merry gardens Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 We think about moving to Texas for freedom from harsh winter weather. We haven't done it yet, but I appreciate Texans sharing about their state as we try to decide these matters - or at least as we fantasize. (And as I typed this, my husband shared with me photos of a house in Florida he found on Zillow.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 It is not about spanking or marijuana....lol. You guys are hilarious. We are conservative Christians and we love the south so no problems there. You guys are not making TX sound all that great...... My husband grew up in AZ mostly and they just lived in the pool all summer. Is it much different in south TX from April-October or worse somehow? We are definitely summer people. We'd take heat over cold ANY day. But there is safety and all that..... Safety is a priority and green is good. But I'm wondering if Chelli feels unsafe or like she lives in a "dirty" area where she is compared to the way some of you are describing the state.... Well, the pools get as warm as bath water and when it's humid you don't get as much cooling evaporation. There are tunnels that connect all the skyscrapers downtown so people don't have to go outside at lunchtime. There's a whole cityscape underground, just like Montreal but for the opposite reason. IMHO, Galveston's beaches beyond the seawall (this point is absolutely key) are okay. The water and the sand are brown, but they're LONG and flat and great for walking and wading. When you get out of the town of Galveston and into other areas of the island, there are marshy areas behind the beaches that are beautiful. I live near the shore of Lake Houston. You must not swim in the lake, but you can enjoy walking the paths and watching the water birds. Although July-October are truly miserable and you will not want to go out after about 8 am or before 7 pm, the rest of the year is fine. We can eat outside in December on mild days. Some people love it, some people hate it. Your major problem will be moving in the midst of an energy industry recession. Despite all the rah rah attitude from some politicians, Texas does follow the economic rules. It's just that energy tends to be countercyclical so we can do well when everyone else is suffering and be in a tailspin when the rest of the country is doing well. If you need a bit of history, check out the 80s in Houston--it wasn't pretty. That's why so many of the failed savings and loans were from Texas and why our mortgage laws are so strict. That cushioned us from the 2008 meltdown but, ironically, it was lack of freedom for housing loans that saved us from the worst of it. I love living in Houston. I didn't think I would but it's grown on me in the warm, moist conditions. OP, you may or may not like actually living here. The only way to know is to come and experience it for yourself. I wouldn't pack up and move without a trial run. Maybe that RV trip could be to Texas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Sooooo... Stacey.... What would you recommend for Alaskans who pretty scenery and not desert? I'm actually having a hard time picking my 'ideal' part of Texas. I have family in both Galveston and San Antonio and they seem to like it there. You want the Hill Country around Austin. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I should look more into it! We don't mind traffic, but we do love space, especially for real estate. Nothing ranch like, but neither could we stand living in a suburb. Finding something between those two (or a really immense, reeeeeally low covenant suburb) is something I haven't seen a ton of on cursory glance. My sweet husband just began needing to find a new job three days ago, after quite awhile of if being something we talked about but that wasn't happening. But with a management change at his work he isn't eager to stay anymore and all the work for engineering and design in the energy industry seems to be in Texas and similar states. This is where we live, on 4.22 acres outside city limits. No city taxes, and we are 10-30 minutes from absolutely everything we could ever need. Once you get a bit out from most suburbs of a large city, you can have this. To give some idea of cost, we built a 3,000 square foot house in 2000 on this acreage for $250,000, including land and house. Our home value has gone up significantly. Taxes sit at about $6,000 a year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Sooooo... Stacey.... What would you recommend for Alaskans who pretty scenery and not desert? I'm actually having a hard time picking my 'ideal' part of Texas. I have family in both Galveston and San Antonio and they seem to like it there. Not Stacey...but.. I am an Alaskan who moved to Texas. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. East Texas is the best :)! We have rivers, lakes, hills, and TREES! To me, the trees are the most important thing. Yes, I miss the mountains, but I would hate to live somewhere without trees. I live in the Tyler area, and it is big enough for me. I am about two hours from Dallas, if I need to go to a bigger city than Tyler. We are far enough east that a lot of the bad weather that West TX and Dallas gets, miss us (something about the warm gulf air pushes weather systems north). It is low key and country over here and I like that. Also, I am an hour from the Lousiana border and two hours from the Oklahoma border. A lot of Texas is many hours from any other state, which may or may not concern you. But after living in Alaska, I wanted to be able to drive to another state. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 This thread is cracking me up. We moved to Texas 2 1/2 years ago. Texans LOVE Texas in a way that we've never experienced anywhere else. It is bizarre and somewhat admiral. At no other state have I ever been greeted with, "Welcome to God's country!" We moved from PA where the homeschool laws are rigid. I honestly feel like it's strange to have absolutely no oversight here. I still count days and keep track of everything we do because we don't know how long we are here for, or where we will move next. I also think it's important to keep records of what we're accomplishing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Safety is a priority and green is good. But I'm wondering if Chelli feels unsafe or like she lives in a "dirty" area where she is compared to the way some of you are describing the state.... Where I live (in my town) doesn't feel dirty or unsafe. The redneck, good old boy attitude is something that I grew up with in Arkansas. I can handle that by basically ignoring 90% of what those types of people say. The "Texas is number one" and "I'm so proud to be from Texas" mindset takes some adjustment. It's a little nauseating at times to be honest. Texas is a nice place to live, but so was Colorado and Arkansas where I have also lived. Beaches...... I've already said I don't like the beach so I'm probably not a good judge of this one. I've been to beaches in Florida and Texas. Honestly they didn't seem that different to me as far as water clarity and cleanliness. The sand at Florida's beaches was prettier and softer, but i didn't get really far down into Florida. We went to Pensacola/Panama City and a beach on the Atlantic side of Florida, but I don't remember exactly where. The closest beach I can get to from my house is pretty gross. At least I think it is. But it's not a swimming beach, but more of a fishing area which usually means the beaches aren't maintained as well as if you are going to have swimmers there. The beach at Galveston is pretty nice once you get past the wall as a pp mentioned. The beaches on Mustang Island/Aransas Pass south of Corpus Christi are clean and well maintained, but it is very beachy (long grass, sand, and water) with no trees or shade of any kind which I hate, but if you are going to the beach, you would love. My favorite beach out of the ones we've been to in Texas was Rockport. It was very family friendly, clean, and nice. I would go back to that one if we rented one of the condos that's right there so I could stay in the room during the hottest part of the day. Hill Country..... The Hill Country is pretty, and parts of it, especially around the Guadalupe River State Park, remind me of where I grew up in Arkansas. While it does have elevation and hills, the foliage is mostly scrubby looking bushes and smaller trees. I need big, tall trees to really feel happy so I prefer East Texas (piney woods) for that reason. Favorite Cities.... San Antonio is my favorite city in Texas because of the great food and its feel (laid back, blending of Texan and Hispanic cultures). Houston is probably my number 2 because of the cultural diversity that my children are exposed to. There are large Asian, Muslim, Indian, and Pakistan populations which is really cool to watch my kids growing up with such a global population compared to my VERY homogeneous upbringing in Arkansas. They don't even bat an eye if a woman is head covering or another woman is wearing a sari. It's just part of every day life. I've not spent much time in Austin at all so no opinions on that one. Dallas is my least favorite of the big cities. It gives off a very pretentious vibe that doesn't fit me at all. Weather..... It's hot and humid along the Gulf from April to October. There's no way around it, and each year it's like an assault to my system. I grew up in Arkansas so I thought I understood what hot and humid was. Ha. Nope. The Gulf area takes it to another level mainly because of how long it lasts down here. In Arkansas we would get every bit as hot and humid as Houston does, but it might be like that for only a couple of weeks or at most a month. In Houston, it's like that every day for months on end and you never really get a break of cold weather because the winters are so milk. I tell people there are two seasons in Houston, hot and mild. And, yes, lots of people spend the summer in the pool or the ocean to beat the heat. The one plus (at least in our town) is around 6 pm, the breeze kicks up from off the ocean and the humidity doesn't feel as bad from 6 pm until the sun goes down so that's when we get out and do stuff like ride bikes, exercise, etc. The only problem at that time of day is the mosquitoes, so I load everyone down in OFF bug spray since both my son and I attract the little pests like moths to a flame. Bugs.... These don't bother me that much because Arkansas has a lot of bugs as well. I don't think there is any state in the South that doesn't. The only new annoying ones I've encountered since moving here are those huge water bugs (really just roaches) that get in your house no matter what you do. I hate them with a purple passion, but you just kill them when you find one. Fire ants were another new insect for me. They are more of a problem when you have little kids because they don't pay attention where they are stepping so it's easy for them to get in a bed of them. For the most part you can avoid the fire ants if you watch for their mounds and steer clear. Plus there are products made to keep them out of your yard that work pretty well. And that's my Texas PSA about living in the Houston/Gulf Coast area. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 You want the Hill Country around Austin. best.part.of.Texas :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzybluecheese Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I'll be honest and tell you that I get a little twitchy when people say they are moving to Texas, especially for the oil industry. I remember the late 70's/early 80's boom and bust. (It's funny how much of those days I, as a mere infant, have retained. :001_rolleyes:) I recall apartments going up overnight in the Houston area with some never having a single tenant because the bust happened so fast. There's a saying about those times: Once, ever pipe-fitter had a Rolex and then one day every pawn shop had a Rolex. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 It is not about spanking or marijuana....lol. You guys are hilarious. We are conservative Christians and we love the south so no problems there. You guys are not making TX sound all that great...... My husband grew up in AZ mostly and they just lived in the pool all summer. Is it much different in south TX from April-October or worse somehow? We are definitely summer people. We'd take heat over cold ANY day. But there is safety and all that..... Safety is a priority and green is good. But I'm wondering if Chelli feels unsafe or like she lives in a "dirty" area where she is compared to the way some of you are describing the state.... So...why not come back to AZ? maybe I'm a weirdo for loving the desert. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Yes! I live in the last teeny tiny tail end of the Pine Curtain. South of here, it's all Chinese Tallow as far as the eye can see. You have a problem with those in Texas too? They're becoming a problem here in Central Florida. My mom had one start growing in her yard and had it removed before it got too big. Our neighbor has one and us and other neighbors have tried to get them to get it removed. They're going to be as bad as Brazilian Pepper soon. As for the mysterious other freedom, apparently (according to the OP) Arizona, Oklahoma, and Colorado also have it, or have some version of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Yes, I saw a tv report once, "like 60 minutes" and they referred to more freedoms in TX. I'm sure they were not referring to homeschooling laws. LOL! It was more business driven, but I don't remember details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdel Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Sooooo... Stacey.... What would you recommend for Alaskans who pretty scenery and not desert? I'm actually having a hard time picking my 'ideal' part of Texas. I have family in both Galveston and San Antonio and they seem to like it there. Central TX. Mix of open pasture and wooded landscape. Mix of small/medium cities and towns. And in the middle of a triangle that is between 1 1/2 to 3/4 hours from all the big cities. Houston, DFW, Austin, San Antonio.... Stefanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I'm assuming you mean homeschooling freedom, so I'll answer from that viewpoint. We already live in TX, but I will admit that the freedom we have with homeschooling here has definitely played a factor in keeping us here. i would love to move closer to my family in Arkansas, but I don't like the laws in Arkansas. I'm totally spoiled by TX so anywhere I look I get whiny. "But you have to take a test there." "But you have to count days there." "But you have to notify there." It's a really ridiculous attitude on my part to be honest, but I like being off the grid so to speak. Texas or New Jersey, take your pick, LOL! We have homeschooling freedom here, too. :) But, oh, the taxes.... :svengo: I get the same way whenever I look at the HS laws in other states. Whine, whine, whine. Pennsylvania, especially, makes me twitchy. Yikes. :scared: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrub Jay Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Ooooo, I think I may have figured out the freedom that could open a can of worms on this forum.... OP, does it have to do with making your family's health choices without too much government interference? ETA: and I realize this post may just get ignored ;) Also, I can't believe how buggy Texas sounds. I could never deal with that. :scared: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 We sort of accidentally were in Texas when we started homeschooling, so I grew used to that freedom. We ended up moving to North Dakota for a couple of years, and the stringent oversight drive me bananas and rather offended me. When our time in ND was over, we couldn't wait to get back to Texas to complete our homeschooling years. And I will admit that it is largely what keeps us here. That, and no state income tax. Oh, I see you beat me to it, LOL. Kinsa, I have enjoyed your blog. It is so nice to see the country through your family's travels, and I hope to someday travel in person to see the sights. Bison, bear, geysers, New England, you guys just saw it all, didn't you? We're here in NJ, with no oversight on our HSing. There are pros and cons to that, IMO, but I do think it would be hard for me to voluntarily live in a state with more regulations, now that I'm used to running my own ship. I think MO or CA would be manageable, but then I read the laws there and start whining again. ;) It's just whining, not for a good reason. But Pennsylvania! Now there's a reason to whine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Oh, I just meant that I would like to be closer to family. It is a 12 hour drive from where we live in Texas to my parent's house in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. We wouldn't have to leave Texas to be closer, but if we do move somewhere else in Texas, my preference would be two things 1) farther north where there are more seasons than Houston has (see the Irish skin in my profile pic? It doesn't like hot, humid, beach, and sun!) and 2) closer to family. I've driven quite a bit through the Piney Woods area of East Texas and I really like it there. If I could pick, I would live somewhere around the Tyler area towards Dallas. I actually like Houston better than Dallas when it come to choice of city, but Dallas fits my two wishes better than Houston. OP -- If you click on the link, and then on an area of the map, it will take you to a list of links for the state parks, which have photos of the various regions of TX. Looking through at the state parks will not give you an idea of what the cities or towns are like in each region, but it will help you to "see" the diversity of regions in TX. http://www.stateparks.com/texas_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html I have often wished that there was a way to see different areas of the country (without traveling, which I can't afford to do). I'm sure there is a video series somewhere, but I haven't found one yet at my library. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Ooooo, I think I may have figured out the freedom that could open a can of worms on this forum.... OP, does it have to do with making your family's health choices without too much government interference? ETA: and I realize this post may just get ignored ;) Also, I can't believe how buggy Texas sounds. I could never deal with that. :scared: This is pretty close to what I am thinking. OP, if this is right then between your other thread and this one you have enough info "out there" for someone to figure it out. And if this is right, these things often sound worse than they are. I don't think there is any reason to think your family would be directly impacted. I know you didn't want to go into this. Sorry. I just hate when HSLDA and others get homeschoolers all worked up. :grouphug: And if I'm wrong, ignore. I probably should go find a more constructive way to spend my afternoon, but today playing internet sleuth is way more fun. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 stm4him, I didn't move here for freedom so I don't know that I can help you in your quest, but I do live in Texas and we started homeschooling 3 years ago. (I have moved 30 times so I HAVE lived in other states). Pros: 1. State guidelines for homeschooling are not that stringent at all. 2. No oversight, no one you have to report to, no one checks on how you are doing (yes that can also be seen as a bad thing but not going to debate that here). 3. No standardized testing requirement (although if you kids want to go to college they need either the ACT or the SAT or both depending on the school they are trying to get into). 4. You are a private school so you get to determine what your requirements are (just keep in mind long-term goals so you don't short change your child). 5. Some cities have pretty large homeschooling communities. 6. If you are Christian, there are usually Christian based support groups for homeschoolers. 7. Coastal towns tend to be very humid and you are at risk for Hurricanes but honestly those aren't that common. 8. Cost for land/houses varies incredibly widely. You need to look at specific areas and even specific neighborhoods within an area to know what the general cost will be. That being said, housing outside of immediate cities can be incredibly reasonable. Cons: 1. If you don't like heat, don't come to Texas. It may still be in the 80s in November. It can climb over a 100 degrees and stay there in the summer and even the Fall, depending on where you are located and the weather that year. 2. If you want a large homeschooling community, check out carefully where you are thinking of moving. Some communities have never even heard of homeschooling and will not be supportive. 3. Public schools tend NOT to be supportive of homeschoolers in Texas (although there are different reactions in different areas). 4. Some cities have Day Curfews which can affect your freedom to move around with your kids during the day (although usually this is easy to work around). 5. If you don't like bugs, don't come to Texas (although it is a lot better in most places in Texas than it is on the Coast of Florida). 6. If you are not Christian, and you are not looking at relocating to a large city, you may have a REALLY hard time finding a homeschooling support group in your area. Wow, I have never heard of Day Curfews before. What a lot of nerve, telling me when I can be out and about with my children! But, here you go... yup, cities in Texas do have Day Curfews: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/curfew.htm#havecurfews(scroll down) OneStep, how do you work around this? If we ever go to Jersey City (NJ) or Allentown (PA) during the day, I want my bases covered. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Wow, I have never heard of Day Curfews before. What a lot of nerve, telling me when I can be out and about with my children! But, here you go... yup, cities in Texas do have Day Curfews: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/curfew.htm#havecurfews(scroll down) OneStep, how do you work around this? If we ever go to Jersey City (NJ) or Allentown (PA) during the day, I want my bases covered. ;) I've never known any curfews to be enforced. If there are teens running around town at midnight, they might have the cops called, but otherwise, it has not ever been a problem for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdel Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I've never known any curfews to be enforced. If there are teens running around town at midnight, they might have the cops called, but otherwise, it has not ever been a problem for us. We have them enforced at one specific area in town, but that is usually for kids that are unsupervised during school hours. It's a known drug hang out as well as a known "skip" hang out easily accessible to three schools. They relax the curfew on days off for the PS though. Otherwise, there are usually no issues with homeschool kids being out and about during the day. Stefanie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 As far as those low alcohol control laws, careful. If you are suspected of being intoxicated and refuse a breathalyzer, your blood can be drawn right on site without your authorization. I'm not sure how free that makes you.Ok, I have to wonder. Do they drive around with a phlebotomist or wait one to arrive onsite? I am all for tight drunk driving laws ('cause I like my life and wish for it to continue without being plowed down by someone operating under the influence) but this seems crazy to me. How would that even work? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 OP, if I promise not to agure or comment on whatever freedom is is you are referring to, can you PM me and tell me? I cannot stop trying to figure it out, and this will keep me up tonight! Seriously, I support your efforts to do what is best for your family, I just have a bit of asperger's tendencies and will not be able to stop thinking about this until I know. Or if someone else knows, please pm me! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Ok, I have to wonder. Do they drive around with a phlebotomist or wait one to arrive onsite? I am all for tight drunk driving laws ('cause I like my life and wish for it to continue without being plowed down by someone operating under the influence) but this seems crazy to me. How would that even work? If you're in the downtown/nightclub district, there's a phlebotomist in the police van that they use to round up "suspected drunks." If you are pulled over and refuse a breathalyzer, they arrest you and take you to the police station where there is a phlebotomist onsite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Also, to butt in on the Texa topic, where would a Florida transplant want to live? I have lived in Palm Beach County (too richy rich for me now, but wonderful when I was a kid), Tallahassee (liked it very well) and now in the Orlando area (too big, traffic is awful, not enough nature without specifically going to a state park or whatever). Heat and humidity of Florida are something I complain about with everyone else, but they don't particularly bother me. I'm used to fire ants (hate them!) and dislike mosquitoes. Nighttime ones, fine, but daytime ones suck and are vicious. If there is an area of texas without as many mosquitoes, i'm interested to know. I like brisket and country music, and big blue skies. Vote liberal. Am Catholic. Husband is more liberal than me on most things, but loves guns. He also likes brisket, lol. I used to be into watching football but he doesn't enjoy it so don't anymore, but could again if given the opportunity. (namely, a second television, lol). I like a southern atmosphere and think cowboys are hot. DH is less enamored of southern ways (from Ohio). Oh, and I do not do big hair or lots of makeup :) We'd like somewhere with a few acres someday, but close enough to a bigger town for modern convencienes. I don't mind driving 30 minutes to the mall or Costco or whatever, but don't want to have to drive 2 hours to find a grocery store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Also, to butt in on the Texa topic, where would a Florida transplant want to live? I have lived in Palm Beach County (too richy rich for me now, but wonderful when I was a kid), Tallahassee (liked it very well) and now in the Orlando area (too big, traffic is awful, not enough nature without specifically going to a state park or whatever). Heat and humidity of Florida are something I complain about with everyone else, but they don't particularly bother me. I'm used to fire ants (hate them!) and dislike mosquitoes. Nighttime ones, fine, but daytime ones suck and are vicious. If there is an area of texas without as many mosquitoes, i'm interested to know. I like brisket and country music, and big blue skies. Vote liberal. Am Catholic. Husband is more liberal than me on most things, but loves guns. He also likes brisket, lol. I used to be into watching football but he doesn't enjoy it so don't anymore, but could again if given the opportunity. (namely, a second television, lol). I like a southern atmosphere and think cowboys are hot. DH is less enamored of southern ways (from Ohio). Oh, and I do not do big hair or lots of makeup :) We'd like somewhere with a few acres someday, but close enough to a bigger town for modern convencienes. I don't mind driving 30 minutes to the mall or Costco or whatever, but don't want to have to drive 2 hours to find a grocery store. I am kind of feeling San Antonio or Austin-ish for you. (suburbs) Big hair and too much make up went out with the 80's. The Dolly Parton look is no longer "in". I have a lot of hair, but it is what it is. I don't try to. ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I've never known any curfews to be enforced. If there are teens running around town at midnight, they might have the cops called, but otherwise, it has not ever been a problem for us. Where I live the daytime curfews seem to be enforced more harshly on specific demographics. Also Travis County has a very long history of severe punishment regarding their arbitrary truancy laws. And that's about all I have to say about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 If you're in the downtown/nightclub district, there's a phlebotomist in the police van that they use to round up "suspected drunks." If you are pulled over and refuse a breathalyzer, they arrest you and take you to the police station where there is a phlebotomist onsite. So you have the freedom to decline the breathalyzer but not to decline a blood draw. Do people prefer this because the blood draw is more accurate? It seems it's more likely to lead to a conviction because you can't argue with the blood test the same way you can the breathlyzer. Uh, I guess I should go ensure breathlyzer and phlebotomist are in my son's lexis for the spelling bee. Back to word land! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 So you have the freedom to decline the breathalyzer but not to decline a blood draw. Do people prefer this because the blood draw is more accurate? It seems it's more likely to lead to a conviction because you can't argue with the blood test the same way you can the breathlyzer. Uh, I guess I should go ensure breathlyzer and phlebotomist are in my son's lexis for the spelling bee. Back to word land! Drunk people make bad choices. ;) Haven't you ever watched COPS? :D 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Where I live the daytime curfews seem to be enforced more harshly on specific demographics. Also Travis County has a very long history of severe punishment regarding their arbitrary truancy laws. And that's about all I have to say about that. Interesting. Never heard of it as a problem in the DFW area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I am kind of feeling San Antonio or Austin-ish for you. (suburbs) Big hair and too much make up went out with the 80's. The Dolly Parton look is no longer "in". I have a lot of hair, but it is what it is. I don't try to. ;) Don't look directly at me. I have big hair and I wear WAY too much makeup. Old habits die hard. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Drunk people make bad choices. ;) Haven't you ever watched COPS? :D Uh, no actually. I only know about it from references made to it. I grew up mostly TV free and am missing vast swaths of pop culture and TV from the 1980s and 1990s. Unfortunately I don't need to watch cops to see criminal drunk sorts. I can just go visit one of my brothers if so inclined. He could end up on COPS. #nicefamilyiknow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I should look more into it! We don't mind traffic, but we do love space, especially for real estate. Nothing ranch like, but neither could we stand living in a suburb. Finding something between those two (or a really immense, reeeeeally low covenant suburb) is something I haven't seen a ton of on cursory glance. My sweet husband just began needing to find a new job three days ago, after quite awhile of if being something we talked about but that wasn't happening. But with a management change at his work he isn't eager to stay anymore and all the work for engineering and design in the energy industry seems to be in Texas and similar states. Depending on how much you'd be willing to drive there's land not terribly expensive there. Look at some of the towns to the west. :) Failing that if he's in energy check out North Dakota and Wyoming. We're in the latter and really do love it-- mountains are great and it's not so hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Don't look directly at me. I have big hair and I wear WAY too much makeup. Old habits die hard. But I'll bet you rock that look! Some people can pull it off and look fabulous. I'm guessing you're one of them. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Depending on how much you'd be willing to drive there's land not terribly expensive there. Look at some of the towns to the west. :) Failing that if he's in energy check out North Dakota and Wyoming. We're in the latter and really do love it-- mountains are great and it's not so hot. Wyoming was our previous top choice, probably outside Laramie. Anything you can tell me about that state would rock, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Where I live the daytime curfews seem to be enforced more harshly on specific demographics. Also Travis County has a very long history of severe punishment regarding their arbitrary truancy laws. And that's about all I have to say about that. Ayup. Though I am heartened that there was a bill recently introduced to decriminalize truancy. It has the support of most of the juvi judges, I understand, who know that the quickest way to ensure a high drop-out rate & increase petty crime is to criminalize something as innocuous as truancy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Wyoming was our previous top choice, probably outside Laramie. Anything you can tell me about that state would rock, too! I'll PM you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Also, to butt in on the Texa topic, where would a Florida transplant want to live? I have lived in Palm Beach County (too richy rich for me now, but wonderful when I was a kid), Tallahassee (liked it very well) and now in the Orlando area (too big, traffic is awful, not enough nature without specifically going to a state park or whatever). Heat and humidity of Florida are something I complain about with everyone else, but they don't particularly bother me. I'm used to fire ants (hate them!) and dislike mosquitoes. Nighttime ones, fine, but daytime ones suck and are vicious. If there is an area of texas without as many mosquitoes, i'm interested to know. I like brisket and country music, and big blue skies. Vote liberal. Am Catholic. Husband is more liberal than me on most things, but loves guns. He also likes brisket, lol. I used to be into watching football but he doesn't enjoy it so don't anymore, but could again if given the opportunity. (namely, a second television, lol). I like a southern atmosphere and think cowboys are hot. DH is less enamored of southern ways (from Ohio). Oh, and I do not do big hair or lots of makeup :) We'd like somewhere with a few acres someday, but close enough to a bigger town for modern convencienes. I don't mind driving 30 minutes to the mall or Costco or whatever, but don't want to have to drive 2 hours to find a grocery store. Another vote for Texas hill country between Austin and San Antonio. We live a bit closer to Austin-- (30 minutes to south Austin shopping and 45 minutes to down town-- times NOT during rush hour!). We drive beautiful country roads to get to 'town'... We have 12 acres on top of a hill-- NO MOSQUITOES! (well one or two every few years)-- the breezes from being on top of a hill keep the buggers away. We use a 'natural' pest control service to keep inside house nice and bug free. Perks of being in the hill country-- not as hot as Dallas, not as muggy as Houston and you never put away your shorts for 'winter' and winter coats last for YEARS because while you do need one you will only use it a few days each year! Seasons are great in hill country too-- just this week the trees started budding out and the live-oaks leaves started to drop- and our famous wild flowers are starting to bloom! We are also 3-4 hours from the coast, Houston or Dallas/Ft Worth... If we go SW or W then we are 3-4 hours of more hill country! Lots of awesome brisket nearby too (less than 15 minutes from the famous Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, TX). If you like wine there are vinyards popping up all over the place... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 If a beach is really important to you then you need to visit Texas beaches and make sure it is what you are looking for. Texas beaches are not particularly beautiful. When I was a teenager we would go to Corpus Christi. One day a trash barge came through and lost part of it's load. Hundreds of jellyfish swarmed the area and we had to leave. Another time I got a tar ball stuck in my hair. Perhaps you would love it though. Or maybe it has changed. Wow, which beach were you at? North Beach, near the port with all the barges? That is NOT the good beach. We have many different beaches here, and I've never seen part of a trash barge on any of them. Mustang Island, Port Aransas, Padre Island Seashore (Malaquite Beach), the beach near the hotels on "north Padre Island" with the nice parking. Rockport has a nice beach with a playground on it, and a protected side and a coast side. Ooh, OP, check out Rockport. Oh, however, with your son's medical needs, you might need to know that most cancer patients drive to MD Anderson in Houston to deal with that. It's about a 4 hour drive from Corpus Christi (maybe 3 from Rockport). Now, I only know about adults with cancer, though. We do have a children's hospital, Driscoll, but I don't know how they handle cancer patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Oh, I see you beat me to it, LOL. Kinsa, I have enjoyed your blog. It is so nice to see the country through your family's travels, and I hope to someday travel in person to see the sights. Bison, bear, geysers, New England, you guys just saw it all, didn't you? We're here in NJ, with no oversight on our HSing. There are pros and cons to that, IMO, but I do think it would be hard for me to voluntarily live in a state with more regulations, now that I'm used to running my own ship. I think MO or CA would be manageable, but then I read the laws there and start whining again. ;) It's just whining, not for a good reason. But Pennsylvania! Now there's a reason to whine. I have to jump in to defend PA as usual. :). It's really not so bad here, the HS laws. There are some dumb things, but there are some good things too. I run my own ship quite nicely and give little thought to what the state tells me I have to do, except for a few minutes of paperwork here and there. We have a lot of other personal freedoms too, especially compared to some neighboring states, although I wish we had slightly better midwifery laws. (And I keep hearing that some colleges actually are happy to accept PA students without so much documentation about coursework because they know we do have strict oversight laws, so I'm hoping that'll help us in the future, but who knows?) I'm curious about the freedom the OP is talking about too, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I'm not a native Texan, but I got here as fast as I could. I like lots of the smaller towns within an hour of Houston. Quintana state beach and Surfside are nice. They are building all over the place around Houston. I prefer Texas to California -even the central coast! It is warm, but the weather is so much better than OK. Houston is fun, diverse place. Close to the beach. Nice people. What can I say..it has always felt like home. Hope it all works our for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I pulled up images of the Hill country....it looks very dry. Or am I wrong? (of course, compared to Florida, I guess most places are more dry) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I was happy in north central Tx until I read Jann's description, and now I've begun packing to move next door to her. :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdel Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I pulled up images of the Hill country....it looks very dry. Or am I wrong? (of course, compared to Florida, I guess most places are more dry) It's dry and scrubby. Central and East TX is more grassy and wet. Stefanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 It's dry and scrubby. Central and East TX is more grassy and wet. Stefanie Hmm, I don't like dry that much. I don't think. Maybe I'd need to see it. Makes me think of that feeling when you have that dry sandy dirt in your flip flops. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Has anyone figured out this extra freedom we have? 'Cause I'm dying to start exercising it. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I pulled up images of the Hill country....it looks very dry. Or am I wrong? (of course, compared to Florida, I guess most places are more dry) It is more dry. That's why I said if trees and such are important to you then you need to go east more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Has anyone figured out this extra freedom we have? 'Cause I'm dying to start exercising it.Me, too! Maybe we've been missing something really cool. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hmm, I don't like dry that much. I don't think. Maybe I'd need to see it. Makes me think of that feeling when you have that dry sandy dirt in your flip flops.They have thorns out there too that make flip flop wearing hazardous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdel Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hmm, I don't like dry that much. I don't think. Maybe I'd need to see it. Makes me think of that feeling when you have that dry sandy dirt in your flip flops. It's very up and down and rocky dry more than sandy dry. Think goats and sheep vs. cows for livestock. The river areas in the Hill Country are really nice and clean (flow over rock) and popular. I personally am a gentle hills and wavy grass girl myself. Stefanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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