New England and Upstate NY

[woodguy00]

After growing up in Midwest and then most of past thirty years in the PNW, the last five years in Boston burbs have been a challenge. The local personality is an acquired taste that DW and I have a hard time appreciating. But hey, it's pushing us toward ER so all good.

[movaly1]

I grew up in the New Haven, CT area. I have been overseas most of my adult life but recently moved to the Hudson Valley area of New York.

[zinger1457]

I grew up in central MA and also went to U Lowell, seems like there are a few of us on the board that went to school there. I took a job on the west coast after graduating and only go back now to visit family, now live in AZ. Still a die hard Boston sports team fan but never had a desire to move back, prefer a climate where I can play golf, bike, and hike all year long.

[Teacher Terry]

Lived in a small town in Upstate NY (Cortland area) for 2 years when I was young. It was beautiful and the people were nice. We left because the COL was high in comparison to the wages. WE moved to WI where the COL was lower and the wages higher.

[pb4uski]

I have lived my entire life in New England.... was born and raised in Vermont... went to college in Massachusetts... then back to Vermont for my first few years of work... then back to Boston area for work for 6 years... and then back to Vermont to raise our kids and still here in retirement. Ditto for DW.

Our recent 6 months of snowbirding was the longest period of time that we have been away from New England my entire life.

[Luck_Club]

Rhode Island for me. Moved here in HS, left for 4 years then moved back. The coastal and mountain region both have certain beauty and charm. However, my experience has been that the high taxes and lack of government service efficiency are real downers.

The other states all seem to be in better shape then us. For that reason I can understand why OP didn't return to Pawtucket.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luck_Club Rhode Island for me. Moved here in HS, left for 4 years then moved back. The coastal and mountain region both have certain beauty and charm. However, my experience has been that the high taxes and lack of government service efficiency are real downers. The other states all seem to be in better shape then us. For that reason I can understand why OP didn't return to Pawtucket.

I read this and it brought back fond memories of mine from the years I spent summers at Ninigret Conservation Area clam digging in the shallow inland ponds. I used to get a non-resident shellfish license and get a peck a day and a few crabs (illegal ones!). That area used to be one of the hidden gems in the beautiful state of Rhode Island.

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I read this and it brought back fond memories of mine from the years I spent summers at Ninigret Conservation Area clam digging in the shallow inland ponds. I used to get a non-resident shellfish license and get a peck a day and a few crabs (illegal ones!). That area used to be one of the hidden gems in the beautiful state of Rhode Island.

That touched a nerve.
In the early 1960's, Barrington RI was our family gathering place. My Folks had a place in Barrington RI, on 100 acre cove. My extended family, and DW's extended family gathered for a seafood feast... probably 25 to 30 people. We'd plan for low tide.
My mom and Aunt Winnie, commandeered the two rowboats,
w/two kids each to go out to the marsh for crabs... poling the boat and netting the crabs... tossed into the bottom of the boat, 'til it was full... maybe 40 crabs.
The rest of us did the clamming. So here's how you clam:
Best at low tide, in about 30 inches of water. The bottom is sandy/muddy. You "scootch" down and wiggle your feet in the mud, pushing forward, until you feel something hard, which is always a clam. Now, with the water up to your neck, your hands spread out in the guck, picking clams of all sizes. Each person has a burlap gunny sack, to carry the clams. Sometime, one hand can pick up three or four clams. With 12 people doing this, the sacks are filled in a short time. Some of the littlest kids had to stay closer to shore, but they still picked their share. In all, probably a bushel and a half... About 70 pounds.

While RI clams are all the same, they are classified by size:

Quote:

Little Neck: The smallest size of clam, amounting to 7-10 clams per pound. Cherry Stone: A little larger, you'll get 6-10 cherry stone clams per pound. Top Neck: These are sometimes also labeled as count neck clams, and they equal roughly 4 clams per pound. Quahog: These big guys are also called chowder clams and weigh in at a mighty 2-3 clams per pound.

To feed 25 people, you need a lot of clams. Mom did the clam chowder... Rhode Island Clam chowder... best in the world. We all... who had the nerve, drank clam juice cocktails... (just plain clam juice)... Uncle buddy, opened up the littlenecks and the cherrystones, for everyone who could... slurp them down... cold and raw. My dad could have eaten all of them. Aunt Alice made the fried clams.. in a big pot, on the outside grille, and Aunt lillian boiled the crabs. All in all, the meal lasted about 2 hours.

I don't remember too much about permits or limits back then, but one of my cousins eventually became the manager of the South County Conservation Dept. of Fisheries.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

[mystang52]

DW and I born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. From the time we started dating - high school sweethearts - we enjoyed day trips, and later camping trips, to upstate NY. We now live in northern New Jersey, and every couple of months we do some sort of day trip or overnight to NY State and occasionally New England to get our "fix."

[6miths]

I spent part of my fellowship at Brown in the early 90s. Enjoyed Providence, Boston, Cape Cod and Nantucket. I had been married for a year and my DW was pregnant with our first and was able to join me for a period there. We lived in Wickford, RI and greatly enjoyed it. Narragansett Bay was beautiful.

[LeaveVT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachBound2029 We moved for a lower cost of living, and better climate. If you like snow, or can deal with it, along with the cost of living then it really is nice.

DH and I have lived in VT for over 20 years (not continuously) but when we finally FIRE (hopefully later this year) we are also going to move away for a lower cost of living and a better (less humid but still 4-season) climate. While we both still love snow (I grew up in Finland and DH in the midwest) - the snow here is hardly ever the powdery kind but the heavy sticky kind. In addition the summers are becoming increasingly humid.

As for the cost of living in retirement - the state of VT taxes absolutely everything.

Having said that, we've loved living in small towns in both central and southern VT and especially enjoy outdoor activities. I also went to college in MA and upstate NY and still visit those areas frequently.

[Koolau]

Never lived in the area but spent two vacations there. Loved the area as it is quite beautiful with lots to do. The food is wonderful. But I would not fit in there - nuffsaid. YMMV