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And Aunt Julie, thanks for the reminder on the weather radio!!! We were SOL when the recent near-tornado unleashed havoc all around!! Scary, we were relying on 89.5 FM......
Hi Ladies (Texas Aunt Julie & Takingbackamerica)! I am originally from the Arlington area, but have lived in Florida for 20yrs. and Illinois for the last 3 yrs. I have been researching areas in Texas, as I am missing home, but don't want the 'big city' atmosphere' I grew up in for my 13 yr.old son. I love what I am reading about the Weatherford area, but want to know about the schools. Any ideas TAJ? My son will be in 7th grade this next school year and we didn't have a very good experience with additional resources for tuitoring during his 6th grade yr. We live in a 'very rural' town in Illinois - 3,500 people, so my son is able to ride his bike to friends homes, ball park, school, local Ice Cream Store, ect here - something that was IMPOSSIBLE in Florida! Is Weatherford a good place to raise kids? Good schools? Educational resources for parents w/ kids that may need additional tuitoring? Tell all Miss TAJ !
Hi all ! Lchimook, regarding schools: I need help on this one. I'm an aunt but not a mom. LOL. I have friends with children who attended Tison Middle School in Parker County - loved it, excellent school, good teachers. I've heard good things about the new Weatherford High School as well. And, if you live in town - not out in the unincorporated areas of Parker Country, for instance, then your children would have friends nearby and lots to do (there are just a few places I can think of that would be safe for kids to go get ice cream, etc., but I only mean because of traffic; W'ford does not have a lot of sidewalks unless you're in one of the nicer subdivisions. Obviously the newer housing areas are very kid friendly and are attracting more people with plenty of sidewalks. Oh, oh, okay, for instance, Silverstone Estate at Pearson Ranch (Wall Homes) is a really nice subdivision, excellent elementary right next to it, (Mary Martin Elementary) Tison Middle School would be near, and has a community swimming pool which is very nice (just for the subdivision). It looks so nice and family friendly to me....
Also, I grudgingly admit (thank you 5stones - LOL!) that Aledo School District (closest one to Weatherford) has probably a superior rating of schools than Weatherford does.
Now ask me something easy, okay? HAHAHA!!! Thank you, thank you, I always enjoy posting on the forum and being some help if possible.
TAJ
TAJ & 5stones, Thank you so much for your info., it helps tremendously in my search. How far is Aledo from Weatherford? I am a Nurse, so plan to find work in the Ft.Worth area and want to live somewhere outside the 'DFW Metro' area, where I can have 'all my critters' and a garden. I have also looked a little at the Azle area, however, I read some areas aren't that nice, lots of drugs and the like. I will have to break out my map and see where Aledo, Argyle, Parker & Murphy are located 5stones. I would like at least an acre of breathing space around me. Some of the homes in Weatherford I have seen on the MLS are very resonably priced & taxes seem fair. What about these other areas mentioned 5stones, what can you tell me about those?
Lchimook, so glad you asked! I lived in Willow Park (Aledo) for 15 years and absolutely loved it there. Nice brick homes, on a minimum of 1 acre of land (then, anyway) and on Ranch House road, which is a main exit off of I-20. Aledo and Weatherford are virtually hand-in-hand, so close they are. Azle is quite different (in my opinion). Aledo is closer to Ft Worth via I-20, closer even than Weatherford, if you can get a detailed enough map you can see it. Argyle - much further north, toward Denton. You would have to go via I-35W which can be quite bumper-to-bumper at times, due to the Texas Motor Speedway being on I-35W (Nascar races). (Ironic, isn't it? the "races" cause complete stops on the Interstate??? HAHAHAHA!!! Just thought of that.). (I only laugh because *I* don't have to drive it!)
Truly, Aledo and Weatherford are both awesome school districts - I hate to admit that Aledo might be ahead of Weatherford in the schools dept. (again, don't know, I don't have children in school) but I know both are quite well thought of.
check out both, and above all, check out Willow Park! I loved it there, great community, very close to Weatherford (Wal-mart, etc) and yet very very accessible to Ft Worth via I-20/I-30.
do you have any more questions? Always glad to help!
TAJ, you ARE a blessing! Thanks so much for your help, I am still leaning toward Weatherford. I looked at the WISD Website & saw that Hall & Tison Middle Schools had very good TAKS scores noted, w/ improvements in these scores each year. They seem to have a great deal of activities & resources for the kids as well. What I really think I should do is rent for the first year & take my time finding something I want to buy & get familiar w/ the area. It has been 23 yrs. since I lived back home - way TOO LONG, don't you agree? =) I have to wait for a few months yet, but may have to stay another school yr., as I don't think it would be wise to change my son's whole world in the middle of the school yr. Do you know of anyone who may rent to people w/ 'critters'? I, too, am into animal rescue, but not able to do it on your scale - God bless the animal lovers!! I have 2 dogs & 5 cats - all rescues! Your website looks as though you have quite the operation ! When we get there I will have to come & meet you and see all 'your babies'.......I will check out Aledo as well, just because you say it so nice, bless you for your help! Lchimook
Lchimook, good move, see, I didn't even think about TAKS scores. DOH! (slapping forehead). <--- (I coulda had a V-8!) But yes, of course probably wiser to rent first then buy. Let's see... check out Hudson Oaks as well - it is a bedroom community like Willow Park, a bit closer in toward Weatherford than to Fort Worth - it all depends on where you'll be heading every day - Weatherford, or Fort Worth? Hudson Oaks has it ALL for those homeowners: brand new big Wal-Mart (sorry, I sound like a Wal-Mart freak, but heck, they have everything, and out here in the so-called "country" we can't just go around the corner to a million malls - which is why I live out here in the first place!!! Also has a multi-screen cinema, new, many new restaurant chains opening on the Interstate (I-20) so you don't feel you have to drive 20 miles into Fort Worth just to go out to eat or go to the movies - and believe me, that's what we had to do for the last 20 years I lived here.
But, not sure what school district Hudson Oaks is, I'm pretty sure it would be Tison Middle School, but just guessing on that.
As far as renting a place - oh yeah, there are a million places to rent. Now: the catch is finding a place that allows animals. Can you believe that?!?!?!?!!! (by the way, I applaud you for all the rescues !!!). there would be places in the country that would likely allow animals; so just keep looking and I know you'll be finding something, probably something on an acre or so, either a mobile home or brick home, whatever you're looking for. Rents don't seem too terribly unreasonably around here (in my opinion) when you're comparing say, a mobile home on acreage to a 600 sq ft apartment - I'd go for the acreage any day of the week! Apartments, I guess always seem way too expensive to me, but I have not lived in one for a long time.
Thanks for the comments about the Grrr Village website. We just got in several rescue dogs from a puppy mill bust that had over 500 dogs confiscated by Animal control. (this was in Montague County, Bowie, Texas). So yes, we are full to the brim, but that's what we're here for, to help take care of the abused dogs, as well as lifetime care for those pets that people can no longer care for - but you saw all that on the website. (but Lord I don't mean to say we took in 500 dogs. HAA! EEGADS! Rescues from all over the US came in to help out). Yes, when you get here, look us up and you can come out for a visit ! That would be awesome.
TAJ, Thanks for the info.! I, too, would rather live in a trailer or a 'tent', for that matter, on acerage than live in an Apt! Not to mention, they aren't 'critter friendly', which is a must for me !!! Not going anywhere without all 8 of my 'kids' - 1 human, 2 canine & 5 feline ! =) This aught to make for an interesting trek to Tejas, huh? I can't imagine 'investigating & busting' a Puppy Mill like that! I could be on the receiving end of the Dogs, but would probably come 'unglued' at the 'Mill' scene!!! I don't think I could handle that calmly, at ALL! Our Choc.Lab, 'Kate' (AKA, Chocolate Chick or Pony) was beaten w/ a fireplace poker & then stabbed w/ it! I could hardly contain myself around the previous owner......2 of our cats were also seriously abused and it is so incredible to see how loving & wonderful these animals become in the right environment, just wonderful, loving, well adjusted, INCREDIBLE pets! We have 1 cat, however, that will probably always be wild - we got her after Hurricane Wilma in 2005 in Okeechobee, Florida. She just fit in the palm of my hand and her Mom & littermates all died in the storm, but not 'Gizmo' ( AKA, Little Gizzie or Mo-Mo Kitty), she is so beautiful, but will only allow my son or myself to touch her....The Vet HATES to see us coming w/ Gizzie, she is a "Wild Thing"! 1 of our cats really has sustained sum sort of Brain Injury before we got him. We don't know if it was a birth trauma (Hypoxia) or after birth event that occured, but poor 'Bubba' has to be protected from himself, he really has no concept of his own safety, whatsoever! Sorry, I really get 'chatty' over 'critters' of ANY kind!
Yes, I have been trying to scan out in the 'country' so I can bring my 'critters' & have room for any other critters God sends my way! I have a few loose ends I need to tie up here in Illinois before I can move home. I thought might have had this done by this summer & be able to get there before school started for this year, but it looks like I may have to wait until the end of this next school year to move. That isn't settling very well w/ me....you know how it is when 'you are stompin at the bit' to do something..........However, that gives me plenty of time to research Willow Park (Aledo) and Hudson Oaks, as well as the country offerings doesn't it? I am leary of Well Water though because of my experiences in Florida w/ it. Don't mind septic tanks, just don't want well water, SCARY! I won't eat fish from 'farming ponds' up here either because of all the agricultural run-off that gets into ponds & lakes up here, let alone wells! Any problems w/ water sources in the area or surrounding areas that you know of? I know Tejas has been in a drought period for several years, what do you know of the ground water sources & the like? I remember 1980, WOW! The soil came about 3 inches away from the foundation of our house, all the way around, it was so dry!!!
We will DEFINITELY come and visit your "Village" once we get there and I will keep in touch until then as well! Bless you for giving me so much info.& help, you are very much appreciated!
Blessings, Lchimook
Wishing you all a Happy Holidays. I am still a wannabe Weatherford. Unfortunately, 2009 is ending without the sale of my current home.
All this time has been very good anyway helping me get a fell for what's around Weatherford, where I would like to live, taxes, real estate prices, what you get for what, manufacturered vs stick-built, what vehicle prices are around (not decided if I want a little pickup or a compact car) etc. I've got Weatherford on my Yahoo weather app on my itouch so I am getting a better general picture of weather conditions compared to where I now live. My trip in May, driving around the area from Azle to Weatherford and a little south, as well as Google maps gives a wonderful picture it all.
I'm now leaning towards the area from I-20 south, more land, less house allowing for a horse. But of course nothing beats being there and I just need to be patient to get the home sold.
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Wanting to move back home
