Tell me about the weather, please (Seattle, Spokane: 2015, crime rates, school)

[Ruth4Truth]

You'll need waterproof raincoats and galoshes during the El Nino years, trust me. It's best to have them in reserve, than to be caught without them.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by cnote99

My husband and I are strongly considering a move to Washington from California. ...I'm concerned about the 8-9 months of "gloom" I keep reading about. I do love a crisp sunny day, when we get them. Are those few and far between in western Washington? Is it as grey and gloomy as everything I've read? I am prone to depression and already take antidepressants; would I be doomed in WA? We visited the Seattle area in the summer and it was lovely, but from what I've read, that's basically the only time of year the sun is out.

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

find a home with LOTS of HUGE south facing windows (on a hill preferred) VERY important for me (a Colorado ranch kid, so I'm outdoors all day / everyday)

It is only gloomy ~200 days / yr, (mostly in a row) Consider election day as time to head for cover, come out in April. tho... in reality you can be out every day, just a tad soggy from drizzle - Stop at Helley Hansen Outlet and get some foulies, for sitting at soccer and t-ball games)

Nights are long and dark. Have a bright spot to recharge. (friends have an indoor squash court in their basement, as homeschoolers togther (many families), we had Wally-Ball 2 evenings / week over at their house)

Also, we have two VERY active young boys. How do families deal with kids playing outside if it rains so much?

BTDT - our boys were 19 months apart..(now near age 40). They survived and prefer PNW, no TV, no Nintendo, no cell phones, living in the country. (had to make their own fun, no internet at the time they grew up)

Build a Barndominium (place to escape INDOORs and play / create). Ours was bigger than our home... but way too small (40x60). Was big enough for roller hockey, basketball, indoor soccer. Neighbor's have a shop 120x240 (big enough for an indoor motorcycle 'trials' course + a really BIG basketball court.). You can use the apartment in your shop for guests, boomerang kids, wayward parents and your future caregiver! And to store treasures while you build your home! (who needs a home) Add RV hookup for traveling guests / grandparents

Boys are best ACTIVE with their hands... mind can follow if it wants.
We volunteered 2x . week with schools, with elderly, and feeding homeless. We had a small u-pick farm and kids made a killing on eggs and produce + 4H animals can net several thousand $ / yr and keep kids busy and teach them how to run a business / project book (Started their Roth IRAs at age 12, as active traders)

Attended excellent Community Ed programs starting at age 12, they shadowed a Golf Pro and became good friends (free golf and instructions and PT jobs!)_ They were volunteered at a ski resort (free skiing, back country perks, training, and were instructing kid's programs by age 16, adults by age 18, (really a good PT job, they went daily! Homeschooled so no conflict with school (part of their lessons)

Each lettered in 5 sports (while not attending a public school)

Built a LOT of stuff (had complete woodshop and machine shop, and kids designed and built their own homes during jr high, (as a family, but kids had to pass all inspections... or do it over, again and again (keeps them busy) They each netted $80k from their homes, pre college (age 16 in WA State) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Start


ONE did WWU and had a great time with water sports and skiing (still working as instructor)

Originally Posted by cnote99

Well we have been told in no uncertain terms that Californians are ridiculed, harassed and ostracized in the PNW. But maybe our informants are totally mistaken!

CA's bring baggage and have done much to destroy 9 western states. (Displacing LT residents. Us in 1970s from CO). Due to CA influx of equity, my WA property taxes went from <$3 / day to $43 / day (same house, no improvements, just older and needing repair). That is a lot of CASH needed to cover CA influx (more that 10x what I spend daily on groceries)

Thus CA immigrants cost me 1 week / month of my salary (and working is not all that much fun, just to pay for your 'flaunting' CA Neighbors who paid 3x market rate for their home and added $500k of extras to further tweak your assessment, just so they wouldn't have to pay $20k in taxes(pre 1996) . Everyone loses (except the assessor), My $100k place to lay my pillow is now taxed at $1m, and all I do is sleep there (about 40x / yr)

+ my employer was Bay Area based so I had to put up with CA Cry-babies (as co-workers and bosses) for over 40 yrs. They are definately a piece of work. That said... my spouse was a daily Santa Monica Beach bum from age 0 - 17. She does TERRIFIC with PNW weather... loves it... good for her, she can stay home while I travel to sun! (which I do 2 weeks / month or more). You and millions of other CA can survive just fine anywhere in the western states, the locals will all be displaced, especially the seniors. They spent a lifetime making a nice community for YOU to enjoy! Enjoy it.

BTW: I would NOT consider a NE USA move UNLESS you have a 'heritage' family from NE USA, Several friends have made that move, and none were too happy or successful. But.. it can be done properly as well.

With a family... I would be moving overseas. We did that age 5-12 (kids). Good idea! We did SE Asia and Western Europe and western Canada, near Salt Spring Island, but should have added South America, and NZ, and central Asia.

[cnote99]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This has never been true, IME. I lived there for over 20 years, and no one even knew I was from CA. No one cares. How would anyone know, unless you told them? People bond over common interests, not over where you are or are not from. Besides, these days you're likely to run into other Californians, anyway (if they choose to tell you where they're from). Just enjoy, OP. Less worry, more positive anticipation.

What type of weather report you get really seems to depend on the person. I recently was in the area for a couple of weeks. One friend insisted I bring a waterproof raincoat, because it was raining heavily every day, she said. Another said there was light rain with sun breaks, but that it was very cold. I didn't have room in my luggage for a heavy waterproof raincoat, so I took a light poncho, and never even used it. When I commented on the wonderful light rain to the first friend, she said, "you call this LIGHT rain??!" She said this while wearing only a light sweatshirt. She was the one who said I'd need a 100% waterproof long coat.

I think some people's perception of the weather is dependent on their psychology. I enjoyed the frequent sun breaks and an occasional sunny day while I was there. I also enjoyed the intermittent light rain, coming from a region that had had 4 months of temps in the 90's, and blazing sun nonstop. I like variety. Which is why I chose the UW in Seattle for my college experience; I got tired of the lack of variety in the weather in CA. (Bay Area)

The one thing that might be a bit of a shock at first is how early it gets dark after daylight savings time ends. The main coping mechanism for that is to use the weekends to do outdoor activities (eg. hiking and skiing when weather allow, or walks in the park), to get as much light exposure as you can. It helps.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m also hoping I would find the weather better than the Bay Area. It’s just so dry here. At least SF gets the mist and fog but I’m in the east bay and it seems to rain less and less every year. I do wonder if some people kind of “exaggerate” the rain/gloom, because I’ve seen people do that in the Bay Area and say it’s too cold etc, which is crazy! In fact just today a friend asked on a group text if her child needed a puff jacket this winter here and I couldn’t believe how many people said yes. I don’t think my boys have ever worn more than a hoodie. So yes I see what you mean by it being relative. I am a bit concerned about the darkness, but I know many other northern states deal with that as well.

[cnote99]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You'll need waterproof raincoats and galoshes during the El Nino years, trust me. It's best to have them in reserve, than to be caught without them.

Good to know, thank you!

[cnote99]

Stealth rabbit I tried to reply to your comment and it cut it off! I think it was too long with the quote included, lol. Anyway thanks for all your suggestions, it really sounds like you are living the dream! My husband is also very hands on, loves building things, and would love to do more of that with our sons. Love your energy! Must be all that great coffee =D

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by cnote99

Stealth rabbit I tried to reply to your comment and it cut it off! I think it was too long with the quote included,... Love your energy! Must be all that great coffee =D

please don't reply to posts by quoting an entire post that we have all read, just snip any points.

Spend a lot of time exposing your kids to a wide variety of people, places, and things and they will quest for lifelong learning, regardless of how screwed up the parents are.

My motto is "Retire early, retire often" (you can always go back to work once the kids are gone ... if you must). Establish the right family business and you will have perpetual income, and the kids will too.

I've never acquired a taste for coffee or micro brews, but the kids seem to have done so.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You'll need waterproof raincoats and galoshes during the El Nino years, trust me. It's best to have them in reserve, than to be caught without them.

The typical Seattle area resident rarely uses an umbrella, most of the time the water resistant jacket with hood will suffice. The typical light, even misty rain doesn't get you that wet walking a few blocks or from the parking lot to the store. In fact, there was an umbrella store down by Pike Place Market that went out of business in a few years after only selling to tourists. We used to see someone with an umbrella and say "they must have just moved here." Still, it's best to own a large one if you have kids. As with us last weekend, watching our grandson's soccer game, when sitting for 90 minutes in the rain an umbrella is a big help.

[Diana Holbrook]

We actually get a lot of sun breaks in the winter gloom. When I look through my winter pictures of our farm and eagle nest I see a lot of blue skies and sun. Why is that? Because when the sun comes out, we NOTICE! And we stop, grab the camera, and go outside and enjoy how pretty it is.

If you can stop and do that.... you can survive the dark days.

[MechAndy]

There are lots and lots of Californians up here.
I have only received a less than pleasant treatment once from a local about me being from California.
I did however receive the “Californian price quote” from a few contractors but I don’t hold that against them.
One situation was, numerous quotes for painting our house all were right @ 20K.
I ended up getting the local price for just under 7K and liked the quality of the workmanship.

I keep a large golf umbrella in my car for emergencies.
Don’t tell anybody but, while ago I broke down and used it in the rain to keep dry while taking salmon pictures at the river.
First time I used it in the 3 years I’ve been here and I felt like a tourist .

The wife and I notice lots of the local kids wearing mud boots when they play in the rain.
Kids do play outside here in the drizzle and older people don’t seem to be much bothered by it either.
I haven’t seen anyone wearing goulashes though.

[jertheber]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

We actually get a lot of sun breaks in the winter gloom. When I look through my winter pictures of our farm and eagle nest I see a lot of blue skies and sun. Why is that? Because when the sun comes out, we NOTICE! And we stop, grab the camera, and go outside and enjoy how pretty it is.

If you can stop and do that.... you can survive the dark days.

From 07 to 2011 I lived in Elma as a newly retired amateur photographer, I went out most days through the winter, going down hwy 12 to Centralia/Chehalis, or out to the beach on hwy 6. Through the course of a day I found many times that not only did it not rain, but moreover, the weather actually turned to sun breaks, and warming periods wherein I could walk around while getting some of the best shots ever of those beautiful stormy clouds that hang down to the tops of rolling hills. Winter is actually the best time to get out with a camera in the PNW, the contrasting dark/light gray skies atop the verdant landscape are pretty dramatic.

Washington winters are never going to be the brutal stuff of midwest killer storms or two feet of snow to deal with, but as Emmett Watson warned: Don't let that serve as a too hearty welcome to others..