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Honored Contributor
Posts: 38,221
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

I've lived in Colorado for over 50 years. We have four seasons here. I've lived through hot summers with temps reaching over 100' and through the coldest winters with temps going down to close to -20, below zero. I've learned to deal with the unexpected b/c here anything can happen and it doesn't matter what season it is. Being prepared is something I have to do to be comfortable and safe. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,121
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

You gotta be kidding.  I've never lived in place that is warm year round but I certainly know how people live and dress in those areas.  It's not hard concept to master.  You get some really cold days in the winter and you do get a cool but short winter.  You adapt.  We also adapt.  Our power grids don't collapse so we have heat when we need it.  We dress for whatever the weather calls for.  I've lived in the Northeast my entire life and while I enjoy tropical vacations, I prefer experiencing all 4 seasons.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,902
Registered: ‎06-25-2012

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

What a silly and naive question. Woman Frustrated

"Pure Michigan"
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,989
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

@ID2 a that was an unkind reply. 

When a person has grown up in a climate where one can garden, walk outside or any other outdoor activity most days of the year, it's hard to imagine what it's like to live in an environment where outdoor activities are so limited, where you need to put on a jacket and boots to empty the trash, where animals cannot be taken on a couple walks a day, etc. (Obviously there are winter snow play activities.) It's a different winter life, and the OP is wondering about it. I get it. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,736
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

In the same way you prep for summer in hotter states, in the northern states, we just plan for colder.  We know it doesn't last forever, just seems like it some years. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,736
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

@FancyPhillyshopper   Nice presentation of the seasons.  Good job.

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

[ Edited ]

@On It wrote:

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?



Texas winters are shorts and t-shirt weather around here. 

 

I'm in the midwest and it's common to have below zero temps, a foot or two snowfalls, and wind chills of 30-50 below zero.

 

We buy a warm coat, slippers, socks, snow boots, gloves, clothes, etc. We put blankets on the bed. I wear an oversized Sherpa lined sweatshirt as a robe. I keep 1 throw handy.  I set the heat thermostat at 67 degrees during the day and turn it down to 60-62 at night. I wear Lands End Starfish pants at home because they are warmer than jeans, khakis, etc.

 

I also wear Ugg ultra mini boots as slippers. I wear socks in them when it gets to Jan-Feb cold. I buy them in the spring when they go on clearance.  I may not get the exact color I want but don't care when I can buy them for $30 instead of $140.  

Life goes on in the cold like it does in the summer, just with warmer clothes and coats.

 

You will adjust. It might take a little time but it'll be a breeze in Texas compared to most cold weather states. 

 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,765
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

I have lived my whole life in the northeast....NY, NJ and now PA. I can't imagine what it is like to live in Texas!  To me it's almost like a foreign country!  Think about it....the terrain, climate and culture are so different to me.  I have never been there and would like to visit someday.

 

As for winter, yes it get stinking cold for months! Some winters the ground is covered with snow and salt for weeks on end.  The landscape is no longer green....everything is brown and the sky is usually gray.

 

I like to wear layers to keep me warm and my big down puffer coat when I go out.  Heated seats in the car helps a lot!  

 

They say that one's body gets used to the climate you live in so it's easier to deal with than someone who has been living in a warm climate and is suddenly visiting somewhere cold. However it gets more difficult as you get older which is why so many retirees become snowbirds if they can.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,228
Registered: ‎06-10-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

I like the change of seasons. I guess it gives me variety of life. The only thing I really dislike is driving in the snow. We are at the age where we don't have to drive in it anymore and I must say, there's nothing quite like watching a fluffy snowfall in winter....especially with a woods behind the house and cardinals in the trees.  It looks like a Christmas card! 

 

 

That being said...come the end of February, I'm ready for Spring flowers and some warmer air. I agree that clothing is a little more money with coats, boots, mittens, hats, etc. but to me it's worth it.  I'm not at all a "hot" weather person.

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Posts: 25,811
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Trying to Grasp Concept of Winter

I've never been a fan of winter and summer never gets too hot for me. I live in South Jersey, and I just try to survive the winter. In an odd quirk, my older brother died on December 28th 2015, my Dad on December 30th 2007, and my Mom on January fifth 2016, so surviving winter is a challenge in our family. There's an eight-day window of death for my family. If I survive that, I tend to think I'll make it another year. (And it's not just my immediate family, but also the extended family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents have all died in that general timeframe.)

 

I typically start some seeds in January/February for my garden so that gives me hope that spring will eventually get here.  And those first warm days in the spring just feel so great after a long winter. Then of course, Mother Nature will dump a foot of snow on us in mid-March, just when you think it's finally safe.

 

There are more worries in winter than summer. You listen to your heater like a lunatic and any unexpected sound from it has you in a mild panic. You keep more supplies on hand to survive extended snow/ice issues. You're more likely to lose your power, so you need a backup heat source. (I have a kerosene heater for that purpose.) It's a harder life in winter than summer, at least for me, but it is what it is. If I had my druthers I'd live someplace warmer, but life has me here. 

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!