From the big city of Houston to the tiny community of Eastport...... (Belfast: salons, employment)

[mollysmiles]

When I moved "back home" in '99, the biggest adjustment I had was the shopping. It doesn't seem like a big thing, but it is. When I moved back the grocery store closed at 6 pm most nights, now I think they're open until 7, but with winter coming that may change. There were a couple of evenings that I started to make cookies for bednight snack (yes, bednight, since the night Katy was born that's what it's been!)... only to discover I didn't have enough butter and no place to run out and get it! There were mornings that we didn't have enough milk for breakfast, because I had run low at suppertime and didn't make it to the store in time. Was not then and never have been an "Irving" girl, so their marked up prices weren't an option. It's not just groceries either.... you get good at making lists and keeping them around so that you can add to them as you think of things. Something as simple as the right shade of thread to sew that button back on is 20 miles away Thankfully, you have Melaleauca, so all that stuff is all ready being delivered-- that makes an ENORMOUS difference!! You will find that before you head out for that 20 mile drive you call a couple of people you know and say "I'm heading to Calais do you need anything?", and you will find that you also receive those calls. You will know your UPS guy by name, and he'll open the door and slide your package in if it's raining and you aren't home!

People will watch the house for you when you aren't there--- like the time we got back here to Calais and Chrissy called to tell us the cellar light was on You will also learn that you can go out at night, and it's safe. You will let the kids walk down the street to the library, and back, and you won't worry, because it's safe. You'll also learn that if they do something they shouldn't on their way or back, you're probably going to hear about it You will learn how dark it really is at night, and how many stars are really in the sky. You will learn that when there's a certain shade of green in the water a storm is coming, and you'll learn that the only accurate forecast doesn't come from the US but from Canada. You can volunteer at the school without having to provide tons of information like your mother's maiden name, and you'll find that people will trust you until you give them reason not to, not the other way around.

You'll adjust to driving too.... five cars at the red light in Calais will eventually make you say "what's with all this traffic?!" You'll learn not to barrel down the road during certain times of day because of deer and moose, and you'll learn to watch really well at night the sides of the road. You'll also go from thinking "this road is so narrow there's no way two cars can fit on it" to not even flinching when the logging truck comes speeding at you from the other side of the road One of your biggest adjustments with driving will be learning to drive in the fog... but, you'll learn to slow down, never use high beams, and watch the lines on the road (if there are lines....) to keep you going

AND best of all, you'll adjust to having us around to help and call just to chat, and hang out with...

[tapestry]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

When I moved "back home" in '99, the biggest adjustment I had was the shopping. It doesn't seem like a big thing, but it is. When I moved back the grocery store closed at 6 pm most nights, now I think they're open until 7, but with winter coming that may change. There were a couple of evenings that I started to make cookies for bednight snack (yes, bednight, since the night Katy was born that's what it's been!)... only to discover I didn't have enough butter and no place to run out and get it! There were mornings that we didn't have enough milk for breakfast, because I had run low at suppertime and didn't make it to the store in time. Was not then and never have been an "Irving" girl, so their marked up prices weren't an option. It's not just groceries either.... you get good at making lists and keeping them around so that you can add to them as you think of things. Something as simple as the right shade of thread to sew that button back on is 20 miles away Thankfully, you have Melaleauca, so all that stuff is all ready being delivered-- that makes an ENORMOUS difference!! You will find that before you head out for that 20 mile drive you call a couple of people you know and say "I'm heading to Calais do you need anything?", and you will find that you also receive those calls. You will know your UPS guy by name, and he'll open the door and slide your package in if it's raining and you aren't home!

People will watch the house for you when you aren't there--- like the time we got back here to Calais and Chrissy called to tell us the cellar light was on You will also learn that you can go out at night, and it's safe. You will let the kids walk down the street to the library, and back, and you won't worry, because it's safe. You'll also learn that if they do something they shouldn't on their way or back, you're probably going to hear about it You will learn how dark it really is at night, and how many stars are really in the sky. You will learn that when there's a certain shade of green in the water a storm is coming, and you'll learn that the only accurate forecast doesn't come from the US but from Canada. You can volunteer at the school without having to provide tons of information like your mother's maiden name, and you'll find that people will trust you until you give them reason not to, not the other way around.

You'll adjust to driving too.... five cars at the red light in Calais will eventually make you say "what's with all this traffic?!" You'll learn not to barrel down the road during certain times of day because of deer and moose, and you'll learn to watch really well at night the sides of the road. You'll also go from thinking "this road is so narrow there's no way two cars can fit on it" to not even flinching when the logging truck comes speeding at you from the other side of the road One of your biggest adjustments with driving will be learning to drive in the fog... but, you'll learn to slow down, never use high beams, and watch the lines on the road (if there are lines....) to keep you going

AND best of all, you'll adjust to having us around to help and call just to chat, and hang out with...

oh, wow, Molly.....you make it so hard for us not to be in Maine right now!!

In spite of the downside; i.e., stores not always being open when you want, it still sounds like the good far outweighs the bad....

Please say a prayer for us that our home in PA sells soon!

*tap*

[mollysmiles]

prayin whicked hahd!! ayuh ......


really I am! just trying to make you laugh!

[tapestry]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

prayin whicked hahd!! ayuh ......


really I am! just trying to make you laugh!

thanks.....you did....

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by entyss

How did you get from moving to Belfast (in the thread F Beekeeper dug up) to moving to Eastport? I missed the middle where you made that transition. Just curious (I think both towns are cool)...

That's where a house came available for us to start out in, and we'll go from there.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

You learn to plan your trips out carefully. I have to go to Calais today to drop off a dead laptop (stupid software updates!), find something I can dip a turkey in to pluck tomorrow, pick up a prescription, get vac bags for the chickens....and so on. I have to work today too so the better my plan is when I leave here the more I'll accomplish before I leave. Not being two miles from the grocery store and various restaurants was a big adjustment for me.

Maybe we'll save money! Every other day trips to Walmart and dining out gets very expensive. It's a way of life down here.......one we're more than happy to give up for the many extra advantages we'll have in Maine!

I can also note that we already travel 30 minutes to and hour to do any "real" shopping down here. That's the way it is with traffic and having to travel a major freeway to get anywhere in the Houston area. It takes 30 minutes to go 10-15 miles here. Life in the big city!

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by corgis

El - It'll be so good to have you in town when we get there next Spring - there's already a built in support system of people on this board that live in and near Eastport. You'll know some of your neighbors already and you'll know the rest in just a few short months. Can't wait to have lunch with you and the others.

Yes! The Downeast area seems to be my favorite, by far. It's extra icing on the cake to already have so many friends up that way. We don't feel like we're moving to a strange land with strange people we've never met.......we feel like we're coming home to friends and family.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by Stephanie P

I am so jealous, Elcarim! I live in Katy, (just outside of Houston for those that don't know,) and I can't wait to get the heck outta here!
We are looking at PA because my husband can get a job transfer with his company there.
Looking forward to cooler temps, beautiful scenery and living near mountains again!

**Sorry for the multiple posts - I still can't figure out how to quote multiple messages in one post**

Anyway.......we have several friends in Katy area (another of the hundreds of suburbs of Houston). I hope you can get out soon! Hopefully your housing market there is better than ours here.

[Elcarim]

You laugh, but she made me cry! That life is my idea of heaven!

Now, the stores closing at 6pm will be a HUGE adjustment for us. We're used to 24/7 service here. Good thing I'm a list girl and planning is my forte'!!

[tapestry]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

You laugh, but she made me cry! That life is my idea of heaven!

Now, the stores closing at 6pm will be a HUGE adjustment for us. We're used to 24/7 service here. Good thing I'm a list girl and planning is my forte'!!

Dano and I are also looking forward to meeting you when we move to Eastport as soon as our house here in PA sells!

Ahhh, yes, it will be *so* nice to be able to go somewhere without having to get on a major highway! We have that same deal living outside of Reading which is Pennsylvania's 4th largest city.......don't know our neighbors 2 houses away, everyone's in a hurry, yada, yada, yada....

Do you already have a home waiting in Eastport?

*tap* (my new favorite smiley!)

P.S. Eastport is our idea of heaven too!