So why don't we live here?

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:50 pm

Anthony wrote:
flip-flop wrote:St. John would not be NEARLY as charming to me if I actually had to deal with the day to day reality of living there
This is true of most places... NJ had the same effect on me after 25 years

That's very funny!

Bart Wailes · Post by **Bart Wailes** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:02 pm

Well here I am at lunch at my ho hum job just dreaming about St. John and I feel very fortunate. My wife is a scientist at The National Institutes of Health and I am an accountant (not CPA). We are about fifty and have no children. We are on the seven year plan to live half the year on St. John. We are maxing our 401K's and saving our coins to make a lifestyle change. We are not big shoppers, we are in good health and we are looking for a better way to live than what the Washington DC area has become.I have been vacationing on St John for twenty years and we were married on Hawksnest Beach nine years ago. We think we love St. John. We are building a small two bed/two bath, West Indian style home near the top of Bordeaux Mountain Road that we will place in the vacation villa market until we are ready to really try St. John. I have read the Tradewinds newspaper weekly for the past few years to find out some of the warts that are on St. John. Each trip we make we actually talk with total strangers for long periods of time and have been invited into these people's homes. There actually seems to be a close knit community in Coral Bay. We will look for jobs that will make us happy. Who knows what the future will bring, but my wife and I are going to try.

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:08 pm

Bart - that sounds like a dream come true. 1/2 a year would be great. We live in the DC area too and it does tend to wear on the nerves! We often dream of a simpler life somewhere on the Chesapeake. Cashing out is SO tempting with our home values being what they are around here.

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:39 pm

Even the baby has had enough of the weather. Now our ceiling is LEAKING! Maybe I will sell and move to STJ!

canucknyc · Post by **canucknyc** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:42 pm

Oh, Flip-Flop, how adorable!!!!

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:49 pm

oh that is funny! he's adorable!

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:49 pm

Thanks .. I couldn't resist and that photo sums it up for me

mrsb · Post by **mrsb** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:10 pm

Did someone say Dump and New Jersey? Ha ha ha- couldn't resist.

ScottB · Post by **ScottB** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:43 pm

I know it's pretty much already been said, but I would never want to ruin something so special. If you live it every day, it becomes routine, and no longer holds any magic.

It's sort of like turning a hobby into a career. I am a bigtime fishing fanatic. I once toyed with the idea of becoming a fishing guide, so I could do what I love for a living. Well, after further investigation into this grand idea, I came to the conclusion that I never want fishing to feel like work. Fishing is one of my ways to get away from it all, and making it my living would of possibly ruined one of the things I cherish.

Hopefully this all makes sense to somebody....

Jerseyboy · Post by **Jerseyboy** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:36 pm

mrsb wrote:Did someone say Dump and New Jersey? Ha ha ha- couldn't resist.

Not funny. I hope you don't use any of our wonderful beaches.

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:55 pm

DELETED

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:01 pm

Ya, here I am in downtown DC with the freezing rain coming down. It's not so bad, since I'm doing what it takes to follow my passions when I'm not in DC. Next week is Los Angeles and Miami. But, I'd still rather be in the DC area. I like the seasons, smart people and all of the fun things to do. Plus, it's a great hub for travel to Europe, Caribbean and North America.

I like Bart's thinking. My youngest will be in college in the Fall of 2015. Then I can live anywhere near a major airport. I'd like to be in the country with 40 acres, a nice house with a pool, wood lot, orchards... and sneak off to the islands in the winter time.

One interesting thing about the Washington DC area is that business REALLY slows down in August. Gee, those August timeshares at the Westin are pretty cheap...

Almost happy hour! We kegged the Stout last night, I get to taste it when I get home.

Cheers, RickG

mrsb · Post by **mrsb** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:26 pm

Jerseyboy wrote:
mrsb wrote:Did someone say Dump and New Jersey? Ha ha ha- couldn't resist.
Not funny. I hope you don't use any of our wonderful beaches.

Come on... it was a joke (PA vs NJ ?). Sadly we haven't seen Ocean City since MrB's parents sold their shore house on the bay. I have to do something to keep myself entertained. Driving in this ice storm is making me very upset.

sea-nile · Post by **sea-nile** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:13 pm

I would have to abandon my family.
It might not be as special, as others have said.
But... I think about ways I could move there often. It doesn't hurt to dream.

msgcolleen · Post by **msgcolleen** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:56 pm

Wow! Great to hear such great responses! I feel that way too!
1. Not having enough money to live the lifestyle.
2. Schools that don't compare with Prez. Bush's Texas TAKS testing.
3. FAMILY!! A lot of air fare to get us all together!
4. Too chicken to get out of my comfort zone.
5. Living in paradise may not be paradise once you live there!

O.K. friends, I guess we will live with Texas for a while with over commercialization, too many fast food restaurants, shopping, traffic, concrete, and too much stuff, stuff, stuff!

I need a vacation . . . I heard there is an island that Kenny Chesney loves . . .

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