Advice from Southerners?

[darin]

How do you make December/Christmas feel like winter? Temps this week are near 80 down here, and I hate it. I'm okay w/ the sun...but if temps were in the 10s-30s, I'd be more-able to realize or accept it's purt-near Christmas.

To add insult to my injury (of missing snow/winter weather), the place from where we came has PLENTY of snow this week. :(

(sigh).

I like the south...but I like Four REAL seaons more.

[Trigg]

Sorry,

I never got used to no seasons. I lived in FL and LA for a combined 7 years and hated sweating my way through Christmas. We did get frost one year in Tampa, so at least we had the cold.


Good luck to ya

[darin]

After a year here, I'll start looking for jobs up north a bit...but not in any liberal states. :) Their laws suck.

[Mr. P]

Christmas 84 (I think) it was in the teens & 20s in Dothan for about a week.
My heat pump was working overtime.

[darin]

Warm up in GA, P?

[Mr. P]

Warm up in GA, P?

It is warmer here than usual this week.

[crin63]

Its 47 degrees and raining here in L.A. at 1:30pm. There was snow on the foothills yesterday and the roof was covered with frost this morning. Snow was supposed to be down to 1500 feet yesterday.

Its a little to cold for me right now and I hate the rain. Spent to many winters drenched and freezing working out in the rain.

[Hobbit]

If you're used to it being cold around Christmas, well, you're just s.o.l. You'll have to find some other way to get into the season. I recommend music.

[manu1959]

snowed on me last night......yard frozen soild this morning.....now it is sunny and clear...

[Abbey Marie]

Yes, move up north, D. The cold is good for the soul.

As is this:


http://www.photoeverywhere.co.uk/west/winterholiday/snowy_trees1981.JPG

[namvet]

butt freezing cold here. 18 above. below zero tonite.

[darin]

Abbey -that's like porn for me. :D

[namvet]

anyone had any ice storms yet???? power out

[Kathianne]

Sorry Darin:

http://weather.yahoo.com/storm/USIL1259.html


Weather >North America >United States >Illinois >Wheaton
Watches and WarningsWheaton Forecast
/O.UPG.KLOT.WS.A.0007.081218T2100Z-081219T1800Z/
/O.NEW.KLOT.WS.W.0007.081218T2100Z-081219T1800Z/
WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DUPAGE-COOK-
LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-LAKE IN-PORTER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCKFORD...WOODSTOCK...WAUKEGAN...
OREGON...DIXON...DEKALB...AURORA...CHICAGO...OTTAW A...OSWEGO...
MORRIS...JOLIET...GARY...VALPARAISO
329 PM CST WED DEC 17 2008

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THURSDAY TO 12 PM CST
FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM
THURSDAY TO 12 PM CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT.

PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AS SNOW LATE THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. BY THURSDAY EVENING...PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
BECOME A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW ACROSS FAR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS
INTO THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF CHICAGO...AND A MIX OF SLEET...SNOW
AND FREEZING RAIN ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 88...EVENTUALLY
TRANSITIONING TO MAINLY SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 80. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BY MID MORNING FRIDAY OF 6
TO 9 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE CLOSER TO THE ILLINOIS WISCONSIN
STATE LINE TAPERING TO 2 TO 4 INCHES CLOSER TO INTERSTATE 80...AND
LESSER SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. THE LOCATIONS
WITH LESSER SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE GREATER ICE
ACCUMULATIONS. ICE ACCUMULATIONS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING WILL RANGE FROM LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH CLOSER TO THE
ILLINOIS WISCONSIN STATE LINE TO AROUND A HALF INCH OR GREATER
ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80.

[Immanuel]

Christmas Season is the one thing I dislike about Florida. I'm not used to the snow around Christmas but in San Francisco Bay Area it was always rainy and cool (cold to us but then to the rest of the country only cool). I hate it when I am wearing shorts and a T-Shirt on Christmas Day.

Some day, when I am rich, I'm buying some property in Northern California even if I only use it during Christmas break.

Immie

[namvet]

Christmas Season is the one thing I dislike about Florida. I'm not used to the snow around Christmas but in San Francisco Bay Area it was always rainy and cool (cold to us but then to the rest of the country only cool). I hate it when I am wearing shorts and a T-Shirt on Christmas Day.

Some day, when I am rich, I'm buying some property in Northern California even if I only use it during Christmas break.

Immie

here we have to keep an eye out for ice storms. it can take days/weeks/even a month to get power back on.

[Immanuel]

here we have to keep an eye out for ice storms. it can take days/weeks/even a month to get power back on.

Yeah, but in the meantime, you can't get to work... right? Oh, wait, no power means no internet! Hmmm, maybe Florida isn't so bad after all. :)

Immie

[namvet]

Yeah, but in the meantime, you can't get to work... right? Oh, wait, no power means no internet! Hmmm, maybe Florida isn't so bad after all. :)

Immie

maybe you can go to work. commercial repair has top priority first. no power means you best have a back up system or freeze your butt off. or go to a motel/hotel. screw the net !!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/352188338_dab32fa9e8_o.jpg

[Immanuel]

maybe you can go to work. commercial repair has top priority first. no power means you best have a back up system or freeze your butt off. or go to a motel/hotel. screw the net !!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/352188338_dab32fa9e8_o.jpg

That is a beautiful picture, as was Abbey's above, but I must admit that I don't want to live in snow like that. To be honest with you, I'd be afraid to drive in that. Having seen all those tv news clips and programs showing cars sliding down roads without any control at all. No thank you.

Immie

[namvet]

That is a beautiful picture, as was Abbey's above, but I must admit that I don't want to live in snow like that. To be honest with you, I'd be afraid to drive in that. Having seen all those tv news clips and programs showing cars sliding down roads without any control at all. No thank you.

Immie

that's not snow. its ice. or ice on top of snow. when big trees look like this small one the limbs crack off and fall on power lines. we'll either get ice or snow here tomorrow. depends on the temp. when i get rich ill live in Canada in summer and Fla in winter.

[Immanuel]

Ice and snow tend to go together right? Anyway, slippery roads and I don't mix.

When you are rich and live in Canada in the Summer and Florida in the winter, we Floridians will call you a snowbird. They are typically old and slow and tie up our roads every winter. ;)

Immie

[crin63]

That is a beautiful picture, as was Abbey's above, but I must admit that I don't want to live in snow like that. To be honest with you, I'd be afraid to drive in that. Having seen all those tv news clips and programs showing cars sliding down roads without any control at all. No thank you.

Immie

I used to take my truck out on an iced over road near Big Bear get up to 25-30 and stomp on the brakes. It was like truck skiing. There were 6 foot high banks on both sides and it would just slide for the longest time.
I would use it as a snow plow also, get out on a dirt road in 4 wheel drive and start ramming the snow until I could plow through it. Once I got stuck I would back up and do it again. It was great fun right up until the driver side was hanging off a 500 foot side of the mountain. I almost lost that truck more than a dozen times.

[namvet]

Ice and snow tend to go together right? Anyway, slippery roads and I don't mix.

When you are rich and live in Canada in the Summer and Florida in the winter, we Floridians will call you a snowbird. They are typically old and slow and tie up our roads every winter. ;)

Immie

no they don't always go together. many times it can start with rain then freezing rain/ice pellets to pure ice. or snow to rain to ice. depends on the system. and it can hit fast. its errie at night to see all the bright blue flash's from transformers expolding and lines going down. looks like WW3 !!!! even today people here still don't how to drive on snow and ice. in 95 I bought a 4X4 and that solved most of my problems. glad i don't have to drive in that crap anymore !!!! me a snowbird???? im a lead foot. im the one the cops are chasing :laugh2:

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so come on up sometime Immie - ill take ya 4 wheelin' we'll have a blast !!!:coffee:

[namvet]

I used to take my truck out on an iced over road near Big Bear get up to 25-30 and stomp on the brakes. It was like truck skiing. There were 6 foot high banks on both sides and it would just slide for the longest time.
I would use it as a snow plow also, get out on a dirt road in 4 wheel drive and start ramming the snow until I could plow through it. Once I got stuck I would back up and do it again. It was great fun right up until the driver side was hanging off a 500 foot side of the mountain. I almost lost that truck more than a dozen times.

yeah its a blast. i picked big empty parking lots and put er in a flat spin.

[Immanuel]

no they don't always go together. many times it can start with rain then freezing rain/ice pellets to pure ice. or snow to rain to ice. depends on the system. and it can hit fast. its errie at night to see all the bright blue flash's from transformers expolding and lines going down. looks like WW3 !!!! even today people here still don't how to drive on snow and ice. in 95 I bought a 4X4 and that solved most of my problems. glad i don't have to drive in that crap anymore !!!! me a snowbird???? im a lead foot. im the one the cops are chasing :laugh2:


so come on up sometime Immie - ill take ya 4 wheelin' we'll have a blast !!!:coffee:

Dang! No wonder my insurance is so high! I have to pay for all you guys auto skiing. It is just not fair I tell ya.

Actually, it looks like a heck of a lot of fun. If I could just figure out how to do it and not have to pay for the damages later, it would be a blast.

Immie

[5stringJeff]

Darin, it's supposed to get colder over the next few days. Enjoy the warmth!!

[namvet]

Dang! No wonder my insurance is so high! I have to pay for all you guys auto skiing. It is just not fair I tell ya.

Actually, it looks like a heck of a lot of fun. If I could just figure out how to do it and not have to pay for the damages later, it would be a blast.

Immie

that's what empty parking lots are for - fun !!!!!

[Trigg]

I love snow, especially at Christmas time. I love watching the kids make snow forts and snowmen.

Sledding, even the part about pulling the sled back up the hill, is my favorite form of exercise.



I however, am NOT looking forward to this ice storm. Hope it hits north of us.

[namvet]

I love snow, especially at Christmas time. I love watching the kids make snow forts and snowmen.

Sledding, even the part about pulling the sled back up the hill, is my favorite form of exercise.



I however, am NOT looking forward to this ice storm. Hope it hits north of us.

im under the gun here to. but its a if and but and maybe forecast. depends which front gets here first.

[Trigg]

im under the gun here to. but its a if and but and maybe forecast. depends which front gets here first.

I have my fingers crossed that it misses us, or at least doesn't knock out power. I'm leaving soon to get more gas for our generator, just in case.

[namvet]

I have my fingers crossed that it misses us, or at least doesn't knock out power. I'm leaving soon to get more gas for our generator, just in case.

I keep a small reflector style Kerosene heater on standby all winter.

[Trigg]

Ice and snow tend to go together right? Anyway, slippery roads and I don't mix.

When you are rich and live in Canada in the Summer and Florida in the winter, we Floridians will call you a snowbird. They are typically old and slow and tie up our roads every winter. ;)

Immie

Lord those people were annoying. They'd show up at the outpatient clinic with every peace of paperwork they'd been saving for 7 months and then wonder why we didn't already know about all of their problems.

Then they'd all go to lunch at 12 so no one WHO WAS ACTUALLY WORKING, could get in during our 1/2 hour break.

In Winterhaven our pop. would double, we used to joke that the last person to leave Canada was incharge of turning off the lights.



On the up side Immie (now that I don't live in FL anymore), as soon as Christmas is over the great migration will begin and we get those old farts off of our roads for a few months. :dance:

[Trigg]

I keep a small reflector style Kerosene heater on standby all winter.

We have a gas fireplace and a gas stove. So we can keep warm and eat, worst case. No running water though.

We got the generator years ago since we tend to loose electricity during summer storms and I don't want to risk looking our freezer full of meat.

[namvet]

Lord those people were annoying. They'd show up at the outpatient clinic with every peace of paperwork they'd been saving for 7 months and then wonder why we didn't already know about all of their problems.

Then they'd all go to lunch at 12 so no one WHO WAS ACTUALLY WORKING, could get in during our 1/2 hour break.

In Winterhaven our pop. would double, we used to joke that the last person to leave Canada was incharge of turning off the lights.



On the up side Immie (now that I don't live in FL anymore), as soon as Christmas is over the great migration will begin and we get those old farts off of our roads for a few months. :dance:

hey I resemble that remark !!!! :laugh2:


We have a gas fireplace and a gas stove. So we can keep warm and eat, worst case. No running water though.

We got the generator years ago since we tend to loose electricity during summer storms and I don't want to risk looking our freezer full of meat.

those generators can't run a furnace right???? I mean there's way way to hook them in. why no running water???? my water heater is gas fired so we can take a bath. but we have to it before dark !!!!

[darin]

Adding insult to injury...even F'in VEGAS got snow this year. :( :-/

[namvet]

Adding insult to injury...even F'in VEGAS got snow this year. :( :-/

its a front page story

when hell freezes over (when hell freezes over) my cuz lives out there. i just sent this in a mail to him asking how much he got.

[crin63]

yeah its a blast. i picked big empty parking lots and put er in a flat spin.

We had a mud fight with about 4 -5 trucks. We would drive straight at one another throw it into a slide, hit the gas and cover the other guys truck with mud. I was the last man standing so to speak and I was in this awesome long slide but what I couldn't see was a huge rut under the mud. I hit the rut broadside and was up on 2 wheels; again! Thought for sure I was gonna lay it on its side or roll it. That was just about as much fun as the ice.

Talking about the ice capades reminded me of that one.

[namvet]

We had a mud fight with about 4 -5 trucks. We would drive straight at one another throw it into a slide, hit the gas and cover the other guys truck with mud. I was the last man standing so to speak and I was in this awesome long slide but what I couldn't see was a huge rut under the mud. I hit the rut broadside and was up on 2 wheels; again! Thought for sure I was gonna lay it on its side or roll it. That was just about as much fun as the ice.

Talking about the ice capades reminded me of that one.

did the last man standing win anything. like maybe free beer????:beer::beer:

[crin63]

did the last man standing win anything. like maybe free beer????:beer::beer:

Nah, but I did get to clean 3" thick of mud out from every possible place mud could stick on the outside. It was at the offroad races back when I used to drink. I was living off beer and hotdogs the whole weekend already.

[namvet]

Nah, but I did get to clean 3" thick of mud out from every possible place mud could stick on the outside. It was at the offroad races back when I used to drink. I was living off beer and hotdogs the whole weekend already.

ah hotdogs and beer. and twinkies. :laugh2: the good ole days. they ain't cheap anymore. the price of beer and twinkies is gettin' outta hand. :coffee:

[darin]

I want snow for my CAR...Word is, when it snows here, towns shut down. I wanna go out in the ol' subaru and have some fun w/o others messin' up the pretty snowfall.

:D

[crin63]

ah hotdogs and beer. and twinkies. :laugh2: the good ole days. they ain't cheap anymore. the price of beer and twinkies is gettin' outta hand. :coffee:

I bought a case of 50 hotdogs, 50 buns and ketchup for that weekend. I didn't want to waste money on real food, when there were beverages left to be purchased. Just another one of those young and dumb stories. :laugh2:

[Mr. P]

I want snow for my CAR...Word is, when it snows here, towns shut down. I wanna go out in the ol' subaru and have some fun w/o others messin' up the pretty snowfall.

:D

You will be very lucky to see snow down there, D. Even here we'll be lucky to see snow. Yes, things shut down..that's because most of what we see is sleet and freezing rain...and no one can drive on ice, not even a YANK! :laugh2:

[crin63]

Don't give up Darin, it snowed in Houston last week. My mom sent me pictures of the snowman her my dad made.

[namvet]

I want snow for my CAR...Word is, when it snows here, towns shut down. I wanna go out in the ol' subaru and have some fun w/o others messin' up the pretty snowfall.

:D

my first import was a 1980 Subaru wagon with on demand 4 wheel drive. that thing ran better on snow and ice than dry pavement. at that time the jeep was the only other 1 with 4X4. but it was full time. not on demand. the wagon i think had a 1600cc engine. techs called it an airplane engine. :laugh2:

[namvet]

I bought a case of 50 hotdogs, 50 buns and ketchup for that weekend. I didn't want to waste money on real food, when there were beverages left to be purchased. Just another one of those young and dumb stories. :laugh2:

hell that's bachelor food !!!! what did I have for dinner???? carry out ha

[Trigg]

hey I resemble that remark !!!! :laugh2:



those generators can't run a furnace right???? I mean there's way way to hook them in. why no running water???? my water heater is gas fired so we can take a bath. but we have to it before dark !!!!

The one we have won't, maybe if we had a whole house generator???????

We have a well and septic system, no electricity so no pump for the water. Can't flush the toilets unless we have a bucket of water to fill the tank back up.
If it looks like we're going to get hit I'll fill up one of the bathtubs so we have water and can use at least one of the bathrooms.

[namvet]

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8079/heaterek0.jpg

keeps my rec room nice and warm

[Abbey Marie]

Hey D, can you drive or fly the family to a ski resort for a day or two?

[darin]

my first import was a 1980 Subaru wagon with on demand 4 wheel drive. that thing ran better on snow and ice than dry pavement. at that time the jeep was the only other 1 with 4X4. but it was full time. not on demand. the wagon i think had a 1600cc engine. techs called it an airplane engine. :laugh2:


My car has a 2.5 with ~ 280hp/320lbs-ft. :D It's full-time AWD. So far, it's handled the red mud of LA just fine!


Hey D, can you drive or fly the family to a ski resort for a day or two?

Is there one near you? Would you teach us to ski?

[Abbey Marie]

..
Is there one near you? Would you teach us to ski?

Yes, several.

No, I think Mary would prefer a 19 year old ski bum to do that. :coffee:

[namvet]

My car has a 2.5 with ~ 280hp/320lbs-ft. :D It's full-time AWD. So far, it's handled the red mud of LA just fine!



Is there one near you? Would you teach us to ski?

AWD was invented back then. they had a handle of the floor console to pull for 4X4. it was called shift on the fly. up to 50MPH. my Toyota is AWD and I got a discount on my insurance.

[Des]

My dh likes to light a fire in the fireplace if it's "chilly", meaning I end up opening the windows and putting the fans on sometimes...but he loves pretending it's cold outside, lol.

If it gets really bad, I cut out snowflakes and hang them up all over the house for him. He really misses the snow.

[jackass]

How do you make December/Christmas feel like winter? Temps this week are near 80 down here, and I hate it. I'm okay w/ the sun...but if temps were in the 10s-30s, I'd be more-able to realize or accept it's purt-near Christmas.

To add insult to my injury (of missing snow/winter weather), the place from where we came has PLENTY of snow this week. :(

(sigh).

I like the south...but I like Four REAL seaons more.

Hey Darin,
After 2 years down here in the south I have figured it out. Go back up north for Christmas. Its the only thing to do. My first year here I was decorating the outside of the house for Christmas in shorts and a t-shirt.
I cant wait to move back up north. I need my 4 seasons!

[namvet]

maybe wallpaper is cheaper


http://img.funtasticus.com/2007/nov/winter10122007/winter011.jpg

http://img.funtasticus.com/2007/nov/winter10122007/winter012.jpg

I wanna live here

[darin]

Righto JA.

Here's what xmas SHOULD look like (Spokane, WA, where they got 1.5' of snow in 24 hrs)

http://www.southernledger.com/images_ap/4a6f9506-4c38-4137-bc1f-150448362700-4a6f9506-4c38-4137-bc1f-150448362700.jpg

[namvet]

wonder if we're gonna have a global warming winter ?????:laugh2:

[Classact]

Christmas in Puerto Rico is really hard to get used to, it does get what locals call cold here but so far I've managed to stick with shorts and a Tshirt. Actually I've caught myself wearing my shirt inside the house for the first time in months. It gets down to a raw 70F at night and only up to the low 80's in the daytime but it's a damp humid weather that is chilled by a pretty strong sea breeze at night so 70 with a 25MPH wind is not comfortable to hang out on the beach at night.

I really miss the snow but I don't miss all that other stuff that goes with it. I just wish the weather now would stay this way year round! Well tomorrow is the shortest day I think so every day will start being longer daylight after tomorrow. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!!!

[namvet]

Christmas in Puerto Rico is really hard to get used to, it does get what locals call cold here but so far I've managed to stick with shorts and a Tshirt. Actually I've caught myself wearing my shirt inside the house for the first time in months. It gets down to a raw 70F at night and only up to the low 80's in the daytime but it's a damp humid weather that is chilled by a pretty strong sea breeze at night so 70 with a 25MPH wind is not comfortable to hang out on the beach at night.

I really miss the snow but I don't miss all that other stuff that goes with it. I just wish the weather now would stay this way year round! Well tomorrow is the shortest day I think so every day will start being longer daylight after tomorrow. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!!!

wow. 80 in the winter. must be tuff to live with that ..sarcasim

[jackass]

wow. 80 in the winter. must be tuff to live with that ..sarcasim

It is!! Its close to 80 here today. It sucks! I am praying that it snows when we go to Pa for Christmas.

[avatar4321]

It is!! Its close to 80 here today. It sucks! I am praying that it snows when we go to Pa for Christmas.

Curse you! Jk

[Mr. P]

It is!! Its close to 80 here today. It sucks! I am praying that it snows when we go to Pa for Christmas.

Me TOO so you YANKS stop whining about snow!!!:poke:

[jackass]

Me TOO so you YANKS stop whining about snow!!!:poke:

Thanks P! :dance: :laugh2:

[Mr. P]

Thanks P! :dance: :laugh2:

Yer very welcome...I hope you see the snow...Merry Christmas to ya.

[Classact]

wow. 80 in the winter. must be tuff to live with that ..sarcasimMy son was invited to the beach today to hang out, it just sucks!

[namvet]

My son was invited to the beach today to hang out, it just sucks!

send him up here. its 6 tomorrow................:laugh2:

[Mr. P]

send him up here. its 6 tomorrow................:laugh2:

Where is "up here"?

[namvet]

Where is "up here"?

west central MO

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Icehole.jpg/800px-Icehole.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wKGNetZTKHo/STAwh_cUzMI/AAAAAAAABtY/1M_pwmVnE18/s1600/winter%2Bswimming.jpg

its a wopping 4 degrees here. great for a swim !!!!:laugh2:

[Abbey Marie]

Yesterday, it was 29 degrees, and today we had to scrape ice off the windshield. Perfect Christmas temps.

[namvet]

got to 10 here today. headed for 15 below tonight