I haven’t yet written about this because we didn’t know when it was going to happen but…now, it’s happening!
A few weeks ago, after some hemming and hawing, we decided to move from Bradenton to St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’ve been reading us for the past few years, I know what you’re thinking. I originally said, when we moved here, that we were never, ever, ever going to move again. Well, since I used the words never and ever, it was inevitable. We will still be very close to all of our adult kiddos. Ali and Justin just bought a house 1.4 miles from here and Zach and Mary are moving soon, but also staying local.
Bradenton is nice, and we love this neighborhood, but there aren’t a lot of children. Since we homeschool, we must look outside of the neighborhood for social opportunities for the boys. We also already have friends who live in St. Pete and we’re very familiar with the area.
We learned a few months ago that a very large local farm recently sold out to a developer. They’ll be adding a new community literally right around the corner from here that is expected to add 10,000 new cars to the Bradenton roads, which are already submerged in traffic, especially when the snowbirds are here. Going to the grocery store in February is quite painful, and getting worse with each passing year. All those new homes will also drive local property values down.
Traffic is bad most places by the coast but, in St. Pete, if we live smack in the middle of downtown (there are many high-rises overlooking the water), we can walk almost everywhere – to the water, the marina, countless restaurants, museums, the farmer’s market, and even to the grocery store. We are looking at three high-rises this weekend. Richard is excited about no more pool and yard maintenance!
I’m excited about the security in the places we’re looking at. Last week, for the first time, we were the victims of theft. Somebody broke into all of our cars in the driveway and stole our GPS and some other items. They caught the guy. He’d broken into several cars in the neighborhood. He stole our neighbor’s wallet, and used one of his credit cards at a local marina. The police viewed surveillance footage. He was a well-known local thief. Twenty-one years old. Long rap sheet. Vagrant. They arrested him at a local hotel and they found all of our stuff. Our house was already for sale when that happened. If it hadn’t been, it definitely would be now.
We put the house up for sale about five weeks ago and, last weekend, we got a contract. We are supposed to close on June 10th and we’re planning to move by June 1st. We were already packing up our stuff and getting rid of lots of material things we just shouldn’t have bought in the first place (goodbye thigh-master). But, now we’re in frantic “oh-my-goodness…we-have-to-get-all-this-stuff-packed-in-just-three-weeks!” mode. Add that to our steady work load and things are pretty crazy here.
Needless to say, the next three issues of WritersWeekly might be a bit abbreviated. We hope you’ll understand.
There’s another big reason we’re moving but I’ll wait until next week to tell you that. I’ve already filled your computer screen enough for today. 😉
THIS WEEK’S MASONISM
“Can I go to acting school? Pretty please? Oh, and is there any such thing as a clothing optional waterpark?”
RELATED:
We’re Moving to St. Pete! – Part II
It’s Visitor Season In Florida!
Our First Trip To Naples, Florida
We’re in FLORIDA! (No, Not THAT Florida)
Finally Received an Offer on Our House in Maine!
Angela Hoy lives on a mountain in North Georgia. She is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the President and CEO of BookLocker.com and AbuzzPress, and the author of 24 books.
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See you at the marina! Great sailing town. 🙂
Well, Angela, in all these years of knowing you never expected you to end up in a HIGH RISE!!!
But you know, that’s life — what was once envisioned as a place for just OLD people becomes, as in your case freedom from chores, a place with all sorts of opportunities for your homeschooled kids.
I don’t know what I had in mind for St. Pete but I know that when I finally got there — 5 or 6 years ago — I could appreciate its great site vis a vis the Gulf and river.
I’ve had occasion to visit St. Pete last few years because I had a dear friend there in the Allegra Assisted Living — just paid a last visit in January and now her children have moved her to Portland Maine where they live.
I didn’t get in too much to the city of St. Pete — did some very nice restaurants — but the place I liked so much had odd name Pass something or other on the beach, could stay there, ride bicycles, didn’t need a car to go to beach interesting shops and places to eat. My daughter and granddaughter stayed there a few weekends when they dropped me off at friend Gini’s place.
I know you will have far more FREE TIME given your busy schedule with Booklocker. So best wishes —
Maggy Simony
Best wishes on your move. I lived in the only house I ever knew and we moved after 53 years to our forever home. A farm in 5 acres, a town so small there isn’t a traffic light, it’s a dry town~ can’t buy liquor and the closest Chinese food is 26 miles round trip, but I’m in heaven. Heaven. Good luck on the house/home search. You’ll know it when you see it. Keep us posted.
A comfortable move and much delight in your new home, Angela.
Congratulations! St. Pete is enjoying an amazing Renaissance. As a long time pseudo- part time resident and now a snow bird…..you won’t be sorry. St Pete is a fabulous place to raise kids and settle in for the long term. It’s a culturally rich city with so much to discover. We live in the town of Indian Shores for half the year…..returning to NH for the summer season. You won’t be sorry. I’m not sure where you have decided to settle, but wherever it is in our lovely metropolitan area……be assured…. It’s great. Take the kids to watch th rebuilding of the St Pete pier. Go to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary (Gulf Blvd indian shores)and volunteer to help with injured bird rehab. Shoot over to the Clearwater Marine Center and visit Winter thebDolphin and learn how to volunteer to monitor the sea turtle nesting, rescue and rehab. Go up to Homaossasa Springs and see the manatees. Tampa has a big cat rescue place. I could go on and on. Homeschooling offers so much to discover. If you decide to transfer th boys to traditional school there are wonderful public fundamental schools ( i can get you contact info if you want). I have followed you since Andover MA ( we lived in Hudson NH) and love your adventurous spirit. Again….congratulations on choosing St Pete!
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That Mason kid he be growing up way too fast!!! Clothing optional?? Hahahahahahaha love it love it love it.
Tell him to keep the clothes on cause he might get bitten by a mutant goldfish.
Angela, you do lead a dynamic life! Hope the move isn’t too stressful, and that the new digs are diggable.
Good luck on your “final” move! BTW St. Pete may have more snowbirds!