topic Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter in Community Chat

Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

On It — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:04:44 GMT

A large portion of my adult life was spent in the San Antonio area. We moved back to West Texas where we lived in our childhoods. I have never lived in an area that gets cold and stays cold. I got a glimpse of it when our power grid failed. I cannot grasp the concept of sustained cold for months.

In the northern states especially New England and the Great Lakes, how do you prepare physically to stay warm? Is that why QVC has winter sheets, cabin socks, and so many throws? What is your winter like in these states?

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

kaydee50 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:09:25 GMT

And I can't imagine having heat/humidity year round! Have lived most of my life in the Northeast and now Midwest. We have heat in our homes! Warm coats, sweaters, boots to go out. Have to admit that around mid-February it gets a bit tiresome!

Will take the cold over unrelenting heat any day!!

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

proudlyfromNJ — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:19:49 GMT

As @kaydee50 said, our homes are heated, as are the cars and we own a winter coat, jacket, and sweaters.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

On It — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:22:06 GMT

I think I did a bad job asking the question. If we have a cold day or two, the temperature go back up relatively quickly. Understanding that it is not going to go back up is what I am having difficulty grasping. I am intrigued by how one prepares for life in a sustained colder climate.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Desertdi — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:28:28 GMT

@On It I left Chicago after the "Blizzard of '67". That sorta sums it up for me(!) di

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Kachina624 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:34:47 GMT

@On It I spent my high school and college years in SE Pennsylvania, the Philly suburbs. It wasn't the cold that bothered me, as I adjusted easily, but rather is constant dismal gray skies. Its depressing to always see cloudy and overcast.

Here in the Southwest, the Sunbelt, an overcast day is a rare treat. As you know we have pretty much constant blue skies and sunshine.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

sunshine45 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:35:12 GMT

@On It wrote:
I think I did a bad job asking the question. If we have a cold day or two, the temperature go back up relatively quickly. Understanding that it is not going to go back up is what I am having difficulty grasping. I am intrigued by how one prepares for life in a sustained colder climate.

cannot say that i am in a "sustained colder climate" because we live in maryland and we pretty much have 4 distinct seasons. we had a particularly hot and humid summer.......and it is my least favorite season now. at this point i could never be a real "snowbird" and crave a warmer climate for an extended period of time.

autumn is my favorite season, with winter close behind it. i dont have any trouble adjusting when the cooler and cold weather hit. i am at the stage of my life when i rarely even wear a heavy coat anymore because i overheat. i just add an additional layer and/or wear 3/4 or long sleeves. even in the winter i still sleep in sleeveless tops, never wear socks, and have the windows cracked open a bit for fresh air at night.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

MezzieStarr — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:39:55 GMT

Like @proudlyfromNJ said, we have coats, hats, gloves, heated homes, cars, etc.

I'm in Michigan where it can be in negative digits for weeks, months, at a time.

We can go from a 95 degree day to a 30 degree day in a minute.

Honestly, those of us in the cold, snowy, icy states are a very hardy people. You just adapt and get used to it. It's really no big whoop to us 😆❄️

I have an uncle in Florida who can't handle a 40 degree day, where as I can get by without wearing a jacket in those temperatures. Some around here are still in shorts.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

scatcat — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:49:53 GMT

I've lived in Chicago my whole life. Winters are long and hard. You think it's finally ending then it snows mid April. Getting out if the shower is cold. Getting into your car is cold. Keeping the driveway/stoop clean is a pain. It gets very dark by 5:00.

I buy wool socks and pretty much wear them non stop for 4 months. My robe is never far away.

i would rather be hot than cold.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Meowingkitty — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:51:01 GMT

I'm sure it's just the opposite for us in Arizona. Everything is air conditioned, shorts and tee most of the year. We rejoice when we can wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Coats are used a few days a year. We make it through months of 100 degree plus temps same as others make it through snow.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Caaareful Shopper — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:51:13 GMT

@sunshine45 wrote:
@On It wrote:
I think I did a bad job asking the question. If we have a cold day or two, the temperature go back up relatively quickly. Understanding that it is not going to go back up is what I am having difficulty grasping. I am intrigued by how one prepares for life in a sustained colder climate.

cannot say that i am in a "sustained colder climate" because we live in maryland and we pretty much have 4 distinct seasons. we had a particularly hot and humid summer.......and it is my least favorite season now. at this point i could never be a real "snowbird" and crave a warmer climate for an extended period of time.

autumn is my favorite season, with winter close behind it. i dont have any trouble adjusting when the cooler and cold weather hit. i am at the stage of my life when i rarely even wear a heavy coat anymore because i overheat. i just add an additional layer and/or wear 3/4 or long sleeves. even in the winter i still sleep in sleeveless tops, never wear socks, and have the windows cracked open a bit for fresh air at night.

@sunshine45 This is so me!

Love fall, with a close 2nd -- winter. Summer is my least favorite season. Born & raised in NYC then moved to the mid-Atlantic area "just" 25 years ago. I put a winter jacket or coat in the back seat of my car, just in case the car breaks down. But I never wear one, unless it's a slower walk with my dog & back. It has to be a foot of snow on the ground for me to put on socks with my boots. I live in an garden apartment now; my thermostat stays at 67 degrees all year. Cold weather is my happy place, as long as I have my soft warm layers & snuggling.

My dog is my mini-me. She hates the heat. I can only take her on three, 5-minute walks each day in the summer. But in the fall & winter she wants to stay out for hours.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

RedTop — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:54:33 GMT

@On It

WV is usually cold from late October thru April; we typically have snow flurries on and off in November and December, but are more likely to see ground cover in January, February and March.

I turned our heat on late Tuesday as our a.m. temperatures have been in the 30's the last 2 mornings. Our electric bill will stay around $300 a month until the early next year when it will be closer to $400. We do have a wood burning stove in our basement and enough wood for this year; we usually only have fires during the bitter cold snaps when our temps and windchills are way below zero.

We dress warmly inside the house, no one goes barefoot, and I like to wear a hoodie or even my long housecoat over my clothes or pajamas on the coldest days. My husband and I hate flannel and polar fleece sheets, and keep the same bedding year round. We do not sit around wrapped in throws either.

I don't make any trips out in bad weather if I can avoid it.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

On It — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 22:13:10 GMT

Thank you for your responses. I appreciate your sharing how to adapt for those coldest months. I have a better understanding of what daily life is like during those months.

Edited to add: When I was teaching in the San Antonio area my little ones could not understand winter. They often described it as when the grass isn't green.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Oznell — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 22:27:30 GMT

@On It, those are great questions.

As a kid, I loved ice skating and tobogganing.

Over time, I've become much less enamored with cold winters, but try to "roll with them", ha.

I stay pretty warm-- having a "weighted" blanket at night really helps.

The main reason I'm less fond of icy weather is, our neighborhood has its quotient of feral or stray cats, and they have a hard time. We've adopted some, over time, and we feed and water the others out there daily. We have two animal heating pads outside with little shelters, but still, it's not good to be a feral cat outside in winter. So the whole time the weather's cold, I really feel for them.

Mostly in winter, I miss sun. When it's at least bright out, but crisp and cold, that's more tolerable to me. Sometimes I love brisk weather.

Hubby, by contrast, loves it all the time-- he doesn't ski now, but has always loved that, and winter in general. It energizes him!

I'm going to try to embrace more of that attitude this winter.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Porcelain — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 22:55:08 GMT

You just need a good furnace and you winterize your car. You have to keep track of your tire pressure because tires can go flat overnight. And you often have to brush snow off your car when you come out of a store. You keep a special brush with an ice scraper on it in the back seat to do this. The cold isn't dangerous unless you get stuck out in it with no way to get help to get inside and get warm again.

You grow up with a morning leaving-the-house routine where you put on your big coat and locate your hat and mittens. You put on your snow pants too if you're going to play outside and sled. (Snow pants are the devil if you suddenly have to use the restroom. Running back inside and getting them off as well as your pants before it's too late...not fun.)

Pretty much every kid gets frostbite at some point. (Nothing severe like in a disaster movie!) The cure for which is running warm water on the extremity. And you get familiar with the feeling of your toes going numb from cold and then starting to hurt once you get back indoors and you warm up and you stomp around to bring back the feeling.

For me, the biggest annoyance was ice. Trying to walk and drive on ice is the worst. Snow is pretty, and it's not difficult to walk in until it gets deep. Ice, on the other hand is bleah.

Edited to add: How could I forget snow boots! Snow boots are crucial. Uncute ones that are warmly insulated and waterproof and high enough to not let snow get on your socks where it will freeze your skin and then melt. With great traction. If you are going to school in particular or sometimes to work, you may bring another pair of shoes in your bag so you can leave your wet snowy boots at the door or your desk.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Citrine1 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 23:07:59 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@On It I spent my high school and college years in SE Pennsylvania, the Philly suburbs. It wasn't the cold that bothered me, as I adjusted easily, but rather is constant dismal gray skies. Its depressing to always see cloudy and overcast.

Here in the Southwest, the Sunbelt, an overcast day is a rare treat. As you know we have pretty much constant blue skies and sunshine.

As a Philly native, I have to say that I don't think we have constant dismal gray skies. Sure, sometimes, but we have many sunny days too. On the other hand, I enjoy the occasional cloudy and overcast so maybe I'm not the best person to talk about this. haha

I enjoy the cold weather. The OP speaks of days that get cold, but delights in knowing the the weather will warm up again. I, on the other hand, delight in knowing the days are not going to get warmer. This is my favorite time of year. Bring on the cold!

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

gidgetgh — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 23:11:29 GMT

I live in Atlanta. It gets cold here. I turn on the heat in both my house and car and wear heavier clothes and add a small throw thing on top of the blanket on my bed.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

FancyPhillyshopper — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:12:57 GMT

I have lived all my life in four seasons. I have a monstrous wardrobe to deal with every weather event! But, clothes are only one part of four-season living.

Fall is the time to--

Put away Summer clothes, break out long sleeve shirts and long pants, put down the storm windows and store the screens, put the wicker furniture in the basement, bring in the flowers one wants to save, rake leaves a few times, buy mums, pumpkins, cornstalks and hay bales, look at all the leaf color changes, decorate for Halloween and plan for trick or treaters, and look forward to Thanksgiving. Usually by the middle or end of Fall we must turn on the heat. Temperatures range is low 20s to high 70s.

In WInter,

I take out my heavy sweaters, corduroy pants and warm socks, make sure I have blankets all over the house for cuddling, break out the gloves, boots, and hats, buy salt for the driveway and sidewalks, make sure my shovels are in good shape, bring down and set up the Duraflame heaters for extra warmth, wrap holiday gifts and send cards, go skiing or tubing or iceskating, hope for a snow day, perhaps go to see the Nutcracker ballet, or go on a weekend to a hotel with a great fireplace! Hot chocolate, soup, and big meals are on the menu. Temperature range is below zero to high fifties.

In Spring we put away all the Winter clothes, start opening up the windows, plant grass and flowers, bring out some Summer furniture, trim trees and bushes, put up with a lot of rainy days, plan for a Summer vacation, look forward to the end of school, say goodbye to the heating bill, go on bicycle rides, and enjoy the sun setting later and later. Temperature range is thirties to low eighties.

In Summer we are in shorts and t-shirts, enjoying the sun, setting up the deck and porch, watering the yard, weeding a lot, cutting the grass, attending outdoor concerts, getting the trees sprayed for bugs, traveling on some beach vacations, going to restaurants with outside patios, taking cool showers, eating lots of salad, relaxing with ice tea and lemondade, taking long lazy walks with the dogs, and making sure we have fans working in all the bedrooms. Temperature range is sixties to high nineties.

By the way, husband loves Winter sports, so we have been to some of the coldest places in the country, and I love beaches, so we have also been to some of the warmest places. It all comes down to mindset, preparation and adaptation.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Malcontent — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 02:20:26 GMT

@On It

Drink Grappa: enough Grappa and you could care less you’re freezing to death.

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

Malcontent — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 02:22:47 GMT

@On It

Grappa. The answer to all that ails ya.