You just might NOT be qualified to live in SW Florida IF..... (landscaping, construction)

[121804]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

You just might NOT be qualified to live in SW Florida IF.....

You enjoy talking to people in the stores.

Like to let people out into traffic.

Love getting to know your neighbors.

Too funny

You just might NOT be qualified to live in SW Florida IF.....

You drive faster than 35 mph

You realize that 6 months of constant a/c sucks just as much as 6 months of constant heat/furnace

You like hearing the sounds of children laughing

You don't feel the need to glare when someone asks you to move your scooter over in Publix

Don't like the look of boarded up homes street after street b/c half your neighbors leave for 6 months out of the year (the summer...and why would that be )

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by 121804

You drive faster than 35 mph

I have the opposite experience most of the time. I was going 45 in a 40mph zone Sunday and everyone was passing me. It was so aggravating to look in my rear view mirror and see someone on my tail. Sometimes I wish I drove a tank so I could jam on the breaks!

Originally Posted by 121804

You realize that 6 months of constant a/c sucks just as much as 6 months of constant heat/furnace

Funny! I was thinking the exact same thing last night. I never thought I'd welcome cloudy days until I moved to Florida. However, I've got to say that (a) home heating fuel costs a heck of a lot more than air conditioning and (b) you can turn on a fan to cool down, but your pipes will burst if you don't run the heat. Trust me, I know!

Originally Posted by 121804

You like hearing the sounds of children laughing

I had the sweetest next door neighbor in Bonita Springs. 5 years old. She always ran up to me and gave me a big hug. So it's not that way everywhere. But I'm now staying in an over 55 community and, believe me, at 55 I'm a baby compared to everyone else. Still, there are big advantages to being around older adults. I'm no longer freaking out because teenagers across the street are playing ball and putting dents in my car..or when it hits the window. I also haven't heard a neighbor use the "F" word in over a month or asked someone to turn down the bass in his car because my bedroom windows are rattling to the loud rap about b**ches & hoes.

Originally Posted by 121804

Don't like the look of boarded up homes street after street b/c half your neighbors leave for 6 months out of the year (the summer...and why would that be )

Are you talking about houses with hurricane shutters on the windows? Who boards up a house when they leave for the winter? Never saw that in 15 years.

Okay - now that I'm getting a bad reputation for posting too much and playing the devil's advocate, I'll stop here. BTW, your post was funny. Just teasing - but there's so much Florida bashing on this board that I wonder why 18 million people still live here!

[121804]

Originally Posted by justNancy

I have the opposite experience most of the time. I was going 45 in a 40mph zone Sunday and everyone was passing me. It was so aggravating to look in my rear view mirror and see someone on my tail. Sometimes I wish I drove a tank so I could jam on the breaks!

Funny! I was thinking the exact same thing last night. I never thought I'd welcome cloudy days until I moved to Florida. However, I've got to say that (a) home heating fuel costs a heck of a lot more than air conditioning and (b) you can turn on a fan to cool down, but your pipes will burst if you don't run the heat. Trust me, I know!

I had the sweetest next door neighbor in Bonita Springs. 5 years old. She always ran up to me and gave me a big hug. So it's not that way everywhere. But I'm now staying in an over 55 community and, believe me, at 55 I'm a baby compared to everyone else. Still, there are big advantages to being around older adults. I'm no longer freaking out because teenagers across the street are playing ball and putting dents in my car..or when it hits the window. I also haven't heard a neighbor use the "F" word in over a month or asked someone to turn down the bass in his car because my bedroom windows are rattling to the loud rap about b**ches & hoes.



Are you talking about houses with hurricane shutters on the windows? Who boards up a house when they leave for the winter? Never saw that in 15 years.

Okay - now that I'm getting a bad reputation for posting too much and playing the devil's advocate, I'll stop here. BTW, your post was funny. Just teasing - but there's so much Florida bashing on this board that I wonder why 18 million people still live here!

I know

I've followed Hiknapster's FL postings for awhile & she's seen my screen name more than a few times...

It's more of just good humor than anything...not to be taken personally by either side...glad you didn't!

But I was amazed to see a circa 1990 Crown Victoria try to make a left hand turn from the right hand turn lane on 41 in PC & then stop in the middle & back up....

We lived in PGI..retiree haven (we knew it moving there; didn't have much choice to move at the time) & hence to see a child was a welcomed reprise from the grumpy men who played tennis at the Civic Assoc and never took 2 seconds to say hi to a 1yr old who would say "Hi" to them....

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by justNancy

I have the opposite experience most of the time. I was going 45 in a 40mph zone Sunday and everyone was passing me. It was so aggravating to look in my rear view mirror and see someone on my tail. Sometimes I wish I drove a tank so I could jam on the breaks!

I had the same experiences. I found very few slow drivers. The were very aggressive. The only time I see that now is on I-75. We see the snowbirds going up and down the highway, here in Knoxville. We try to stay off it!



Funny! I was thinking the exact same thing last night. I never thought I'd welcome cloudy days until I moved to Florida. However, I've got to say that (a) home heating fuel costs a heck of a lot more than air conditioning and (b) you can turn on a fan to cool down, but your pipes will burst if you don't run the heat. Trust me, I know!

It depends on where you are, up North. My mom is in Mass., and her bills are horrendous. Of course, she loves New England, thinks Florida is tacky, and will never leave. Fortunately, she can afford the bill.

Here, in Knoxville, TN, Our winter bill, for electric heat, PLUS SEWER AND WATER, is about $300. Summer? $150. That one 42-inch LCD, a computer that's on all the time, of course , two other tvs, watering a garden, three people, and almost all the lights on at night. We save a LOT on our heating and water/sewer bill. Sorry.

I had the sweetest next door neighbor in Bonita Springs. 5 years old. She always ran up to me and gave me a big hug. So it's not that way everywhere. But I'm now staying in an over 55 community and, believe me, at 55 I'm a baby compared to everyone else. Still, there are big advantages to being around older adults. I'm no longer freaking out because teenagers across the street are playing ball and putting dents in my car..or when it hits the window. I also haven't heard a neighbor use the "F" word in over a month or asked someone to turn down the bass in his car because my bedroom windows are rattling to the loud rap about b**ches & hoes.

Yeah, but imagine how the five-year-old felt. I know, because we had one in the same situation. It was awful. The funny thing is, I moved to a neighborhood where the people are REALLY old. But they are so wonderful. My 84-year-old neighbor runs circles around me!

Are you talking about houses with hurricane shutters on the windows? Who boards up a house when they leave for the winter? Never saw that in 15 years.

Okay - now that I'm getting a bad reputation for posting too much and playing the devil's advocate, I'll stop here. BTW, your post was funny. Just teasing - but there's so much Florida bashing on this board that I wonder why 18 million people still live here!

Oh, you so left yourself open for this one. All those people "live" there because they are stuck!

And I wonder about the people that are replacing them.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Oh, you so left yourself open for this one. All those people "live" there because they are stuck!

I said I wouldn't post any more on this thread, so call me a liar. It's just that I'm "stuck" here and can't get off my chair. OMG. I can just see the headlines. "Woman in Florida found glued to a chair in front of laptop."

Speaking of things I don't like about Florida, I just checked the temperature. It's 1 in the morning and it is currently 82.

Originally Posted by hiknapster

And I wonder about the people that are replacing them.

Ever see the movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers?"

[TedTLPN]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

And I wonder about the people that are replacing them.

Places can't get better unless better people move into them.

[jvelte]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

Places can't get better unless better people move into them.

My wife and I, early 30s with a newborn this November, will be moving down. Trying to "young'n" it up a little haha. Our new neighbors, mid-60s, are very excited to have us next door. Maybe they will babysit occasionally!!!!

[kroeran]

Originally Posted by nhkev

you may not be qualified if you enjoy shoveling your roof, driveway, porch walkway and the entrance of the driveway a 2nd time because the plow guy dumps another snowbank there, if you like scaping the ice off your windshield , getting caught behind the plow truck on your way to work.

you may not be qualified if you enjoy turning your furnace on in mid-July (like we did last evening)

From Ottawa, Canada

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by RMD3819

....if you expect a store clerk or lawn maintenance worker to speak English.

...if you expect any type of home repair service to show up and do good work at a fair price (if they show up at all).

...if you expect the pay scales to match those of the NE.

Why are all these jobs going to "immigrents"??? If there's so much unemployment in Florida, why are the English speaking peoples not doing those jobs? And don't tell me it's because the pay is so low, any job is better than NO JOB. It sounds like any English speaking couple could start their own maid or landscaping service and do ok.
As for home repair, It sound like a LOT of construction people are out of work, why in heavens name would you not show up for the few jobs there are, and why would you do a poor job???? It makes no sence

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

Places can't get better unless better people move into them.

There you go. You're a prime candidate.