Is return to PA a good idea (Pittsburgh, Altoona: houses, living in)

[Johnny C]

Originally Posted by sickofpennsylvania

Cabin Fever is not fun at all, and life is way too short to sit around!!! I feel like my life is passing me by!!!
Good Luck to you!!!

Originally Posted by sickofpennsylvania

And one more thing, being close to NYC, Philly and New Jersey are nice, but I seem to be so busy with life, I have no time to even make time to go to visit those places!

So you have time to sit around at home, but don't have the time to take day trips?

[wanneroo]

I've lived in south alabama, texas, oklahoma and eastern north carolina along with Colorado and CT and I'd rather be here up in the PA mountains. I like the four seasons. I find once you get sick of one season the next one is on the way. Also compared to places like Florida or Vermont or Colorado you don't have the huge dramatic extremes in weather. I like change. Also I like the fact when summer is here I can actually be outside to enjoy it and not roast to death.

[Tama]

sickofPA I don't think you are negative just because you are feeling regrets.. You are entitled to your opinion. And I think it is harder when you are comparing to something you left and you have to be rethinking a decision. When you have options you are more likely to see pros and cons while if you are not in a decision-making mode, you can just go with the flow.

I know I never considered moving out of PA and simply accepted it as it was for its good points and its warts. Making a list of pros and cons is probably right on. Also, perhaps spending longer periods of time during different seasons and "testing" it out.

I feel a sense of excitement thinking about being back and gaining all PA has to offer. But then the saying "You can't go home again" rings awfully true. Good luck to all of us--I guess.

[Tama]

wanneroo I understand. I used to have the same idea. Four seasons were great and I hated heat. Oh--what one's environment can do to us. I remember when I first moved south people would say how they hated cold weather and four seasons seemed unbearable to them. They loved the warmth and the long summers and mild winters. I though they were crazy.--Now----

[toobusytoday]

I think I appreciate Pennsylvania more then some natives because I have lived in other states. I grew up in lower Delaware where it was flat and when it snowed, everything closed. Then I married and moved to the Finger Lakes region of NY where it was absolutely beautiful except winter (true, snow-winter) started in early November and it tended to snow if not daily, then weekly until easily the end of March. But at least they plowed the roads and black ice wasn't a problem. After New York we lived in West Virginia where it snowed just as much as NY but they didn't plow the roads. That was interesting with two vehicles, both of which were stick shifts. Next we moved to Montgomery county PA for a year but I don't remember much because I was pregnant and then we had our first child. Before she could walk we moved to Roanoke, VA which had the perfect season arrangement - three months of each season, it snowed but just enough to make it pretty. I probably would have been happy staying in VA but we had no family close and my husbands job took us back to PA.

Actually, at that point he had a couple of options but we chose to go back to PA. We've been here for 21 years. I love PA! Rolling hills, friendly people and four seasons. I think that winter is about two months too long but everything else makes up for that as far as I'm concerned. I think Tama had a good point about how one looks at things when you are in a decision making mode versus a "I'm here for life" mode.

[East Coast Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Tama

Hi Folks--I was wondering about those of you who may have lived away from PA in a warm climate(no snow, no layers of clothing, blue skies all year round)who returned to PA at retirement for family reasons. Did you adjust OK? Did you regret the move? I am thinking of going back because of family and also I have a sense of longing for home. But I am aware that the winter can be depressing and the people less than cheerful. I am afraid I will regret it and at this stage of life--retirement--I can't afford a mistake.

When in doubt, DON'T!!!!

[East Coast Wanderer]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

Um, I find this a little hard to believe.

There are still "dry" towns in Pa.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by chazztrons

No Doubt Creme,

I really miss all that stuff.
Everyplace has its ups and downs,
No matter where you live.
I am an eastern girl.
And plan on stayin that way !!

the old saying, HOme is where the heart is, is true...we are as we think and believe....

[clem16]

toobusytoday, we lived in Virginia for many years and actually thought about heading back to VA, around Roanoke to retire. That is such a beautiful area. But, like you, we have no family there, and since this will be our final move, decided it has to be PA where most of our families still reside. It's going to be very cold here this weekend in Myrtle Beach (predicting a low of 17 on Friday night) so I guess we'll get a taste of winter as a kind of pre-test.

[Johnny C]

Originally Posted by clem16

It's going to be very cold here this weekend in Myrtle Beach (predicting a low of 17 on Friday night) so I guess we'll get a taste of winter as a kind of pre-test.

Subtract 15 degrees from that and you will have the low here in Pittsburgh Friday night. This is well below normal, however.

This is the "dead" of winter right now, as Jan is generally the coldest month of the year.