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<p>minus 18 this morning and DD had class (and so did DS '15). Crazy how differently our Country perceives “weather” @-) </p>
<p>We’re at +18 here and it doesn’t feel right for man nor beast out there. I’m really too old and crickety for this. With my youngest being a hs senior I’m fantasizing about becoming a snow bird, even if I am a few decades too young. My son actually called for us to send more gloves, hats, long johns, etc. Thank goodness we don’t use propane anymore to heat the house when I heard it was selling for upwards of $7/gallon. I’d be burning furniture if that were the case.</p>
<p>We’re not a few decades too young to snowbird. We are hoping to shorten winter by skipping Feb’s cold next year actually, and since Feb has been discriminated against for so many years (only having 28/29 days) we hope to make up for that by having our “southern” Feb run from mid Jan (as soon as college boys return) to mid March or so.</p>
<p>Fortunately, hubby’s job can be done from practically anywhere, so this could, indeed, be feasible in our empty nest days.</p>
<p>I’m not sure yet what I’d be doing, but it’s not like I’m working now either… a trial run without heading south (not NEARLY as fun TBH).</p>
<p>AMEN! I work from home (or anywhere I can get online). Once S '15 heads to college? the Wife and I have already decided we’re going to shorten winter a couple months by taking Feb/Mar on the gulf! Can’t wait!!!</p>
<p>This desire to go south is nothing new for me, I have always hated the cold, even as a kid. So jealous of those of you who can work remotely. I think the inmates would take over the asylum if I didn’t show my face at the office every now and then. And they’d probably turn the heat up to 80.</p>
<p>I hate the extremes. We have an office in the Atlanta area and of course, the one I work at in Detroit. I am actually free to work from either place. I’m trying to figure out how to afford an apartment there for winters. I know they got slammed this week and it was a hot mess, but it’s all going to melt this week too. It’s such a short term issue for them. We’re going to get stuck with more snow tonight and more on Saturday and then they’re talking about even more on Wednesday. <em>sigh</em> I’m over it. </p>
<p>The logistics of taxes for a college student who worked in two states and a city with income taxes is a little overwhelming. Sifting through tax forms … ugh. I think the accountant ex-husband is going to have to look it all over and make sure I did it right. I’m doing D’s this year, but as she noted “You’ll have to teach me how to do it myself sometime”. Yeah, but not this year. Let me figure it out first!</p>
<p>Temps in the 50 - 80 range are my “comfort zone.” I like a few days to venture out of it as I love the beauty of snow and the work of shoveling, etc, the first few times. It just needs to end in Jan rather than March. The full time heat of southern summers is definitely NOT for me though. We spent 5 years in FL and I’ve no desire to move back full time - there or anywhere without a true change in seasons.</p>
<p>HI would be “my” perfect state if it weren’t so far away from everything (considering we’re travel addicts). We may opt to do our “southern” winters in HI though. I definitely prefer the sights there to FL’s (mountains vs flat). FL has the advantage of being in the correct time zone for hubby’s work though.</p>
<p>We’ll see. We have to let youngest fly out of the nest first - and finish this pesky medical stuff.</p>
<p>DS was born in January of 94, in a blizzard. I remember it well! I would love to move to FL one day and live on the water! My husband, however, is not a hot weather kind of guy. I’m thinking maybe I could get him to move to NC? Wishful thinking? We’d also have to find that perfect place with an ocean beach in the frontyard and tall, shady woods in the backyard. Where is that again?</p>
<p>Well, finally got DS’s FASFA submitted, which as you all know, means I did our taxes to the extent possible and his taxes to the extent possible. Haven’t received the 1099-Q forms yet or some of our 1099s. I really hate this “estimate” stuff and resubmit. Ugh. </p>
<p>On a positive note, DS submitted his application for a NOAA scholarship. Would be very nice if gets it. It is 8K a year for two years and means he can do research rather than work. Fingers crossed! </p>
<p>@geogirl1 Wishing your guy well on his Hollings app! UM tends to do well with those… ;)</p>
<p>You can get ocean in the front and woods in the back, but it tends to be extremely costly… well out of our budget.</p>
<p>Out of our budget too, Creekland! A girl can dream though, can’t she? Actually, I would like to buy three 2-bedroom apartments; one near wherever each kid settles. Then, every few months, just go to the next house/family/grandkids. That is probably out of our budget too. :)</p>
<p>Now how do you know about Holings App? Your marine kid is too young. Is there something you aren’t telling me? LOL! Are you on the committee? If I send you brownies, or cookies or a cosmo, will that help my DS? </p>
<p>No, I’m definitely not on any committee for it (nor would I have enough knowledge to even remotely be on it). Eckerd is pretty big at promoting Hollings, so we learned about it through them when looking at schools. </p>
<p>The way I figure it with my kids, oldest (accountant) can take care of our finances. Middle (doctor) can take care of keeping us in prescriptions and provide us with a place to live (taking care of his place or something). Youngest (marine bio) can provide us with a boat to go fishing or traveling on. We SHOULD be set. ;)</p>
<p>^ I knew we should have had a third kid for some reason!!! Guess we can’t get that boat! :(( </p>
<p>^^^ Too bad! You should have been thinking far ahead for such important things… 
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<p>Great plan Creekland! DS1 one will be our boat, DD might develop some knees or other bioengineering feat. Not sure about DS2; we will know in a few years. 
LOVE THAT WE HAVE A LIKE BUTTON!!!</p>
<p>See, I spent most of their years in my house being broke. Now I have a much better paying job and I keep thinking “When the tuition is all paid and they don’t live here, I can afford almost anything I want!” As long as my health holds out and I can keep working anyway. </p>
<p>@2016barnardmom - that was my mom… I still wish her well and tell her to enjoy what she has!</p>
<p>We all will likely have to share the accomplishments of our offspring - they are the ones who will be taking care of us (more or less) in our older age - everything from doctors to restaurant chefs to actors to… (it never ends).</p>
<p>This is why I hope all of our younguns go on and do well!</p>
<p>reminds me of the old bumper sticker; “I want to live long enough to be a burden on my kids” </p>
<p>I’m hoping I can do things like say “Hey, let’s all go on a cruise, bring your spouses, bring your kids, it’s on me”. That would be so fun </p>
<p>My mom has significantly enhanced some of our trips - and fully funded youngest’s class trip to France when we were hit by the economic downturn. Your dreams could be a reality. ;)</p>
<p>Well we have all been very quiet lately. Probably frozen. Hope everyone has power.</p>
<p>Creekland hope you are inching past the halfway point and doing well.</p>
<p>DD was home a few weeks ago with her a cappella group to sing at DH’s office party. It was great fun to have a houseful of “kids” for a night, and they just wowed the party with their performance. Since they stayed for food and dancing I think a good time was had by all. Ironically they will sing at her old high school in a few weeks - but she has a musical performance and won’t make the show.</p>
<p>Currently she is lining up advisors for her majors (yes, apparently she is now double majoring). I think they need to declare before registering for classes for next semester. The where to go abroad question has not been resolved, not the where to live next year question, but she does not seem stressed about it. She is spending some of her summer wages on a trip to the Caribbean for spring break. Sorry she won’t be home, but I get to see her a lot this semester due to the musical, drama and a cappella performances.</p>