I lived in Massachusetts for my first 10 years then Illinois for the next 15. I came to California 31 years ago. Out of all the places I have lived I would say I like this the best. I like the weather most of the time and there is quite a variety geographically. We have beaches 5 miles away, ancient redwood forests within walking distance, we live in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mts. so have great views of valleys and even the ocean. I can drive to the mountains in a few hours if I want to play in the snow or to the desert if I want heat. I have lived close to the CA coast for 22 years and enjoy the Mediterranean climate. I can garden all year long and have fresh veggies, flowers and fruit. We are north enough to have some seasonal changes, but don't usually get the extremes in heat or cold. Though in the last couple of years I have been noticing some changes in the weather pattern. Everything you could want is close by, great 5 star restaurants, big shopping malls, historical sites; Santa Cruz, San Jose and San Francisco museums, symphonies, theaters. We get lots of big name entertainers. You could go 24/7 for a week and never repeat anything if you wanted. I don't miss the very cold snowy winters or hot humid summers of the East Coast or Midwest. Occasionally I get nostalgic for the Autumn changes that you get in New England. And I miss the fresh clams and fresh picked blueberries. The only other place I would want to live is Hawaii. Clare

Interesting question. We live where we do because originally it was where my DH found a teaching job after college. Then we stayed put because one set of grandparents was 20 minutes away and the others only 1-2 hours away (my parents got the moving bug several times in later life). It was a good place to bring up kids and we've been in this house for 38 years. Now the kids are gone. One will forever be in the DC metro area unless he gets posted overseas again, which is possible. One has followed her DH to a job in N.CA, they're expecting #2, and the last just got a job, also in the Bay Area. Will we stay? We're just doing all the things to the house and property that we've always wanted to do. A garden doesn't just spring into life overnight, you know. On the other hand, I'd like to be closer to the two that are still on the west coast. My grandson needs lots of snuggles. I could be talked into a move. I think.

We are actually days away from making 2 separate rooms, and doing a whole house remodel. We designed our addition to work for now and the future. We have 3 children 11, 8, and 5, who will get bigger and so will their friends and my father will be moving in with us, as he is lonely since my mother passed. I want our home to be a place the kids feel comfortable bringing their friends without being cramped...which is what we are now. Our current living room is about 20 x 15. We've decided to open the wall to the garage with large french doors and make it a rec/family room. They will still be two separate rooms, but we'll have the option of keeping the doors open or closed. The room was supposed to be a substitute for a basement play/fun area, but then our architect came back with the drawings and there was a large playroom upstairs for the kids. We still thought the family room would be great since we have large outside family/pool parties (60-80 people) three times a year, and one of these times it's going to rain. We will probably have several smaller gatherings now that we'll have the room. I figured the french doors would allow privacy, but not too much - thinking of those testosterone filled years. ;)

Joann, I have longer list and keep on adding more info as it resurfaces in the posts. Still some info is missing. Here is my latest Amazing Aunt Aubrey - Oklahoma - female Adellabedella - ? ? ? Alisande (Susan) - PA Scranton ? orig.from NYC - female Angela_Nor_Calif - Northern California - female Angelaid - Idaho ? - female Arkansas girl - ? ? ? Barb-45 - south-west Washington. - female. bengardening - Middle of South Dakota - female Bigack. (Susan) - Fairmont WV - female Big baby - Southeast Minnesota - female breenthumb - Upstate New York - female Bulldinkie - Kim in PA - female Cardamom - North Texas - female Carla35 - ? ? ? Carol in California - the beautiful central coast of California - female Caroline - Larimore, ND You can Google me at 806 Booth Ave. W. Casey (Karen) - St.John , Newfoundland, Canada - female CathyId - SW Idaho, - female. czech_chick Carol - Long Island, NY - female Cherryfizz - Windsor Ontario Canada - female Chemocurl - Indiana Cheryl ok - southeastern Oklahoma - female ChiSue - 30 miles north of Chicago - female Chi83 - Irvine, S.California - female ChloeCat - St. Louis - Home of the WS Champion Cardinals - female ColeenOz - Australia - female Chubby Rat - El Paso, Texas - female Cynic - Minnesota - male dances_in_garden - Ontario , Canada - female DeaMN - Southwestern Minnesota - female deborah ps - Palm Springs, California - female des_arc_ya_ya - N. central Arkansas - female dirtundermyfingers - Stacie in Nebraska - female dianamo 1 - MO - female Dollydolots - British Columbia, Canada - female Donna37 - South central MO - female Dotmom - N.Central Minnesota - female drewsmaga - Oviedo (by Orlando) Fl nowb. The Woodlands (by Houston) TX - female Ellie45 - Alexandria, VA - female FlamingO in ar (Susan) - near Eureka Springs, AR - female Fran1523 - SE Massachusetts - female Fun2BHere - Southern California - female Gazania - SW Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh - female georgysmom - Williamsburg, VA. - female gemini40 - ? ? ? glenda-al - Birmingham, al - female gibby3000 - ? ? ? gmom74 - Roswell, Georgia - female Granlan TX - Texas panhandle ? - female grinch_gut - Stacy in OK - female Haffie - North Shore - MA Heather ON - Ontario, Canada - female Hellion - North central Florida - female hoovergal - Hoover, Alabama - female. hostapasta - Western New York State - near Buffalo - female houstonmom - Houston, Texas - female Jannie, Janice, age 58 - Kings Park Long Island NY - female Jasdip - Southwestern Ontario (Canada) - female Jaybird - Texas - female jbelle108 - Boston, MA - female jeaninwa - Colorado Springs, CO - female jel48, - Michigan U.P. - on the Keweenaw peninsula - female jemdandy ? ? ? -male jennmonkey - Virginia ? Seattle? - female joann_fla - North Florida, orig. NJ - female Joan mn - E.Minnesota (Pine City?) / Ocala, FL in winter - female jodi_in_so_calif - Orange CO, CA - female joyfulguy - southern Ontario, Canada - reputedly male Kathsgrdn - Central Kentucky - Kathleen - female Kathi_mdgd - S.Calif,Oceanside to be exct. - female Kathy G in MI - northeast Michigan - female kat__wa - Washington - female Kayjones - Panama City, Florida - female Kfca37 - Bay area CA Kittywhiskers - 4B - female lazypup - Chicopee, Massachusetts - male Lidia1959 - Mid-Missouri , an hour from St. Louis - female Liira - Edmonton Alberta Canada - female lily316 - south central PA lindalou - Tonawanda, new yor k - female lindie_mi - west Michigan - female Linda_in_Iowa - Ames, Iowa - female linda_6 PA - Sewickley, PA - Female Lisa_fla - Orlando, Florda - female Littlebit - West TN - female Lindaohionowga - Linda Ohio now GA--Fayetteville, GA - female lindyluwho - Remlap, AL - female littlebug5, - north Missouri - female Liz_ga. - fayetteville - female lovemymimi - Mesa, Arizona - female LuAnn_in_PA - PA (southwest) - female luckygardnr - Southwestern Ontario (near Jasdip) - female Lynn D - Johnstown, PA - female Marilyn Sue - Central Indiana, Madison Co - Female mary7060_mi - Northern lower peninsula of Michigan - female Mamatoad - Tucson, Arizona - female Marita40 Mary - St. Paul MN 2011-Rome - female Marry - northeastern Indiana - female Matti5 Cheryl - Northern CA - female maybee - Iowa - female mboston - Lakeland, FL - female mcmann - southern NJ originally from Pittsburgh - female Michelle PhxAZ - Phoenix, AZ - female minnie_tx - NE Texas - female mom24 - Pennsylvania - female momof6 - SW Louisiana - female moonie 57 -female MonicaPa - Blue Bell,Pa - female mwheel - Falling Waters, WV - female nanaofmany08 Linda weeks - western KY - female nanatricia - central Texas - female Nanny98 - Southern Oregon - female nancylee_ ky - Western Kentucky - female Nicole - Colorado Springs - female NitaAZ - Sierra Vista, AZ - female Nodakgal - female OklaMoni - Oklahoma City - female oldgardener_2009 - western Washington - female Pam 25f - northern NY pammyfay - N.VIRGINIA ? patti43 - Ocala, FL - female pattico - female paula_pa - Pennsylvania - female pekemom - Lynne from southern Colorado - female Petaloid - Southern California - female petra - female pickyshopper - Ontario , Canada - female Poohbear 2767 - Dunlap Tn - male Phyllis mn - North Central Minnesota - female ratherbegardening - near Lansing, Michigan - female RavenCajun - Houston,TX area - female Reader77 - Johnson City in upper E.TN (almost in VA) - female Renee FL - DeLand FLorida - female redcurls - Ft Lauderdale FL - Female ronf - Southeast Minnesota - male ronm80 (Ronnie) - south Georgia - female Rosemaryt - Rosemary Thornton - female rosepetal2 - near Liverpool, England - female ruthieg__tx - Texas - female Sable - Monterey Peninsula, California - female Salgal - ? ? ? SamKaren - Milledgeville, Illinois - female Satine - Northern Maryland - female schoolhouse - Ohio scissors - ? ? ? secsteve - Delaware? - male sheilajoyce - southern California - female sherrmann - Wisconsin - female sjarz (Susan) - Canada - female sjerin - Bay Area in Ca, originally from Oregon - female sleeperblues - northwest Wisconsin - female Socks12345 - South CA - female ? soxxxx - mid East Texas - female stoneybaloney - Patty from Kansas - female sue_va - Stuarts Draft, VA - female Sunny DJ - SW. Pa, near Pgh.... Sunshines - Weeki Wachee, Florida - female susanjf - in SE Michigan - female Sushipup - Monterey Bay central coast of California - female sweet_betsy - Decatur, AL - female Tally - Los Angeles, California. - female Terilin - Texas - female Thistledew5750 - ? ? ? Tobygirl - Upstate New York - female Trishaw - Landrum, SC (upper W. part ~ 5' from NC border) - female trixietx - Texas panhandle - female two.25acres - SE Wisconsin on 2 1/4 acres - female Valla55/Bj - central Kansas widowed - female Vannie - Tyler, East Texas. Dallas and Shreveport vee1 - Pensacola Florida VetaAl - Vestavia Hills, AL - female Vicki lv - Las Vegas, Nevada - female vicki7 - North GA - female wanda_va - Front Royal, Virginia - female wildchild - CA - female zeetera