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From: toadusew
Date: 09-29-2005, 08:10 PM (1 of 9)
We got some news today that has overwhelmed me. Hubby has been selected for a position in Washington, D.C. This is only my second move, and this time it's across the country!  Does anyone here live in northern Virginia, in the D.C. metro area? If so, can you tell me a little about it, and how in the world does one afford to live out there?! The cost of living is higher than where I am currently. HOwever, this is a promotion for hubby and a good thing, although my college age daughter, who is in school in Tennessee isn't happy right now. We have 90 days, so we do have some time. Of course, we have to make that trip to Vegas to help my oldest after she gives birth. I talked to her today and she was having some problems so I'm a bit on pins and needles right now. |
User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 09-30-2005, 12:26 AM (2 of 9)
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My husband was (AF) posted to DC in 92......back then we rented a 2 story townhouse (with a basement...bad carpet, bad drain issues and a broken heat pump) because thats what we could afford. It was $750 a mnth, heat/ac ran $250 a mnth. Food was 3 times what it is elsewhere. If you live in VA you have to have emissions tests and have to have a VA sticker on yer car, plus the plates. I found the people to be the nastiest, rudest, crudest, most disgusting people to deal with ( and I've lived all over the U.S.). The 'beltway' that wonderful circular freeway around DC...is the hardest road to drive in the world ( and I LOVE to drive)...the on/off ramps are in the same spot. > off > on and if you're not fast enough, forget going anywhere. We lived 35 miles from Bolling AFB. (DC)...in Woodbridge, VA. on friday afternoons it would take my husband 5 hrs to drive 35 miles....(of course this is all old news...I'm sure it's all worse now...) I DID love Metro ( the 'subway/rail' system) it was clean, you could go almost anywhere and it was pretty cheap. I loved the Smithsonian..it's all free..on the 'Mall' in DC and it's H U G E and we never got to see much of it...they change the exhibits all the time. It's wonderful.... My husband had a great post...working in the White House....we hated every min we were there, except for the Smithsonian and the outlet Mall in Dale city (the largest in the world...we LOVED IKEA). Also be prepared for those wonderful people the DIPLOMATS...you know them by their cars/plates and what they look like....(and what they buy...I saw a woman buy her 13 yr old daughter (for her birthday), 2 pairs of 3 carat diamond earrings, a 5 carat bracelet to match...that was at ONE store.) They are snotty, get perks and expect YOU to bow to their wishes. (like get out of my way...whether you are or NOT). I may be biased...but I've lived in CA, MT, CO, VA, TX, FL, MS, NV, NM and I've driven through, stayed in many others...NOTHING compares to DC. I wish you luck though....maybe things have changed for the better...just be prepared. (almost forgot...if it snows, NOTHING moves....they have no snow equiptment) Kath Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: toadusew
Date: 09-30-2005, 09:20 AM (3 of 9)
Chrys, the traffic here in Dallas is a nightmare and I haven't actually driven on a freeway in over 10 years because of it. ( A friend of mine here is from Pittsuburgh and had warned me about the beltway. I'll be avoiding that, too! :wink I take the backroads, and drive through residential sections when I get out to go to the store, etc.We also have the emissions tests here in Texas as well, so that is nothing new either. My experience in Texas hasn't been a great one so I'm hoping for a more positive experience with this move. However, neither hubby nor I really wanted to go to the D.C. area, but that's where this particular job opportunity is. It is an upgrade and a raise in salary for him, but I do know that the cost of living out there is pretty high. My joke has been we might be able to afford to live in a tree and eat grass!   Chrys, since you've lived all over, where was your favorite place? |
User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 09-30-2005, 01:12 PM (4 of 9)
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I have a good friend who lived in Maryland when they worked in DC.. She said it was best area by far, for 'ordinary' people.. I only visited once so I have very little first hand information..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: toadusew
Date: 09-30-2005, 02:06 PM (5 of 9)
| We've checked out Maryland and it looked nice, but hubby didn't like the tax structure there so it looks like we'll target living in northern Virginia. |
User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 09-30-2005, 09:51 PM (6 of 9)
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I like OR, CO for living..I lived in Dallas for awhile the traffic didn't bother me. I liked NV (Las Vegas) for it's 24 hr living. (but I didn't like the heat and tourists). I grew up in NM and CA. (liked them then, when I was a kid, they aren't much now...scary) (altough I miss San Francisco....so much some times.) I don't like FL...(but my husband has a good paying job and we have a house, ferrets and we like (most) of our neighbors.) So like everywhere we've lived I make the most of the situation. Know where ALL the fabric/sewing stores are...Find a good auto mechanic..Find a fav food store (besides the base commissary). Find good Chinese and Japanese restaurants where they're OWNED by Chinese and Japanese people. Find the nearest Barnes and Noble or Books-a-Million..(gotta feed the book vice...). Then I'm pretty much set...(since I have to be inside most of the time....beaches, forrests, picnics, swimming, etc, SUN things are excluded in my, have to have lists....) 
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414
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From: toadusew
Date: 10-01-2005, 07:30 AM (7 of 9)
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Oregon looks pretty from the pictures I've seen, but I've never been there, nor have I ever been to Colorado. I have never particularly liked Dallas--been here 10 years. It's a very different culture than what I was used to back in Arkansas. I am from Little Rock and I thought Dallas would be like that, only bigger. Boy, was I wrong! However, like you, Chrys, I have found the fabric stores and book stores and libraries and I'm set. I don't venture out much since the traffic is such a nightmare here. I'm glad I have my sewing to occupy me!My oldest daughter lives in Las Vegas and I"m headed there today to help her after she has her second baby. Hubby and I like it out there, but not really for the night life--it's just very pretty and we have found people to be friendly there.
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User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-01-2005, 10:55 PM (8 of 9)
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I never really liked the 'night life' in Vegas either...we lived there for 4 yrs (84-88) We've never seen the new hotels. I liked the fact I could shop at all hours, get my hair done at night, my nails...BUY just about anything. We only saw maybe3-4 shows while we were there..we liked eating at the buffets. We didn't gamble unless we had visitors, which means I gambeled about 4 times in 4 yrs...I won $150. playing video poker on $10 in quarters. Thats all I ever played...I never took more than $20 to gamble with. We liked to drive out to Mt Charleston, Red Rocks, Valley of Fire. My husband used to hike a lot in the woods. (you could back then, not so many people and no crime to speak of...) Oregon is beautiful...the air smells like pine trees...everything is green, different shades of green. (of course it rains a LOT) People are NICE. (if you like coffee, theres a coffee bar on almost EVERY street corner and thats NOT an exaggeration) They have sidewalks and you can actually WALK down the streets...(there are few or no sidewalks here in FL...no curbs on the residential streets) CO is pretty too...just about 1 week a yr you need a/c...it snows a week, then thaws a week. So you have slush on your car all winter, but it's easy to drive in. (NOT like the ice storms in Dallas). You DO get ice fog in CO...and thunder snow...yep...it gets foggy the temp drops and ice forms on EVERYTHING....it's pretty...then theres the snow, and it thunders...just like does when it rains..but it's weird to hear in the snow. But the altitude is high. (higher in Co Springs than Denver...)it's dry and hard to breathe when you first get there. If you're unlucky, you get altitude sickness. ( I do about 9000 ft) Makes you dizzy, sick, it can pop small blood vessels, especially in your eyes...(someone my husband knew (AF) got transfered there and was sent away after he got off the plane and the blood vessels in his eyes started popping and bleeding...I know...sorta sickening...but I like information and have a head fulla the stuff ) I liked the people in CO. I don't care for snow so much, but heck...I lived in MT and it was worse there....(housing was cheap in CO when we were there...we lived in a 3 bdrm, 3 bath, 2 story with a basement, town house for $450 a month. 88-91...heating was cheap too..)(I was actually born in CO, but my parents moved when I was 6 mnths old, so I didn't actually live there till I was married) So I got to see things my parents talked about when I was a kid. (they were born and grew up in CO too). So that was interesting...Have fun with the new baby !!! Have a safe trip !!! Kath Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414
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From: toadusew
Date: 10-13-2005, 10:43 AM (9 of 9)
| Thanks for the info. We're back from our trip, now dealing with college age daughter home on break, and once she's back in Nashville in school, we'll start dealing with the move. Lots of details need to be ironed out and a definite date for the move is needed before we can start targeting an area to live in. |
User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
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