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The worst qualities of the winters, I think, are its length rather than its severity. You can have long spells of gray, low skies just when you need to see all the sunlight you can see because the days are so short. And you can get snowfall--big storms or daily little snowfalls--well into what you'd think, coming from the deep South, ought to be mid-spring (March, April).
BUT the winters are very survivable, physically and emotionally, if you take some precautions/bend to some realities.
Physically, if you're going to have a driveway of any length, get a snowblower. I know that the world's got enough engines in it, and I try to minimize my own use of fuel-powered things, but you'd be amazed how straining on the heart shoveling a heavy snow can be. A few hundred bucks on a snowblower adequate to your circumstances (the locals will be glad to chime in with advice!) can be a life-saving investment. And it will save you a lot of time. And if you have to move, it will re-sell at a pretty good price in a minute. (In fact, a good used one might be the best way to go.) Often neighborhood kids will offer to shovel your drive for a few bucks, and they may do a great job. But kids being kids, they may not come 'round when you most need/expect them to.
In terms of driving in the snow, taking everything easy is the key. Brake, accelerate, and turn easy. Allow yourself extra time to go here or there, and do everything in semi-slow motion, and you'll be fine. Practicing on quiet streets is a great way to learn. You'll see that different types of snows and temperatures create different driving conditions, and soon you'll be able to "read" how you should be driving. But do accept that ice is king. No one and nothing can drive truly well on ice. Especially if you've got any kind of hilliness around. Let ice win, let snow slow you down, you should be fine. Modern front-wheel drive cars, with good tires, are generally fine, though if you do have some hilliness to deal with, consider AWD or 4WD vehicles.
Emotionally, surviving the winter can be tougher, and this is what people are really complaining about when they complain about northern winters, I think. The keys are having things you like to do inside: reading, cooking, playing a musical instrument, getting together with friends for coffee, etc. Having a woodstove or a woodburning fireplace can really be a focal point. You'll love the smell of woodsmoke, coffee perking, the stew bubbling.
Enjoying outdoor winter activities is key, too. Walking in fresh snow can become a lifetime love--especially if you get/have a less than elderly dog. They usually love romping in new snow (though shorthair breeds may need a sweater, believe it or not, if it's really cold out). Given how lovely this area is, you may find yourself quickly hooked on long walks in the snow to see the town's special beauty at this time of year. Great older homes rarely look more timeless than when the roof is covered in snow and the windows are glowing with light. If you've got kids, encourage them to be outside, especially with local kids. They'll get into the traditions of snow forts, igloos, snowball fights (only some of which might get them into trouble), ice-skating, hockey, maybe even skiing. (Be sure, of course, to warn them about going onto frozen lakes and ponds: that the northern equivalent to kids falling into pools in Florida, and almost did me in when I was nine.) When I moved up to Buffalo from New Jersey, I'd never even seen a hockey stick before. By that December, I couldn't wait to get outside and play hockey on the pond every day.
A warning, though: given that you'll be in the land of many immigrants (generations of immigrants, in fact) and thus great food, it is easy to put on extra winter pounds. So those walks in the snow can be doubly important.
Generally, people are very helpful up there in winters--a real "We're in this together" attitude prevails that, I think, extends throughout the year. People will invite each other over or to do something together to "fend off the winter blues/cabin fever," and being sociable like this can make a huge difference.
If the winter really starts getting to you, a lot of people swear by using sun lamps (or whatever they're now called) to perk up your brainwaves. Also, you should probably take Vitamin D supplements, which, I've been seeing, are increasingly proving to help people in northern climates keep bones strong and hearts healthy.
Given where you'll be located, you can also make a few trips to New York, Boston, or even Montreal or Quebec City. (There's good train service to NYC.) Sure, big cities in winter can be especially drab and difficult, but the northern cities also have a lot of winter festivals and events, as everyone tries to rally one another through the tough time of year. Quebec City puts on a world-famous winter carnival that's like the French-Canadian equivalent of Mardi Gras. The old part of the city is very beautiful too--like France transplanted to North America.
And a train ride back down to Florida for an early thaw-out might come in handy come late February, too. Maybe you can write that into the lease on your Daytona Beach home!
Best of luck, and I hope you post your experiences here.
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06-22-2007, 07:21 PM
Moving to Wappingers Falls
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