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Maybe its a midlife crisis or maybe I finally got some sense about me, either way I have a desire to move northerly to a beautiful place where the heat won't melt me. Can anyone sell me on Maine? I know it will be an extreme climate adjustment but thats kind of what I am looking for. My real desire is to live in the country in a country house or cottage and living near a body of water would be a plus. I am taking a leap of faith in this adventure as I have no college background and only worked at a bank doing almost everything and a mail carrier for the local post office but my biggest job was raising lots of children including my own.
I would need to rent when I first get there, buy on contract or live in a house for someone that only uses it for vacation or the like. I have a child in school so a good location near a good school would be a must. A young person would also be moving with me and that would mean living close enough to employments and young person entertainment.
What city might look best for persons moving from the country life? I may be interested in other places to live but thats what I am use to. This is a scary move and quite exciting. I most likely will wait till winter is over before making that move but I want to do all the research I can before that exciting day comes just so I can have all the knowledge I can possibly have and wont get there and be totally surprised and scared off.
I read in one post that the folk in Maine are fun to be around and hospitable. What are the people like and how do they take to Southerners. Folk in Louisiana are very hospitable and help when someone needs it. We love having people from other places come down to visit or move. Its a pleasure to learn about them and where they came from. I hope that I can find a place that might make me feel as welcome as I am hoping and is beautiful to boot. Please help me out here and any honest or personal comments will be very appreciated. Thanks everyone.
Hey Jarn,
I too am currently in the Steamy South. I am in exile from maine due to a few reasons, but someday to return. I was in the military and spent most of my time in the south and actually like it here. To a degree. Above 83 starts to melt me and wind in the humidity and i am an Air-conditioning Aficionado supreme.
From my humble observations while living in maine:
You dont have to worry so much about the transition from a cajun to a mainer; whats inside you, what made you have friends and enjoy life in Louisiana will follow you up to maine should you venture up that way. The good that people are is everywhere. Ive found that no matter where i am (currently in Alabama) good people find good people and help each other regardless of the accent of the person. Actually an accent extenuates the person and their experiences.
Money and employment are where the rubber meets the road as far as housing goes. References are a plus when finding a rental.
Weather and the eventual approach of winter will be on the mind of a mainer. Like hurricane or Tornado season down where we are, you will be mindful the approaching cold months...at least i did when i was in maine. I loved the feeling of a winter storm approaching, watching the winter fall. But towards the end of Jan the darkness and cold can be alot to deal with. The winter seems never-ending, the snow turns dirty and the plow trucks always seem to put snow back in your driveway, just as you cleared it. But before you know it the magic of spring brings life again and soon winter is just remembered and not endured till next year.
If you get up that way, find a moment to go to Cadillac Mountain and look...you'll see forever in any direction.
You won't have to worry too much about hot, steamy weather here in Maine. We did have a little this summer, but there is always some place to go swimming, so it's not bad. You may not like the winter, but you will get used to it. It seems like any place you go (with the possible exception of the beach in Southern California) There are 3 months of either too hot or too cold. Here we still have a winter, so it may be too cold, but it is only for 3 months. Other places have 3 months of too hot.
We are actually getting a little "hot and steamy" weather today. I't may get to 90 in the southern part of the state. Kinda nice for Sept. 11th.
As far as where you want to live, do a bit of research into what part of the state you want to be. There are people that like to rent out their places for the non-tourist season. There are some lovely towns west of the Portland area, such as Bridgton, Naples, Raymond etc.
It seems that about 6 months of the year is considered a 'home-heating season'; and for 6 months you do not need any heat.
However much of that heating-season is the 'shoulders', meaning that it is warm during the day and cool at night. So you do not need any heat during the day. If you keep a window open with a fan going when it is warm and sunny. Then as the sun sets, turn-off the fan and close the window. You bring warm air into your house during the day, and hold it there until the next day. So for as much as half of the 'heating-season' you really do not need to be consuming heating fuel. In this manner, as much as 9 months of the year require no actual heating.
How well your home is insulated, has a huge effect.
How well your home was designed to capture and retain solar gain during the days, can have a big effect.
We tend to get a storm once/week. If you address snow using a shovel, you will likely come to hate snow. If you handle snow from inside a heated vehicle, and use that vehicle to move the snow for you, you will not mind snow nearly as much.
I have a heavy coat, though I find that as I shift what kinds of clothing I wear, I no longer need the coat. I have gone a couple years now without putting my heavy coat on. I am finding a better selection of clothing to wear in winter.
The same goes for sweaters. We moved here with a huge collection of sweaters. This spring I came to the realization that I had not worn any of them all winter long. But sweaters will be handy when you first move here.
Maine can get cool in winter. However the right gear makes a big difference.
It's getting to be close to late September now and haven't put the "shorts" away yet. I quiet often find I need them over the Columbus Day weekend - 2nd weekend in Oct. It's happend a few times. The heat here will likely not kick on for at least another month, and then it just comes on once in the night to take off the chill. I love these warm fall days.
I just found out that my favorite orchard in this area, you can also pick your own raspberries. The season for that will be for at least a couple more weeks. Nothing like totally fresh raspberries.
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