Crappy depressing day.
 

Just got back from the airport. Dropped my daughter off. She decided to move down to Florida. New Jersey has just become to friggin unaffordable to live in.
The worst part is, she took my 9 y/o Grandson. My best buddy and pal. I'm totally heartbroken. My life revolved around him. I know the move is probably a good one for them. But it is still tearing at me. I think I cried most of the one hour drive home.
At least I got to spend the weekend with him. Took him camping up at Stokes State Forest here in NJ. Been doing it the past 3 winters. Something we both look foward to. I'll be driving some of thier down to them in a few weeks so , I'll get to see him again. But who knows when the next time will be.

Sorry, but I just had to vent a little.

Sorry to hear that Buddy....

ALL leftie locations become too expensive to live in. Think about it.. That said, may you and your grandson still find time to be together.

Thtat's gotta hurt.... at least you get to go into grandpa mode now.... trying to lure the kids and grandkids home however you can :)

What's holding you in New Jersey? Perhaps you should also move to Florida. Children and ideas are the only things truly worth a damn in this world.

My father is in the same house in Jersey since 72. It's a modest house by any measure. His property tax last year was almost $10k. He only paid $35k for the house!! He doesn't want to move, but it doesn't make sense for him to stay with the taxes so high, and it's just him.

what part of FL are they moving too??

Sucks.

But FL? Not much cheaper down there these days.

And pay is not on par with tri state area.

At least flights are cheap and short.

If there is nothing keeping you in NJ then move to FL. I know it's easy to say and a lot harder to move but that family bond is what life is all about. Materials and routines become habit and this sounds like a good reason to move on from NJ. Heck, there are worse places they could've went to. Detroit, Lansing, or MI in general are a few places.......

Hey Vinman, I hear ya buddy and I'm truly sorry for your situation.

I went through this myself a couple years ago. I'll spare you the details, but it was pure agony. Friggin kids!!! My Grandson lives on the other side of the Country now, I get to see him twice a year.

Broke my heart, never saw it coming and then wham!
You see she married a guy from New Brunswick, so back to his home they all went. Daughter, Son-in-law, Grandson and Grand-daughter. The internet and phone keeps me close to the daughter, but the grandkids I miss so terribly; and now they spend alot of time with their other grandparents.

It's crap buddy, but what'ya gonna do?
Hope you feel better soon.

Hang in there man--email and the phone can help a bit. webcams? Not the same as in person but better than nothing. Good luck.
C

Sorry to hear that, Vinnie. I can tell what a good guy you are from your posts, it just comes shining through. Try to be positive, maybe there is some way that you can be with them more if you think about it, either moving there or maybe just extended visits. The important thing is not to try to figure it out right this minute while you are sad, take it easy on yourself and give this a few days, (or longer), to sort itself out.

It sounds like you have a healthy relationship with your daughter if you are in their lives that much, so there are all kinds of possibilities. My poor parents are suffering from being basically shut-out by my sister over some petty schit and therefore barely get to see their grandkids. It sucks, my mom cries herself to sleep over it. A nightmare. Your situation has a lot more hope. :)

Vinny, having met you, I would not have guessed you to be a g/f! You look way to young. But since you are, I wish you the best at getting what makes you happy.

My daughter who is 22 got her own place a few months ago, in downtown LA, she still comes to visit us for the weekend every 3 or 4 weekends, and its nice to have her around.

Moving to Kissimee. My sons in Orlando with his fiance. Wanted to stay close by.

Im basically stuck here in NJ for at least another 6 yrs before I can retire. I have my contracting business on the side which will become full time when i leave my regular job. Plus I have my parents in NYC to care for.
Fl would not be my first choice to move to, although my wife wants to move there. I'd prefer the Pac. NW

Rob, this was a spur of the moment decision by her. Caught me by suprise. In a way I seen it coming but, it still sucks.

Yeah, I think its tougher on my wife than me fwiw?
I send her out there a couple times a year too though.

Thank God we live in a world where we can jump on a plane and get the chance to see them though.

Hopefully you can have him up to your lakehome in the summers; that'll build memories for a lifetime!

Vinny,

My heart goes with you. I am glad that you are attached to your family. I am +1 as far as recommending the move closer to family.


Now, with all due respect to you and to everyone, please take into account that perhaps you 'may' (a big, big big may) not be welcomed to be next to them. What I am saying is that you should not assume that following them would be welcomed by the parents.

I am sure I am wrong about this 'consideration', but I have had few acquaintances who actually moved out of state just to stay away from 'family.'

God speed!

Paul your such an ass...I didn't see any requests for political commentary in this post?

Why does every post here become politicized?

Heck, I left home and went to work in the middle east when I was 20...I can say with 100% certainty that my dad didnt blame my going work on politics...or assign blame to "them"

Vin sorry to go off topic

Thanks Hugh!:) Actually I am (I'm only 43) She is actually my step daughter from my first marriage. She had him when she was 19.

The good news for the little guy is that you sound like one heck of a fantastic grandfather, Vinny. That is good money in the bank!

Trust me - as someone who lived in Florida for five years - you're getting the better end of the deal staying put (well, maybe aside from the weather).

I guarantee CA is way more un-affordable than Jersey (and it's certainly no longer the same place I fell in love with years ago and attracted me here). In fact, I can't wait for the day when I find an opportunity to move the hell out of here myself, but I'm fairly when it happens certain it won't ever be back to the land of near-deads, swamps, rednecks, Jesus-freaks, and retired New Yorkers. Forget it. Even Kalifornia (with all its problems) is 1,000X better.

I'd stay put. She'll probably be back before long if she's smart and has a low tolerance for masochism.

So much for that drivel "lefties are just bums who live on welfare." LOL

So sorry Vinman, today, plan a vacation to Florida. That'll help you adjust.

kid's moving away
 

My wife and I are both from Austria and we took our 3 year old son in 1970 and moved to Canada. never thinking how mother in law would feel. The young generation never thinks about how the relatives would feel. Telephone in the 70th was expensive, internet did not exist, so the odd time when I got a bonus or scraped enough money together we bought an airline ticket for mother inlaw to come and visit. It was tough for here. Now this 3 year old son is 42 and told me he wants to move to Sweden for a great job, the problem is he will take my grand son my buddy with him, I told him tere is no way he can leave.
Now I understand how my mother in law felt when we left.

Vinman I feel for you. Thank god times changed and do to modern technology, the distances got smaller and we have a better chance to stay in touch.

Yuppers. She'll move back north (might end up stopping a wee bit short of NJ tho) once she finds out how horrible r/e taxes are there and does an apples-apples comparison.

You must have your ass hole connected to your eye ball, how did you get such a *****ty outlook on life?

She is from NEW JERSEY do you really think she does not like New Yorkers retired or not? She is a Yankee too.

Rednecks and Jesus freaks will most likely be the ones that will bring cookies to her house welcoming her to the neighborhood. While "nice" guys like you will probably peek out the window and have little contact with her.

While the 192 "strip" is touristy, getting back off the beaten path can be nice. The Kissimmee / St. Cloud area is a really neat area, and reminds me of North Carolina in way, Like I said, once off the beaten path its very rural, and like going back in tome, they have a rodeo in St. Cloud and it draws the best talent in the nation and there are huge events there.

I know the area has developed a lot over the last 20 years since I lived there but it appears to look the same when I drive through, especially St. Cloud.

I live 1.5 hours south of Kissimmee Vinman, if they need anything let me know. Even if its help moving some furniture in.

I would be more than happy to show them around. Especially if they want to see some nice beaches, they are about 1- 1.5 hours drive from Indiatlantic (due East on 192 till it ends at the ocean.) A cool little beach town.


Oh and look at the bright side, Orlando is a major airport you should be able to get pretty cheap tickets to fly in and visit.

Take my advise, I moved to Florida away from my Grandfather and we lost touch, do not let that happen. Its more up to you to do that because as a kid growing up I got distracted and as an adult trying to get my life going well, I was also "too busy". Now by grandfather is gone and I am mad at myself for not making more of an effort.

Buy a kid a ticket from time to time to come up for a long weekend too.

I hope it all works out well for your family down here in Florida.

No kidding - Sorry to hear it Vinman - but my advice for you is to just do some long range planning. As Jim mentioned - Orlando is a major airport. Flights are cheap in the whole scheme of things - plan the once a quarter thing - Lots of fun things and adventures down in florida for kids - the theme parks - the beaches, deep sea fishing, easy driving to see the space center, daytona, sebring, etc. You and he will look forward to the times you can spend together.

Jeff - I think you need to see a therapist - I've lived all over the US - some places better than others but wow - Florida must have been like the gates of hell for you. Too bad - because in my opinion, just about everywhere that I have lived has plusses and minuses.

As usual , you guys are great moral support. Thank you! Jim, thank you very much for the offer of help. It's greatly appreciated. I'll be driving down in a few weeks. Maybe meet up for a beer.
I normaly get down to FL a few times a year as it is. Usually have a few offshore races I run in down there. Now gonna have to plan a few more trips I guess.