OT: Moving to the Richmond area

I am currently not at work (still on maternity leave) and would be happy to show you around.  Also, my mother is a retired real estate agent so she can steer you in great areas for what you are looking for and also help you get in contact with a great realtor if you are in need of one.  I know lots of places that are great for families, lots of short cuts around town (both sides of the river) love to have coffee...although I am stuck with decaf until I am done nursing!  Please let me know when you will be in town and I will be happy to help you out in any way I can.  I have lived here for almost 35 years! 

You'll love Richmond.  It really seems like a small town sometimes!

I am just thinking of the culture shock you're gonna get when you move here from MN! 

Let's see -

Here, people drink "sweet tea."  You buy it like that - you don't add your own sugar. 
People are very friendly and open, and say "ya'll."
We get very little snow, so when the weather man is predicting flurries, the local Ukrop's (family owned grocery chain) runs out of bread, eggs, and milk. 
We have TONS of annoying toll roads.  One is on the Powhite Parkway.  No one knows how to pronounce Powhite (some say "Po-white," others say "Pow-hite."  -- I say Pow-hite. 
We have very poor public transportation (IMO) - everyone drives.  The bus system runs mostly inside city limits. 

I also live in Chesterfield, but I work in the city.  Most people live in either Henrico or Chesterfield County and commute to the city.  The schools are great in the counties.  There are some parts of the city that are really desirable (like in Mary Munford school district, the Fan, parts of the Museum District, parts of Church Hill).  I, personally, would LOVE an aold row house in the Fan.  I just can't afford it :) 

I do really like it here.  I like my church (if you're Catholic, I'll be happy to take you to my church).  And I really like the community. 

Good luck!  Email me when you come if you want to meet up!

Catherine

Wow.  It should really be a big shock to my kids.  They don't know that there is more than one kind of tea.  Maybe two, hot and cold.  I know about sweet tea, as it's caused a dumping or two.

As for snow, we understand that most people don't see less than 3 feet in one night as a mere nuisance.  But I'm sure that we'll lose all of our snow handling skills soon enough.

Toll roads will be new to us.  We've only had to deal with them when we've gone on vacations as Minnesota doesn't have them.  I'm sure that it will have some bearing on where we ultimately live.  Minnesota's public transportation leaves a lot to be desired.  So, I'm used to driving to get anywhere or do anything.

We don't yet know what kind of house we'll end up in.  A lot will depend on how long it will take to sell our current place in Minnesota.  Which isn't looking like it's going to be a quick sell.  If we can get out of it within 3-6 months, then we'll be doing rather well and hopefully find somewhere that has enough space for a family of 4, with some schools that will work with my oldest's special needs, and not require me to drive for 3 hours to get to work.  But that's not asking much, right?

I'll post on here when I know more about when I'll be out there and hopefully I'll get to meet you then.