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We retired to the south because the doctors said it'd improve the quality of my life - not my longevity, but the quality, and that sounded good to me. Also my parents were here and I wanted to spend more time with them before that became impossible. Finally, I must admit the sunshine, blue skies, warmth, and beach were also alluring after a lifetime of winters in the gray, gloomy, cold Midwest. We haven't regretted our move and I am definitely enjoying my life a lot more because I can be outside each day without being too cold.
I have some pretty good friends who lived all their working lives in Buffalo, New York - right in the middle of the snow belt. After they retired and after their kids were out of the nest, they started spending six months of the year in Florida. They explained to me that what got to them was not so much the snow shoveling, or the cold, or the ice per se as the grayness - not seeing the sun for weeks at a time. They said this lack of direct sunlight for long periods was depressing. Anyone thus affected will obviously try to do something about it - nothing could be more normal and understandable.
Plus, ice and snow contribute to a lot of hip fractures.
That is a blanket statement and not exactly correct. My husband and I cannot adjust to high heat and humidity. We have retired to New York, which is also too hot and humid in the summer. We would absolutely suffer in the southern states.
I speculate that, if property values were equal all around the country, there would be a lot fewer retirees in Fla.
In the city you don't have to worry about shoveling snow, doctors are within walking distance. The hospitals are state of the art. You can eat in a different place every day. You can order groceries online and get them delivered. Buildings sometimes cater to senior citizens and have organized walks and museum visits and even trips to New England. We have coffee and assorted munchies downstairs each morning and socialize with other tenants.
There are numerous houses of worship, clubs, debates, films, etc.
Cities provide a good life.
We had some friends from England visit at the hottest time in NY. They wanted to be taken around town. I stayed home. My husband took them here and there. They stopped in a place for some refreshments. The woman collapsed from heat stroke. It was ninety degrees.
Not everyone can take the heat. We had been thinking of moving to Seattle, as well.
My father has arthritis, so I do understand that medical issues that make a person want to avoid the North.
Shoveling snow is an activity for those who commute to work. My Dw commutes, so I have a snow-blower on my tractor. In 30-minutes I can clear our 100-yard driveway for her to easily get in/out. Then I go clear driveways for neighbors. One pair of our neighbors, have both been retired for 20+ years. Last winter they decided that there is no real need for them to have their driveway cleared. They simply do not go anywhere on a daily basis. After each storm, they are fine to simply wait a couple days for the snow to go away on it's own.
Snow clearing is an activity for those who work [non-retirees], and retirees like me who have not settled down yet and who want to still get out and about each day.
As for scraping ice, many people around here own garages. We have a garage on our house.
In some communities you legally must clear the snow or you get fined. The postman has to have a path up to your door. The pavement in front of the house must be shoveled.
Several relatives of ours have broken their hips - none of them were caused from anything having to do with winter.
Yeah. I think the latest concept is that old folks have osteoporosis and their bones get brittle and break. THEN, they fall as a side effect from the broken bone.
My father has arthritis, so I do understand that medical issues that make a person want to avoid the North.
Shoveling snow is an activity for those who commute to work. My Dw commutes, so I have a snow-blower on my tractor. In 30-minutes I can clear our 100-yard driveway for her to easily get in/out. Then I go clear driveways for neighbors. One pair of our neighbors, have both been retired for 20+ years. Last winter they decided that there is no real need for them to have their driveway cleared. They simply do not go anywhere on a daily basis. After each storm, they are fine to simply wait a couple days for the snow to go away on it's own.
Snow clearing is an activity for those who work [non-retirees], and retirees like me who have not settled down yet and who want to still get out and about each day.
As for scraping ice, many people around here own garages. We have a garage on our house.
Around here you'll wait a lot longer than a couple of days. Most winters it will be there the entire season.
In some communities you legally must clear the snow or you get fined. The postman has to have a path up to your door. The pavement in front of the house must be shoveled.
In some communities you legally must clear the snow or you get fined. The postman has to have a path up to your door. The pavement in front of the house must be shoveled.
Very true, the one ticket I ever received in my entire driving history, was due to not getting out to move my car early enough after a major snow storm. I barely made it into my home the night before and my then hubby hadn't had time to shovel the driveway so I hadn't any choice but to park in front of the house. I'll never forget it, gives me shivers remembering it. Loved Monmouth Co, NJ but detested the winters.
I've moved as far away from snow as I could possibly get, even NC wasn't far enough. FL heat isn't for everyone, but it's fine by me, more beach time.
A bit misleading. It's likely the pavement doesn't have to be cleared, the sidewalk does. Our mail is delivered at the street so it's up to us to clear for mail.
We have 48 hours to clear our walks. $75 fine if a ticket is issued. I only know of one being given and it was a case of an a**hole neighbor getting even. "I heard it through the grapevine."
It really is how you raise them I guess. I started working at 14 for a vet and I made great money for a kid! If I didn't work, I didn't have money for clothes, entertainment, etc. I even saved up $150 for my first car :-)
Now I have a friend with a daughter, aged 22, who just graduated college but "isn't ready for a full-time job yet". So the kid lounges around the house all day and mom pays for her car, gas, clothes and everything.
My son worked part-time all through both high-school and college because that is the only way he would afford a car. What gets me is that I live in a very blue-collar town so you would think kids would need the money that their parents can't afford to give them.
I need clarification. Did your friend's daughter "just graduate" as in the last month? Or did she graduate between fall and spring semester?
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