Come to Washington DC.....our idea of a "natural disaster" is 2 inches of snow
) or at WDW....keep going! we can't let our page totals fall in their absence!
I often wonder when they "close" the federal gov't for snow...how much of the country laughs at us
When I told Vanessa (remember she is from Norway) that one inch of snow closes school...she could not believe it. They have NEVER closed schools ever for snow.
Washingtonians are terrified of snow and think 4 wheel drive will get them through anything
including ice! If it even starts to snow, the roads are a horrible mess with accidents. Being raised in CT, this was a hard concept for me to understand, but now I don't drive in the snow just because I am so scared of everyone else out there on the road. 
I often wonder when they "close" the federal gov't for snow...how much of the country laughs at us
When I told Vanessa (remember she is from Norway) that one inch of snow closes school...she could not believe it. They have NEVER closed schools ever for snow.
I'll be honest...I'm pretty done with CA. I'm not a native Californian so it's easier for me to say that than perhaps for others but I know we'll not retire in this state. It is beautiful and the weather is awesome but it's so ridiculously expensive and the lifestyle is paced so fast...I'm just ready for a change in the near future. I know every state has it's natural disaster burdens but this latest round of fires really has made me uncomfortable at best. We lived near Laguna Canyon in 1994 when the terrible fires were there and the terror in seeing every ridge on fire in every direction we turned nearly did me in. But time past and we forgot, and then we moved and that was that. However, this has reminded me all too well and now we have children to consider which we didn't back then and I truly see how stressed they are. It's just not worth it anymore.
We saw them too. I saw 4 before my player froze. It now seems to be back up, but nothing is happening. I also think one was a juvenile.
Glad to hear they and their house are safe. I checked on them earlier in the week, and they evacuated early and fortunately found a hotel room.
I'll be honest...I'm pretty done with CA. I'm not a native Californian so it's easier for me to say that than perhaps for others but I know we'll not retire in this state. It is beautiful and the weather is awesome but it's so ridiculously expensive and the lifestyle is paced so fast...I'm just ready for a change in the near future. I know every state has it's natural disaster burdens but this latest round of fires really has made me uncomfortable at best. We lived near Laguna Canyon in 1994 when the terrible fires were there and the terror in seeing every ridge on fire in every direction we turned nearly did me in. But time past and we forgot, and then we moved and that was that. However, this has reminded me all too well and now we have children to consider which we didn't back then and I truly see how stressed they are. It's just not worth it anymore.
!
I'll be honest...I'm pretty done with CA. I'm not a native Californian so it's easier for me to say that than perhaps for others but I know we'll not retire in this state. It is beautiful and the weather is awesome but it's so ridiculously expensive and the lifestyle is paced so fast...I'm just ready for a change in the near future. I know every state has it's natural disaster burdens but this latest round of fires really has made me uncomfortable at best. We lived near Laguna Canyon in 1994 when the terrible fires were there and the terror in seeing every ridge on fire in every direction we turned nearly did me in. But time past and we forgot, and then we moved and that was that. However, this has reminded me all too well and now we have children to consider which we didn't back then and I truly see how stressed they are. It's just not worth it anymore.
I love the dry weather here. No natural disasters here(no hurricanes,earthquakes,tornadoes...rare for fires it's usually in the middle of nowhere)...but hot in the summer that's when everyone either goes to Flagstaff or San Diego and vacation. The cost of living is less than CA. The schools aren't suppose to be good here but it depends where you live or go...our neighborhood school is a perfect 10(greatschools.com),excelling, A+, we have the wal-mart AZ state teacher of the year, FLAP grant for next 3 years, top test scores, and spanish immersion...So it depends where you live or where your kids go to school...Every school in our district is an excelling school. We like it here and there are a lot of people from CA here
Spent the first 22 years of my life in SoCal. Shawn pretty much grew up in NoCal before moving down to Irvine. At least in our situation, you tend to get caught up in the lifestyle of Southern California - it can be amazing! With that said, I can't ever see us moving back to California. Neither one of us has any desire to do so. We loved Oregon, we didn't care for Washington D.C. (sorry the MD side is kinda, well boring - my cousin Tom lived in Centreville and we really enjoyed visiting him there. Love that Costco! His house is the house where half the basement was a gun safe - strange). Anyway, we really enjoy Arizona too. We would love to move to Florida though. Really miss the beach. Kind of rambling here, and don't really know my point!! We didn't like the idea of moving from SoCal when we did, but it has turned out to be one of our best decisions - I think that is my point
We love it here...but we miss the beach. We try to visit the beach when we vacation...we are so close to CA but I do have to say I like FL beaches better with the warm water but don't like the humidity in FL.
Trying to keep up with the thread It's been so busy here with bday parties, soccer games, school, etc...but then some sad things happened that threw me for a loop. I hope everyone is well. ) 
It's been so busy here with bday parties, soccer games, school, etc...but then some sad things happened that threw me for a loop. I hope everyone is well.
Hope all is well for you (re: sad things). I know how crazy it can be with bdays and soccer. We had 4 birthday parties last week-end!Well, have a good night everyone.
Hi everyone,
Yes, I'm alive and well. I've even been lurking off and on over the past several weeks. I had this fantasy at one point that I might get caught up on the pages I'd missed (that was back around Sept. 18th!). I'd read some, but then miss a few days and then be even *further* behind.
I'd think about dropping in and just posting a "hi, I'm here" post, but like I told ibouncetoo today on the phone, it seemed almost rude, like bursting into a crowded room and shouting "Hello" to everyone, interrupting the conversations. I felt like I needed to get a feel for what was going on, who was doing what, who was sick, who was dealing with difficult times, etc. before I just started jabbering away. (Do you think that I *think* too much??? I have been accused of that!
Another problem was I wanted to let everyone know what I've been doing--I've been doing some cool things--but I usually end up getting online kind of late at night, and then I just didn't have the energy to compose something!
Blah, blah, blah....
So here I am! In a nutshell:
My reunion was wonderful! Everyone had so much fun that we're getting together again in 2 years. Half of the surviving class came to the reunion (52 alumni). The weather was beyond miserable. It was so freakin' hot! Also, a monsoon storm blew up right before the Sat. night dinner, there was a lightning strike and 2 hrs. into the party the electricity went off (no air conditioning and pitch black). It didn't come back on for 2.5 hrs. Needless to say, everyone was long gone before then! So the big evening was cut way short, but everyone still had fun. Maybe that's why everyone is so anxious to get together again soon!
After the reunion I was away from home several days, down in Scottsdale and back.
Oct. 7--13 my sister & went to LA and Disneyland. We saw Wicked (wonderful), went to dinner and shows at The Magic Castle Club in LA (so much fun!), had a day at the beach (perfect weather) and 2 days at DL and CA (not nearly enough time, but sis had to get home).
Again, home a few days, in Scottsdale a few days. Tomorrow my nephew is coming up to spend the weekend. I'm having a garage sale Sat. so have been madly cleaning out the past week. Sunday I take him home to Scottsdale, Wed. I go back for Dr. appt. and Halloween party w/him, his family and friends.
I didn't realize how "on the go" I was going to be the last 6 weeks. It's all good, lots of fun. October is my absolute, 100%, without a doubt FAVORITE month of the year! Every day I look at the changing leaves, feel the fall air, and just giggle with glee! SUMMER IS OVER!!!! YEA!!!!
Hi to everyone--I'll drop in as much as I can until life slows down a bit!
