[TANaples]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

I figured it out already. If you look back at my posts I told about how my mother in law was part of me coming back here, her arthritis was hurting her pretty badly, well she got down here the decided to move to New Jersey almost 2 months ago... Gee thanks! So when she did that I knew already I was going back up north, for the last time. I was not used to the cold there, yes true, but I made it to the end of February, and had 1 month to get out of winter. I really did enjoy a white Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. I loved fall, it brought back memories from when I lived there until I was 25. I will get used to it all over again. I will never get used to this heat down here, after 14 years it's not going to happen.

All of my family is moving back there this time too, so that is another positive factor in me getting out of Florida for good. I really used to like it down here, but the last 4-5 years it has gotten to where I just don't like it here anymore.

My priorities are also getting paid more that $9.00 an hour. Getting my daughter where the schools are good, where she can go play outside, go camping, hiking, cross country skiing, biking... Things we can't/won't do here. Yes you can bike, but at the risk of some idiot killing you around here. Too hot to go biking for another reason. Hiking... Not in Florida. My idea of a hike is not on a flat, overgrown area with no hills. Camping, no way, way too hot for that. Maybe in Jan/Feb. It sucks just to go for a walk here, 1 mile and you are dying...

My daughters played sports up North - year round. They played soccer outside during the spring, summer and fall. Winters they played indoor soccer. It's funny but I can remember so many summer games and tournments where I THOUGHT it was brutually hot. It mostly was in the 80s, although sometimes it got into the 90s. NOTHING like here. I cannot imagine how kids could play soccer with a heat index of 100+. You are right I don't see them playing soccer in the summers; not even the Mexican adults. When they do play, I always see them in the mornings. In the summer time, my daughters also played in softball leagues, besides their year rould soccer league. That was fun. Two kids playing on two different teams and two different sports at the same time. Nothing for kids to do up North?????? Yeah, right.

My younger daughter dropped soccer and played ice hockey. That, too, was year round. Hell, it's ALWAYS under 32 degrees in an ice rink, whatever the temperature outside is! She played that all over, including throughout other states, against players from across the US and Canada, and even in college. Nothing to DO? ROFL

In between all this, we still managed the apple, pumpkin picking, hayrides at Halloween, Broadway shows, seeing the tree/ice skating at Rockefeller Center, Natural History Musem, Southstreet Seaport, Twin Towers, Empire State Building, etc., LI whalling museums/fishing villages, Sturbridge Villages, Salem Witch Museum, Boston and points all around it, Williamsburg and areas around it, and throughout NJ, Pa, all over NY, Ct, Ma, RI, NH, and Me. They also went to Disney World and Spring Training games, besides of course, Mets, Yankees, Rangers, and Islander games. I am sure I have forgotten many things, but is that enough? Deprived? Nothing to do? No, they didn't go the beach much, but everything else MORE than made up for that in any way, shape, or form. Besides, if you were to ask them today as adults, would they have given up all that for being able to just hang out on a beach 12 months a year, I am 100% positive they would give you a flat out NO.

You will be happy to know, according to my daughter, the current temperature in NY is now a "lovely" (her word) 78 degrees.

One more thing. My older daughter went with her soccer team to California and Mexico! We had to to MAJOR fundraising for that one!

[ChrisA70]

78 degrees.... ahhhhhhh I wish. We hardly hit that as a low here, you know how that is.

[Jara]

I wanted a stable environment for me and my youngest son. That was the last thing we ever found in Naples. I thought that living in one area like I did growing up was stability and I was wrong. My older boys didn't want anything to do with Florida. I wouldn't want any of my grand-children going to school here. Far as being miserable no I wouldn't let that happen. We took our chances on happiness, doing volunteer work, 4- wheeling, tennis lessons, trap shooting for the time being. Both of us knew it was time to move. We seen to many wrongs about Florida and not enough rights to suite us. I'm excited about going out west and seeing the sights and Lubbock Texas. Maybe having a nice picnic with my family in the Buddy Holly Park. hummmm never did go for Elvis.

[sange77]

I too have no idea when or if we could ever go back but I would because I miss the same things...as I was reading I could smell and see everything everyone was posting about the seasons.

I find the people in FL very ungenuine or without substance. It took me a while to figure out that if they're all gossiping about each other that they're gossiping about me too. If you're a person who doesnt care what type of people you're friends are; you would do fine, but that's not me, I can't waste my time being friends with people who I have to be fake to on a daily basis. I also find a lot of northeners here to be the same way and then someone on this board said something to me the other day that made sense; All of the Northerners that I meet and do not click with are the ones that love it here. That must be the disconnect. I didnt understand it but that made a lot of sense to me.

Well, unfortunately we're stuck here for now...we bought in the 05 housing boom...my husband has a good job which he didnt have in NY, we have a lot more as far as a bigger house, pool, cars, etc. so I don't know if we'll ever be able to go back. I'd give it all up in a second but realistically i don't know if we could afford the life we want to live in NY. I wouldnt want to give everything up and then eventually regret leaving here, so I would only do it if we could do it right and comfortable afford it. I hear too many stories of people going back and forth and that's not what I want. I keep saying that once we have kids that we'll be so busy that maybe I won't miss it as much.

[ChrisA70]

I have a 9 year old, believe me, you won't get busy enough to miss it, you always will. Just make the best of things, and possibly someday you will have a chance to move back. Moving back and forth is not cool. This move I do in October is my last, I will be going back home to MA, and stay. I will miss some things down here.

I have met people around here fom up north that love it here, and hate it. Half of the people where my mother works have left the state in the past 3 months, they scattered all over the US.

My daughter can't wait to play in the leaves like last fall, or make snow families as she did, at one point we had 7 snowmen out there!!!. The poor childs is miserable stuck in the house all the time. Me too!!!

Originally Posted by sange77

I too have no idea when or if we could ever go back but I would because I miss the same things...as I was reading I could smell and see everything everyone was posting about the seasons.

I find the people in FL very ungenuine or without substance. It took me a while to figure out that if they're all gossiping about each other that they're gossiping about me too. If you're a person who doesnt care what type of people you're friends are; you would do fine, but that's not me, I can't waste my time being friends with people who I have to be fake to on a daily basis. I also find a lot of northeners here to be the same way and then someone on this board said something to me the other day that made sense; All of the Northerners that I meet and do not click with are the ones that love it here. That must be the disconnect. I didnt understand it but that made a lot of sense to me.

Well, unfortunately we're stuck here for now...we bought in the 05 housing boom...my husband has a good job which he didnt have in NY, we have a lot more as far as a bigger house, pool, cars, etc. so I don't know if we'll ever be able to go back. I'd give it all up in a second but realistically i don't know if we could afford the life we want to live in NY. I wouldnt want to give everything up and then eventually regret leaving here, so I would only do it if we could do it right and comfortable afford it. I hear too many stories of people going back and forth and that's not what I want. I keep saying that once we have kids that we'll be so busy that maybe I won't miss it as much.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by sange77

I keep saying that once we have kids that we'll be so busy that maybe I won't miss it as much.

That may be the breaking point for you, as it has been for me to move back north. When you realize the quality of the educational system down here when compared to up north you may be in for an even ruder awakening.

This may all be relative however. People who move from areas like the Bronx, Newark, Bridgeport, etc..., may find it much better here.

[Wild Style]

I plan to move back to Brooklyn as soon as I can get a job in NYC.

Why? Well its home for me. Family, friends, and tons to do. Love mass transit and love the sense of belonging to a community. I like knowing my neighbors, which I havent really experience here in South Florida. Also, I am more of a big city person, always have been. This isn't to say Florida is bad, it isn't. It is just that not all things are for everyone. I also enjoy cold weather, for me warm weather is like kryptonite. Not to mention my wife is from up north and she is always complaining about missing the cold, mass transit activities that come with a norther city. Also for me kid, I want to expose him to arts, culture and activity that I have only seen available in larger cities.

Thats my two cents

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by TANaples

I want to feel the first nip of cold in the air. I want to be able to wear jeans, hoodies, long wool sweaters, coats and boots. I want to put on flannel pj's and crawl under a nice down comforter while the winds howl and the snow comes down at night. I want to go apple and pumpkin picking as I look at the beautiful fall leaves. I want to SMELL Fall and Winter. I want to smell fireplaces going as I walk through the snow. I want to put the oven on and cook and bake for hours. I want to see flowers coming up through the dirt after the snow melts. I want to see REAL trees which grow, change colors, then die, and bloom again in the spring. I want to SMELL spring in the air.

I don't know if that really answered your OP, but I guess it's a start.

WOW your excellent post made me miss the North and I just got here in May

I better head over to the ocean and remind myself that I had 55 four season years and now it's time for something different. (my son lives here). Its funny, my kid hates the heat and lives here for his business but would give anything to live up North too and he's a hockey player. Now when he comes up North after 10 years here he's always freezing, his blood finally adjusted I guess.

I'm also going to remind myself that even if he lived near me up North no way would he continually come by to shovel snow, scrape ice and do my errands so I'll have to be happy with a few trips back when the seasons change.

By the way, TANaples, do you know about Spirit Airlines excellent fares? All you have to do is go sign up for free for emailed sales announcements and if you want to be a paid premium member, for about 25.00 you can access special sales that the public doesn't see.

I've flown back and forth here probably about 20 times for ridiculously low fares. Like $8.00, $24.00 and even $1.00. Southwest also has some lower price options at about $49.00 one way. These were all to the Phila area. For Spirit that meant Atlantic City NJ but still very worth it.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by markhunt

I agree with you both. I hadn't really stopped and thought about that aspect. It is so true though. Through all the seasons up north i was always outside doing somthing. Around my neighborhood down here as well as friends and families neighborhoods here, I don't see much of that at all. Where I am now, usually after 6:00pm I see some of the older kids outside riding their bikes or playing ball or somthing. Then they are inside after an hour or so. I mean, the whole day is toast!...Literally! No, thats no life I want for my children.

5 people I work with who are from Ohio and Michigan had to have surgery to remove skin cancer in the last 2 years. They have all been here for 6 years or less. More and more I see on the news about how bad the sun is lately. And last I saw on T.V., there was a report that all the sunscreen makers products were not living up to what was printed on the labels. ALL of them. If it's not one thing, it's another down here to worry about.

Sun Warning Fewer Than 50 Of New Creams Offer Complete Protection (from The Herald ) (http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2414859.0.Sun_warning_fewer_than_50_of _new_creams_offer_complete_protection.php - broken link) <--Sunscreen Article

These are important points for families who think they want to live here. Kids are really NOT out, I never ever see any except at the beaches a few. Even if you wanted your kid to play outside, say , in the pool or on the beach it's too dangerous with the sun index being a 10 or even 11.

You have to tint your house and car windows which keeps out 99% of the UVA UVB and buy expensive clothing (Coolibar for one is a good resource) because exactly, the sunscreen is not enough. They figured that out in Australia studies when the skin cancer especially melanoma rate was so high, you can't even AFFORD to purchase the quantity of sunscreen that you'd need. So they invented sunscreen clothing including beach attire and titanium beach tents and umbrellas. I bought a pricey gallon of sunblock that sits on my counter with a pump to remind me to use it every day. lol

My kid spent every single day outside up North and in the summers NEVER came inside except to eat. We'd rotate different parents homes all weekend so the group could play together the entire weekend.

NOW I go visit him here in FL, at age 28 and his blinds are all shut, the house is dark, the AC is blasting, and even the dog is stuck inside. (he works from home).

Don't even discuss baking. The first purchase I made here was an Oster counter oven. I don't despise the heat, I can adjust but so far it's tricky getting there. I'm not the type to sit in AC all day and I get claustrophobic doing that, too. I spend most of my outside time at NIGHT sitting on my screened porch or going out there during rainstorms etc. Right now I have my windows open after the rainstorm, so far so good lol. It's 79 in here.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

My daughter can't wait to play in the leaves like last fall, or make snow families as she did, at one point we had 7 snowmen out there!!!. The poor childs is miserable stuck in the house all the time. Me too!!!

I grew up on the treasure coast of Florida, after moving down from Northeastern New Jersey and having all the snow and sledding winters, etc.... and I don't EVER remember being "too hot" to play outside... and indeed, I was ALWAYS outside playing with friends. We actually played competitive soccer in the middle of the summer.