Getting settled into our new life in Raleigh

June 27, 2008

We arrived safely in North Carolina on the morning of Tuesday, June 24th.  All is well.  John and I will start our new jobs on Monday, June 30th.

This week I hope to meet up with my aunt (Dad’s baby sis) who lives nearby and some of the many cousins who also reside in the area.  I have met many of the cousins around here.  Most of them are my parents’ age or better, and in turn each of them has 1 - 3 generations of offspring that live in the area too.  When I say I have a lot of cousins down here in Cackalacky, I mean it.  My father’s mother, Mattie Gooch Greene, was raised on a farm just one hour north of Raleigh, in the town of Stovall.  She had 12 or 13 siblings.  My mother’s father grew up in Seaboard which is less than 1 hour south of the Virginia border.  He had 5or 6 siblings himself and some of their progeny remain here too.

I just met one of my new neighbors.  She’s from New Brunswick, NJ which just so happens to be my birthplace!  I’ve met several northern transplants in the short time I’ve been here.  I expected to meet all these folks, seeing as many of my NJ-native cousins have also relocated to NC over the years.  Most of us cite the lower cost of living in NC as the primary driver for making the move.  Jersey really is crazy expensive and in my opinion, often not worth the effort it takes to maintain.  Just my opinion.

I’m about to call one of my cousins now and see what’s up for the 4th of July holiday.  Hope everyone’s doing well!

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