Do you miss Pennsylvania? (Pittsburgh, Lancaster: living in, restaurant, price)

[country_girl]

I was born and raised in Claysville, Pa. Moved to Washington, PA to be on my own during college. I moved to NY in May 06 then to Massachusetts in Jan 07. I miss PA a lot... All of my family is still there. I miss the quietness of the country and the people were different then they are up here. The winters were mild also compared to here in MA. If I could move back I would but I can't talk my husband into moving there. He's was raised in NY.

[NoMoss]

I have been reading all the posts in this thread, and have to say it brings back a lot of memories of PA. I liked what "floridadamselindistress" said last fall about missing chipped ham--wow! I haven't thought of chipped ham in almost 20 years. There was this great place on 22 called the Cheese House, outside of Blairsville. I loved the country roads and barns there, but couldn't find a job. I moved all over, got an education, and now am moving to KY--country still, but I feel like there is more opportunity there than in PA. There are a lot of ghosts in PA for me, and that is why, in answer to the question, no, I really don't miss PA--just the countryside. I am going to try to find that in KY--I didn't find it in WY, FL, CO, NY or VA, although that was close. AK is the most dramatic place I've been, but it just didn't feel like home (Indiana County, in case anyone else is out there!). To those who want to leave, I say DO IT--because you'll always wonder if you don't. Moving trucks go both ways, so you can always get back.

[Dancingearth]

Wow! I lived in Altoona in 1973 and it sounds like it hasn't changed. Worst place I have ever lived.

I lived in the ABE area thirty years, moved 12 years ago and don't want to move back --the only reason I would is because I have family there. I enjoy visiting in spring or fall--forget the dreary brown winters--I'll take the PNW where it might be gray skies and raining but the rain is falling on lush green. And the hot muggy summers--no thanks. The ABE/Harrisburg area has way too many people and the highways are a nightmare. Stop signs instead of merges onto very busy highways that are still four lanes and in constant repair? People were never very friendly. For thirty years I heard "you're not from here, are you?" because I talked to people in grocery lines--I never lost my midwest roots--when I moved to New Mexico someone said "you're from the midwest aren't you." And free live music in a bar or restaurant was unheard of. If I ever move back, it will have to be the Pittsburgh area (more midwestern feeling to it) or northcentral PA--away from the NJ/NY border.

[marcelle]

hi Beenaroundtheblock, I've been in orlando for 3yrs and miss the people up there, I also want to move there, I dont like summers here and I find it boring.

[in2dadark]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

I miss Pennsylvania and I've never even lived there. Here is a journal entry from my last visit to Gettysburg:

I love the buildings here, there are a lot of different types of architecture, but the best type is the classic town home look. Brick houses that share a wall with their neighbors house or have an alley of 1 to 4 feet inbetween. At night most of the brick townhouses have candles in their windows and it is electrifying to see rows of town houses at night all with a candle in the window. Gettysburg College is real magnificent at night and there was some lighting over head off in the distance which made the noble buildings look erie and powerful.

I also love looking off in the distance during the day and seeing the rolling mountains. They almost look like waves in Lake Michigan frozen in time, in some spots you can see 5 layers deep of rolling mountains behind each other, all rolling up and down. The closest ones are darker and green, but the haze makes the farther ones appear grayer, bluer, fainter, until the farthest mounatin range almost looks the same color as the sky and your mind starts to wonder if it is even a mountain at all - rather just a far off cloud front coming in and your mind can wander....

A lot of people you see are just sitting by themselves or with a couple. Writing, drawing or thinking. I go out in nature a lot to do that and there are so many breath taking spots to do that here I could imagine being very happy here doing that. You can climb up hill tops where huge boulders stick out and just over look rolling farmlands with forests, stone walls, the town off in the distance, and the rolling mountains. There are boulders stacked upon other boulders creating gaps that you can walk or crawl under. In essence Gettysburg is life. I am glad that I got a job in Holland, but I could have also seen myself moving out here to get a 2nd chance at being me.

The Jennie Wade house...we stayed right next to it. Aarrrrgh. Well anyways the house was hit probably more than 100 times, including about 10 shots in the door. I wonder if it was one of the first or last shots to hit the house that struck Jennie down? Not that it would make that much of a difference or change the story really. However, it would take even more courage to continue to bake bread after your house was hit by lets say 80 bullets.

I went to Boyd's Bears headquarters which is stationed out here. It is an amazing store, massive and nice set in a breath taking countryside lot south of town, I got gift teddy bears for my mom, sister, and niece.

Nice post. Pennsylvania inspires me. Last year I concentrated on finding and buying a vacation home. And it took most of my summer.. This spring and summer I plan on being a Pa tourist and taking in the things I've never had the time to. Gettysburg will definitly be at the top of my list. Went there in J. High. Can't wait to take it in as an adult..

[Snickmcfee]

I grew up in Northeastern PA, specifically the Bloomsburg & Berwick area. Sixteen years ago my wife and I moved to Orlando FLA. Do I miss Pa. Oh, dear goodness NO NO NO NO. The last sixteen years have been the best in our lives. We feel alive. We go back to PA every couple of years to visit relatives (whom we do miss) and see all the people just sleepwalking and eating their way through life. They look and act miserable. And eveyone we meet tells us how lucky we were to move out of PA.

[getmeoutofnj]

No, I dont miss it. Not at all.

I think most people, in PA and any other state, become attached to places and things. Familiarity keeps them there. That, and often family and friends, which is, for most people, a very strong hold, understandably. Most people stay or come back for those reasons, imo.

I can only comment on the SW(Pittsburgh) side really, although Ive visited and have friends in central(Harrisburg) and SE(Philly):
* I am NOT a sports fan so the Steelers dont matter to me.
* Never particularly had any old haunts that I loved, so Primanti brothers lends me no nostalgia.
* Was a very picky eater at that time because, as I found out, I just dont care for Pittsburgh's favourite foods, (sorry chipped ham).
*The skyline at night is cool, but driving through the city is dreary feeling to me, and oh the road signs are terrible(compared to other cities).
*Mountains on the PA turnpike, beautiful. Orange construction cones, not so much.

[Phazed-Coug]

Moved from the Poconos to Colorado 4 years ago, and haven't looked back since, I was born and raised in the West End of Monroe county.
Watched it grow from one stop light, and a supermarket to 10 stop lights
and full of strip malls.
Biggest thing I miss are my friends.
Things I don't miss
Overcast winters(a thing of the past) hot muggy summers(gone

I don't miss all the Jersey'ites and Na'yourkers
and they were getting plentiful when I left.
I definitely don't miss the outragous car insurance premiums
due mostly in-part to the quality NJ drivers moving into the areas

[I LOVE PA!]

Originally Posted by Phazed-Coug

I don't miss all the Jersey'ites and Na'yourkers
and they were getting plentiful when I left.

I Bet they don't miss you either!

[MB2]

Good news...house sold here in FL (buyers are just getting all financial issues in order).
Well, we just got back from PA 2 days ago. Looked at houses in Sugarloaf, Connyngham, Drums and Hazleton.
Well, I tell you what...huh....we were in for a big surprise. Our realtor (also our friend) mentioned to us, that if we really wanted a decent home, we would have to look into the $200,00.00 to 250,000.00 range. We swallowed hard, when we heard that, because 3 1/2 years ago, when we left, that price range wasn't the case. Guess, it couldn't stay low forever...
In a nutshell...my husband didn't want to move back into hazleton (town has to many issues at the moment, and we much rather like to live in the country). Sugarloaf and Connyngham were not affortable to us, Drums has few choices (if it's not beech mountain!). We looked at new constructions in drums ($200K +), and some of them had workmenship much to be desired for......
We questioned, why home prices went up so much (stone quarries on the left, coal mines and the right). The answer and reasons from several people was this... A lot of NY and NJ people moved/ moving in, more people moving into the valleys, pushing the prices up (supply and demand). And, that it finally leveled off somewhat with Allentown (usually several K's higher).
We had a good time (as always when we are there), got together with family and friends, and just hung out, catching up. People in PA are STILL nice and friendly, and we really enjoy that.
Still LOVE and MISS PA, we will visit often, but, had to go with "plan B"....NC!!!
Keep your fingers crossed...hopefully, we will find that "perfect home" for us (it better be, because told my husband, this is the LAST TIME we will be moving!!!)