The Tuesday 4...

 Thanks to Annie for today's Tuesday 4 questions.  You can join in HERE!

Staying Put/Moving On

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Sometimes we live in the same place where we were born and remain there all of our lives.  Sometimes we move away and never come back because of jobs, marriage, or circumstances of all kinds.

Sometimes we choose where we will live, and we have definite reasons for staying there even though we might be far from family.

1. Are you far from family, and if so, why? Would you like to have them closer, and have you discussed that with them?

Yes, I am far from family, though some are now closer than they were!  As with many folks, Joe and I got tired of the snow, ice, and cold "up north", as well as all the traffic in the Washington, DC, metro areas.  We were vacationing in central Florida and looked at houses one day with a realtor.  We bought a house while on vacation.  Total surprise and seemed ridiculous to most, but it was meant to be.  We try to talk family into moving here all the time.  Joey (oldest son) is five hours away now, instead of 18 hours away.  My youngest sister is five hours away now.  Granddaughter Lauren is three hours away (grandson Tristan moved north to the DC area for a job).  A nephew and his wife retired to South Carolina, from Maryland.  Nephew Mike and wife Megan are in Tallahassee. Megan is finishing her Master's Degree at FL State.  This is a great place for family and friends to vacation, and my home is always open.  Come on down!

2. How did you come to live in the state you are in? How about the city/town?  My parents and grandparents were snowbirds in Lake County, FL.  That is north of Polk County, where I live now.  We were visiting my folks when we visited Lakeland and fell in love with it.

3. What good things keep you living where you are?  What's good about your state and town?  Lakeland is beautiful, we are not in a flood zone, this is where people evacuate to during hurricanes, but we are close to Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Sarasota, etc.  In two hours or less, we can be enjoying most of the big tourist attractions (or not), and the weather is wonderful most of the year.  We just stay in where the AC feels good in June, July, and August.  I've been here since 1989 and can't imagine living anywhere else.

4. What things might convince you to move to another state or just another town?  I am not even considering a move.  I am so comfortable here.  This is home.

        Peace and Hugs!

"There is beauty all around, when there's love at home; There is joy in ev'ry sound, when there's love at home. Peace and plenty here abide, smiling sweet on ev'ry side; Time doth softly, sweetly glide, when there's love at home."