homesick for ohio (Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton: theater, living, stores)

[ryeager9]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

Metroparks - yes, I miss the metroparks! I couldn't believe that you have to pay to go to most parks here in the Lowcountry! I really miss having white Christmases and cold Halloweens too - something I thought I'd never say! And it's just not the same going to football games in 85* weather, wearing shorts!

I think one of my fondest childhood memories was going with my dad to the Goodyear Hts Metropark off Newton St. (Akron) in the middle of winter, climbing up that big hill to sled. My dad worked at Firestone & he would bring home these huge innertubes from truck tires that we would wax and then go sledding with. It was a LONG walk up that hill when I was little, for only 45 seconds of fun going down the hill...but it was very fun indeed.

[SCBeaches]

Originally Posted by ryeager9

I think one of my fondest childhood memories was going with my dad to the Goodyear Hts Metropark off Newton St. (Akron) in the middle of winter, climbing up that big hill to sled. My dad worked at Firestone & he would bring home these huge innertubes from truck tires that we would wax and then go sledding with. It was a LONG walk up that hill when I was little, for only 45 seconds of fun going down the hill...but it was very fun indeed.

That's funny...I was just telling my students about sledding and tobogganing yesterday. I teach 5th grade and we're studying force and motion in Science....so they're building these cars and each team is trying to get their car to go the fastest via weight distribution, size/type of tires, etc. (ok, I get excited when talking about teaching... ) so I brought up the fact that we used to coat our sled runners and the bottom of our snow discs/saucers with wax from candles or wax paper, and then some vaseline to really make them go fast on the hills, thus reducing friction. Of course they couldn't relate since all they know is surfing and water skiing here, so I told them all about sledding (the fun part being going down, NOT coming back up), ice skating, snowball fights, snow forts, etc. Their eyes all lit up and everyone decided they wanted to do that too and wished they lived where there was snow. Then I told them that I always envied kids who grew up near the ocean and beaches and had hot weather most of the year. So we decided to agree that everyone always wants what they can't have....then back to Science!

You reminiscing about sledding took me right back to yesterday's lesson at school. I'll bet the innertubes were a lot of fun too!

I really miss the fall hayrides and changing of the leaves too!

[SCBeaches]

Originally Posted by ryeager9

Something else I really miss is having sidewalks. Here in Wilm, there is no requirement for new subdivisions to have sidewalks and many (if not most) don't. I'm not sure about new housing developments in Summit Co. now, but most established neighborhoods had sidewalks when I was growing up (Goodyear Hts, the Falls, Barberton). Down here, many people drive 45+ mph thru these narrow subdivision streets (another issue) and if you are a walker, jogger, cyclist or a little kid waiting on the school bus at a corner, you really take your life into your hands. In my subdivision (aka "vinyl village"), we do have streetlights, but only at the intersections. So if you live on a long block, it can be pretty dark in the middle between lights.

Now that you mention it, not many neighborhoods here have sidewalks either. I live in the country so we don't have them. Another thing missing here is gymnasiums for elementary schools....when the weather is bad, the children use an empty classroom if there is one, or if not, they stay in the classroom and do calisthetics or watch a video. I guess that's because most of the year they can go outside here.
When I was little in Waterville, OH and the snow was too deep or it was too cold outside we roller skated in the gym, or square danced, or played games with a parachute, or played basketball or dodgeball....something active.

[Mrs. P]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

Metroparks - yes, I miss the metroparks! I couldn't believe that you have to pay to go to most parks here in the Lowcountry! I really miss having white Christmases and cold Halloweens too - something I thought I'd never say! And it's just not the same going to football games in 85* weather, wearing shorts!

HA ! When I was talking to a few co-workers about going to football games, I told them and I quote this " You have no idea what it is to attend a pro football game, unless you were at the old Cleveland Stadium, up on Lake Erie in 10 degree weather, with a windchill factor of 10 below zero...you've not been to a real pro game, UNLESS you have frozen snot on your face"

[Mrs. P]

Originally Posted by ryeager9

Something else I really miss is having sidewalks. Here in Wilm, there is no requirement for new subdivisions to have sidewalks and many (if not most) don't. I'm not sure about new housing developments in Summit Co. now, but most established neighborhoods had sidewalks when I was growing up (Goodyear Hts, the Falls, Barberton). Down here, many people drive 45+ mph thru these narrow subdivision streets (another issue) and if you are a walker, jogger, cyclist or a little kid waiting on the school bus at a corner, you really take your life into your hands. In my subdivision (aka "vinyl village"), we do have streetlights, but only at the intersections. So if you live on a long block, it can be pretty dark in the middle between lights.

Your background very similar to my own, grew up out in Manchester, but moved to Falls as a young adult, then to Goodyear Heights in a grand old beautiful Victorian home , then back to the Falls, then NC, now SC.

My son loved growing up in the Heights. That kid and his friends lived at Goodyear Metro, all year. New every ranger by first name, ranger's even had my home phone number in case anything happened, because my son was up there so much. Wonderful childhood, fishing, sledding, just fun running in the woods. My son is the one who moved down to NC first because he couldn't find a job in Ohio, he doesn't miss Ohio that I can tell....but as he gets older and when he finally has his own children? I think he'll know full well, that he will and does miss Ohio as well.

[gentlearts]

I'm in Medina and I know I would hate Las Vegas. Several of our friends who have moved to Florida say the same thing as you do. They thought they would love the weather, but now ache to be back to Ohio.
My house is for sale now and I intend to move to Savannah. Although this is good for my husband's job and to be nearer to two of my kids, I already know I will miss the beauty of the changing seasons. I'll probably feel OK about it during the winter, though.

[ryeager9]

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

Your background very similar to my own, grew up out in Manchester, but moved to Falls as a young adult, then to Goodyear Heights in a grand old beautiful Victorian home , then back to the Falls, then NC, now SC.

My son loved growing up in the Heights. That kid and his friends lived at Goodyear Metro, all year. New every ranger by first name, ranger's even had my home phone number in case anything happened, because my son was up there so much. Wonderful childhood, fishing, sledding, just fun running in the woods. My son is the one who moved down to NC first because he couldn't find a job in Ohio, he doesn't miss Ohio that I can tell....but as he gets older and when he finally has his own children? I think he'll know full well, that he will and does miss Ohio as well.

Yeah, I only lived a couple blocks from "six corners" off Eastwood, so Reservoir Park was an easy bike ride for me and had more swings and things to do during the summer. But it had no good sledding hills, so I would spend my snowy days at the Metro park. And I also miss the cheap movies ($1 or less) on Saturday afternoons at the Linda theatre. We always brought our own drinks & snacks into the movie, which you could never do now. I moved down here in '94 when I got laid off (I was 27) and, like your son, I didn't miss OH at all for the first 5 years or so. I took a cut in pay for the same type of job down here (systems analyst), but it was still better than being unemployed in OH. I did the Raleigh thing for a year a few years back, but wasn't impressed. Charlotte is fun, but not somewhere I would want to lay down roots. Now, 14 years later and older & wiser in my 40s, I'm over the south and the ocean (which I rarely visit, even though i'm only 5 mi. from the beach). I'm ready to go back.

[ryeager9]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

That's funny...I was just telling my students about sledding and tobogganing yesterday. I teach 5th grade and we're studying force and motion in Science....so they're building these cars and each team is trying to get their car to go the fastest via weight distribution, size/type of tires, etc. (ok, I get excited when talking about teaching... ) so I brought up the fact that we used to coat our sled runners and the bottom of our snow discs/saucers with wax from candles or wax paper, and then some vaseline to really make them go fast on the hills, thus reducing friction. Of course they couldn't relate since all they know is surfing and water skiing here, so I told them all about sledding (the fun part being going down, NOT coming back up), ice skating, snowball fights, snow forts, etc. Their eyes all lit up and everyone decided they wanted to do that too and wished they lived where there was snow. Then I told them that I always envied kids who grew up near the ocean and beaches and had hot weather most of the year. So we decided to agree that everyone always wants what they can't have....then back to Science!

You reminiscing about sledding took me right back to yesterday's lesson at school. I'll bet the innertubes were a lot of fun too!

I really miss the fall hayrides and changing of the leaves too!

Those cars you are talking about remind me of the annual soap box derby in Akron. It's a science experiment in of itself and has been held for years and years. AASBD.com

[ryeager9]

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

HA ! When I was talking to a few co-workers about going to football games, I told them and I quote this " You have no idea what it is to attend a pro football game, unless you were at the old Cleveland Stadium, up on Lake Erie in 10 degree weather, with a windchill factor of 10 below zero...you've not been to a real pro game, UNLESS you have frozen snot on your face"

Yes...nothing like frozen snot in the "dawg pound". But I mostly remember going to Municipal Stadium for Indians games, and they would always give something free to kids...like a t-shirt, a hat, or a baseball. It was an old, dirty and smelly stadium (imagine, for a moment, what the men's room was like), but I still remember those great games. In my teens, I went to a Pink Floyd concert there at night and it was probably the best concert I ever attended...complete with fireworks. I moved away about the same time that Jacobs Field opened up, so never got to enjoy that.

[Kasey77]

This is so good to read. I miss Ohio so much and live in what is deemed as one on the most beautiful cities in the country. People here think I am crazy when I say I want to go back. Every day my family is deciding "should we stay or should we go" Especially when we read about all the migration out of there and the economy. We are hesitant to go back. I spoke with an old friend last week and they are moving from the area.
I think growing up there was a blessing. I don't think I could have had a better childhood.
And when I go back to visit, the people are so warm and friendly. It is lonely in paradise!
Good to know others feel the same