Gosh, I have the complete opposite problem of so many of you!

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by click

twiggy, thanks for the well wishes. I didn't mean to cause a raucous, truly I didn't. I hope you get to your "heaven" one day as well in Cape Cod. It's actually funny how we all have our place in this world. Our daughter, as I said lived in Boston and will return there come this Sept. from her stint in London. Her husband's family is from Narragansett as well. We used to visit them often and love the seafood and ocean as well. I guess with my "SAD" (seasonal affective disorder) I just need a little more than the 4-5 months of summer beauty to keep my spirits in check, LOL.

Oh my, SAD sucks! So sorry you have that no wonder you long for the sun! Sometimes I think I have "Sun affective disorder". lol Just kidding!
Narragansett is great, yea, I just think I'm in love with the beach towns! lol It does sound like you will really love it here.

[NJ2AZSusan]

Originally Posted by click

Hey thanks Susan, and I just got off checking your "Transplants to Phoenix Examiner" lots of great info and stuff there! I bookmarked it and will be going back to read in depth. Thanks for providing such a great service, loved it!

Thank YOU so much! That's what it's there for. Glad to know someone is finding it helpful!

Susan
Moderator cut: signatures not allowed

[gsheridan]

click, I can see where it would be horrible living in a neighborhood like you described. Some people really don't want interaction with their neighbors, but my wife and I really enjoy it. We have plenty of friends off the block, but we still really enjoy spending time with our neighbors. It really depends on the people though. We just got lucky and really like most of the people on the block.

My sister, who is 10 minutes away from where I currently live in NY, has one neighbor who drives her insane. She's rude, constantly makes nasty remarks, lets her kids walk over and come in the house even when my sister is having a party. That's the kind of thing that can turn a friendly person like my sister, into someone who looks out the window before daring to walk outside, for fear she'll have to deal with the wacko next door. Then there are just unfriendly people.

So I think it's really just luck, and I guess trying to get to know the neighborhood and neighbors, by renting(like we plan to do), might help also. In these weird times, that's actually one benefit of all
the renting people are having to do.

You mentioned another thing that I think is a huge plus of Phoenix. I realize it's too hot to be outside in the middle of the summer, but there are definitely more nice months than in NY. Even on my block in NY, which is very friendly, we barely see anyone in the winter, except for 1 couple that we get together with regularly all year. In the summer though, we see everyone all the time.

The neighborhood you live in can really make a huge difference in your quality of life though, not to mention the fact that it defines a big piece of your kids' childhood experience. For example, we have loads of kids my daughters' ages on the block, but my son is the youngest boy. Fortunately, he's a very athletic and spunky kid, so the older kids enjoy him, but it's not really good, because he's only 5, and these kids he's hanging around with are 10.

I'm sure it will all work out, but that's the reason I'm obsessing a bit about where to live in Phoenix. I'm more worried about the exact neighborhood, and how many kids, the type of families, and all that, than I am about big differences between NY and Phoenix.

I hope I'm right and I'm not on here in a year complaining about Phoenix and the unfriendly people, the lack of culture, the heat, the chain restaurants.... If I am, someone please smack me and point me to this and the other post I've been making over the past few weeks

[click]

Good luck gsheridan! I hope you find the same type of neighborhood in Phoenix that you have in New York. Seems they are rare and a jewel. Just take your time and renting does seem to be the best in finding what you want, even if it takes several trials to get there, when it is not only you and your wife that you have to satisfy but your children as well. I wish you lots of luck!