An online log home community for log home enthusiasts.

Wishful Thinking

I find it amazing that there are so many people now who are "Log Home Neighbors". At last count there were 495 and growing. I also find it amazing that there are so many people from Florida who are members. Like me they have the vision of a different kind of life. Personally, I've been in Florida now about twenty years, coming from Westchester County in NY. I don't know about the rest of the members from Florida but for my part I'm tired of a year that seems to be made up of endless hot and humid summers, of landscape relegated to a handful of species of trees and plants, soil that barely supports the growth of bacteria, cookie cutter houses and Christmases where you wear a bathing suit instead of a santa costume. I want to be a halfback. Those of you who disagree, please don't bother trying to change my mind, I have had twenty years to make it up.

But that's not the reason for my current stream of consciousness blog. It occurred to me that most of the Florida members are probably waiting for the exact moment when all their finances fall into place and when the prices charged by log home manufacturers and contractors are more manageable. This is where the wishful thinking comes in (keep in mind that I have nothing better to do since my contracting business is slow right now). Wouldn't it be great if all of the folks from Florida could band together and approach several log home builders and contractors and get a "group rate" on building. We would approach them with our individual floor plans in hand and say, How Much?

Ah yes, the power of the many ... what a concept. But as I said, it's just a dream, just wishful thinking.

Ted

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Comment by Maureen Nokes on July 23, 2008 at 8:20pm: I grew up in South Floridan and now live in the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee. I couldn't get out of Florida fast enough. Tennessee gives you all 4 seasons, none real long or real bad. Its a beautiful place and I don't think the winters are too cold for someone from Florida!

Comment by Ted on July 22, 2008 at 9:31pm: Hi Shad. My kids just came back from a vacation in AZ. They raved about the beauty of the country. I asked them would they want to relocate there and their answer was no. As gorgeous as it was, they still prefer the mountains of NC.

Comment by Ted on July 22, 2008 at 9:28pm: I'm not sure if you're talking about Florida or North Carolina Michael. The snow (snow?) in Florida is very wet and yes does not stick around. The snow in North Carolina is wet and it too does not stick around for any length of time. But guess what ... I'd rather have the NC snow than the FL stuff.
Having been brought up in the North I have had my share of heavy duty snow.
Ted

Comment by Michael McCarthy on July 22, 2008 at 4:23pm: Shad, you forgot to mention our snow: I tell my kids it's "decorative snow," which means it falls, hangs around for several hours or a couple days, and is gone like some surreal event we can barely remember. Certainly not the like the white stuff where their mom spent her childhood: Colorado.

Comment by Shad on July 22, 2008 at 4:04pm: As a native Arizonan, I was astounded at the beauty the changing of the seasons can bring here in Northern Virginia. Granted, I lived in Flagstaff AZ for most the time out there, but most of the trees are pine, so we had the warm season and the cold. Here the springs are beautiful, the winters cold, the summer hot and sticky and the fall simply gorgeous. Just like it should be, all four seasons together.

Comment by Terry & Shelley S on July 22, 2008 at 1:41pm: Hi Ted

We are right there with you...not only are we tired of the heat and humidity, but there are just too many people in Florida. I'm ready for a much slower pace. We have neighbors who have a small home near Townsend TN and they tell us to spend a winter up there before we pack up and move to make sure it's not too cold...but we say "BRING IT ON!!! We've lived in Florida for 30+ years and can't wait to make a change.

Comment by Tom Heatherington on July 22, 2008 at 11:44am: Hey Ted...

Kinda like a 'Sam's Club' for FL log home buyers :-)

Good luck on the group purchase idea, but my reason for commenting was about your original statement, "so many people from Florida". I have also been amazed to see how many people from FL are log home owners - or want-to-be owners.

When I see a new person has joined the 'hood', I usually click their profile to see where they are from or what their interest is.... for a while there it looked like someone had a recruiting blitz in Florida. Mabe you're right, people are tired of the endless heat and looking at higher elevations to build a home :-)

~ Tom