Did i mention I hate the cold..

[W2R]

I am pretty acclimated to our hot, humid, summery weather here in New Orleans. Sure, it gets colder in January and February, but usually only for a couple of days at a time. To me, "cold" is anything with a high below 65F.

Anyway, this year it has been no colder than usual for winter, but it has STAYED cold for longer! I haven't worn shorts and sandals since Monday and I am not happy about that. Just now I went out on my front porch to check for an Amazon delivery, and it is 52F out there. Brrrr. Utterly insane although at least there is no snow or ice like up north. I am glad I ordered some more warm, long pants from Land End that fit and that I got them yesterday.

The forecast is for cold weather until a week from Tuesday, and even then the high will just be 67F.

For me the disadvantages of living in New Orleans, like high crime and hurricane dangers, are usually balanced out by our amazing food, laissez faire "party on" attitudes towards life, reasonable cost of living, and hot weather. I love all of these and would put up with a lot for hot weather.

Hopefully we'll be back to shorts-and-sandals weather most of the time in two or three months. Then this summer I'll be complaining about the heat.

 

[kgtest]

This wimpy old guy likes his comforts, a warm house, warm coats, warm water, heated front seat.* Maybe that’s why I have triple pane windows, extra insulation in attic and two gas stoves to sit by.* Luxuries all, but I dont golf or buy fancy cars (occasionally I get a zoom zoom yen but it passes) or toys of any sort.

The old dog scratched at that front door way too early but I dutifully got up and walked her.*I went to bed early and already had my 7 hours. The truth is i am and always was a morning person. I went down stair and turned the heat up to 68 degrees on both the front rear gas stoves. It was only down to 61 degrees in the living room today, yesterday it was 58 - but it’s warmed up to 30 degrees outside it had been 10 degrees for the previous 2 days. The furnace and rear gas stove are set to 58 degrees after 11PM. I never hear them come on at night. I turn the front stove off. It gets chilly, when I come down and walk the pooch it takes a good 1/2 hour or more for the downstairs to warm up.

We’ve been turning down the heat for decades now- our “point of use” first floor gas stoves are amazingly efficient. I does however get chilly upstairs at night. We burrow under quilts and covers and narry an arm sticks out lest you feel the chill.

I’ve told friends we set the heat low at night and get some strange looks. I think a good many set it and forget it. Even sitting next to ‘her’ stove during the day the Mrs employs a ‘throw’ blanket nearly all the time. Only half way through the winter and I’m already done with it. I been told “I love the winter” I secretly think what is wrong with you?

The older I get the more i hate the cold...

I awoke to -10 plus a wind chill today. When it gets this cold it always makes me think, geez the folks who've never experienced this are really missing out!



You almost go into a survival mode in that cold of a temp. I can actually be out in 0 for a couple hours, but if there is a wind chill... fageddabawdit!!


I'll be in Sarasota next week, where there will be a difference of 70 degrees from take-off to landing. Yes, I said SEVENTY! It's like this most years I go down there. I get to florida and people say, "It's cold right now!" and I say, try to imagine 70 degrees colder. That's where I came from.

 

[bmcgonig]

This year I rented for January-March. Because I was doing the arranging while still up north, a year ago BTW, I went through an agency. By the time they got their share, I spend around 14K, and it included the use of a golf cart. It's a very nice place, not fancy at all, but nice. Plenty of room. Master BR with huge bath, shower and walk in closet, 2nd bath down the hall, next to two guest BRs. Very spacious kitchen, with dining area, large LR, smallish but adequate screened in "lanai"...more than enough space for the two of us and we may have one or two couples visit for a few days...

Once I got settled in I started searching for a slightly different place. This one is conveniently located, but a bit too close to a fairly noisy road, so I wanted something in a quieter neighborhood. I have arranged to rent it next year, December-March, 12,400, but I have to rent my own cart, which will set me back 1150. Nicer home, bigger, quieter...still convenient to most places I will want to get to.

Who rents these places out? I would have assumed that anyone that owned a place there would want it for those winter months? Are there many for rent?

 

[Nick12]

Who rents these places out? I would have assumed that anyone that owned a place there would want it for those winter months? Are there many for rent?

There are a number of foreign investors that own multiple properties in Florida. The owners don't even live in the US and they reside back in China, Brazil,Russia etc. Some have someone on their payroll to manage their investments in the cities where they have real estate in.

 

[Music Lover]

I'll be in Sarasota next week, where there will be a difference of 70 degrees from take-off to landing. Yes, I said SEVENTY! It's like this most years I go down there. I get to florida and people say, "It's cold right now!" and I say, try to imagine 70 degrees colder. That's where I came from.

I've once went from 85 to -35 when returning from Jamaica, a difference of 120 degrees...but that's what happens if you live in one of the coldest cities on the planet. I think our record low is -45C (-49F). Our coldest recorded wind chill was -57C (-71F)

 

[Teacher Terry]

We have baseboard electric heat in each area. We turn down everything to 57 when we go to bed except for our bedroom. We close the door and it stays warm. The heat is expensive and since I am usually warm we set the heat at 68 during the day. It’s really expensive to rent in the villages. I was surprised when I looked.

 

[ckelly78z]

Every temperature listed below is for the coming week in NW Ohio. I just looked today at middle Tennessee (where I plan to buy a hobby farm for retirement) is between 20-25 degrees above every number below. I can't stand cold either !

Fri
Scattered Snow Showers
15°14°
Sat
Cloudy
22°18°
Sun
Cloudy
23°14°
Mon
Rain and Snow
38°17°
Tue
Cloudy
20°-6°
Wed
Cloudy
1°-11°
Thu
Partly Cloudy
3°-2°
Fri
Partly Cloudy
10°-3°

 

[Jerry1]

I don’t like to cold, but family is here so that’s where I’ll be. I can’t believe some of the temps folks here have posted. There’s no way I’d bring my house down into the low 60’s high 50’s at night. For me my furnace is set at 70 during the day and 68 at night. Going out in the cold is a not something I like, but as is discussed here often, it’s a lot easier to deal with as a retiree. I shovel the snow when I get around to it and if I don’t need to go out, I probably won’t. Similarly, when it’s a bit nicer (for winter), I can easily take advantage of it and get some things done without work getting in the way.

I’ve been looking into snowbirding but it’s expensive and DW helps not only our grandkids, but her mother with Alzheimer’s. Hard to bail on them for a month, let alone three months, but I’d sure like to give it a try.

 

[socca]

I've once went from 85 to -35 when returning from Jamaica, a difference of 120 degrees...but that's what happens if you live in one of the coldest cities on the planet. I think our record low is -45C (-49F). Our coldest recorded wind chill was -57C (-71F)

One of my favorite memories from my time in suburban Chicago is waking up at 2 am with an outside temperature of -20F and hearing the haunting call of an owl in the huge tree that towered over my little house. I thought the owl was talking to me, saying, "You silly naked ape. Why are you hunkered down in that bed? I'm out here and doing just fine ..."

 

[MRG]

I spent a couple of days in KC when it hit -22°F temperature. That's a very different type of cold. When I was a kid I worked in the woods and sawmills. Many times, the temperature would hit -15F, we would spend half a day getting machines running and be disappointed when pieces of steel would break in unreal ways.

I met a guy who was in our local springs when it was -22F. He said they encouraged him to wear a hat, otherwise his hair would freeze and break off!

 

[Nick12]

I've once went from 85 to -35 when returning from Jamaica, a difference of 120 degrees...but that's what happens if you live in one of the coldest cities on the planet. I think our record low is -45C (-49F). Our coldest recorded wind chill was -57C (-71F)

And cars can start and run in these temps?

 

[Music Lover]

And cars can start and run in these temps?

Everyone has a block heater, but most well maintained cars even when not plugged in will start at -35. -40 is pushing it though and even though we get -40 it's not that common. Every winter we will get 2 or 3 cold snaps of -30 or so for a week or more but we also get stretches of a few degrees below freezing.

Tonight and 5 of the next 6 days are forecasted for -30 or colder with the coldest being -36.

 

[oldtrig]

This must be what is coming our way. Expected to be -24 Sunday Morning.

I won't be out in shorts and t- shirts, but if the sun is shining, long sleeve t shirt and a comfy flannel will be plenty.

What we like about winter is that there are those special "warm" and sunny days. Same goes when spring starts to show. You can see the rebirth in the local fauna and you can feel it in yourself.

My wife is from the UP. Just looked at forecast. brrr now I know the real reason she married me 49 years ago. She wanted to move to where it was much warmer

 

[Teacher Terry]

Ray, how is your old dog doing? Our 13 yo big guy is coming to a end.

 

[Nick12]

Everyone has a block heater, but most well maintained cars even when not plugged in will start at -35. -40 is pushing it though and even though we get -40 it's not that common. Every winter we will get 2 or 3 cold snaps of -30 or so for a week or more but we also get stretches of a few degrees below freezing.

Tonight and 5 of the next 6 days are forecasted for -30 or colder with the coldest being -36.

Cars that are parked on the street or in an apartment sized general parking lot perhaps could be out of luck without access to an electrical socket. Jumper cables should be in every vehicle.

 

[jollystomper]

I find that far more people give me strange looks when I tell them I have the heat at 68F at night and 72F in the day. I don't understand the number of people who have the funds but try to exist at low temperatures, unless they are naturally hot, which many are. My millionaire relative had her heat set at 64 most of the time. I had layers and layers on. Another person I know actually got "chillblains" from having her heat set so low. It seems to be a reflex for the majority.

Now, where I shine is in hot weather. I never have the AC set below 80, and I seldom use it. Heat and humidity = better breathing, sleeveless, good skin.

Interesting, we are the opposite for our high/low periods of heat. During the day in winter the house is at 68, at night when we got to bed we set it to 72. At moment, our winter heating is not an area for our frugality .

 

[Music Lover]

Cars that are parked on the street or in an apartment sized general parking lot perhaps could be out of luck without access to an electrical socket. Jumper cables should be in every vehicle.

Everyone here knows how to use jumper cables

Most apartments have plugs in the lots, and a lot have underground/inside parking. If you own a house, it's an anomaly to not have a garage and that's reflected by a lower house value. Virtually everyone parks in the garage in winter except for a few people not smart enough to clean it before winter. Some people with additional vehicles and not enough parking are forced to park on the street...many of them get around that by running long extension cords to the road, either through a tree or on a long stake pounded in the ground so that it doesn't lie across the sidewalk.

Also, most cars sold in Canada now come with winter packages...heated seats and in many cases a heated steering wheel, and remote start. But, too many short trips using the heated seats and steering wheel will drain the battery.

 

[RAE]

My wife is from the UP. Just looked at forecast. brrr now I know the real reason she married me 49 years ago. She wanted to move to where it was much warmer

We live in the UP, but we've been snowbirding since I retired 9 years ago. UP summers are great, and I have things to do in the Fall also, but winters are just too long for me now, especially as I got older. And these brutal stretches of Arctic-like weather like the Midwest is experiencing now are not something I want to experience any more. This year we are renting a place along the Florida Gulf Coast, and we love it. Weather has been pretty good, fishing is good, and the people in our little area are very friendly and welcoming. I'm pretty sure we will be coming back here again next winter.

 

[Bigdawg]

Not in a garage unfortunately, but on the list to have ours rebuilt. The newer vehicle is 2 inches to tall for the original door. Guess we should have measured.

When we first lived here, 40+ years ago, we would dig a shelf out of the snow piles and drive the hood onto the pile. Helped to stop the wind. Then and now we lived in town and could walk to our destination.

Most of the older garages here have a definite lean. Ours has a 1" steel cable tensioning system to help keep the side from blowing out from the weight of the snow on the roof.

Sounds strange to me. I grew up in Northern WI about 45 miles from the UP. Not one person I knew drove their car into a snowbank to block the wind. Also we had shovels on long poles to clean the snow off of the roof. Most roofs had the proper pitch and the snow slid off. We did plug the cars in (engine block heaters) and most people used their garage.

 

[Ronstar]

Northern Illinois looks a bit chilly this morning. And Tuesday doesn’t look good either.

 

[Bigdawg]

Northern Illinois looks a bit chilly this morning. And Tuesday doesn’t look good either.

I'm just north of you this week in Milwaukee taking care of a friend after surgery. Currently -14. Yuck!

 

[Nick12]

Everyone here knows how to use jumper cables

Most apartments have plugs in the lots, and a lot have underground/inside parking. If you own a house, it's an anomaly to not have a garage and that's reflected by a lower house value. Virtually everyone parks in the garage in winter except for a few people not smart enough to clean it before winter. Some people with additional vehicles and not enough parking are forced to park on the street...many of them get around that by running long extension cords to the road, either through a tree or on a long stake pounded in the ground so that it doesn't lie across the sidewalk.

Also, most cars sold in Canada now come with winter packages...heated seats and in many cases a heated steering wheel, and remote start. But, too many short trips using the heated seats and steering wheel will drain the battery.

You guys up North are on the ball!

 

[Bamaman]

When I read about the winter temperatures up north, I just think how proud I am that our relatives chose to leave NJ around 1800 and move to the Mid South.

While it does get cold here, things are not blistering cold--minus 0 degree temperatures. But we can partially agree with Al Gore's statements on global warming because we seldom see the big snows (or any snows) that we had in the 60's.

I just paid my utility bill yesterday, and I can understand why homes in the north are more often smaller than the McMansions in the South. I immediately came home and turned the thermostat down to 65 degrees. I'm not even running the HVAC in the man cave until temperatures come up substantially. If everyone doesn't like it, they can run an electric space heater in their bedrooms.

Although we do experience different seasons, our Springs and Falls seem to get shorter every year--and we are getting longer hot seasons. But we Southerners actually enjoy the heat. Our problem this year is that it's rained about every other day for 4 months, and we have not seen dirt since August. We're looking forward to curing our Cabin Fever in the next 6 weeks.

 

[Music Lover]

You guys up North are on the ball!

We have no choice.

The good thing is that technology has taken the sting out of winter. Warm and light clothing, heated seats and steering wheels, remote start. You can get virtually anything you want delivered to your door if you don't feel like getting out.

If I want to go downtown I can remote start my car, get into it when it's warm, drive to an indoor parkade, then walk through an extensive skywalk system that leads to several stores, restaurants, or the arena. I never once have to go outside other than from my house to the garage.

 

[jimandthom]

Sounds strange to me. I grew up in Northern WI about 45 miles from the UP. Not one person I knew drove their car into a snowbank to block the wind. Also we had shovels on long poles to clean the snow off of the roof. Most roofs had the proper pitch and the snow slid off. We did plug the cars in (engine block heaters) and most people used their garage.

I didn't word that real well. The landlord would plow the snow into "stalls" where we would park our cars. From there we would cut a ledge into front snow pile and stop the car with the engine on the ledge. Didn't stop the cold so much as it blocked the wind from the engine compartment.

Yep gotta have a roof rake. The back addition is a shed style roof. 2X12 on 16" centers. We climb out a 2nd floor bedroom to clear off excess snow there.

Our house is 120 years old, 3 stories with a very pitched roof. The garage dates to the 1950s with a lesser pitch. That's why the steel cable. Most of the garages in this downtown residential area have the same issue.

If you have noticed that along fence lines that year after year get drifting snow, they lean also. Same thing just different structure.

Just a bit ago, it was -19, bright blue skies, puffy white clouds and sunlight reflecting off of yesterdays snowfall. Gonna walk downtown to the winter carnival, grab lunch somewhere.


Beuatiful day to be alive.