have my breath taken away by the sight. It is a quiet sense of peace that I feel inside, now that I call Maine home.
I hope you find this-- and all of your dreams-- here, too.
Best wishes!
S.
Glad to see your here GatorMama! Hampden is a great area. Have you noticed how bright the stars are now that your out of the city? That is the first thing people say to us when they are visiting. All the best!
I do see stars! But what I've noticed more than the stars is how DARK it is at night! No haze from the city lights. And also? Owls. Want to hear something? In my entire life, I have never heard an owl in real life. I've heard them on t.v. but not in person. I let the dogs out just before bed every night and almost every night, I hear an owl.
I'm not afraid of owls but it was...eerie the first time I heard it. I love it though! And I also hear some bird...I don't know what it is but it sure likes to talk at night!
As for Hampden, (and I must learn to pronounce this without the 'p'!), I actually like it. VERY friendly people here. I like that it's not IN the 'city' but it's close. Eventually, I'll want to move on and be out in the middle of nowhere but I have a lot of things to get used to, first!
Thanks for the welcome!
Quote:
Originally Posted by S Williams
Welcome to Maine, Gatormama!
Congratulations on your new home. We are also neighbors. I wonder if you would keep me in mind for the day you go hiking in BSP. I would love to tag along if others would not mind one more person. I've hiked Borestone Mtn near that area ( gorgeous). Looked at the Knife-Edge trail on line when I first moved here; it's 4 years later and I'm still afraid to try it.
How is all of the yard work going?
There certainly are so many blessings to experience here- it's fun to see you write about them - I was the same way when I first arrived here. And the beautiful thing is, I will be driving somewhere, and suddenly a stunning mountain or water view will come by and I still have my breath taken away by the sight. It is a quiet sense of peace that I feel inside, now that I call Maine home.
I hope you find this-- and all of your dreams-- here, too.
Best wishes!
S.
Heck yes you come along! And...how about we make a deal? We'll go and hike around a bit and make our way to Knife-Edge...we'll take a look...we'll think about it...and...we may go...we may say, "next time". I only saw it in a video and that was a little nerve wracking so I can only imagine what it's like in real life. Seeing it in the video gives me a little "bubble" of safety to make me think, "Ok, little...scary looking but I think I can do it" whereas in real life, I may run away like a little girl.
Yard work...it's going. I have blisters to prove it. The lawn guy came out and weedwhacked a whole bunch of stuff making it less overwhelming. I got out the rake after he left, raked up all the stuff in to piles, put it all in a wheelbarrow to move to the area designated by the landlord. Then I started in on one of the big planters in the back yard and got half of it done...it's totally devoid of weeds, some twig looking stuff and garbage. And my hands were aching! This also prompted my neighbors, (it's a big old house and they turned it in to three separate 'apartments' and we all share the big backyard), to start weeding the area around their back door and front door as well. So, it's starting to look a whole lot better.
I think, by the time I get it all done, (it's a monumental task), it'll be too late to plant anything this year...but it will be ready for next year!
I know what you mean about driving along and seeing all kinds of beautiful things. Even on my first 'real' trip, to Acadia, there were points I wanted to stop the car, get out and take photos. I figured I'd better not do that yet until I really know my way around and how people act on the roads but WOW! DANG there are some gorgeous areas in Maine. I can't get over that, either. It's like non stop beauty.
Anyway, I will definitely let you know when it's time to go to BSP. Anything I should know before we go?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. 
