Anyone else sick of the rain and darkness this year? We've leaved in the PNW for 18 years and I recall only one other winter that was as gloomy. How is everyone else surviving? How are the newbies in our corner of the world fairing? Ready to pick up stakes?

LOL...I am loving it. Granted, I was born and raised here, so maybe it is in my blood. Rainy, windy days are my favorite. Odd, I know, lol!

I have lived in Portland just over 13 years and honestly, I've gotten used to the gloom - kind of. I am not crazy about the period between Thanksgiving and New Years for a number of reasons, one being that the days get shorter and shorter every day until the 21st. Now that days are getting longer again, I am OK with the rain.

Oh, and this year, I went to Hawaii for a few days in December - that helped. Whenever I feel a hint of gloom, I look at some of the hundreds of Hawaii pics I took to remember the 80 degree shorts weather and swimming in the Pacific Ocean!

I don't think this winter is particularly gloomy (I'm in Seattle-maybe Portland has been worse?). Crazy, yes-wind, snow, cold...but it doesn't seem any gloomier than usual.

None of you have reason to complain until you've lived here at least 45 years. ;-)

Geez, I hope it snows tonight.

Compared to last year, this year has not been so bad in Portland for us ( newbies)..We have had a lot more dry days...beachbum, I am watching for the first snowflakes!
Orcas, those stakes are always ready to be picked up lol

It's been a VERY strange winter weather-wise, that's for sure.

I often think about the several forums I have posted on (including but not exclusively this one) where I advised people... "Sure move to Seattle, the weather's not as bad as people make it out to be!"

Oh boy do I pity those folks who THIS is their first winter here! I feel the need to apologise to them all -lol!

Pick up stakes? Nah, but I am going to Hawaii in a couple weeks - a plane ticket in hand really helps.

Spent first 26 years of my life in Seattle. gloomy seemed normal...then maried my world traveling military husband and moved to Durham NC & Duke Post Grad school.
My husband thought I'd lost it: I would open the curtains every morning and say "It's sunny!!!"
That's when I first knew the sun could shine more than 2 days in a row.

N Carolna was heaven..then one day I had the TV on and the someone actually was SPEAKING on the Emergency Broadcast alert.
Yes indeed we were right in the middle of a Tornado.
Not knowing what to do & in disbelief I looked out the window and yes I could swear I saw cows flying...husband came home with orders back to Seattle..would I like to go?...yes pls..I'd like gloomy!!

Another Seattlite who cringes at a cloud-free sky. Rain? Bring it on!

1JAR--I can relate. Born and raised here, but after college married a career military man. So off we went all over the country for many years. He is from Seattle, and we finally got orders back to there. So got to live there for a while before he retired and then we returned to Portland. So we really appreciate being back in the rain after some of those climates!

I have lived in the PNW for 15 years- I expect this time of year to be gloomy and rainy and doesnt bother me too much- but when its still cold and gloomy in June and I am still wearing my winter clothes I start going a little crazy!
Thats the time of year I REALLY need to get out of here.

I hear what you are saying, sunbum. Let's hope this doesn't go on until June.

I think the winds are part of what is making this such a "special" winter. During the windstorm a few weeks ago, 6 douglas firs fell on the house right next door to ours. They were very lucky, as the trees didn't do a lot of damage. They fell from a hillside below the house, and rested on the roof, damaging the eaves and slightly damaging the roof. We have some very tall douglas firs that tower over our house and it is nerveracking when the wind blows. It is just a matter of time....I've heard the fir have very shallow roots that die slowly after damage caused by construction (I've heard it takes 15 years). And douglas firs prefer to live in stands which protect them from the wind. The ones around our house are in pairs or threes and the contractor built retaining walls near their base...another very smart move by our builder. We don't want to leave the location we are in, but I think we'll have to think more seriously about finding a house that is out from under the trees.

Orcas,
This is my first winter In PNW. I lived on St. Simons Island Ga for 26 years, before that I lived in Greece for 13 years. I have to admit the weather has not bothered me. The power being off for 60 hours mid-Dec. wasn't too much fun. It happened now and again during the summer on St. Simons with the northern side of hurricanes. I'd rather be cold than living with no AC in 95 degrees and humid. After summer before last, I was so happy when my daughter said they were relocating to Seattle and were going to live on Bainbridge. I'm very happy I made the move. I love the people here and the climate is fine. Maybe ask again in a day or two. I think I'll still be happy.
Joan

I'm from LA and was in the NW for a few days last week- I love the weather! The cold, dreary, rain/slush/snow, everything. Imagine my disappointment when I stepped out of LAX into 90 degree heat!

O.k time for me to chime in here. I'm "Chatham's son.....

When we got word that we were moving here. I wanted to cry. Here,being Bainbridge island Washington..

I'd lived in the same town most of my life.I knew everyone and everyone knew me

I was within walking distance of the beach. Sure,it was hot in the summer time. But at least I had a beach to go to and a swimming pool.

NOTHING we needed was within walking distance for my mother. I often made trips by bike or a 15 to 20 minute walk,or more,to get to what I needed.

Now?Pretty much everything we need is within walking distance.

One of my hobbies is listening to police communications and such on my scanner radios. I have five. I dedicate two base stations to military communcations. And at the time we lived in Saint simons I had two scanners that were pretty much programmed in the hsame manner. One I would have hooked up to my computer to broadcast on the net,I do that here too. My feed is down at the moment

There is a lot more activity on my scanner radio's here compared to Saint simons and the surrounding area's that I monitored there. .

Also,being near SEATAC. I can often see AND hear aircraft arriving and departing from the area airports.

There are a few things I miss about my old home town.Obviously the friends I made. But having the beach on one side of the street and marsh on the other side. Warmer weather,sunny days through out the year and not just during certain times of the year.

I'll close with one final thought about CLIMATE.. One thing I DON'T miss is the political climte of the south. .

P.S Last summer when we had a few days of "record heat" and everyone was in a panic. I had to laugh and say "You people don't know what hot is at all!"

Stavro38, Glad you are enjoying living here. Funny about the complaints about the record heat. You'll be complaining soon, too.

We get used to it being cool. When people visit from the east, where they spend winters in their heated homes, they are usually freezing here, as, more often than not, our windows are open or our heat very low. We wear layers indoors and enjoy the fresh air more of the year than in other places.

Do you miss Greece? Did you live there like your Mom? That is one beautiful place!

Stavro--We were stationed in St. Marys for 3 years. That humidity was awful! Of course the locals loved to tease us about that

Orcas I've only been to Greece twice in my life. Back to back trips in
1992 and 1993. I've got some stories to tell about both trip's that's for sure...

mms : So you, unlike many, KNOW what hot and SUMMER are REALLY all about then huh?! I used to monitor the police, and fire, communications from Camden county. And that included the base operations at Kings bay. In fact you'll appreciate that I used to be near a submarine base. Now I practically have one in my back yard. Living near "base communities" . And now living in one,is really weird!

Stavro--Yes, you've got Bangor right near you. My husband was stationed there for a couple years too, in charge of the squadron. We really do not miss Kings Bay at all. Well, maybe the real estate prices compared to here, lol!

Stavro's mom has to chime in here. He was born in Athens and I brought him home to Mykonos when he was 10 days old. He had a major health, I took him to Sweden when he was 4 months old and on to the States for about a year. I took him back to Greece to Naxos where my husband had moved. After about 6 months, we had to return to the States and he didn't go back until he was in his 30s.