Where do you live ??

[andcohen]

Ok, as I just said in another post I am so fascinated with Amercia ( & other places ) I would love to visit one day, so tell me about what it's likeliving in the USA. Where do you live & what it's like? Do you live in the city, country? A house, ranch, apartment, whatever?? I just thought this would be really intresting for someone who is completly taken in by your country, & would love to get there one day. Mabey us Aussie's should take a trip one day!!!!!!
Andrea :)

[ICNDonna]

We live on six acres about 10 miles outside of a fairly large city. The Oregon coast is only 75 miles from our house so we get there fairly often. There are lots of different things to do in our area. If you ski, the ski slopes are near; we have many lakes and rivers if you like boating or fishing; there are hot springs in the foothills very near.

On the down side, we get lots of rain in the winter, but on the up side, our weather is usually very mild with only a few days of freezing temperatures in winter.

We have a 27 foot motor home which we use mostly for beach trips --- I do like having our bathroom with us --- plus I prepare our meals so don't have to worry about eating out.

We have outstanding medical facilities, which is a real blessing.

Donna

[andcohen]

Thanks Donna for the response, it truely sounds like a lovely place.
You must be the only one over there that lives anywhere, HA HA Just kidding Guys. Come on tell me about wonderfull Amercia!!!!
Andrea

[Sheri Brown]

Hi Andrea, I live in Spring Lake Michigan(united states) I live in a huge remodled farm house. I live in the country. It is so nice to walk out back to hunt or just go on a nature hike. I am 37 a mother of 6 and a grandmother of 1. I am a stay at home mom who is always on the go.Five of my children live at home and 4 out of the 5 r in sports. So yes I am very busy. IC has really been hard on me and my family. I dont have the energy I had before. I had a full Hysterectomy and a bladder sling done in June. I am still in the healing stage. Since my surgeries I havent been able to empty my bladder so now I am going to a different Uro. to get a second opinion. I love my country but I am very interested in yours. I bet it is beautiful there.

[dg2901]

I live in an area of Virginia (east coast) known as Hamptonroads. I'm between Norfolk Naval Base, in Norfolk,VA and Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach,VA. I'm roughtly 15-20 minutes north of the North Carolina/Virginia border. This area is very coastal with the Intercoastal Waterway, Elizabeth River, Atlantic Ocean, Nansemond River, Potomac River, James River all within 30 minutes of my house. The mountains are roughly a 3-4 hour drive away. I'm also 45 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg, 3 hours away from Washington DC, and 2 hours away from Nags Head, North Carolina/The Outer Banks.

Now, reciprocate and tell us all about how the Aussies live.
Stay well
diana

[Babs RN]

Andrea,
I think I posted this somewhere, but will post here too. Great idea! I am 34(turn 35 on the 15th)and live at Fort Irwin, CA. We live in the Mojave desert about 40 miles from the nearest town. I call the road into post the world's largest cul-de-sac because it is a 2 lane road on and off post. Fort Irwin is the Army's desert warfare training center. We actually lived here from 1993 to 1997 and met when I was a nurse in the Army and my hubby and I lived in the BOQs (single officer housing). I attended nursing school in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated from high school in Hawaii. We are about an two hours from Disneyland. We have some interesting wildlife out here including the chuckwalla(a funky rodent type thing)coyotes, three species of rattlesnake, endangered desert tortoise, some scorpions, and tarantulas.

Hugs,
Barb :grouphug:

[Babs RN]

PS I an the mother of one(or 2 if you count hubby). Lindsey is 5 and in kindergarten this year. Certainly keeps her mommy on her toes.

Hugs,
Barb :grouphug:

[Sarojini]

I live just outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina (East Coast of US). We live on three acres in a great house in the middle of the woods. We're about 8-10 miles from downtown Winston-Salem, but the area is rural... you can pass a large ranch full of cows while coming to our house!! The mountains begin in just a 45 minute drive; they get bigger and turn into the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains if you drive 2 hours. The mountains are to the west of us. The beach, on the other hand, is a four hour drive east from us (we can get to the Outer Banks as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina -- it depends on whether you like the more desolate beach feeling or the party town feeling), so that is a pretty easy trip too as long as one doesn't mind stopping to pee... ;)

I work at the largest medical center in the area. I'm married, and we have a cat and a dog who we love like children (no actual kids though).

[Dianne]

Uh, Donna, what's your address? LOL What a great thread. Let's me know who I need to suck up to. We live in Helena, Montana. Ok, I'm 51, happily married for 12 years. No kids by choice, a Sheltie and a Mini Schnauzer and we're "expecting" a Schnauzer puppy from a litter in Austin, TX. I'm an RN and work two 12-hour shifts/week as the day shift charge nurse on an OB floor. For hobbies we camp and we show our dogs in obedience/agility. Mattie and I finished our "UD" standing for utility dog (advanced obedience title) in Perry, GA in April, an accomplishment of a lifetime for us. My husband shows our Sheltie in agility. We live in a 2 story cedar home on the hillside overlooking the city. From our front window I can see the Capital, the Cathedral, the college, the mountains. Behind us is a forested hillside. We have snow 6 months out of the year and only 2 months of summer. We have deer in our yard all the time, usually sleeping outside the front and back doors - twin fawns at the moment. My own webpage is here: http://www.geocities.com/montanapets/ Pictures of our city are here: http://www.ci.helena.mt.us/ and our state is here: http://www.mt.gov On the state one, click on the "photo gallery" under the big picture. Also click on tourism and the parks: Yellowstone and Glacier. We have the prettiest state by far! Am I a little predjudiced?

[VickiB]

No Dianne, you're not! Montana truly is beautiful. Originally my husband and I wanted to settle near Libby or Troy MT, but there was no work to be found in that area. So we ended up just across the border in Idaho. We buy Montana fishing licenses and spend a fair amount of time 'next door'. Helena is a pretty town by the way!

Okay, I live in Idaho near the Canadian border. This area is mountainous with evergreen forest. 75% of the land is government owned, so there's lots of places to get away from it all. Our county population is around 10,000, but we've been "discovered" and people are moving in daily. -They'll probably move back out when they discover how hard it is to make a living here! We have 41 acres of wooded land and built our house in the middle of it. Our place is backed up to 10,000 acres of national forest, so I walk out the back door to go hunting. We have five months with snow on the ground, but our winter temperatures are way mild compared to you northern folks on the east side of the US Rockies. We have plenty of wildlife including deer (whitetail & mulies), elk, moose, bear (black & grizzly), mountain lions, coyotes, wolves, and more smaller critters than anyone wants to read about.

Vicki

[IcyAngel23]

Andrea-

I'm 23 and I live in Chicago IL (USA). It is the third largest city in the usa. Things are very fast pace here. I love it. We have the Sears Tower(not sure what it ranks but it is one of the top 10 largest buildings) , a beautiful skyline on Lake Michigan and a melting pot of culture. I've lived here my whole life and still there is so much I haven't seen. We are known for our deep dish pizza. It is to die for. I'm not sure what your hobbies are but music and dance clubs are in a neverending supply.
My cousin lives in Melbourne but I've never been. Tell me about Austrialia.

Kristin

[andcohen]

Well everyone thanks so much for joining in on this thread. As I said I am truly fasinated by Amercia & the different way of life over there. I am a bit supprised by the amount of you that live in the country rather than in large cities, I guess my first thoughts of America are Los Vagas, New york, Chicago etc. Which would be fabulous, but I must say all these wide open spaces & woods sound remarkable, Although I don't know if I like the sound of some of those pets that you get at your place Barb, The sound of those snakes & siders YUK!
Good one Dianne, lets start sucking up now! :biglaugh: & thanks very much for the links that you posted, grate to see some pictures to put with these wild dreams I have in my head. So anyone else want to share pictures of there little peice of the world please do, I will see if I can come up with some of our Aussie land for you.
Sheri. How do you manage all those children & IC OMG a gold medel for you :woohoo:
Donna I agree, what was your address again????? :)
The only thing I don't know if I could stand in some of these areas is that cold & on snow, I have only seen the snow once & would love to take Cohen ( my son) I think a few days & I would be ready for a bit of sunshine.
CHICARGO what a place to see. It must be because I see it in so many movies. OH well guess I can keep dreaming.
Well Australia.... What can I tell you without taking too long. For a start we only have 6 states including Tasmaina which is just below us & I have never seen. Western Australia,New South Whales, South Australia,Victoria , Australian Capitial Territory ( ACT) Northan Territory. I live in Mildura Victoria in what they like to call a small citiy/ large town?? who knows. I think from memory the pop. is about 54.000 & growing like wild fire. It is quiet a rural area no large buildings or anything like that, we have a few double stories but that's about it. We have quite a large Italian community & have huge wide open spaces, plenty of fresh produce,citrus & alot of farming areas, mainly wheat farming & a bit of cattle. Our biggest area is properly grape growing but alot of these areas are now selling off & being sub-divided into housing areas.
To travel from one state to another is usualy a very boring drive with nothing for miles & miles but bushland ( gum trees, shrubs & red dirt) Although it is not to bad at the moment because we have had alot more rain this year so everything is nice & green. We have Kangaroos hopping down the main street. JUST KIDDING :biglaugh: No you only find those as you start to head out of town in the bushland. I have to drive 1hr to work on the most boreing stretch of road & I see plenty of them.
I have never been to Perth as it is too far away but Melbourne & Adelaide are fantastic places. QLD, is a large state with alot of it base along the coast line. We have a few other on the boards from the different states so maybey if they drop in they will be able to tell you a bit about where they a from.
Ok that's all from me for now I have written half a novel as usual, & thanks again for telling me a bit about your side of the world. It's just nice for talk about something else & not IC. :)
Andrea :grouphug:
P.S our weather here in Mildura is the best, we don't get alot of cold but boy oh boy you could fry an egg on the pavement in the summer... I love the summer

[Sheri Brown]

Andrea, Some days I feel like screaming and others I just want to hug them and squeeze them for being really great kids. Recovering from my surgeries has been really tuff. Every morning I have to get my 5 children off to school. my 2 youngest have 1/2 days. Kindergarten and preschool. The other 3 r in 4th,7th and 8th grade. I get fustrated when I feel like laying down with some pain killers and I cant because mothers dont have a right to feel ill. We have to suck it up and keep the family going. If I didn't get up to take care of my kids then nothing would get done. How would they get to practice, who would remind them of practices and Drs. appointments? So u see we mothers need to have bodies of steel. With God on my side he will givbe me the strength to get up everyday to take care of my family. Do u have an email address? I can send u a picture of my huge family. Mine is oldladyinashoesix@yahoo.com. If u have yahoo we can Instant message each other. Your IC Pal Sheri

[andcohen]

HI Sheri, that was a quick response you must be online at the same time. Sorry I don't have yahoo & they only email address is my hubby's but that is fine to use Justmf@bigpond.com.au otherwise you could always PM me anytime. Sometimes I don't get the computer all the time ( on a roll at the moment) I would love to see a photo of the family. WE have only got a scanner this week for the computor & not being all that switched on in that area I will have to get Justin ( MY Hubby) to give me a little bit a of a lesson soon. Anyway you won't get a picture of me I am at the start of a very strict diet try to loss a whole bunch of weight, so maybey a bit latter on as I am very camera shy at the moment, unless you want to see one from a few years ago when the weight wasn't an issue :biglaugh:.
OMG I just relized it's after midnight here on Tuesday evening & all the meds still haven't kicked in, looks like no sleep again for me :mad:
Ok great to have met you & look foward to seeing a face to put to the name.
Actually that would be a great idea for another thread. We should all send a picture of ourselves ( those who want to) Mabey you could start that one I think everyone will be sick to death of me over the last few days :biglaugh:
Take Care
Andrea :flower:

[SandyRN]

Lets see...I live in Charlotte, NC, not too far from Jen up there in Winston Salem. I am in the city limits so everything is nearby...If I want big buildings and night life (yeah, right LOL) I have about a 10 minute drive to the city. If I want country, I can drive 5 minutes down the road, to a one lane bridge and get to the stables and pasture where my daughter takes horseback riding lessons.

Charlotte is one of the few big cities I've seen that tries to keep it's trees...it makes it a really pretty place, especially in the Spring when everything is blooming. We don't get very much snow here, but when we do the entire city shuts down, for a couple inches of snow.

There is a big amusement park, Carowinds, nearby on the South Carolina line, that has huge roller coasters, and a water park....there are museums, theater, symphony, and lots of festivals and fun things to do here.

I used to live in Minnesota, one of the coldest places on the planet I believe---and I lived there for only 13 months because I am originally from Atlanta, GA, lived there 31 years and lived with a climate exactly like I live in now. To go from easy winters, long summers, to lonnnnnng, cold, blizzards and 75 degree below zero wind chill temps was not easy for me, so we wound up here, back in the south, where I can get my sweet tea and grits!!!

I have 3 kids, boy, girl, boy, 17, 12, and 10...oldest is graduating from high school this year :( sniff....a dalmation whom I adore, and 5 kitty cats that keep me company when I'm feeling especially sick.

I'm a nurse on disability trying to get a part time job, 1 or 2 days a week to give me some of my life back.....

I live with my long term bf, who puts up with me and all my illnesses, aches and pains, and still manages to ask me EVERY day how I feel, and he really wants to know how I feel! Amazing!

Thanks for starting this thread, its so fun to read where other's live.

Sandy

[SADoss2]

Hello from Harrison, TN.(Just outside of Chattanooga). I live in a middle sized subdivision. We are about 20 minutes from any of our mountains(which are gorgeous in the fall). We have Lookout Mountain, Signal mountain, White Oak mountain and Sand Mountain. Our area attractions are Rock City and Ruby Falls. I am a stay at home mother of 2. My daughter is 8 and my son is 3. I do not currently work because dealing with my IC and IBS and my 2 children is a full time job in itself. I would love to travel when the kids are grown, but my hubby is a homebody. Thank goodness for the internet! haha

[Moby]

Hi from the nation's capital! I work in washington dc and live right outside the city in alexandria, va. DC is great - tons of monuments, museums, free concerts, etc. There are truly a million things to do. I live in the burbs outside of the city and take the metro to work, which is quick and lets me avoid all of the traffic! I can kayak on the potomac which is right by my townhouse, and bike up to mt vernon estates, the home of George Washington! It's beautiful here and a place everyone should definitely visit! :) Dianne

[DENISE31]

Hi! I Live In A Small Town Boaz, Alabama. It Is In The Country, We Have 60 Goats, 5 German Pointer Puppies, 2 Great Pyranis Puppies And 2 Grown Dogs, 14 Rabbits And They Are Expecting. I Have A Wonderful Husband Kevin And A Son 12 Kody, Mothers Day Last Year We Adopted Twins Laura And Nita, They Are Sioux Indian, They Are 2 Years Old.

I Work For Wqsb Radio. I Get To Go To Alot Of Country Concerts And We Also Have A Gospel Station So I Also Hear Alot Of Gospel Groups. We Also Are Not Far From The Talladega Race Way It Is About 45 Minutes Away. We Have Alot Of Lakes, And State Parks. We Also Have Many Shopping Centers.

It Hardly Ever Snows Only About Once Or Twice A Year The Rest Of The Time It Is In The 70 Or 80's. We Have Nice Weather Most Of The Time.

Thanks For Starting This. It Was Nice To Read Where Everyone Is From.

Denise

[Kathi]

I live in Florida, near Tampa, it's about 1/2 hr. away. We have warm weather year round, summer's feel too long, as they are quite humid. We have the Gulf of Mexico 5 mins away, Disneyworld about an hour. There's always something to do here because of the great weather. We live in an "active, senior community" with a golf course & tennis courts. We have a great clubhouse with many activites daily. They put live shows once monthly, we have a computer/library, workshop, card room & resturant. It's a great place to live & my 9 grandkids are 5 minutes away & come often to swim in our pool. Well, I got carried away too, blabbing. Kathi

[Katrina]

:hi: Andrea, I live outside of Green Bay WI. I live in the country in a rach style house. Green Bay is about 20 minutes away which is plenty big for me. I particularly love the changing seasons, water (which there is lot being near Lake Michigan) and all of the parks near by.

One of the draw backs I supose of living here is that during Spring and Fall we can go through days of wanting to use the airconditioner to days of wanting the heater on in the same week...which also makes us vulnerable to colds and severe weather. I personally feel pretty safe in doors even during severe weather.

[~*~Christine~*~]

I'm a big-city girl ;)
I live in Mississauga, Ontario, which is pretty much part of Toronto, with my parents ( :help: ) in a small, 3 story townhouse. I have lived all over the city, though, including downtown.

[JenG]

Hi Andrea!

I live in San Juan Capistrano, California (where the swallows return every year!). It is a small historic town, spanish style homes with an old town feeling - we love it. We are about 1/2 way between San Diego and Los Angeles, so we can get to a big city with about an hour drive - close enough for me!

My husband and I grew up in Ohio, lived in Atlanta for a couple of years, then Chicago for 7 years before moving to southern California about 10 years ago. My oldest daughter is Chicago born, but my youngest is a native Californian! We miss Chicago the most - if it weren't for the weather we might still be living there.

We would love to visit Australia! It is one of our dream vacations we hope to take some day. My husband is a sailor, so he has been fasinated with it for years. One of our brother-in-laws was born in Australia, then raised in England. We hope he will take us there one day to visit.

Take care!

[SharonA]

My turn to join in. :) :) :)

I am an Air Force brat which means that I have lived all over the place. Right now, I live in Memphis, Tennessee. Well, actually I live in a small suburban town right outside of Memphis. I have lived here for 10 years.

Memphis is known for it's Bar B Que...the best in the world and Elvis :elvis: . He lived here at Graceland, his home for many years after he became famous. He also died there. We have many of his fans come here throughtout the year to visit his home. They come in droves twice a year...his birthday and the day he died.

Before moving to Memphis, my husband and I lived in Cleveland, Tennessee for almost 8 years. (It is about 30 miles from Chattanooga where SaDoss2 lives.) It is absolutely beautiful there. The town is in the foot hills of the Smokey Mountains. Lots of lush, green rolling hills, valleys and rivers.

Before Cleveland, I lived in California in the Central Valley. If you look at a map of California, you will find the town where I mostly grew up (in between Air Force Bases) right in the middle of the state. If you have ever watched "The Big Valley" on television...that is what it is like. It is a very large valley between the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range (Rocky Mountains) and the Coastal Mountain Range. There are lots of citrus trees, peach trees, wine grape vines, just about any vegetable crop...and tumble weeds.

I was born in Illinois. I have lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Okinawa, Japan; Shreveport, Louisiana; Sharon, Wisconsin (yes...I was named after that town); Atwater, California; Loring AFB, Maine (up in the northeast corner of the US, twelve miles from the Canadian border...burrrrrr...six weeks of spring and summer, some of the most beautiful fall days on the earth and the rest of the time there is snow on the ground); Atwater, California; Owensville, Indiana (where my son was born); Atwater, California; San Jose, California; Cleveland, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee; Minnetonka, Minnesota; High Point, North Carolina (in-between where Jen lives in Winston-Salem and Sandy lives in Charlotte); Memphis, Tennessee; Douglas, Georgia (where hubby and I fell in love with Amelia Island, Flordia which was only a two hour drive from where we lived); and back to Tennessee...in that order.

Phew...I'm tired from all the moving around. Some of it was because my dad was in the Air Force, some of my own doing and some since my hubby and I have been married. Some day, my husband and I hope to retire to Amelia Island, Flordia.

:) :) :)

[dansfever]

I live in wyandotte, Michigan about 2miles from Detriot. I like it in every season it's really not to hot or to cold. I love it here.
____________
Veronica

[Cheries]

Wow. Very interesting posts! I live in Houston Texas (outlying subburb)and am turning 40 this year. I was diagnosed with IC when I was 29. It's been a rough 10 plus years. I have two girls and work full-time as a teacher. I teach Theatre, so you can imagine how pysical that is. I was raised in Santa Barbara California which is basically paradise so nothing compares to that! Houston is an amazing city. For the ammount of medical centers here it is amazing how I always manage to get the poor medical care but for everything else it is pretty good. I live about 25 minutes from the beach so we enjoy going there although the water is warm and it is not nearly as beautiful as California beaches.

[charmedx3]

:dance: Hi! I am in northern California! We have great weather here, most of the time! We have had snow 1(maybe 2) time that i can remember in 30 yrs!We do get some wet weather at times and some flooding but for the most part great weather. We are right in "Wine Country" the beach is about a 30 min drive. San Francisco is 50 miles south. If you have seen "the birds" that was filmed here. I love to go see Luther Burbank gardens in Santa Rosa. I can't think of anything else!

[massagedoula]

I live in Olympia Washington. It was not always the case, I grew up in Lavallette, NJ and lived in Europe for 3 years. I have travelled the world, gone all over the USA and Canada, all over Eastern and Western Europe, SE Asia, and yes....Australia. I even went to Mildura, believe it or not! (Looking for work picking fruit.)

Now I live in Olympia and love it here. We bought a house on 5 acres outside of the city (Olympia is more like a town than a city) and it is clear and hot in the summer and rainy and misty all the rest of the year. I do miss winter snows though. It barely snows here. I love the farmers market where you can get all sorts of locally-grown organic veggies and fruits, and I love the fact that the Olympic Penninsula and rain forest and coast are nearby (1-3 hours away). Salmon run right through downtown each year. You can stand on the 5th street bridge and watch them flash in the Puget Sound below and watch the cute harbor seals try to eat them.

I am glad that I did lots of travelling before I got IC, but I don't plan to let it stop me, because I am going to get better! I am already planning to go to Vanuatu in my senior year of midwifery school to do an apprenticeship there.

[callie0767]

i live in the midwest - indiana (hoosier state).famous for bobby knight former basketball coach at iu and larry bird who attented indiana state university.great state to live in -we enjoy all seasons but bitter cold winters. i live in terre haute which is about an hour west of indianapolis which is the capitol of indiana and about 4 hours from chicago illinois. its a small town with not much entertaiment wise but is where i was born and raised. luckily we are not too far from indianapolis which is great for shoping/entertainment and of course home to the colts!

[mary124]

Hi-- I live in the Southwestern part of the U.S. (in Texas) in a small town right outside of Austin, called Hutto. When we moved here about 3 years ago there was nothing out there, now there is going to be a freeway ( with a tollroad) , hospital, college (but still no grocery store!!)

We are about 40 miles outside of Austin (takes about 1 hr. to get to work ( I work for the State of Texas --this October has been 20 years

We live in a manufactured housing on about an acre out in the "country" its in a community but the neighbors are not really close enough that you can see each other like you can if you live in a house!

We moved out here when my eldest graduated from HS (right before my youngest started HS) because he was having trouble with the Austin schools) -- who is now a Senior himself and doing really well in school.

We have lived out here for almost 25 years and LOVE IT!!

Was born in California, moved out here after graduating from high school.
Lived in the Houston area for a few years.

[Rosalie]

I have only just found this thread. Andrea, what a great idea.
We have grown up here watching a lot of American TV so feel we know so much about your country. Our films and television programs now have changed that ratio and hopefully we can return the complement and our culture becomes familar to you.
The one thing that stands out to me reading all your posts, is how proud of your country you are. And rightfully so.
I feel the same and couldn't envisage ever leaving. Travelling, to me, would be mostly to meet people and see the differences in cultures.

I live in Melbourne, which is a very large sprawling city on the southern part of the continent. Built at the head of Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is known as the cultural heart of Australia (hotly contested). Being multicultural we have hundreds of wonderful cafes, everything from Tibetan to Turkisk, Rumanian to Russian.
We are the home of the Austalian ballet and our National Art Gallery is world renown.

Melbourne plays host to major sporting events including the Grand Prix not to mention our own Australian rules football - the major religion in these parts.

Musicals, drama ,opera,comedy and a vibrant nightlife keep the city alive. There is so much entertainment you would have to be out every night just to keep up with it all.

Our air and water are clean and I feel safe here. We are not subject to cyclones, tornedos or earthquakes. On a global stage, Melbourne has been ranked as one of the "most livable"cities.

In summer we can visit the beaches of gorgeous white sand and torquoise sea or just play cricket in the back yard. In winter, there are the snowfields to the north or the footy match on the weekend. I can shop for the best fresh produce, everything from bok choy to sauerkraut right in my supermarket or visit the city market gardens of Werribee or Baccus Marsh.

I know I've been rabbiting on here a bit but, like you, I love my city, my country and wish you all could come to visit me here. I'd have the kettle on in a flash and a party organized before you could say Jack Robinson!

[tigger_gal]

Hi there.. I am 39, have one child, a daughter 17, and I am married, I have 3 dogs, sir lucky, beautiful bear, and pretty piper.
I live in Hazel Park Michigan, Just outside of Detriot... We have 2 seasons.. Winter and Construction. Every where you go you have to watch for massive pot holes... I kid you not... We are surrounded by all the great lakes, Michigan is the the only state sorrounded with the most fresh water.
There are actually many things to do in Michigan:
http://www.frankenmuth.org/
http://www.mackinacisland.org

http://www.detroittours.net/?OVRAW=michigan%20tours&OVKEY=michigan%20tour&OVMTC=standard
http://www.ring.com/michigan.htm

[work it]

LOL tigger_gal I love the 2 seasons..sounds like where I am from. SOUTH DAKOTA mostly famous for mount rushmore and the Sturgis bike ralley. You will see a lot of corn fields while driving anywhere in south dakota. It does have it's pretty spots though and if you are not from around here you can find many things to do.

[pingpong]

I love hearing about different parts of the world. I currently live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland's really a great place to live, in spite of the Cleveland jokes that made the rounds a couple of decades ago. Right now the fall colors are beautiful, especially in the huge park system that circles the city. Cleveland also has wonderful museums and one of the absolutely TOP symphony orchestras in the world. During the winter they perform in a beautiful art deco concert hall that was built in the 1930's. And in summer they perform at an outdoor venue called Blossom Music Center. It's a wonderful way to spend a summer evening: pack a picnic, find a spot on the lawn for your blanket, and enjoy the music.

I've done quite a bit of traveling, but my favorite city of all is Montreal, where I lived until I was fifteen. I visit as often as possible - my two sisters and I were there in June. (One sister lives nearby, and the other one lives about an hour from Toronto.) Maybe I can retire there some day - providing I can afford to not work. Sadly, I don't speak French very well, since I grew up in an anglophone area, and fluency in French is pretty much a prerequisite of employment in Quebec!

[tigger_gal]

oh the leaves are faling here and its beautiful..... just hate haing to rake and bag it..

[trytosmile]

Hi everyone....I live in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Just 30 minutes from the Canada/US border (Sarnia/Port Huron)

Like Tigger gal we too have two seasons, winter and construction. (My dad owns a construction company so I see it all year long).

I live on a 50 acre horse farm and completely gutted and renovated my grandparents farm house. The renovations are still in progress, little by little items are getting crossed off the list. We call it our "life in progress".

I am a domestic engineer and zoo keeper (14 horses, 1 dog, barn full of cats, and 5 cats in the house...thank goodness the house is big).

Quite often I go across the creek to Port Huron for shopping. My Red Wings are only an hours drive away !!!!

Would you believe right now I have a 3 month old kitten laying on the monitor top stretched over the front with his two paws laying on my screen. Hope I'm on the write keys cause I can't really see what I'm doing.... :rolleyes:

[dancemomof2]

Ok city girl here in a small town. I live in the mountains of WV. I am 45 minutes from 2 major ski resorts and have never been to either of them GO FIGURE. I am 33 married with 3 children bayleigh 13, Logan 9 and Colten 16 months. I have 4 dogs 2 Golden retrievers Montana and Maggie, and 2 brittany spaniels Roxy & Elsie. I spend my time being taxi mom from school , dance classes, band practice etc. So I guess you have figured out I am a stay at home mom to everyone LOL. my hubby works for the state prison system, recently retiring his narcotics canine due to the dog has nose cancer and diabetes. Love this thread so nice to see how everyone enjoys were they live.

[JenG]

Hey Pingpong,

What part of Cleveland do you live in? I grew up in Mayfield Hts. We're going back there in a few weeks to see relatives and friends. Your'e right- Cleveland is a nice place to live and it gets a bad rap. My husband's family is all from Toledo - so I hold the Cleveland superiority over them!

[tigger_gal]

trytosmile.......... :idea: :idea: maybe when I can afford it, we can go and meet at Casino Windsor... I haven't been there since Nov. of 2004....

[pingpong]

Hi Jenny...I'm in North Royalton.

Paula

[KShaff]

This is so cool reading where everyone lives. I was thinking I was the only one on this side of the states.

I'm 47 (oh gosh next month 48) in a suburb of Denver, the 'mile high' city for almost 20 years now and can usually see the city from my house unless the polution is bad. Today was beautiful, you could see all the way to Pikes Peak, just clear as a bell and it's about 70 miles away. That's rare indeed!!

It's just hubby and myself, never got lucky in the kids department even tho we tried every chance we could. No pets either and that's sad but doc requested no more with my allergies. We have our own businesses that we run out of the house so no commute! There's good and bad in that too tho. We're at work 24 hours a day so when we get a chance to go somewhere we take full advantage of it and are gone for a 2 weeks at a time, no phone or internet but must remember to pay bills ahead of time.

We love camping and traveling in the mountains around here. The Platte River runs just outside our house and we occasionally pan for gold. Too bad it's just flakes but gold anyway. When we go camping we go to the other side of the Contenental Divide to the headwaters of the Colorado River. 1 1/2 hours to get there and set up and we be free again!!! It's glorious.

We have all 4 seasons, spring and fall are the best with the weather being so nice but we also get blizzards at those times too. It was a miraculous fall this year, the colors were especially vibrant.

Being near the city, we have so much we could do but mostly we are 'sticks in the mud' and don't venture out much unless to go camping or my frequent trips to see my folks on the 'other side of the mountain'. It's a beautiful trip in the summer and have all my potty stops marked along the way.

Thanks again for starting this thread. It's wonderful!
Karen

[patricia1]

Here I go!!!

City girl married country boy and he took her to the woods. :biglaugh: Really I am in Louisiana I live 8 miles south of Mansfield, LA. In the woods. I am 34 have 2 kids (boy & girl 11 & 9) also my stepson who is 11 lives with us also. We have 2 dog (weenie dog and bassett hound) 3 rabbiets, one really FAT cat named Fat Cat or Kitty Kitty comes to both. I am a stay at home mom now due to SSD and not being able to work. I have been happly married for 5 yrs Dec 9.

How fun :)

[mom_in_ma]

What a great idea for a thread! I'm enjoying hearing about Australia and the rest of the US. I'll play too, here goes...

My husband and I live in Western Massachusetts in an area called the Berkshires (for the Berkshires Mountains), about three hours from Boston and three hours from New York city. It's a beautiful area of the country, although I haven't the heart to tell the native folks that their mountains are really just big hills. We moved here when I was offered a job about two years ago. Right now we're experiencing gorgeous fall weather. The leaves are all bright gold, red and orange. Stunning! We experience four distinct seasons in this area...and spring and fall are my favorite. Our town is small...we live in a real New England village. Although, I have to admit, that took some getting used to as my husband and I are city people at heart.

Prior to Massachusetts, we lived near massagedoula in Washington State. Yes, all the way on the other side of the country. Out of all the places I've lived (and there have been many) Washington state will forever be my favorite. I adored the mountains (real ones and even a live volcano!), the rain forests, and the ocean. I miss it every day!

[July]

I live in Chicagoland, the collective name of the suburbs of Chicago, home of the World Series Champion White Sox! Way to go, south side! Chicago is a beautiful city with a beautiful skyline. I'm looking forward to going to see the Christmas lights on Michigan Avenue next month. It seems like a lot of people who have posted are city dwellers who moved to the country. I'm the opposite. I'm a country girl who moved to the city!

[corena]

Hi There All My IC Sisters from All Over the US and Elsewhere. I'm Corena from Boston.
I moved to Boston at 18 years old, now I'm in my mid 50's with grown twin sons and a daughter who were born in Boston. I spent a lot of years in Oklahoma but moved around quite a lot since my Dad was military and my Mom taught school wherever we lived at that moment in time. I spent my high school years in California. I have been in Boston, forever now it seems but love it except for a couple of winter months. I like the energy of Boston which probably comes from our college kids around the world who come here to attend Harvard, MIT and some of our other well known colleges. Also as most of you know have some top knotch medical facilities here in Bean Town, MGM, Brigham & Women's, Lahey Clinic, our list goes on. Today, I saw my Doctor has Lahey re. IC. Finally, I am going to start taking the low dose of Oxycontin, 10 mg, mid afternoon and almost bedtime. I have exhausted the IC cocktail of medications. Including the ones that have now got my heart rate past 104. Never had racing heart and palpatations in my life until the IC meds. Now I am taking a heart med to bring supposely balance it all out. Hopefully, if Oxycontin agrees with me, if so, I won't need the heart med.and will be able to eliminate some of the othe IC meds like Urised which made me terrible ill.
Thanks for sharing your stories with all of us and Thanks for allowing me to share
my story with you.
Hugs and prayers from Boston
Corena

[corena]

:woohoo: Hi There All My IC Sisters from All Over the US and Elsewhere. I'm Corena from Boston.
I moved to Boston at 18 years old, now I'm in my mid 50's with grown twin sons and a daughter who were born in Boston. I spent a lot of years in Oklahoma but moved around quite a lot since my Dad was military and my Mom taught school wherever we lived at that moment in time. I spent my high school years in California. I have been in Boston, forever now it seems but love it except for a couple of winter months. I like the energy of Boston which probably comes from our college kids around the world who come here to attend Harvard, MIT and some of our other well known colleges. Also as most of you know have some top knotch medical facilities here in Bean Town, MGM, Brigham & Women's, Lahey Clinic, our list goes on. Today, I saw my Doctor has Lahey re. IC. Finally, I am going to start taking the low dose of Oxycontin, 10 mg, mid afternoon and almost bedtime. I have exhausted the IC cocktail of medications. Including the ones that have now got my heart rate past 104. Never had racing heart and palpatations in my life until the IC meds. Now I am taking a heart med to bring supposely balance it all out. Hopefully, if Oxycontin agrees with me, if so, I won't need the heart med.and will be able to eliminate some of the othe IC meds like Urised which made me terrible ill.
Thanks for sharing your stories with all of us and Thanks for allowing me to share
my story with you.
Hugs and prayers from Boston
Corena

[angelaharrell]

OK, I wanna play...

I live in Alabama. Much described like in the movie Forest Gump with Tom Hanks. We have the beach in Mobile and some nice "mountain like" areas in Northern Alabama. We boast huge majestic oak trees and magnolias, and we sip sweet tea underneath them in the summer. The sweet smelling gardenias, jasmine, and honeysuckle make the south come alive in the spring time. Our weather here is hot, very hot, and then cold.

I'm 37 years young, with three children. Brandon my stepson is 20, he just graduated community college and is now attending Troy University. My daughter is 17 and is an avid soccer player. My son is 14 and is a skateboard finatic. My hubbie and I have 2 furry children, both are German Shepherds. One is named Beamer, after Todd Beamer, one of the victims of 9/11. The other one is Ginny and she's still a baby.

Oh yeah, my name is Angela and I'm a scrapaholic. Scrapbooking is what keeps me going!