Advice On Moving to Maine (Portland, Augusta: living in, eat, ferry)

[Jpurvis]

Amen to that Abby. I understand and I know that I will have to deal with things that I have never dealt with. But we have the HEAT here and it is in itself very miserable. I mean, we have what maybe if we are lucky a weeks worth of "cool" weather. It very rarely gets cold, and if it does it does not last but a day or two at the most. I have lived in this for 40 something years and I am ready for cooler weather. Like Abby says, try functioning in 100+ temps. It sucks!!
I also have family that moved to Maine, so they keep me up to date on the conditions there and how they think I would fare. They too have been Floridians all their lives, so I know they are experiencing it as I would.
I am not looking to move there with the expectations that it is gonna be without it's problems and getting use to different things. But I see it as an adventure. And like I said before, if it happens not to be the place for me, I will go elsewhere. No sweat off my back. ( Maybe some snow) So with all that said and done, I look foward to the adventure I will be experiencing there. Florida will always hold a special place for me being as I have lived here and in the same area all my life. But it is time to move on, and experience different things. So to Maine I am heading... Can't wait!!!

[mollysmiles]

Jpurvis, I'm glad you've decided to move. One part of a big move is making the decision, of course, but the other is your own personal attitude. That plays a huge role in how you'll deal with the move itself, and how you'll approach being in your "new world" You seem to have a positive attitude and outlook, and people notice and feel that. Some people move with the idea that everything will be all better, but the fact is, negative people will be unhappy no matter where they live. Location isn't their problem! As long as you do the research, and have a positive outlook about your move you should be well prepared. Mindset is an incredible thing--people who have their's set to "positive" accomplish great things!! Best wishes and we'll be so happy to have you here!

[Jpurvis]

Very True Molly. Ya gotta be happy with yourself, or no matter where you live, you will not be.
I try and look at life as an adventure, a lesson so to speak. We will have it easy sometime, and hard others. But it is well worth the ride. So I am looking foward to taking my adventure laden, ride seeking self to Maine and making it the time of my life. And with people like you and so many others in here, it will be an easy job..

[Abbymoulton]

Peter,
I do know the not fun shoveling part, but believe me, you can make it fun. I know about Maine and it's harder parts are outweighed by the wonderful things that are eveyday life.
For you, I am sure there are alot of negatives you would find in Florida as well. The sun can bake the paint right off your car, The sweat that you are drenched in just going from your home to your car everyday, the fact that there are no seasons (everyday the same old thing) unless you want to count hurricane season and believe me that is much scarier and more damaging than any Nor'easter ever.
I hope you find this wonderful place your are searching for... Me, I have and it is the beautiful state of Maine and I do know all the good and bad of it.
Can't wait to be there again.

[elston]

"No matter where you go...There YOU are."

We can choose where we want to live and match our lifestyle and priorities to an area that supports and more closely approximates our personal choices. But if we move because we are looking for a cure for general malaise or discontent or because we don't like people we will probably discover that there isn't a geographic cure, and indeed, "no matter where you go...there you are."

Happy successful people tend to be happy successful where ever they find themselves and conversely, If you are miserable and unkind and hostile .... Maine or California or NYC or Paris France won't cure it, won't change it.

It pays to research oneself as well as the demographics of where you are thinking of going. I think I am moving for good reasons that are matched in external reality. It could be Maine or NH or Rhode Island ..... but for me at this time of my life...IT IS MAINE.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by elston

"No matter where you go...There YOU are."

We can choose where we want to live and match our lifestyle and priorities to an area that supports and more closely approximates our personal choices. But if we move because we are looking for a cure for general malaise or discontent or because we don't like people we will probably discover that there isn't a geographic cure, and indeed, "no matter where you go...there you are."

Happy successful people tend to be happy successful where ever they find themselves and conversely, If you are miserable and unkind and hostile .... Maine or California or NYC or Paris France won't cure it, won't change it.

It pays to research oneself as well as the demographics of where you are thinking of going.

Very well said! That's why I chose to do much soul searching before deciding absolutely to move to Maine. You either have it in you, or you don't. And some truly will not be happy anywhere in the world they go. That's very sad.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Petertherock

It's not fun when you have to drive in this crap all the time.

We had a nor'easter Sunday. Our roads were clear Monday morning and a lot of disappointed kids went to school.

It's not fun when your car is so covered in salt you can't even see it's original color. It's not fun when you wash your car it's covered in salt again 2 minutes after you get it cleaned.

Shouldn't common sense tell you not to bother washing your car when it's going to be covered in salt again 2 minutes after you get it cleaned? Wait a day or two, the road will dry and it won't be dirty so quickly.

It's not fun when it's so cold that it hurts to breathe. It's not fun when the wind is so biting that it doesn't matter how many layers you have on you are freezing.

I whole heartedly agree with this. It's not fun. I stalled going out this morning because it was -9°. I dread the few weeks in January and February when it's brutal. Thankfully it doesn't last long.

It's not fun when everything is dead 7 months out of the year.

It wouldn't be, if that were true. Consider the life you're going to find in warmer climates - the day I went to the mailbox and found a rattlesnake on the lawn was the day I knew I was going home asap. Alligators, love bugs, cockroaches and poisonous creepy crawly things aren't a kind of life I was comfortable with.

Sap's running in late March or early April. That's life. That's longer daylight and above freezing temps during the day. Some of our owls are already in their mating and nesting season by then. Buds start filling out on the trees in late April. Spring and winter birds pass as they migrate. Crocus and other spring flowers are breaking through the soil. They're hardy. They don't mind being snowed on. The spring, summer and fall seasons are full of life.

If someone isn't seeing life from December through February they aren't looking or they don't want to enjoy what they're overlooking. How do you miss the birds? The animals? I haven't seen any wildlife other than the six squirrels and a lot of birds eating me out of house and home today but I did follow small rodent (vole?) tracks from the woods past the greenhouse, around the compost bin, over the open field, around the snowmobile and then they disappeared. Whatever it is has either gone into the snowmobile or tunneled into the snow.

How does anyone miss kids like Bydand's? Out playing in the snow, making the best of winter and truly enjoying life? If we're overlooking the adults on their skis and snowshoes we are overlooking a wonderful part of life and living.

There's life in Maine every day of the year if you want to experience it.

[/quote]Where everyone has the sniffles and spreads colds around like wildfire. [/quote]

I don't have the sniffles. Everyone in my home's healthy. I've spoken with friends by phone today who are healthy.

I know I would love Florida because I would never have to deal with snow and cold again. But I would even be happy in a place like Virginia where they get a true four seasons. In Maine we get 2 seasons. Winter and summer. There isn't much in between. And summers only last about 2-3 months and then it gets miserable.

I don't think it's the weather that's miserable. You sound incredibly miserable and usually a bit angry. I think it's sad that you're stuck in a place you so obviously despise.

I can't wait when I am able to afford to move to a warmer climate because Maine isn't for me.

That's obvious. I sincerely hope you'll be able to go sooner than later and find some joy in life. I'm not saying that to be mean or hateful. I do truly mean this. Misery loves company but company doesn't love misery.

[mainewannabe]

I feel bad for him too.

As Providence would have it just a short time ago I happened to mention that I was moving my family to maine and the woman said. That's where I'm from.

First words from my mouth : "Do you MISS IT?" Don't ask me why but I seem to have a knack for getting people to open up. (i guess i'm better in person than at the keyboard)

She almost cried. She said (and her face changed) " I would NEVER NEVER NEVER have left Maine, I was forced to move here .... " we kinda interrupted each other back and forth exchanging information.

She said, "the people are so kind ...... "

She told me some car breaking down stories.
She said to call her for any advice or anything else I needed.

M A I N E.

The way life COULD and SHOULD be.

Her face changed. You could see the sadness that she was no longer in Maine.

[backwoodsgal]

Originally Posted by mainewannabe

I feel bad for him too.

She almost cried. She said (and her face changed) " I would NEVER NEVER NEVER have left Maine,
M A I N E

The way life COULD and SHOULD be

Her face changed. You could see the sadness that she was no longer in Maine.

I so KNOW the feeling

[Acadianlion]

Is this a joke? Augusta is NOT the home of the University of Maine. The Universty of Maine is located in Orono. There is a campus of The University of Maine SYSTEM in Augusta as this is in many other small towns.

Since you are writing from Northeast Connecticut, perhaps you should do a bit of research about Maine before offering any sort of opinion.