February, the most useless/boring month of the year

[Scuba]

One word: Mexico. [emoji1166]

Another option - Southern CA. It was a little chilly today - in the 60’s, but it was 80 just a couple of days ago.

 

[kramer]

Fantastic weather here in the Philippines ... and lovely evenings, also. Just had a great 5K run followed by a vigorous frisbee session that took whatever energy I had remaining.

Re: Mexico
I know everyone has different preferences ... but I did winter once in Mazatlan, Mexico, since I found SoCal too cold, especially in the evenings (! -- lows of 40). But the lows in Mazatlan were typically in the high to mid 40s, highs around 70 and windy, and the ocean water was freezing. The taxis were open air golf carts called pulmonias (pneumonia in Spanish, and now I know why). As I was freezing watching a local early evening baseball game with a social group, I kept asking all the Canadians there why they consider that city a winter destination to which the universal answer is, "yeah, but it's freezing in Canada right now!" I invited a friend to winter there with me for 3 weeks and he still won't let me forget about it, lol. I have lived in the tropics ever since and my invited friend has as well.

 

[Marita40]

Big time cabin fever for me here in MN. It has been extremely cold for some weeks now with little break. The icy streets and sidewalks may melt a little in the sun during the day but refreeze every night and every day are hazards for both driving and walking. Getting old at this point.

 

[Dash man]

We have a condo in southeast Florida that is way behind schedule in a remodeling project. We should be there by now, but the latest promise is the end of Feb. so we’ll hopefully enjoy it in March, buy want to be back to PA for Easter. Just ordered appliances for the condo, so that’s a good sign of progress.

 

[DrRoy]

I would say that the stock market gave Feb some unwanted drama.

Last weekend DW and I drove a few hundred miles to fine bald eagles. The drive home in the snow was not a barrel of laughs, but the eagles were great.

 

[davismills]

Have your fun southerners, we’ll get even this summer when you’re baking your brains out. I shoveled snow three times today, and there’s more coming. But it all evens out in time...

So true. It's all relative.

 

[marko]

Have your fun southerners, we’ll get even this summer when you’re baking your brains out. I shoveled snow three times today, and there’s more coming. But it all evens out in time...

Except for those of us who head back north in April.

 

[Amethyst]

I've been pruning trees and shrubs before they break dormancy. Time is running out!

 

[harley]

Except for those of us who head back north in April.

Exactly!

 

[Ronstar]

February is very disappointing. I wish it was a lot longer. Trips at the end of the month are 3 days shorter than they should be.

 

[RAE]

Yep. Then continue to wait through March and April since I live in Wisconsin.

Same here, as we are in Michigan. I could do without Jan., Feb., March, and even part of April where we live. That is why we are down in Texas right now. At least I can walk around here without trudging through snow or slipping on ice (and without a big parka on!).

 

[kcowan]

Re: Mexico
I know everyone has different preferences ... but I did winter once in Mazatlan, Mexico, since I found SoCal too cold, especially in the evenings (! -- lows of 40). But the lows in Mazatlan were typically in the high to mid 40s, highs around 70 and windy, and the ocean water was freezing.

Yes you need to head further south. PV is latitude 21 same as Hawaii (similar to Capetown and Sydney). Ocean is warm. That is the main difference with Fla and Ca. Temps at night are low 70s. Highs in the 80s.

Mexicans wear hoodies because low 70s makes them shiver! Off the ocean, low humidity makes it chilly for everyone. Hottest month for GDL is May. 93 degrees and humidity of 13%.

I do love the Philippines. Very humid but you get used to it. And away from Makati, very beautiful! So many places, so little time!

 

[Midpack]

Except for those of us who head back north in April.

Costly solution, but yes.

 

[jimbee]

I like winter, it knocks the bugs back so they don't get so big. Take a 3+ mile hike everyday, now using my new Yaktrax that I learned about in another thread here.

 

[W2R]

Have your fun southerners, we’ll get even this summer when you’re baking your brains out. I shoveled snow three times today, and there’s more coming. But it all evens out in time...

This is true, although I have not yet found it necessary to shovel rain in the summertime.

To be honest, we probably don't bake our brains out all that much in the summertime since every home, business, and car is air conditioned. We just complain about the heat a lot.

It's 80F right now, which is just about perfect. But, rain is also predicted.

 

[scrabbler1]

For me, the first sign of spring is when we move the clocks ahead an hour. Until 2007, it was in early) April. Now it is in mid-March, which is helpful. That makes February a little less dreary, just a little. After a rough January, we have a string of days in the mid to high 40s coming up, also helpful. Any time we have rain in February, I am always glad it isn't snow.

 

[MRG]

Days are getting noticeably longer in February. And Valentine’s Day.

+1

I have SAD and February is great!

 

[Meadbh]

In Canada we have Family Day to break up the February blues.

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/family-day

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I just got back from a nice bicycle ride to the market. It's sunny and 75 out today. Terribly sorry about that

Actually - and I'm not making this up, I have found this recent warm spell to be quite disappointing. Most of the people I know like it, but I enjoy a bit of gloomy, overcast, and chilly weather. It's good for the soul. Of course, "bad" weather is relative, and here in the SF East Bay, our version of "bad" weather is a little different from people living in many parts of the country.

Apologies if I am being annoying

You are not annoying me. Sunny and a forecast of low seventies for later today for us - also Bay Area. We're taking the dog hiking on a canyon trail after lunch and tomorrow will be on a low tide walk at Crown Memorial State Beach.

 

[Walt34]

You do realize Walt lives in WV? Walking on a frozen lake would result in us needing a new Mod. Ice is what you put your beer in, not what you fish through.

Exactly. While ice does sometimes form on ponds and creeks it is never thick enough to be safe to walk on. I cringe when I see photos of people driving pickup trucks on ice even in the far northern states. (If your pickup falls through the ice is that covered by insurance?)

When I retired I wanted us to move to one of the Carolinas, or maybe Tennessee. My younger sister lived near Orlando, FL for eight years and described it as "like D.C. in August for 10 months of the year". Way too hot and muggy for us. DW did not want to move that far from family.

I console myself that it is only bad for two or three months of the year.

 

[trirod]

I'm another one that enjoys the winter. I manage to get outside enough to avoid cabin fever (cross country skiing this morning in one of our metroparks), but it's nice to relax at home in front of the wood burner and just get all "hygge" as the Danes say. I love summer but everything seems to go at 90 miles per hour so it's great to have some down time in the winter.

April is about my least favorite month - mud season. Skiing is terrible and too many days in the 40s and 50s still.

 

[MRG]

Exactly. While ice does sometimes form on ponds and creeks it is never thick enough to be safe to walk on. I cringe when I see photos of people driving pickup trucks on ice even in the far northern states. (If your pickup falls through the ice is that covered by insurance?)

When I retired I wanted us to move to one of the Carolinas, or maybe Tennessee. My younger sister lived near Orlando, FL for eight years and described it as "like D.C. in August for 10 months of the year". Way too hot and muggy for us. DW did not want to move that far from family.

I console myself that it is only bad for two or three months of the year.

I don't know.

I remember as a kid my DF and I fished off Wolfe Island, Ontario. It was a couple of miles(?) to Kingston Ontario across the St Lawrence. That year they were getting an icebreaker so the ferry could run all year.

There was a kid there my age(13?) and he was excited to not wait for the river to freeze. I recall him telling me every year they lost a couple of vehicles to the river.

According to Wikipedia they have a bubbler system today to keep the ferry running.

 

[flintnational]

Walt34, you convinced me. Just booked a cruise to warmer climes for late February.

 

[Bir48die]

Fantastic weather here in the Philippines ... and lovely evenings, also. Just had a great 5K run followed by a vigorous frisbee session that took whatever energy I had remaining.



Re: Mexico

I know everyone has different preferences ... but I did winter once in Mazatlan, Mexico, since I found SoCal too cold, especially in the evenings (! -- lows of 40). But the lows in Mazatlan were typically in the high to mid 40s, highs around 70 and windy, and the ocean water was freezing. The taxis were open air golf carts called pulmonias (pneumonia in Spanish, and now I know why). As I was freezing watching a local early evening baseball game with a social group, I kept asking all the Canadians there why they consider that city a winter destination to which the universal answer is, "yeah, but it's freezing in Canada right now!" I invited a friend to winter there with me for 3 weeks and he still won't let me forget about it, lol. I have lived in the tropics ever since and my invited friend has as well.

Sorry but I've been to Mexico 25 times (there now) and never been in the 40's unless you go inland at 7,000 feet above sea level

 

[FreeBear]

Sounds like ya'll need to visit Arizona for the month. Only 82 today, got some shrubs trimmed and a trip to Lowes to buy a ceiling fan for the back patio. And also picked up an orange tree. Sure beats the socks off the Illinois home, all that snow, ice and wind chills........

We're on our way! Going to SE Arizona very soon to look for sun and birds.

We're in our third year of FIRE, but this winter has been the toughest yet. The first couple of years I was just catching up on my "indoor" hobbies that were somewhat repressed during my w*rking years. Now I have cabin fever in a BAD way, and I need to get somewhere warm and sunny for a few weeks.

Traditionally, we visited Florida each year. Although we were only there a few weeks, the positive impact lasted for a few months, enough to get well into spring. We stopped going to FL several years ago, frankly because we got bored with it. We loved the bird photography, sun, and warmth, but we needed to see something different. So, this year it's SE Arizona.

When w*rking, I was never bothered this much by winter, although many people around me complained of the blues. W*rk and life responsibilities occupied most of my time. Now in retirement, honestly, I tire even of my favorite indoor hobbies, in part because I have more than enough of them. I long for the summer outdoor season when we can get back to kayaking and biking.

I'm learning that I need to get away every year to some place warm and sunny even for a few weeks. I didn't realize how much I'd miss this getaway until I FIRE'd and discontinued our regular Florida excursion. Live and learn...