Just came back from 10-day visit to AZ

[chaparrito]

I tried to live in the northwest one time. There's a reason it's so green and lush up there. The same reason people have to hire somebody to scrape the moss off their roofs. Three months during the winter in SW. WA was enough for this desert native. I was on the verge of insanity waking up to the rattle of rain on the roof EVERY day for 90 days. I saw the sun 5 total times Jan.- March, and they were brief sightings. April Fool's day I woke up, said "that'll do thanks" and called and booked the soonest one way flight to Phoenix I could get. Landed and literally sat down on the 80 degree tarmac, home.
Having said that, Portland, as cities go, is one of the coolest towns I can think of. Seattle and Vancouver too and the fishing, the fishing kept me just this side of the brink of madness.

[goodlife36]

Originally Posted by chaparrito

I tried to live in the northwest one time. There's a reason it's so green and lush up there. The same reason people have to hire somebody to scrape the moss off their roofs. Three months during the winter in SW. WA was enough for this desert native. I was on the verge of insanity waking up to the rattle of rain on the roof EVERY day for 90 days. I saw the sun 5 total times Jan.- March, and they were brief sightings. April Fool's day I woke up, said "that'll do thanks" and called and booked the soonest one way flight to Phoenix I could get. Landed and literally sat down on the 80 degree tarmac, home.
Having said that, Portland, as cities go, is one of the coolest towns I can think of. Seattle and Vancouver too and the fishing, the fishing kept me just this side of the brink of madness.

I could not live there. Rain depresses me.

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by chaparrito

I tried to live in the northwest one time. There's a reason it's so green and lush up there. The same reason people have to hire somebody to scrape the moss off their roofs. Three months during the winter in SW. WA was enough for this desert native. I was on the verge of insanity waking up to the rattle of rain on the roof EVERY day for 90 days. I saw the sun 5 total times Jan.- March, and they were brief sightings. April Fool's day I woke up, said "that'll do thanks" and called and booked the soonest one way flight to Phoenix I could get. Landed and literally sat down on the 80 degree tarmac, home.
Having said that, Portland, as cities go, is one of the coolest towns I can think of. Seattle and Vancouver too and the fishing, the fishing kept me just this side of the brink of madness.

I hear ya.
I enjoyed Oregon when my family was around. Once that ended, I just couldn't handle the rain. Like you, I was going batsh** crazy dealing with the winters there. Months on end of weather in the 40's with wind and rain. I lived on the Oregon coast for 25 years and I can remember two of those years when summer just never bothered to show up. It rained almost non-stop for 21 months. I just wanted to DIE. I would have willingly swallowed a bullet but I couldn't afford ammunition. lol.
It's absolutely true that you have to hire someone to remove the moss from under your roof shingles about every two or three years or it will lift the shingles and destroy your roof. Even the cars turn green after a while if you don't wash them. The trees grow moss on the bark, the siding on your house turns green after a long winter.
It took me four long years to sell my house. While I was waiting, I would visit the Phoenix area a couple of times a year and leaving the gloom of the Pacific Northwest and arriving at Mesa/Gateway airport was inspiring. Walking out of the airport, I'd just close my eyes for a minute or two and let the sun warm my face. I'd wake up in my hotel room and open the door. It just didn't seem real that I was waking up to a beautiful sunrise. I hadn't seen a good sunrise in many years. I'd pull out one of the chairs in the room and just sit with my first cup of coffee, watch the sunrise and just take it all in. Surprisingly, I still do that every morning now that I live here.
There were many on this forum that told me that I'll change my tune after a few years but so far, I've proved them wrong. 2 1/2 years and I love living here more today than I did when I first came here in June of 2011. I don't see me going anywhere else for a very long time.

Originally Posted by goodlife36

I could not live there. Rain depresses me.

It sure depressed me after a while. I didn't know it at the time but I'm guessing I had a mild form of "SAD". I was depressed up there but once I finally moved down here, I was fine. Still am. Could use more money just like most every body else but other than that, I love my house, the area I chose, the people I've met and of course, the beautiful warm weather. Even the summers.

[goolsbyjazz]

Maverick, thanks for your response. Oregon sounds amazing for its natural beauty. Coming from the North east, I kind of understand about the dark, cloudy winter days. AZ is wonderful because you are guaranteed sunshine nearly every day.