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Move to Arkansas living about 50 miles from my paternal ancestral home. People are very friendly. Being from California I had hoped to be tolerated until folks got to know us. Well we were welcomed with open arms. The place we have had been on the market for a very long time and the person we bought from was desperate to sale. Even though we paid cash we paid his full asking price. The place is worth every penny we paid and folks were impressed that we didn't take advantage of him. Another plus is that people knew my family and they have long memories. A man stopped my wife while she was walking our dogs and told her what a good godly woman my grandmother was. She passed 35 years ago. We later found that we are surrounded by extended family for miles in every direction. Although we have a BOL we have everything we need here plenty of pasture, 3 wells, nice wood lot, 2 acre pond full of fish and a church less than half a mile from us. There are several preppers here. While I practice OPSEC I was found out by the pastor who is also a house inspector. During the inspection he over heard me tell my wife about some modifications that I wanted done. Later he complemented me on my situational awareness said he would do the same thing also recommended a contractor who did the job for a reasonable price. So I have a loose network of like minded people. Lastly we love it here and it is not California.


Very nice to live near relatives. This would be a better place if families stayed closer to each other. At least some family members anyway,lol.
One of ours headed west to Tx the other 2 were going to go to Nevada or Florida so we moved to Florida, the other 2 stayed didn't move and stayed in Georgia.
We liked being around the water so we moved here.
 
I never knew people were actually friendly till i went down south for the first time. I really liked it although i was highly suspicious of everyone. Maybe to friendly i thought.. ...

My hubby is a real easy going man and people take that as being too nice sometimes too. He is friendly to everyone and not into politics at all and keeps his religion to himself.. We pray together but he doesn't study like I have over the years.
Some people will try to take advantage of you too. But most are just being nice and like to be left alone on the most part now a days so much change. I can remember good old barn dances down here. Haven't heard of one in about 25 years now. We even went for a couple hay rides back in teh day.
 
I moved from Alabama to Tennessee to be closer to my granddaughters. My youngest daughter, their mother, has chronic migraines and has other health issues. We moved up here in case we were needed. It's beautiful here but Alabama will always be home!
 
My hubby is a real easy going man and people take that as being too nice sometimes too. He is friendly to everyone and not into politics at all and keeps his religion to himself.. We pray together but he doesn't study like I have over the years.
Some people will try to take advantage of you too. But most are just being nice and like to be left alone on the most part now a days so much change. I can remember good old barn dances down here. Haven't heard of one in about 25 years now. We even went for a couple hay rides back in teh day.
We had Hoedowns at the farm from 72 to 98. Have a tee shirt for every year. Great time had by all. Some where along the line manners were lost. Add beer to the mix and someone is going to need a dentist. To bad, ruined a really good time...
 
We had Hoedowns at the farm from 72 to 98. Have a tee shirt for every year. Great time had by all. Some where along the line manners were lost. Add beer to the mix and someone is going to need a dentist. To bad, ruined a really good time...

Some of ours in the 60s added moonshine or corn liquor but they didn't usually last long. I don't remember any fights. Some real fast moving feet but they were dancing some kind of mix of Apalacian and celtic clogging. Lots of stomping going on for sure,but the good kind.
 
Some of ours in the 60s added moonshine or corn liquor but they didn't usually last long. I don't remember any fights. Some real fast moving feet but they were dancing some kind of mix of Apalacian and celtic clogging. Lots of stomping going on for sure,but the good kind.
Same for us but then 1998 happened. Pops didn't want the liability and i can't blame him.
 
Redbeard, that's what I'm talking about. We lived where it was cold and sometimes snowy (mid-Atlantic) for most of our lives. I was so sick of living in the liberal, expensive, and crowded area. I would love to live in Virginia except for a few issues I have with the taxation.
Now that my NH is in Texas it will be very difficult to get him to go back to the land of ice and snow, but I'm still working on it.
As a homeschooling mom of many, I'm almost finished with it. I didn't care for the control of homeschooling in the education system in the mid-Atlantic and was glad to leave it.
Arkansas was not on my list but a few friends live there and love it, up in the NW area.
Love Florida, but I do not like endless heat and humidity. I'd live in the Keys if I could. I do have family in FL.
East TX: heat and humidity and plenty of severe storms. Tornadoes...no thanks.
NC is a good possibility for us too.
I understand about OPSEC.
Love hearing about people able to be near where they grew up and they want to be there, or owning a family farm or homestead.
Being in Texas means to me that I mostly can't go barefoot unless I don't care about being bitten by fire ants or getting grass burrs in my feet. Hate that. Gotta be careful of cow killers too. lol. I grew up barefoot so it is a very important thing to me!
Arizona is beautiful.
 
Redbeard, that's what I'm talking about. We lived where it was cold and sometimes snowy (mid-Atlantic) for most of our lives. I was so sick of living in the liberal, expensive, and crowded area. I would love to live in Virginia except for a few issues I have with the taxation.
Now that my NH is in Texas it will be very difficult to get him to go back to the land of ice and snow, but I'm still working on it.
As a homeschooling mom of many, I'm almost finished with it. I didn't care for the control of homeschooling in the education system in the mid-Atlantic and was glad to leave it.
Arkansas was not on my list but a few friends live there and love it, up in the NW area.
Love Florida, but I do not like endless heat and humidity. I'd live in the Keys if I could. I do have family in FL.
East TX: heat and humidity and plenty of severe storms. Tornadoes...no thanks.
NC is a good possibility for us too.
I understand about OPSEC.
Love hearing about people able to be near where they grew up and they want to be there, or owning a family farm or homestead.
Being in Texas means to me that I mostly can't go barefoot unless I don't care about being bitten by fire ants or getting grass burrs in my feet. Hate that. Gotta be careful of cow killers too. lol. I grew up barefoot so it is a very important thing to me!
Arizona is beautiful.

Fire ants are no fun. But you never have to worry about stumping your toe on a rock because there is not a rock for 100s of miles from here. i stopped going barefoot after breaking and disjointing 2 toes on hubbys boot. I had to knock em back in place then snatch them straight to reset the bones. Hubby cats,dogs all took off when I screamed,. Foot was black next day so went to dr.got xray Doc laughed and said I did a great job. I just did what they were going to do, only without anistesia.
 
Redbeard, that's what I'm talking about. We lived where it was cold and sometimes snowy (mid-Atlantic) for most of our lives. I was so sick of living in the liberal, expensive, and crowded area. I would love to live in Virginia except for a few issues I have with the taxation.
Now that my NH is in Texas it will be very difficult to get him to go back to the land of ice and snow, but I'm still working on it.
As a homeschooling mom of many, I'm almost finished with it. I didn't care for the control of homeschooling in the education system in the mid-Atlantic and was glad to leave it.
Arkansas was not on my list but a few friends live there and love it, up in the NW area.
Love Florida, but I do not like endless heat and humidity. I'd live in the Keys if I could. I do have family in FL.
East TX: heat and humidity and plenty of severe storms. Tornadoes...no thanks.
NC is a good possibility for us too.
I understand about OPSEC.
Love hearing about people able to be near where they grew up and they want to be there, or owning a family farm or homestead.
Being in Texas means to me that I mostly can't go barefoot unless I don't care about being bitten by fire ants or getting grass burrs in my feet. Hate that. Gotta be careful of cow killers too. lol. I grew up barefoot so it is a very important thing to me!
Arizona is beautiful.

My daughter in Georgia homeschooled her son for a few years. His test scores had to be good while others in public school didn't. he is in public school now.
 
I break my toes yearly, stubbing on furniture, other's feet and shoes, the ground.

I don't want that to happen again, I think it hurt so bad hitting his boot I seen stars at least flashes of light. I haven't went barefoot since. I'm too old to keep getting avoidable pain, got enough without it.
Insects here are bad but you get use to it. Problem with fire ants is the little demons :devil: will be all over you and you don't know it until one gives the command to sting. I use their warrior acts against them. I take a shovel full from one mound and put it on top of another one they kill each other off, kinda like us humans.:D
 
I live in NY state near my family, though I grew up in FL. My parents moved us around a bit so we lived in NC and SC for awhile too. My husband and I moved to FL for a period but didn't stay long. I find that I don't really care for hot weather much anymore. We also traveled the whole country while my husband drove an over the road truck and we found we were always happiest once we hit the green mountains and forests of PA and NY. I know NY has a bad reputation, but it isn't like that in our immediate area. Our taxes are very low, our water is very good, our expenses here are low and we live in the forest with much fresh water nearby. Nobody bothers us much here, yet people are friendly and eager to offer help if you need it. We don't have close neighbors since most of our area is hunting camps and that is just fine with me. Yes, NY has cold snowy winters, but if you are prepared for it, that isn't much of an issue and for me it is no issue at all. I can just be inside and work on my computer.
 
I don't know about BEST, but central Iowa ain't bad...
If you got kids, the education is excellent here. Of course some school districts are better than others but overall our kids do very well.
Crime is low, employment is high. In the 2008 recession I lost my job but had six offers within 2 months and that was in the worst economy I've ever known. If you're long term unemployed here, its because you want to be.
Housing is reasonable. There is good hunting if you can make nice with landowners. There is also better fishing than you might expect. But you have to be careful about eating the fish because of ag runoff. That is the biggest drawback, we do have a lot of pollution and our water quality is crap.
Oh, and the weather...we got four seasons - cold as hell, windy as hell, hotter than hell, and fall...;D
 
I break my toes yearly, stubbing on furniture, other's feet and shoes, the ground.

17190861_1726382814133311_8713239043707522726_n.jpg


Jim
 
Nh has great home schooling laws. We home school our daughter.
I live in NY state near my family, though I grew up in FL. My parents moved us around a bit so we lived in NC and SC for awhile too. My husband and I moved to FL for a period but didn't stay long. I find that I don't really care for hot weather much anymore. We also traveled the whole country while my husband drove an over the road truck and we found we were always happiest once we hit the green mountains and forests of PA and NY. I know NY has a bad reputation, but it isn't like that in our immediate area. Our taxes are very low, our water is very good, our expenses here are low and we live in the forest with much fresh water nearby. Nobody bothers us much here, yet people are friendly and eager to offer help if you need it. We don't have close neighbors since most of our area is hunting camps and that is just fine with me. Yes, NY has cold snowy winters, but if you are prepared for it, that isn't much of an issue and for me it is no issue at all. I can just be inside and work on my computer.
Then you would love VT then, it's called the Green Mountain state.
 
Right now....we live in the armpit of the earth...Housing so expensive 300sq ft rents out for close to $2000USD a month, buying a house...forget about it. Middle class is very rare! We got lucky and got a house when the market was crap 14years ago and it was still expensive!
Taxes are great, ill give them that....15% with the usual deductions...

Food, cheap to buy if you get local. (China) but you know what comes along with that. Restaurants for everyday of the year for 3 years.
Travel to Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore 1~5 hours away and cheap.
Locals are rude, obnoxious, greedy , dirty with no manners, and more worried about face than actually doing the right thing.
They complain about the Mainland Chinese but its actually the HK localones causing the problems.
I was here before and after the handover and can honestly say when the British left they took all the class with them.
I've lived and traveled quite a lot in the last 42 years of my life. Montana to the Seychelles...but Northern Michigan will always be home.
Good gun laws, people are friendly, looks like jobs are really starting to come back.
Hunting and fishing are good.
Taxes ok...really hope im not suffering from grass is greener syndrome...

7 months....7 months and we will see
 
Right now....we live in the armpit

7 months....7 months and we will see
7 months will be over before you know it. You'll be busy getting ready for the move, plus your job. Staying busy is the key! It's to bad y'all are moving so far away from here. I'd like to meet you and your family!
 
Right now....we live in the armpit of the earth...Housing so expensive 300sq ft rents out for close to $2000USD a month, buying a house...forget about it. Middle class is very rare! We got lucky and got a house when the market was crap 14years ago and it was still expensive!
Taxes are great, ill give them that....15% with the usual deductions...

Food, cheap to buy if you get local. (China) but you know what comes along with that. Restaurants for everyday of the year for 3 years.
Travel to Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore 1~5 hours away and cheap.
Locals are rude, obnoxious, greedy , dirty with no manners, and more worried about face than actually doing the right thing.
They complain about the Mainland Chinese but its actually the HK localones causing the problems.
I was here before and after the handover and can honestly say when the British left they took all the class with them.
I've lived and traveled quite a lot in the last 42 years of my life. Montana to the Seychelles...but Northern Michigan will always be home.
Good gun laws, people are friendly, looks like jobs are really starting to come back.
Hunting and fishing are good.
Taxes ok...really hope im not suffering from grass is greener syndrome...

7 months....7 months and we will see
You said armpit, my first thought was New Jersey.
 
We were looking at Kentucky/West By God Virginia for quite a while, beautiful countrydown that ways!
But, after 23 years out of the US my wife and I thought it would be a good idea to move to where we at least know the area and a few people in the area as well. Moving blind to a new state and no local contacts, from overseas might not be the smartest idea.
The option to sell the house and move is always on the table. Especially being the only sane ( read: not screaming liberal hippie) one in the family besides my father.
My wife and I want to raise our son with good Christian and old fashioned American values. There is a pretty big Orthodox community in the area we are moving so that was a big factor in our decision.
Plus, seasons! Winter, spring summer and autumn! Not, hot, rainy, hot and rainy , humid, dry and beautiful for 6 weeks then back to hot humid and rainy...
 

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