Moving To Maine (Portland, Brunswick, Topsham: rental, home, construction)

[msina]

We used to have chestnut wars. Another favorite was to drive holes through chestnuts and tie them on a long string (usually a shoe string) and have whip wars. Awful kids eh?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by msina

We used to have chestnut wars. Another favorite was to drive holes through chestnuts and tie them on a long string (usually a shoe string) and have whip wars. Awful kids eh?

You could have lost an eye msina!

[bignhfamily]

Originally Posted by msina

We used to have chestnut wars. Another favorite was to drive holes through chestnuts and tie them on a long string (usually a shoe string) and have whip wars. Awful kids eh?

ROFLMAO - Crab apples, tomatoes, potatoes - there is always something in season for the kids artillery.

[tilinmaine]

Hi Coastofmaine, perhaps I've skimmed through the posts too quickly, but I don't see anyone mentioning Portland. I have 3 kids between 9 and 15. They started off in Falmouth but I couldn't stand it!!! Very much the keeping up with the Joneses community. I moved them to Portland and don't think I could be happier. Portland Schools are often overlooked because test scores don't look as good on paper. Truth is that if you factor out the subgroups (special ed, etc) the scores are very comparable to the suburban schools. Yarmouth, Falmouth and Cape currently have the worst H.S. drug problems in Greater Portland, largely due to money and parents always working. Portland has 8 neighborhood elementary schools (so your kids could walk!), 3 middle schools and your choice of 3 High Schools. People are down to earth, talk to each other, and look out for your kids... plus you have diversity in the schools which you don't get in the burbs. I couldn't be happier... my kids have all been very happy, they love school, they respect everyone, and I've made the best friends through other parents.

Good luck wherever you go!

[mainesnowflake]

A couple of posters claim that Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth are all about keeping up with the Joneses, although I respect their view points, I don't agree. The town of Falmouth has a large population of Doctors, Lawyers, Business owners, and several other occupations that require many years of education and or hard work. Dedication and drive to acheive personal goals comes with rewards, nice cars and homes etc. That is not trying to keep up with the Joneses, it's reaping the benefits of ones hard work. I am an average person as I mentioned in a previous post living in a town full of above average incomes and I don't feel that I have to keep up with the Joneses, I am very secure and comfortable with who I am. I have friends that are Doctors, Lawyers and business owners, as well as Blue collar. I respect and admire all their positions in life and they respect me.

Yes, there are those who are trying to keep up with the Joneses in this town but they put those expectations on themselves, nobody is telling them to keep up.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by bignhfamily

ROFLMAO - Crab apples, tomatoes, potatoes - there is always something in season for the kids artillery.

big,,,this brings back memories, apple fights, snow and ice ball fights,,,
being the younger kid, in the group of my older brothers friends, i was always a target,,lol
i learned quick, how to run, and run fast!!

we use to have sledding wars also,,,,, in the hills of a cow pasture, we'd all start at the top and try to ram and knock anyone else off a sled we could by the time we got to the bottom..
it wasnt uncommon to see a kid go home crying or a bit bloody....
we were all out for ourselves, hoping it wouldnt be ourselves, limping home that particular day,


that sorta stuff doesnt go on much anymore,,,probly a good thing,,,but it was in the days, a kid could go out to "play" and be gone for hours..

[mainenative]

Originally Posted by mainesnowflake

A couple of posters claim that Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth are all about keeping up with the Joneses, although I respect their view points, I don't agree. The town of Falmouth has a large population of Doctors, Lawyers, Business owners, and several other occupations that require many years of education and or hard work. Dedication and drive to acheive personal goals comes with rewards, nice cars and homes etc. That is not trying to keep up with the Joneses, it's reaping the benefits of ones hard work. I am an average person as I mentioned in a previous post living in a town full of above average incomes and I don't feel that I have to keep up with the Joneses, I am very secure and comfortable with who I am. I have friends that are Doctors, Lawyers and business owners, as well as Blue collar. I respect and admire all their positions in life and they respect me.

Yes, there are those who are trying to keep up with the Joneses in this town but they put those expectations on themselves, nobody is telling them to keep up.

Nice post Mainesnowflake, I have to agree with you. Competition is everywhere and it is a personal choice to allow ourselves to be competitive with others.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

we use to have sledding wars also,,,,, in the hills of a cow pasture, we'd all start at the top and try to ram and knock anyone else off a sled we could by the time we got to the bottom..
it wasnt uncommon to see a kid go home crying or a bit bloody....
we were all out for ourselves, hoping it wouldnt be ourselves, limping home that particular day,


that sorta stuff doesnt go on much anymore,,,probly a good thing,,,but it was in the days, a kid could go out to "play" and be gone for hours..

I remember doing this same thing.

It does still happen in some places. My kids do it all the time with the other boys in the neighborhood. They all don't last long when the girl across the street comes out with her sled. She is just a little thing, but get her on a sled and she is ruthless. I am glad we will be gone before she gets her drivers license, LOL. My oldest has the biggest crush on her because "She may be a girl, but she is cool and likes the same things boys do."

[elston]

Originally Posted by mainesnowflake

A couple of posters claim that Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth are all about keeping up with the Joneses, although I respect their view points, I don't agree. The town of Falmouth has a large population of Doctors, Lawyers, Business owners, and several other occupations that require many years of education and or hard work. Dedication and drive to acheive personal goals comes with rewards, nice cars and homes etc. That is not trying to keep up with the Joneses, it's reaping the benefits of ones hard work. I am an average person as I mentioned in a previous post living in a town full of above average incomes and I don't feel that I have to keep up with the Joneses, I am very secure and comfortable with who I am. I have friends that are Doctors, Lawyers and business owners, as well as Blue collar. I respect and admire all their positions in life and they respect me.

Yes, there are those who are trying to keep up with the Joneses in this town but they put those expectations on themselves, nobody is telling them to keep up.

Your attitude is great!

We all try to pick a community in which we will fit and find some people with whom we have commonality. That is natural. Blue collar, white collar, no collar.....I have found that peeps are peeps. I'm too busy trying to keep up with me.....never mind "the Jones".

[moughie]

Originally Posted by msina

We used to have chestnut wars. Another favorite was to drive holes through chestnuts and tie them on a long string (usually a shoe string) and have whip wars. Awful kids eh?

Naw...., not awful, just normal My brother and I would hurl chestnuts, snow balls, ice balls, anything round at each other. Amazing we never lost an eye!

And the eskimo igloos we would build, back when the snowfall was quite significant in upstate NY... wow. Guess you all had that type of snow this winter in Maine, eh?