My First Summer In Florida. Longish

[Virgo10]

While it’s no where near the end of summer here, I feel like I can give you a few observations. Here’s some background.

Born in Massachusetts.
Lived there for 56 years and no where else except for a 6 month stay in Ft. Lauderdale when I was in my 20’s.
Back problems up the yazoo (what is a yazoo anyway??) and arthritis.
Disney World fanatic.

The weather people here in Florida gleefully announced that July and August of this year were the hottest and driest on record in the Tampa area. It left me thinking, you mean this was bad? There were five days that I really noticed the heat. Five days since May when I felt it was too hot to venture outside for more than a few minutes. Next to the hand held calculator (math challenged), central air conditioning is the greatest invention ever.

Now we’re edging into Fall, such as it is, here in Florida. Already there have been mornings that I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find a cool breeze. Baring any nasty hurricanes, we are heading into 7 months of weather that is absolutely delightful. No more feelings of fear as winter approaches. Those of you with health problems that are exacerbated by cold, damp weather probably know what I’m talking about. No more endless gray days without any sun. No more wondering if I can get down the store or to an appointment because of ice and snow.

Will I miss the change in season? Yeah, I guess but not that much. Autumn in the area I lived in Massachusetts seemed to last a week at best. Then we’d get a Nor’easter and the leaves would be gone. Winter, on the other hand, seemed to go on forever!

No, Florida is not for everyone. But I now know that the heat and humidity should not be a factor in whether or not you decide to move here. Before we moved, I thought it would do me in. Now I actually feel chilly when it gets down into the 70’s.

 

[lillygator]

I love Florida - the heat has never bothered me....and the past couple years it has been HOT through October....it's the humidity that is what most complain about....

 

[luvflorida]

While it’s no where near the end of summer here, I feel like I can give you a few observations. Here’s some background.

Born in Massachusetts.
Lived there for 56 years and no where else except for a 6 month stay in Ft. Lauderdale when I was in my 20’s.
Back problems up the yazoo (what is a yazoo anyway??) and arthritis.
Disney World fanatic.

The weather people here in Florida gleefully announced that July and August of this year were the hottest and driest on record in the Tampa area. It left me thinking, you mean this was bad? There were five days that I really noticed the heat. Five days since May when I felt it was too hot to venture outside for more than a few minutes. Next to the hand held calculator (math challenged), central air conditioning is the greatest invention ever.

Now we’re edging into Fall, such as it is, here in Florida. Already there have been mornings that I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find a cool breeze. Baring any nasty hurricanes, we are heading into 7 months of weather that is absolutely delightful. No more feelings of fear as winter approaches. Those of you with health problems that are exacerbated by cold, damp weather probably know what I’m talking about. No more endless gray days without any sun. No more wondering if I can get down the store or to an appointment because of ice and snow.

Will I miss the change in season? Yeah, I guess but not that much. Autumn in the area I lived in Massachusetts seemed to last a week at best. Then we’d get a Nor’easter and the leaves would be gone. Winter, on the other hand, seemed to go on forever!

No, Florida is not for everyone. But I now know that the heat and humidity should not be a factor in whether or not you decide to move here. Before we moved, I thought it would do me in. Now I actually feel chilly when it gets down into the 70’s.

Wow, I just posted about not wanting summer to end. Your description of weather in the Northeast is right on target.

My husband and I are seriously considering moving south in three years. I love the idea of Florida but he's thinking more like South Carolina. I envy you and all the warm weather you have to look forward to! Enjoy Florida and hug a palm tree for me. I love palm trees!

 

[MoniqueU]

Glad you are enjoying your move! And the weather has been good for you too

 

[LisaR]

I think it all depends on how much heat bothers you and what you do during the summer. I don't like heat and I live in FL. Not a good combination. I am fine if I am indoors. I don't always have that option though. Sitting outside for two hour soccer games and baseball games for the kids is insane. Playing tennis is a killer. Riding my bike in 90 degrees plus high humidity isn't the slightest bit refreshing. That said, I will suffer for a few months to have 7 months of great weather that is much more condusive to the things I enjoy doing outside.

Lisa

 

[palmtreegirl]

We love Florida too! I can't tell you how happy I am that we're finally living down here, for the first time in my life I'm not dreading the coming winter!

 

[SamRoc]

Glad you are happy there in Florida Virgo10! Our friends moved to Boca Raton 2 years ago after they decided they had enough of New York winters. My friends husband loves it theres,( she misses her family a bit) especially since he also has bad back problems (dont get me started!!) He tells me that for the first time in years, he feels good all year round, rides his bike to the beach (is a retired NYC cop) and doesnt dread the first cold feeling in fall when his lower back started to ache. Needless to say I am very jealous!

 

[parrothead365]

Glad you are enjoying the weather here. I have always loved it. I just got to have my air thick enough to chew it . Pretty soon you will start to grow gills like the rest of us.

 

[parrothead365]

Oh and the yazoo is connected to the wazoo so just find your wazoo and it will be close by

 

[Virgo10]

Oh and the yazoo is connected to the wazoo so just find your wazoo and it will be close by

 

[nowellsl]

I usually feel that way also. Just not today - my utility bill came

 

[marydmjj]

What about bugs and poisonous creatures?

 

['Canes Fan]

it doesn't take that long to fit in with the weather. I worked (and played) in shorts all season long last winter. by the end of august, you wait for the end of the heat, and then enjoy the next 7-8 months. I'll take that over the midwest.

 

[safetymom]

I agree with you. I don't find the weather that bad here in FL but then I would much rather be warm than cold. We had many hot and 100% humidity days when I lived in PA and I had no air conditioning there. I don't like the electric bills with the a/c but I save on the heating bills in the winter here in FL.

The palmetto bugs I still don't like but the other creatures here don't bother me at all. When I can look outside my lanai and see the sand cranes standing there I don't miss the wildlife up North either.

My back and joints thank me every day for moving to FL.

 

[DaisyDebbie]

I've been here in Florida for about 8 weeks and while it is hot it's not any hotter than NY that I left. At least I get to see the sun everyday even if just for a little bit. And I'm not dreading winter coming either. My Fibromyalgia is better in the heat too.

this morning at 8 am it was 72 and felt great

 

['Canes Fan]

man, how cool is it to have sandhill cranes in your backyard? I've opened our front door into great egrets and have had 50 white pelicans in the lake behind us. I wouldn't trade that for anything. palmetto bugs still freak me, but they make a nice *squish*. not to mention I'm 5 minutes from a white sand bay beach at work. that's a lunch break.

take that, Illinois.

 

[marydmjj]

Didn't know what a palmetto bug was...IT'S A COCKROACH! Ewww. Do they come in your house? What about poisonous critters? I'm curious about what creepy crawly things are around that can really hurt you. We don't really have anything other than the brown recluse spider here.

 

[safetymom]

Yes palmetto bugs come in your house. It is not a reflection of the cleanliness of your home. It is Fl.

When I look out the back there is a large field with cows grazing in the distance and when the orange trees are in blossom the smell is heavenly.

 

[Virgo10]

What about bugs and poisonous creatures?

Well my rule of thumb is "DON'T TOUCH NOTHING!!" There are so many creatures down here that I can't identify, I just leave them alone. As for Palmetto bugs, we've had a few in the house. Very creepy but just a fact of life in FL. The main problem we have is with ants of the microscopic variety. We usually just see them on the lanai and with a few shots of Raid they're gone.

The main insects I was worried about were fire ants. I'm a bare foot person and would be happy never wearing shoes. After 10 months of walking around outside bare foot and never having a close encounter with these nasty creatures, I've either been very lucky or there aren't any here.

All and all I don't think the wildlife down here is any more worrisome than it was in Massachusetts. It's just different.

 

[Mermaid02]

I'm jealous. I was thinking driving to work yesterday.... "another 12 weeks and I'll have to start worrying about driving conditions. " I hate driving in the nasty, icy, snowy, slushy weather.