Is Florida all it's cracked up to be?

R

Roxy

New Member
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Indiana
I have never been to Florida, dh loves it and wants to move. I've heard it relieves a lot of discomfort. Since I've had 3 back surgeries, that sounds good. Then I've heard there are so many bugs and people that I would hate it. Need some truth.
 

I lived in Florida twice - Key West and Melbourne (near Orlando), for several months each.

Key West was paradise, mainly because of the constant winds - they kept the humidity away, or so it seemed. But HOT!

Melbourne - yes, there were bugs, but you get used to them. ;) It was wonderful never having to shovel snow anymore.
 

I lived in Tampa for two years in the 50's and had a ball, I loved the Clearwater beaches, Cuban Sandwiches, Deviled Crab, dances in St Petersberg, but hated the humidity, sand spurs and bugs. I have been back many times but it ain't like the 50's any more, of course, nothing is.
 
I lived in Kissimmee for seven or eight years. The heat and humidity can be crazy oppressive. Disney owns the state, that can be wonderful or creepy depending how you feel about big corporate. There are Palmetto bugs EVERYWHERE. Roaches big enough to challenge you, try to crush one with a shoe and it will wing it back.

Huge spiders, gators that pop up in the weirdest places. Snakes and lizards...Fire ants are creatures from Satan. Oh and the interstate has fifteen car pileups...on a slow day. Did I mention hurricanes? Oh and skin cancer can be a very bad thing.

The good news is rents can be low, lots of beautiful living complexes for seniors and everyone else. Terrific foods places, lots of cultural activities and lush parks. St. Augustine and Winter Park were my two favorite places. Then there were the lizards. They were cute...when you went to your mailbox you'd see a few little foot pads in the slot and something moving in there. Small green lizards everywhere.
 
It's not a cure for medical ills, yes, there lots of bugs which doesn't seem to stop people from moving here in droves from all over the world, every single year. The place is definitely overcrowded, I would, at this point, suggest to all people looking to relocate to select and alternate, maybe California, Hawaii. You really don't want to move here, seriously. :D And the snakes and oh this.



The can climb fences too

 
Thankfully Roaches haven't been a problem in most of the places I lived I can't even get myself to view that video. Good pest control works wonders for palmetto bugs as well. Not a roach in site where I am thank goodness, it's usually the flying kind of bugs like mosquitoes, sand mites and no-seeums that can be problematic for me
 
I was overnight security in this Orlando office building. One night I went down a hallway and on the wall was the biggest spider I ever seen. Needless to say that hallway was never patrolled again:eek:.
 
Pest control, once a month, is a must. Very few problems if you keep it up. I may see one or two palmetto bugs in a year, but a quick shot of roach killer tales care of that.
Gators, some times, during mating season, one will go where they shouldn't be. In sixteen years, I've see one going down our main drive into park.
Very seldom do I see a snake. If I do see one, it is a black racer or a corn snake. Harmless and help keep the critters away.
Spiders: a good rule of thumb is to be careful when reaching into bushes or dark places. The brown recuse spider can leave a nasty bite that can be difficult to clear up.
Humidity, very high in summer, but air conditioners are your friend.
I do enjoy Florida and don't miss the snow one bit.
 
I've lived in Central Florida for 38 years. I've had it with the summers (which is why we head for the hills during that time), but oh, the winters. They are wonderful. It's the middle of February....I'm wearing shorts. And flipflops.

My northern friends ask me how I can stand the heat and humidity. Well, I've never had to shovel three feet of heat and humidity off my driveway. I've never had to chip an inch of heat and humidity off my windshield. I've never skidded on a slick layer of heat and humidity and ended up in the ditch. I've never slipped on a patch of heat and humidity, fallen down and busted my tailbone. I'll take the heat and humidity, thank you.
 
Pappy said:
Pest control, once a month, is a must. Very few problems if you keep it up. I may see one or two palmetto bugs in a year, but a quick shot of roach killer tales care of that.
Gators, some times, during mating season, one will go where they shouldn't be. In sixteen years, I've see one going down our main drive into park.
Very seldom do I see a snake. If I do see one, it is a black racer or a corn snake. Harmless and help keep the critters away.
Spiders: a good rule of thumb is to be careful when reaching into bushes or dark places. The brown recuse spider can leave a nasty bite that can be difficult to clear up.
Humidity, very high in summer, but air conditioners are your friend.
I do enjoy Florida and don't miss the snow one bit.
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jujube said:
I've lived in Central Florida for 38 years. I've had it with the summers (which is why we head for the hills during that time), but oh, the winters. They are wonderful. It's the middle of February....I'm wearing shorts. And flipflops.

My northern friends ask me how I can stand the heat and humidity. Well, I've never had to shovel three feet of heat and humidity off my driveway. I've never had to chip an inch of heat and humidity off my windshield. I've never skidded on a slick layer of heat and humidity and ended up in the ditch. I've never slipped on a patch of heat and humidity, fallen down and busted my tailbone. I'll take the heat and humidity, thank you.
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Will you two quiet it up about the benefits, I'm trying to discourage more people from moving here. I made the mistake years ago of touting it's wonders, not I'm being priced out of the neighborhood. Hush you too will ya. LOL!
 
AprilT said:
Will you two quiet it up about the benefits, I'm trying to discourage more people from moving here. I made the mistake years ago of touting it's wonders, not I'm being priced out of the neighborhood. Hush you too will ya. LOL!
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And the bikinis, guys - don't forget the bikinis! ALL over the place - go to WalMart - wham, bikinis! Sears - bikinis! Church - bikinis!

And in Key West, that's just the guys!
 
If God had intended Florida for human habitation, there would be no sand fleas, land crabs or gators.

I've been to Florida and didn't leave anything there; therefore, there's no need to go back.
 
What's funny is my aunt is trying to California, other option is NC where she wants us to get a place together, I certain she wouldn't like FL. I would consider CA, but if I had to move out of state, I would prefer my mother's birth place in NC, it's also where mom and my siblings are buried and just has a rich family history and a lot to offer except I would miss the beaches, but, the mountains and rivers might make up for it.
 
Thank you, I'm not fond of roaches, but we have fought them before in Texas and Tulsa. We managed to hold them off. Now gators, fire ants and snakes are something I have to learn about. Thank you for your input.
 
and Central Pennsy is full of centipedes. I guess every state has it' s critters. Oh back to Florida...The Love Bugs, not scary but still a pain to clean from filters and radiators.
 
One of my FLA nightmare stories. I was waiting for the bus home on the Orange Blossom Trail. Sounds all cutesy and stuff but actually dive bars and the most interesting male resort destinations. Mickey Mouse and hot anonymous sex...I'm right on it.
So I'm at the bus stop with an infant and toddler daughter. Toddler stands right on a hidden fire ant hill. I had to rinse her in a roadside puddle and the little bastards still got us. Nah I don't miss those days.
 
I have a home in Clearwater, but have been spending most of the winters here in PA due to work. I visit the Florida home every chance I get, like last week. I spent the whole week down there, but it was cool, mainly in the 60's. It was 73 on Friday when I flew out of Tampa and 25 when I landed in Baltimore. I feel much better when I am down there and hope to start wintering there this October. I would advise to try it for a winter or a full year and make up your own mind.
 
Speaking of lovebugs: My daughter and son-in-law were building a log house several years ago and the house was open during the June lovebug season. Six months later, they're living in the house and come home one night to find the house filled with lovebugs. They're covering the ceiling, they're on the floor, they're on the walls. They couldn't figure out HOW they got in the house. They vacuum and sweep out all the lovebugs every night and the next day, they come home to ANOTHER infestation. What the hell is happening? Finally, all the lovebugs are gone. They figure the problem is over.

Six months later, the whole thing starts again. Then I figured out what happened. The lovebugs laid their eggs in the log walls during the first season while the house was still open (roof wasn't on yet) and then the eggs hatched six months later. That brood of lovebugs laid some more eggs in the logs and then six month later THEIR eggs hatched. It took four cycles before no more eggs hatched.

Thank goodness, lovebugs don't carry diseases or bite. They're just annoying, they'll dissolve the paint on your car and they're annoying as hell. Their cats were so traumatized by the whole thing.
 
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