I am relocating to your area...maybe

Pete

Repete
Hi everyone,
I have spend several days scouring this forum, gaining info about SOMD. I must say you have a great forum here. I will say last week there was a 100% chance I was moving there in July, but since reading the "Best and Worst about living in SOMD" thread, I have dropped it to 99.5% . I will be relocating from Maine with my 6 year old son and Chopper the Wonder cat. I have begun the exhaustive process of trying to quell the anxiety of a big move as a single parent by searching for every scrap of info I can find to reduce the uncertainty. So far I have gotten good info, average utility costs, that the cable company sucks, traffic stinks, and Great Mills is not the place to live, people have not taken down their Christmas lights, daycare is hard to find, most of you wouldn't cheat on your spouses, Dynacorp doesn't pay well, and everyone likes to pick on Smalltown. I hope you don't mind if i continue to snoop around collecting info, and post a question of two. I have already heard that the northern end of St. Mary's has the better school districts, as does Calvert. Any suggestions on where to look for a house? I have been thinking Leonardtown.

Regards,
Yet another New guy
 
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Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
:roflmao: Wonderful!
Good luck :cheers:
I've been in SoMD 20+ years, it is definately what you make of it. :wink:
 

Pete

Repete
Thanks

I think that coming from Maine, there will not be that much culture shock, the goegraphy and pace should be quite similar. Judging from all I read on this forum I should fit in quite well.
 

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
It's what you make of it around here. I grew up waiting to get out. Got out for two years and came running back.

BTW, Smalltown is a butthead; that's why we pick on him.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Pete, your synopsis was a scream! :roflmao: What made you choose SoMD for a relocation? Work? Family? Or was it just us friendly folks? :wink:

Leonardtown is one of the nicer places to live in St. Mary's. It's the only one that's an incorporated town with a Mayor and a town council - things run a little better because there are people who care. Take a look at
http://somd.com/leonardtown
to see their town website.
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
:howdy: and welcome

I have been here nearly 13 years, coming from California, and like it very much. All places have the good and the bad. I find more good. :smile:
 

pilot

Member
Originally posted by dpete2q
Any suggestions on where to look for a house? I have been thinking Leanadrtown.

I'm living in Wildewood and am quite happy with it. The location is about as good as it gets. It's one of the few places here that's convenient to everything. We're about 20 minutes to the base, 15 minutes to Leonardtown, 10 minutes from Solomon's.

The neighborhood itself is pretty and wooded (reminiscent of New England). It has amenities like a clubhouse and pool. They also do a good job plowing during winter. And, there are all sorts of homes for all sorts of income levels ranging from condos to duplexes to mansions.

Welcome here. What brings you from Maine?
 
K

Kizzy

Guest
Pete, your synopsis was a scream!

Ditto on that statement! :lol:

Well, Pete you picked the right place to get an honest opinion. I live in Charles County, so I cannot provide much insight on St. Mary's County except that the country is very beautiful. BTW, once you arrive, we will have to all met you. It's required. :wink:
 
K

Kain99

Guest
OMG that is soooo.... hilarious! Great sense of humor dpete2q.

You'll love it here! With people like us, how can ya lose? :wink:
 

Pete

Repete
I am retiring from the Navy at the ripe old age of 38:cheers: I have been pursued by a few of your local government contractors for a couple of years now and they wasted no time in making me an offer. I guess I am lucky, most people I know retiring worry more about finding a job, I have that taken care of. My worry centers more on my boy. If it were just me moving I could live anywhere, but I want him to have the best. My biggest uncertainty is daycare.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
The kid is 6? So he's a first grader? That might be the good news for you. Several of the schools have a before and after program run by Rec and Parks. This is where I put my kids when they were elementary age so I didn't have to worry about daycare. You drop them off at school in the morning and they go to the lunchroom for activities or to work on homework, then go to class when it's time. After school, they return to the lunchroom to work on homework or do activities until you pick them up. The kids are supervised by a licensed and screened Rec and Parks employee, usually someone who's working on a teaching degree or a child development degree.

It's a little expensive, compared to regular before and after daycare but, for the peace of mind, it's worth it. I'll run you down a list of schools that participate in this program and post them.
 

Pete

Repete
This board is definatly worth the cost.........only been on it an hour and already my main concern has been eliminated. vraiblonde your great:clap: Now all I need you to do is find a house, get all the paperwork done and I will be set!! :biggrin:
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
For summer time daycare there is always MWR programs available that as a retiree you should have available for your use at Pax River.
 

Pete

Repete
Thanks Ken, I am sure PAX has an ample MWR department. I have been to that area only twice, once about 17 years ago on a cross counrty trip, and once about 6 years ago for meetings. I am sure with the degree of development that has gone on (I read all the posts on the development boom, don't mean to start another war on that subject) I would not recognize the place. I am really looking forward to starting a new life and career. This forum was a great find for me, I will already have "pre-friended" before I get there.
 
K

Kain99

Guest
I will already have "pre-friended" before I get there.

Yep! and lots of little tykes for your son to play with...... :biggrin:
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron

bknarw

Attire Monitor
As a new resident myself...welcome!
Just don't go hitting on the single women here. They're hard enough to find as it is...
:smile:

BK
 

Pete

Repete
Thanks BK,
I will certainly wait my turn when is comes to hitting on single women. I was hoping that the availability and quality would be better than Maine, but thats another story.

By the way, I am wearing blue jeans, a LL Bean canvas shirt and white New Balance sneakers, just in case you were wondering. :lol:
 

bknarw

Attire Monitor
Originally posted by dpete2q
Thanks BK,
I will certainly wait my turn when is comes to hitting on single women. I was hoping that the availability and quality would be better than Maine, but thats another story.

By the way, I am wearing blue jeans, a LL Bean canvas shirt and white New Balance sneakers, just in case you were wondering. :lol:


Damn...you really HAVE been reading, haven't you?
:smile:

However, I usually only ask the women...

Maine women...UGH!
Just how DO you spell "Mukluks" anyhow???
:biggrin:
 
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