topic Re: moving in Among Friends

moving

matty liz — Sat, 20 May 2017 11:55:17 GMT

Is there anyone out there that can be encouraging in a move we might make from Franklin TN. to Midland MI.? We rent and it is geeting out of our reach here. Our 2 girls live here and our son and family live in MI. We adore all but I am finding this scarey. We have live in Tn. 7 years. We found a nice apt. 2 miles from my son and the price is good. The winters scare me a little. Have loving grandkids both places. Thanks

Re: moving

software — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:11:53 GMT

@matty liz wrote:
Is there anyone out there that can be encouraging in a move we might make from Franklin TN. to Midland MI.? We rent and it is geeting out of our reach here. Our 2 girls live here and our son and family live in MI. We adore all but I am finding this scarey. We have live in Tn. 7 years. We found a nice apt. 2 miles from my son and the price is good. The winters scare me a little. Have loving grandkids both places. Thanks

Personally, I'm all about family. I don't think I could live very far from them. If you have worked out the finances, go for it. It will be difficult in the beginning but the payoff is being surrounded by family. You will be a blessing to all of them.

Re: moving

lolakimono — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:29:06 GMT

@matty liz

There are lots of Michiganers on here-

@Eliana

@Bird mama

@qualitygal

(Those are three I know off the top of my head, but perhaps they will page more to help answer your questions).

Re: moving

qualitygal — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:35:04 GMT

@lolakimono wrote:
@matty liz
There are lots of Michiganers on here-

@Eliana
@Bird mama
@qualitygal

(Those are three I know off the top of my head, but perhaps they will page more to help answer your questions).

Please come and visit the area. Talk to the people, and winter's winter. Some are great some are not so great. Do you like water and water sports? Do you fish, do you golf, do you _______fill in the blank. We do that here too!! No mountains, just the Big Bear Dunes by Lake MI. I love this state. It's beautiful. Like trees, fall follage? We have huge bouquets of beautiful fall trees here. I vote for it!!

Re: moving

Bird mama — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:36:33 GMT

@matty liz

Welcome to the Community. I'm born and raised in Michigan, specifically Southeast Michigan - think Detroit and the suburbs of Detroit.

For the most part, Michigan has 4 distinct seasons. Autumn here is spectacular.

The past couple of winters have been pretty mild.

Re: moving

itsmagic — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:44:05 GMT

I've lived in Michigan all my life and lately the winters haven't been that bad. There were maybe a couple days this past winter that snowed enough that I decided not to go out. But the road commission gets the plows and salt out right away. Now that I'm retired I never make any appointments early in the morning in the winter. That way if it snows overnight the roads are clear by the afternoon. Good luck and don't worry!😃

Re: moving

lolakimono — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:45:18 GMT

@matty liz

The bonus is that you can get a new outfit for pumpkin picking!

Re: moving

Eliana — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:45:32 GMT

@matty liz Michigan is beautiful. So much to do and see here, and Midland is a very nice city. Don't be concerned about winter. There's no reason you'd have to leave the Midland area when the weather is crazy. Everything you need is right there.

Re: moving

teainlondon — Sat, 20 May 2017 12:50:13 GMT

My only concern would be leaving the daughters to move to the son. I don't know your age, but in my experience, daughters are the ones who know how to help older parents. Sons care; they just don't know what to do and sons' wives aren't as quick to help with older in-law parents. I may have this all wrong, but if I had to choose, I'd stay with daughters over son for that main reason.

The two sections of the country are drastically different. We are in TN are accustomed to Southern ways since we were born and raised in the deep South. When I was growing up, I spent time in Michigan several times a year. It was just different. I liked both areas for different reasons, so choosing a place wouldn't bother me. I'd do some serious research and get info from the web about costs and housing and amenities, etc.

Thnking about a son caring for me over a daughter would scare me.

Good luck with your decision. I wish you the best.

tea

Re: moving

qualitygal — Sat, 20 May 2017 13:49:18 GMT

I do want to throw in that for many years we vacationed in TN. Love that place too.

I'll also add, that, if you move to be by a son, are you sure he won't be moving out of state? I can't tell you the stories by women I've met, who had this happen to them.

Re: moving

wonderfulworld — Sat, 20 May 2017 13:58:14 GMT

I cannot say that I know anything about Franklin but Michigan is a lovely state. Midland is not close to a major airport so if you are going to fly anywhere you will have a drive. It is a nice drive to the lovely areas around the Great Lakes and the Upper Peninsula. Lots to explore.

Moving in and of itself is expensive however if you are going to rent it is not as 'permanent' a move as renting is.

The 'best' hospitals are in Ann Arbor and Royal Oak if you anticipate health concerns of any magnitude. Again, hours from Midland.

As a native who has lived in a suburb of Detroit my whole life but has spent quite a bit of time in South Carolina I would say the biggest difference in the two is that Michigan tends to be cloudy and overcast much of the time. Especially in the colder months. That is the biggest issue I have...not the cold weather. I enjoy travelling to sunnier climates, especially from January to late March. However, speaking of weather the snow gets plowed pretty fast but the icy roads cause most of the accidents...they are harder to clear and the main reason schools are closed.

It does not start to warm up here until May and even now one day it can be 80 and the next 48.

You will probably find yourself staying in a bit more in the winter but may get out more in the summer because we have lower humidity and the sun is not as intense. It does rain a bit in the spring and fall.

Our humidity is much lower and we don't have bugs except mosquitoes, bees and ants.

I agree with the poster who said you should consider the 'child' you are living close to and their spouse...but you probably have done that.

Re: moving

Eliana — Sat, 20 May 2017 13:58:19 GMT

@matty liz Good points made about leaving your daughters. I don't know your age, but maybe you would qualify for an income-based senior comunity and still live near your daughters.

Re: moving

matty liz — Sat, 20 May 2017 13:59:03 GMT

Thoughtful point and when I asked my daughter in law that she said they would take us with them. Thank you. You are really a help

Re: moving

qvcaddition — Sat, 20 May 2017 14:35:20 GMT

@teainlondon

@teainlondon wrote:
My only concern would be leaving the daughters to move to the son. I don't know your age, but in my experience, daughters are the ones who know how to help older parents. Sons care; they just don't know what to do and sons' wives aren't as quick to help with older in-law parents. I may have this all wrong, but if I had to choose, I'd stay with daughters over son for that main reason.
The two sections of the country are drastically different. We are in TN are accustomed to Southern ways since we were born and raised in the deep South. When I was growing up, I spent time in Michigan several times a year. It was just different. I liked both areas for different reasons, so choosing a place wouldn't bother me. I'd do some serious research and get info from the web about costs and housing and amenities, etc.
Thnking about a son caring for me over a daughter would scare me.
Good luck with your decision. I wish you the best.

tea

I guess I,m an exception. My two son's a lot more caring than my daughter. She is too busy all he time.

Re: moving

KingstonsMom — Sat, 20 May 2017 15:12:00 GMT

@lolakimono wrote:
@matty liz
The bonus is that you can get a new outfit for pumpkin picking!

@lolakimono

Oh, Lola! How many times have we heard this one on Q over all these years, LOL!

Thanks for the laugh and the memory!

Re: moving

KingstonsMom — Sat, 20 May 2017 15:25:25 GMT

@teainlondon wrote:
My only concern would be leaving the daughters to move to the son. I don't know your age, but in my experience, daughters are the ones who know how to help older parents. Sons care; they just don't know what to do and sons' wives aren't as quick to help with older in-law parents. I may have this all wrong, but if I had to choose, I'd stay with daughters over son for that main reason.
The two sections of the country are drastically different. We are in TN are accustomed to Southern ways since we were born and raised in the deep South. When I was growing up, I spent time in Michigan several times a year. It was just different. I liked both areas for different reasons, so choosing a place wouldn't bother me. I'd do some serious research and get info from the web about costs and housing and amenities, etc.
Thnking about a son caring for me over a daughter would scare me.
Good luck with your decision. I wish you the best.

tea

@teainlondon

That's not always the case, as my DH and I have full responsibility for his Mom (still living in her home, but can't drive now) even though he has a sister and all of us live within a mile of each other.

We take her to every DR., Dentist, Lab appt., as well as take her to the grocery store, bank, drug store, WalMart, every Thursday.

We're lucky if his sister will take her to the beauty shop or church every once in awhile.

ETA: Don't discount the loyalty of many sons to their mothers.

Re: moving

ROMARY — Sat, 20 May 2017 17:28:59 GMT

I'm thinking that you can give it a try. I'd probably keep much of my things in storage, near one of your daughters' house. In fact, maybe you can rent a furnished apt. in Michigan, on a monthly basis. Try it out for, say, six months or so. If you decide to stay, your daughters can ship your remaining items to you. p.s. While you are there, you can find another unfurnished apt. and have your heavy furniture shipped to that apt. ........... Well, it's a thought anyway. Something I'd think of doing. The best of luck to you.

Re: moving

RedTop — Sat, 20 May 2017 17:05:20 GMT

I would simply buy a mobile home, or move to a cheaper area of TN.

Michigan is a lot like West Virginia with 4 distinct seasons, but I've never been anywhere inside my home state of WV, that I'm not surrounded by mountains and trees. I wouldn't trade living rural near the woods, to live near water. WV has warm to hot summers, but we don't normally have sweltering summers with many 90 degree temperatures or stifling humidity.

Tennessee has the mountain ranges I love, but I cannot tolerate the sweltering summer heat and stifling humidity in the southern areas around Smyrna and Franklin. If you have lived there 7 years and tolerated the heat, humidity, and summer storms for that long, I would simply look for a cheaper place to rent.

Re: moving

feline groovy — Sat, 20 May 2017 17:09:38 GMT

Awesome cherry pies, from what I hear. 8)

Re: moving

DiAnne — Sat, 20 May 2017 17:09:56 GMT

I live on the West Coast so I cannot comment on either location but if you only rent now you can always change you mind if after a year or two you don't like it there.