@mskimberly Where have you lived? Illinois was okay in some places, but if you live where Caterpillar is a majority employer, it’s not the best. I lived in Pekin while growing up, but in Decatur during 2nd and 3rd grades 50 years ago~ Man that takes me back! My wife and I moved back to Pekin 3x after we were married, but Caterpillar always seemed to be getting ready to or had gone on strike. So, we’d go where the work was. The most beautiful state I’ve lived in is Tennessee.
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@averagejoe I have always lived in Pennsylvania. There are areas I would not want to live in this state. I live in Mechanicsburg which is a few miles from Harrisburg. Harrisburg has changed over the decades–more crime. Mechanicsburg is a nice and quiet suburb. I have heard that Tennessee is a lovely state with warm people.
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@mskimberly I have two nieces, one is married with no children, and the other is not married and has two children and a sister in law who live in the Pittsburgh area. My wife had her sister there and the other one in Union, SC. In the 35 years we’ve been married, my wife and I have NEVER gone to PA. We neither one found it appealing. We’re not saying the state is bad, but we just never had good luck there. My sister in law has stayed there because that is where her daughter and grandbabies are. My cousin just moved from the Philadelphia area to New Bern, NC to help with my aunt who was diagnosed with dementia. I’ve been in Pittsburgh one time in my life, way back in the 1970’s. Then the steel mills were just starting to close and move out to other countries. It was sad to see. I loved the Amish area’s though.
It is true. Tennessee has some of the most friendly people I’ve ever met. I have many distant relatives all over the state, many whom I’ve never met. There are many jobs coming here and many companies moving in. Nashville, Murfreesboro and Clarksville are all growing at record paces with over 100 people a day moving into Nashville, 70 a day into Murfreesboro and Clarksville. No income tax in this state, but, they DO find other ways to tax one to death…
This is so exciting! I look forward to seeing your updates and learning more about how you and your wife pull this off.
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@averagejoe Pennsylvania is not for everyone. A cousin of mine and a friend moved from here to Florida. Both said they would never move back. I like it because I am familiar with it and lived here all my life. The four seasons also matter to me. Having visited Philly many times, I would say that is not a place I would want to live. Nice restaurants and cultural events is something you will find there, but I would not feel safe. Keep us updated about your adventure!
Wish I would have known you were in Indiana–that’s my stomping grounds. I work for a hotel now and could have gotten you a discount. I’ve traveled widely as well and know some places worth checking out. If you go through central Texas, check out the town of West–it’s a Czech town with amazing kolaches. The best shop is Czech Stop. If you go to Waco, Baylor University has the flag that flew over the Alamo on the second floor of the Student Union Building, or SUB. It also has the world’s largest collection of secular stained glass in Armstrong-Browning library, the Dr Pepper Museum, and the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame, which is worth a visit if you like the Old West.
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@beckatsila We try to go to Indiana every year but aren’t always successful. We have relatives in the Corydon, Indianapolis, Bloomington, Brown County and Pekin areas. My birth father lives in the Corydon area. We’re going to be going up to visit him and several cousins who will come in from Oolitic, Bedford, Mitchell and Bloomington while we’re there. It will be the first time I’ve met them. We love to travel when possible. 
It’s always good to have friends and family where one goes.
AverageJoe posted:
@mskimberly Where have you lived? Illinois was okay in some places, but if you live where Caterpillar is a majority employer, it’s not the best. I lived in Pekin while growing up, but in Decatur during 2nd and 3rd grades 50 years ago~ Man that takes me back! My wife and I moved back to Pekin 3x after we were married, but Caterpillar always seemed to be getting ready to or had gone on strike. So, we’d go where the work was. The most beautiful state I’ve lived in is Tennessee.
No kidding! I was born in Decatur–my father worked for ADM.
@mskimberly My cousin just moved to NC this year to help care for her mother who is suffering from dementia. She lived in a suburb of Philly for 15 years. She loved it there, had her own business and was very happy living there. She didn’t LOVE it at first, but it became home to her. She was raised in Terre Haute, IN where my uncle was a professor at Indiana State University. I once almost moved my us to PA, but I was told there was some kind of tax people had to pay to work there. It was a foreign concept to me, so we decided against it. In the nearly 36 years my wife and I have been married, we haven’t once gone up there to see my SIL and our two nieces and our great-nieces. It’s just so hard for us to travel with me being disabled and my wife having rods in her back from having it broken in the wreck of Dec 2015. My sister in law would like us to come up, and we’re considering it for next summer. She would like my wife to start a business with her making knit caps, gloves, scarves, etc. Part of that money would be going to charities like St. Jude and other children’s hospitals as well as to cancer research. We’ve lost many members of our family to this dreaded disease, including my little sister this past June from breast cancer. Isn’t Mechanicsburg a suburb of Pittsburgh or close to it? If we come up, we would love to meet a fellow Penny Hoarder! Blessings, my friend.
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@beckatsila I lived in Decatur when I was in the second and third grades. I went to Lincoln Grade School both years and had Mrs. Zuttermeister in 2nd grade and Mrs. Harrington in third. Of course, as I’ve stated that was 50 years ago. I’m sure they’re long gone and departed to be with the Lord. It was Mrs. Zuttermeister who discovered that I was dyslexic and had my parents get me a reading tutor. By the end of the year, I was actually reading on a college level! I’m thankful for her and for her dedication to her students. What schools did you go to? I lived at 418 N. College Street and my father worked in the shoe repair store there. I remember walking through our back yard and the church parking lot behind our home to go down to Buckmaster’s grocery. I had some good times and friends there. Please, tell us a bit about yourself ie, how long you’ve lived in Decatur, where you went to school, etc. My best friend is a pastor in a small town not too far from Decatur in Pana, and I candidated for a church to be pastor twenty some odd years ago in Hillsboro. Have a wonderful day!
AverageJoe posted:
@mskimberly My cousin just moved to NC this year to help care for her mother who is suffering from dementia. She lived in a suburb of Philly for 15 years. She loved it there, had her own business and was very happy living there. She didn’t LOVE it at first, but it became home to her. She was raised in Terre Haute, IN where my uncle was a professor at Indiana State University. I once almost moved my us to PA, but I was told there was some kind of tax people had to pay to work there. It was a foreign concept to me, so we decided against it. In the nearly 36 years my wife and I have been married, we haven’t once gone up there to see my SIL and our two nieces and our great-nieces. It’s just so hard for us to travel with me being disabled and my wife having rods in her back from having it broken in the wreck of Dec 2015. My sister in law would like us to come up, and we’re considering it for next summer. She would like my wife to start a business with her making knit caps, gloves, scarves, etc. Part of that money would be going to charities like St. Jude and other children’s hospitals as well as to cancer research. We’ve lost many members of our family to this dreaded disease, including my little sister this past June from breast cancer. Isn’t Mechanicsburg a suburb of Pittsburgh or close to it? If we come up, we would love to meet a fellow Penny Hoarder!
They do take taxes out of your pay. I love Philly, but would not want to live in the city. Surely, the suburbs would have less crime. That sounds like a fantastic idea–making knitted items and giving part of the funds to St. Jude. We have lost family members to cancer, too. My mom died from lung cancer. No, Mechanicsburg is not a suburb of Pittsburgh. Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. There are what we call the East Shore and the West Shore. The East Shore are the suburbs right in the capital city of Harrisburg. The West Shore is right there, but it is across the river. I live on the West Shore. It is 8.4 miles from Harrisburg. It is between 2-2.5 hours from Philly. I love where I live. Thank you so much! I would like to meet you, too! Blessing to you and yours!
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