What states should I move to?

[Glen Butler]

My wife and I are in for some adventure and some togetherness as we have decided to travel nursing for the next year or so. This will allow us to spend some time together as we have hardly been together for the last year. We don't want to put our son in day care so we work opposite schedules. I am looking for some opinions on where to go and things to do in those areas. Each stint will be for 13 weeks and there will be 4-8 stints. Places we have considered are:

Anchorage Alaska, I would like to be close to Mt. Mckinley and some great fishing. We would like to see the northern lights, the sun practically circle around our heads, and I would love not need A/C in the summer.

So Cal, It would be nice to be close to the beach. Everytime I go to the beach it is cold and overcast, maybe this is the just the way pacific beaches are and I should be looking for florida. You know the way it is on TV with all the long legged hotties?;)

Long Island, I would like to live in a big city, and state side, you cant really get bigger than New York.

Somewhere in New England or the North East, Pennsilvania, New hampshire, Maine. I have lived in Maryland, but I want to be farther north.

Something is drawing me to Tennessee, but I think that is just because of a few pretty pictures I saw in a book, what is in Tennessee that would make it worth living there for 13 weeks?

[Bryan Morgan]

So Cal, It would be nice to be close to the beach. Everytime I go to the beach it is cold and overcast, maybe this is the just the way pacific beaches are and I should be looking for florida. You know the way it is on TV with all the long legged hotties?;)

Here in So Cal its hit and miss with the weather... I live somewhat near the beach. Some days its bright and sunny, other times overcast... sometimes back and forth in the same day. #1 problem is parking... when its hot and sunny, parking gets rough and the beaches REALLY crowded. If you want to go in the water, wait until late August or later... the water temperature is always a bit behind the seasons.

The nicest beaches, in my opinion, are way down south, San Diego area... the Orange County beaches aren't that nice, and I don't care for the L.A. beaches either... other than Venice but you just go there to people watch anyway. :)

Don't want to dissuade you but thats the reality :) My "beach season" doesn't start until the end of August through October... All the kids and riff raff are out of the way, the water is a little warmer, and offshore weather kicks up some fun waves for surfing. Nothing is more annoying than trying to go surfing to relax but having 500 little 12 year old spazzes splashing all over the place and fighting over waves.... thats why you wait until they are back in school. It seems thats when the quality "hotties" come out to the beach too...;)

[Kevin Groenke]

Sounds like an adventure, I think I may be jealous.



Something is drawing me to Tennessee, but I think that is just because of a few pretty pictures I saw in a book, what is in Tennessee that would make it worth living there for 13 weeks?

Me too: I've been to NC and TN more than 10 times in the past 5 years (for a variety of reasons), I'll be there against next month.

Beautiful scenery, Smokey Mtns, many craftspersons/artisans, plentiful & inexpensive wood, GREAT hiking, mtn biking and whitewater kayaking/rafting, geographically compact/unique, friendly (though sometimes toothless ;-) people, NOT 1000's of miles from the rest of the world/easy to get to, Asheville and Charlotte even have some culture.

Locals will surely offer more specifics, I'm just hoping on the bandwagon here.

-kg

[Belinda Barfield]

If you want beaches and hotties, go to Miami, FL. Crowded and expensive but fun.

For really nice beaches with a long season, IMHO, you can't beat the gulf coast of FL in the Destin/Ft. Walton Beach area. Gotta' beware of the hurricanes though.

Don't miss Tennessee! It's a beautiful state.

Of course, I'm pretty partial to Savannah. Tybee Island isn't much of a beach by most standards though. There is always something to do in Savannah and it's only a couple of hours to Charleston, SC (another really nice town), an hour or so to Hilton Head Island, a couple of hours from St. Augustine and Jacksonville, FL (nice beaches) and three or so hours from Daytona. Four hours and you are in Orlanda with all that insanity. :) Four or so hours in the other direction and you can watch the Braves play!

Good luck!

[Mitchell Andrus]

Sounds like an adventure, I think I may be jealous.



Me too: I've been to NC and TN more than 10 times in the past 5 years (for a variety of reasons), I'll be there against next month.

Beautiful scenery, Smokey Mtns, many craftspersons/artisans, plentiful & inexpensive wood, GREAT hiking, mtn biking and whitewater kayaking/rafting, geographically compact/unique, friendly (though sometimes toothless ;-) people, NOT 1000's of miles from the rest of the world/easy to get to, Asheville and Charlotte even have some culture.

Locals will surely offer more specifics, I'm just hoping on the bandwagon here.

-kg

I bought a house last year 1/2 hour south of Asheville. Plenty to do, great people. Great hospitals too.
.

[Paul Ryan]

Hawaii, when will you get another chance to live in paradise fairly cheap. My wife and I almost did but then the hospital she works at changed their policies.

[Matt Meiser]

I love Tennesee too. It wouldn't take much to convince me to move to the Nashville area. I spent weekdays there late summer into fall one year for work and have visited a number of times. Summer can be hot (late fall can be hot when working at a glass factory.) Once when I was there it was mid-winter and people were complaining about it being 40 and raining.

[Scott T Smith]

Consider spending some time in Chicago - living in the city. Also consider spending some summer time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Gunnison Colorado is spectactular, as is Astoria Oregon and Canon Beach.

Winter locations to consider include Santa Fe, NM, El Paso, TX (Vibrant border city), San Diego, CA.

Big Ditto on Alaska and TN. Eastern TN is very hilly, Western TN is much flatter. Bowling Green, KY has a nursing school and a great local population.

The midwest has some great folks - not as much to look at scenary wise but some of the best people in the country. KS, Iowa, Nebraska, and SD. Western Nebraska is very scenic.

[Scott Shepherd]

Somewhere in New England or the North East, Pennsilvania, New hampshire, Maine. I have lived in Maryland, but I want to be farther north.

I'd throw a vote in for Vermont for one leg of your trip. What a beautiful state!

[Pat Germain]

Sounds like fun!

I grew up in Orange County, California. Bryan's observations are spot-on! If you want to live near a California beach, San Diego is amazing. The scenery is better and it's no more crowded or expensive than Orange County. The temperature there is also more consistent. Be aware you can spend over a million dollars for a house near the beach and still not even have a view of the ocean. A house actually on the beach gets into many millions.

For someone from Utah, Tennessee might be a bit much in the summer; hot, hot, hot and humid!

Miami has the same problem. The winters are nice. The summers are downright opressive. I used to work down there for weeks at a time and found the people to be pretty hostile. While it's possible it's just me, I've literally travelled halfway around the world and back and I've never had a problem with people anywhere else; just Miami. Miami is also the only place I've ever been where I couldn't find anyone who spoke English.

I have visited many parts of Florida. If I was going to move there, I would choose Tampa or Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Beach is just starting to feel the economic impact of losing the Space Shuttle program. So, if you can find a job there, the cost of living should become more reasonable. It's a very nice, relaxed beach town. Tampa has the advantages of a larger city while the people are still pretty nice.

But again, in the summer, Florida is hot, hot, hot and the humidity is beyond belief.

I used to work in Main regularly. The summers are spectacular. The winters are very cold, but not usually windy or damp. I don't like the Boston area at all; crowded, expensive and drivers like the third world.

That's just my take. :)

[Tim Morton]

I'd throw a vote in for Vermont for one leg of your trip. What a beautiful state!

Vermont is very nice....:cool::cool:

[Howard Garner]

Let me plug Greenville, SC
Two great hospital systems
Great weather
Just below the "Blue Wall" of the Blue Ridge
Many great places to eat
A thriving downtown.
Easy access to the mountains for day trips and hicking.

Howard Garner
over in Pickens, 20 miles west

[Glen Butler]

Thanks all for the replies. I would like to know more about Vermont. What shouldn't I miss while there?


Let me plug Greenville, SC
Two great hospital systems
Great weather
Just below the "Blue Wall" of the Blue Ridge
Many great places to eat
A thriving downtown.
Easy access to the mountains for day trips and hicking.

Howard Garner
over in Pickens, 20 miles west

What is Blue Wall - Blue Ridge?



Miami has the same problem. The winters are nice. The summers are downright opressive.

But again, in the summer, Florida is hot, hot, hot and the humidity is beyond belief.


Is Florida still warm enough in the winter for beach going? I have been to Florida in October (13 years ago) and as I recall it didn't seem like beach weather.



Winter locations to consider include Santa Fe, NM, El Paso, TX (Vibrant border city), San Diego, CA.

Big Ditto on Alaska and TN. Eastern TN is very hilly, Western TN is much flatter. Bowling Green, KY has a nursing school and a great local population.


I have passed through El Paso and I recall it seeming a lot like Mexico. My wife applied for a position down there recently that offered a huge sign on bonus - $24,000. They must be desparate for nurses.


Hawaii, when will you get another chance to live in paradise fairly cheap. My wife and I almost did but then the hospital she works at changed their policies.

I would love to go to Hawaii. Sadly I don't think we could make it to Hawaii for a while. We are at the mercy of what is available also taking into consideration how long my wife has been a nurse, the more experienced nurses are more likely to get those positions.

[Belinda Barfield]

What is Blue Wall - Blue Ridge?



Is Florida still warm enough in the winter for beach going? I have been to Florida in October (13 years ago) and as I recall it didn't seem like beach weather.


Blue Ridge Mountains.

I would do Florida spring or fall. Winter in the south is about a month and a half at best. We started pool and beach season in late February, with central to south Florida being even warmer. My favorite beach time in this area is late September and October when the tourist crowds are back home.

Cocoa Beach, like much of Florida, has turned into a retirement town.

[Pat Germain]

Is Florida still warm enough in the winter for beach going? I have been to Florida in October (13 years ago) and as I recall it didn't seem like beach weather.

It's a mixed bag. You can get weather warm enough for typical beach going in the winter. Or it can be cool and breezy. This is true from Cocoa Beach to Key West. (I've also spent way too much time in Key West. I don't recommend that community either unless all you want to do is stay drunk on Duval Street.) Although the water on the East Coast of Florida is warmer than the water off SoCal or New England, it still gets much warmer in late summer. So, even if the weather is nice, the water might be too cold for you in winter. It depends on how one can adjust to cool water.

I was in Florida during October, 2004 and it was downright hot. Like most places North or South of the Equator, each year is different. Consider last Winter Orlando had freezing temperatures. This is unusual, but it does happen sometimes.

To get consistent beach weather year round, you really have to go to the Equator. I have visited many islands in the Caribbean and sometimes the beaches there are cold and windy in winter.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks all for the replies. I would like to know more about Vermont. What shouldn't I miss while there?

Not sure what you shouldn't miss, but it's just a beautiful state if you like nature and being outdoors. I've skied there many times and been mountain biking up there as well, in the spring/summer. Just a nice place to be. I guess you could say Burlington is a place to see with the lake right there. Tim would have to fill in the details on the rest of it.

[Doug Shepard]

The west coast of Michigan can be very nice in the summer if you dont mind sun, sand, and watersports. Petosky & Traverse City areas are some of the good spots.
Oregon (Eugene area) was an adopted home for a number of years and I would love to get back there. Lots of great scenery and close to both the mountains and the coast for day trips.

[Jerome Hanby]

Something is drawing me to Tennessee, but I think that is just because of a few pretty pictures I saw in a book, what is in Tennessee that would make it worth living there for 13 weeks?

Being close to Alabama :D

[Willard Foster]

We vacation near Butler, TN on Watauga Lake. Beautiful area. If all goes well we will retire in Eastern, TN in 10 or 15 years.

If I had 13 weeks I would consider Alaska too.

Bill

[Howard Garner]

The Blue Wall

The transition from the Piedmont to the mountains is very abrupt.
This occurs right around the North/South Carolina border in the area just north of Greenville, SC Because of this it appears as a Blue
Wall to some.
Extends from the western SC border to about the Spartanburg area.

Howard Garner

[Craig D Peltier]

Well im fron New England and I say Vermont.

I lived in So Cal for 13 years. I dont agree with poster saying LA beaches arent nice. I have been to Fl many times and up and down Calis coast. I agree SD has nice beaches.For LA though Malibu area like Zuma and Leo Carillo an my favorite El Matador is amazing. For fun an excitment an good waves and lots of sand and people and food and events, Manhattan Beach or even better Hermosa Beach.
I agree late August for warmer temps in the pacific. Even this far south the pacific doesnt warm that much, maybe 70-72 degrees.

I have been to Miami in Feb an it was 85 for 4 weeks while there. Id say you would be safe in winter.Although not nearly as pretty as So Cal.

[Glen Butler]

Not sure what you shouldn't miss, but it's just a beautiful state if you like nature and being outdoors. I've skied there many times and been mountain biking up there as well, in the spring/summer. Just a nice place to be. I guess you could say Burlington is a place to see with the lake right there. Tim would have to fill in the details on the rest of it.

I am mostly looking for adventures or environments completely different from Utah. We have awesome skiing, and many resorts are still open. Gotta admit I would be bored skiing in Vermont. Remember I'm from Utah, Greatest Snow on Earth. Going to the North East would be mostly for my wife. She has never lived around thick towering trees that just go on and on. So if Vermont achieves this Vermont it is. How close is Niagra falls and the Great Lakes?

[Glen Butler]

I was just reading the Wiki on Vermont and it sounds like a great place to live. It seems in general terms that the State is republican to independent and support small government even to the point of proposed secession from the union. The median income is modest. Most people pay their bills, which is indicative of overall decency and integrity. I could go on but that would get into matters outside the terms of service here on SMC. I will have to give Vermont a try.

[Bill Geyer]

Don't discount North central PA in your searching. We have the best wood...

[John alder]

You posted Long Island, I would like to live in a big city, and state side, you cant really get bigger than New York.
Its expensive,good salt water fishing.You mentioned nursing the VA Med Ctr in Northport LI is a busy place and I'm sure they are hiring,good schools,lots to do.

[Tim Morton]

I was just reading the Wiki on Vermont and it sounds like a great place to live. It seems in general terms that the State is republican to independent and support small government even to the point of proposed secession from the union. The median income is modest. Most people pay their bills, which is indicative of overall decency and integrity. I could go on but that would get into matters outside the terms of service here on SMC. I will have to give Vermont a try.

not sure i would call us republican to independent....its a prety liberal state, but we just happen to have a republican governor at the moment. We seem to have better than average common sense when to comes to politics...we usually keep a balance...so neither party can run wild.

There are some pretty wealthy communities...and some really impoverished areas. With Chittenden county up north making the bulk of the population.

My wife runs a large Nursing Home that is owned By Genesis Corp, and has great contacts in the state , she is also the president of the Vermont College of Health Care Administrators. ....so if you would like some more info let me know.

[Jim Terrill]

I am mostly looking for adventures or environments completely different from Utah. We have awesome skiing, and many resorts are still open. Gotta admit I would be bored skiing in Vermont. Remember I'm from Utah, Greatest Snow on Earth. Going to the North East would be mostly for my wife. She has never lived around thick towering trees that just go on and on. So if Vermont achieves this Vermont it is. How close is Niagra falls and the Great Lakes?

Niagara falls is maybe 5 or 6 hours from Burlington. Boring drive down the thruway. I drive through it when driving out to school from home. Skiing in NH/VT is alright, I have skied most of the ski areas in the region when I was racing, ME has better snow. If I moved somewhere for skiing, I'd be in the French Alps. 30 minute runs with 2,000 meters of vertical drop in a single run. That is skiing. Property taxes in NH aren't cheap and depending on where you are, there are less services than other places (bring trash to a dump, no curbside pickup), but not having sales tax is pretty nice. Burlington, VT is probably only about 3 or 4 hours from the St. Lawrence seaway, which is a pretty interesting place to see. All depends on where in VT you are looking at. The northern kingdom is very rural and quiet, Burlington is very young and vibrant with a large college population, I don't know too much about southern VT other than it always seems to have a lot of cops when I drive through.

[Scott Shepherd]

I am mostly looking for adventures or environments completely different from Utah. We have awesome skiing, and many resorts are still open. Gotta admit I would be bored skiing in Vermont. Remember I'm from Utah, Greatest Snow on Earth.

I agree, I wouldn't dream of suggesting to move to VT for skiing. Keep in mind, I'm in VA, so we have to go somewhere to ski :) VT, in the past, has provided a great alternative. We used to be able to go up there and pay for the entire week, room and lift tickets for about $400 each. We can't ski around here for $400 for the weekend. Plus, you would get 100's of trails up there and less than 50 down here,so it was an easy choice.

However, having skied out west, I can say it's really hard to come back and ski the east coast now.

[Glen Butler]

The beautiful thing is we only have to be in each location for three months but we will have the option of extending. We don't have to pay for our housing nor will we have to worry about property tax. NH sounds nice not having sales tax.

[Belinda Barfield]

Glen,

This month's issue of Smithsonian magazine has a nice article about Vermont. Nice photos!

[Ed Gibbons]

Your life will never be the same after a stay in da Bronx. Besides, you can walk to the Yankee games!

[Glen Butler]

Ha, if I come out alive. I got beaten by a gang, completely unprovoked, when I was in Brighton, Washington DC. And my life isn't the same. I still get phantom pains from the dent in my head.

[Dave Ogren]

Another vote for the Asheville, NC area. Great health care here because of the large amount of folks that retire here. The surrounding area is also great. I think that the altitude is what tempers the climate here and it is absolutely wonderful. I have traveled the country looking and my heart still comes back here. Good luck.

Dave

[Rich Engelhardt]

It's near the end of April & it's 39 degrees.
The cold weather started bear the beginning of last October.
That's nearly 7 months of less than ideal (ha ha ) weather.

Taxes are high - but less than other areas...
Unemployment is at a near all time high - even though we've been "crushed" numerous times before by economic withdrawals..

Through history, no one wanted to "stay here"...everyone seemed to be just passing through on their way to somewhere else.
The lone exception were the mound builders in the Souther part of the state.

We did have a river catch fire once....about the only noteworthy unique thing to ever happen...

Oh yeah, we did have that "other guy" - everybody recalls Linclon and JFK, but old what's his name got assassinated too.. ;)
(either of them - we're 50% of the assassinated presidents....)



Yep - I'll help you out some by helping you cross Ohio off your list.
That only leaves 47... ;).

[Pat Germain]

Yep - I'll help you out some by helping you cross Ohio off your list.
That only leaves 47... ;).

Over the years, I've met many, many people from Ohio. Most were military. And none of them live there. :confused:

[Butch Edwards]

well, I'm glad noone mentioned WV...that's more room for me!!!! :D:D
seriously...here's my take
North= too cold and too exspensive
Deep South=too hot and too crowded
..my wifes' from SD,cal...her sis is in Lodi...been there, not going back...Napa Valley has good wine,tho, but..naaaah....California is NOT the place to live with the condition the state's in financially...

NC/TENN/KY are all good states to live in... good people, and decent standard of living... any part of either would suit me. ;)

[Van Huskey]

Try Asheville, we had a family cabin at one time in Saluda a tiny little "town" south of Asheville.

Also consider Louisiana, your life is not complete without some immersion in the Acadiana region of LA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acadiana

The place is like no where in the US and I have been about everywhere in the 50. I like it so much we have a vacation house there that we seem to spend more time in than our home.

[Steve Friedman]

I felt compelled to chime in because I haven't seen anyone suggest the Garden State - New Jersey! If you watch television, I'm not sure how it would be possible to resist coming to home of the Sopranos, the Housewives of New Jersey, Jersey Shore, and Jerseylicious.

But seriously, Princeton, NJ is only an hour from Manhattan, Philadelphia, the New Jersey shore, and the Adirondack Trail!

Proud to be from NJ,

Steve

[Glen Butler]

I felt compelled to chime in because I haven't seen anyone suggest the Garden State - New Jersey! If you watch television, I'm not sure how it would be possible to resist coming to home of the Sopranos, the Housewives of New Jersey, Jersey Shore, and Jerseylicious.

But seriously, Princeton, NJ is only an hour from Manhattan, Philadelphia, the New Jersey shore, and the Adirondack Trail!

Proud to be from NJ,

Steve

Everytime I think of New Jersey it reminds of a line from my sons favorite show 'Madagascar'. "You're on the Jersey side of this cesspool." Alex the lion says while talking to Marty about his side of the island being better than Marties'. Thankfully I find it hilarious and I can watch it over and over with him.

I haven't really considered Jersey because I will be in Long Island, New York. Which is inversely just as close to what you said.

Ohio? I would love to go to Ohio for 3 months. I want to be close to the great lakes and I want to go to Cedar Point for the thrill rides. Nevermind the cold, winter is my favorite month. I love the cold. Sadly it is not in the interstate nursing compact, and searching for jobs there has been difficult.

Half of the US is already ruled out because they are not in the interstate nursing compact. Oddly, the three places we have already decided we will go are not in the compact either and LOML will have to apply for licensure in each of those states: California, Alaska, New York. Thankfully these places are both places we want to live and places that have jobs.

It would be nice to have the other three places we attend be in the compact for simplicities sake. These include: Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, North and South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin.

[Steve Friedman]

Glen, nothing is close to Long Island! You can't measure NY distances by the mile - it's always by the hour.

Maine is amazing! Unfortunately, the biggest city, Portland, is pretty small by northeast city standards. On the other hand, Boston is only 2 hours south. The Maine coast is breathtaking, the lakes are amazing, and you can see the white mountains of New Hampshire in the distance. When you add Acadia National Park, an unlimited supply of lobster, LL Bean (open 24-hours per day), and Lie-Nielsen, I'm not sure how anything else can compare!

Steve

[Don Robinson]

Don't miss Tennessee and especially the Cumberland Plateau!

[Leigh Betsch]

Wait just a doggone minute. No votes for South Dakota!!!
No traffic (no stop lights at all in my county), no state taxes, and best natural food known to man (pheasant and antelope when in season).
Ok there is this thing about no trees in most of the state but you can always go out to the Black Hills if you feel the need to obstruct the view of the horizon with trees.
But if I HAD to choose another place to go I suppose I could agree to Hawaii, if you made me, but I'd have to come back for the pheasant season, and antelope season.

[Glen Butler]

Glen, nothing is close to Long Island! You can't measure NY distances by the mile - it's always by the hour.

Maine is amazing! Unfortunately, the biggest city, Portland, is pretty small by northeast city standards. On the other hand, Boston is only 2 hours south. The Maine coast is breathtaking, the lakes are amazing, and you can see the white mountains of New Hampshire in the distance. When you add Acadia National Park, an unlimited supply of lobster, LL Bean (open 24-hours per day), and Lie-Nielsen, I'm not sure how anything else can compare!

Steve

If you are on long island, how long does it take to get out of the city far enough that traffic is no longer an issue?

[Steve Friedman]

If you are on long island, how long does it take to get out of the city far enough that traffic is no longer an issue?

That's a trick question! The answer is NEVER. I suppose the traffic may end once your wheels are in the Ocean.

Steve

[Chris Padilla]

Avoid Denial...terrible state to live in and Confusion isn't much better....

[Belinda Barfield]

Avoid Denial...terrible state to live in and Confusion isn't much better....

and Ignorance is much, much worse.

[Christian Castillo]

California, Northern California specifically. Beautiful weather, fantastic food, arts, culture and great people. We have great farmer markets scenes, access to beautiful beaches, Sonoma and Napa Valley, trails and scenic forests of the pacific northwest. By the way, I am a SF Bay Area native ;).

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

My wife and I are in for some adventure and some togetherness as we have decided to travel nursing for the next year

Aren't nurse licenses state specific?

[Glen Butler]

I mentioned this somewhere in the thread, but there is an interstate nursing compact that covers about 20 states; they are listed above. California, New York, and Alaska, are not in the interstate nursing compact, but it is mostly a matter of paying them money and sending in your transcripts and test scores so they can personally look them over and grant you a license.

[John Pohja]

Aren't nurse licenses state specific?

AFAIK there are some states that have reciprocity( I'm talking about RN's here). As an exampe, I believe a NY or FL RN license is accepted in all 50 states. John

[John Pohja]

I lived in Ithaca,NY while i was in college. Great town with lots of outdoor activites as well as the arts,summer stock,etc that you'd expect from a college town.

Ithaca just made a top ten score in 2 categories---"recreation" and "small towns"---on relocateamerica.com's top ten places to live. John

[Jesse Espe]

The State of Confusion.

I could sure use some neighbors. :)

[Michael Trivette]

Ashville N.C.

And Being from there I'd just like to say Ashville is Great.........

However there are many many places that offer everthing that Ashville has Including the view and the Heathcare. For much much cheaper

but if your not paying rent or buying property then Asville is great



P.S. Try Birmingham alabama..

I know Alabama......... i thought the same thing.
My wife and I came here for her job. she was only supposed to be here for 6 weeks (opening a new Cracker Barrel)

That was 3 years ago.