Lifelong Louisiana resident thinking about move to Washington (Seattle, Centralia: fit in, homes)

[sonjarrn50]

Its hot here! Its dry here! The sweat rolls when I walk outside which makes me completely miserable. Of course its almost Autumn and the thought of that makes the weather somewhat bearable. Its the middle of September and still in the 90s plus we can continue swimming for another month. Now that is if you can afford to have a pool. I wouldnt hit the lakes or any swimming hole because it would probably be stagnant by this time of year. The water is muddy and seeing the bottom has never been possible (just watch Duck Dynasty, they aint telling no lie about how muddy that water is). Our pond is so pretty in the winter when we cannot possibly swim in it. But now its about 10 feet low due to the extreme need of rain. All my flowers have died. The pear and fig trees lost all the fruit before it got halfway ripe all because of extreme heat and dryness. The heat is normal and the need for rain is pretty normal but a bit more dry this year than usual.
Our home is in the country and most homes in our area are pretty old and worn out. The people are some of the friendliest and warmest in the nation (no pun intended) Most will come help if you call them and give you the shirt from their back. Almost everyone knows thier neighbor but each keeps to themselves and most dont but into the other business. (unless its a know it all nosy aunt who has more problems than pounds and needs to get into yours and everyone elses)
Jobs are not top of the line and you better hang on to one if you get it. It seems for a while there meth labs were being busted left and right, I guess they thought this was one way of having an income-not. The Willamette Co. was a way of life around here but then Weyerhaeuser took them over in a hostile takeover and there went everyones way of life. It has been sad to see folks have to start over after this was the lifeblood of our community for so long. But we are fighters and survivors.
Hunting season is right around the corner and that means lots of old friends coming back around from all over and hanging out in their hunting camps for 3 months. Some are very serious hunters and some just like the time away from home and the party. The build outside fires and cook a lot. Drinking is almost not optional but some of them go over board but never interfere with life around here nor do they break the law. They hunt squirrel and deer and most use it to cut back on the grocery bill. This is a serious time of year really. There is also a hog season and alligator season. They can get all those hogs for they ruin everything they get thier snout in. They run wild and can be dangerous especiallly the mamas with babies. I would rather face a grizzly than one of those mean hogs.
School is important for me and my little one. I also need an area close to activities for a young person that is close to 20 that will need to work.
I have a friend there that went to school with me and she is willing to help me if she can. We also have some relatives we dont really know but can find out about. So there we go.
Would you impress me and show me Washington..What areas are best. I would even live off grid if I could find a pretty good place that might even need some work. I am a do it yourselfer but not a major renovator.
Thanks for your help...

[hamellr]

The best area is very subjective. For many people, Seattle is the best. But it doesn't sound like you'd do very well in an urban environment.

Do you want to duplicate your life in Louisiana, or do you want something better?

[cocaseco]

Originally Posted by sonjarrn50

Its hot here! Its dry here! The sweat rolls when I walk outside

Same thing happens here. But with a much lower dewpoint, its bearable.

[Hemlock140]

You have bad timing in that we had a record high today and expect the same tomorrow, but that's barely 90. Sound like you would best fit in one of the less populated, affordable areas east of Centralia/Chehalis, such as Cinebar, Morton,
Randle or Packwood. Anything closer to populated areas will give you severe sticker shock, coming from Louisiana.

[PS90]

Are you set on moving to Washington, or are you set on moving to the Puget Sound area? Because there are plenty of places in Washington that are similar in lifestyle to what you are describing (although less similar in climate and geography), but most of them are not anywhere close to Seattle. I couldn't tell by your opening post if you were interested in something similar to your life in Louisiana, or wanted something completely different.

Seattle has some gorgeous scenery close by, but the people are generally very urban oriented, trendy, and liberal. i.e. not many are into hunting, especially not into doing the hunting camp thing for weeks at a time. The weather in the Seattle area (Western Washington) is VERY mild - rarely colder than 40 degrees or hotter than 80 degrees for long stretches of time. But the area has a very high number of rainy days with a relatively moderate amount of average annual rainfall - which equates to LOTS of overcast, drizzly days.

If you are interested in more friendly, conservative, hunting-camp kind of people like you describe in Louisiana, then many places will fit the bill, including Centralia/Chehalis/Packwood, as Hemlock mentioned. But you will find much more of these types of people in Eastern Washington. Eastern Washington is much more varied in topography than Western Washington, but is generally much more rural, much more conservative, and much more extreme in weather - gets much colder in winter and much hotter in the summer.

In fact, we are supposed to hit 90+ degrees each of the next four days. That is pretty rare in this state, even in Eastern Washington, for September, though.

[sonjarrn50]

Originally Posted by hamellr

The best area is very subjective. For many people, Seattle is the best. But it doesn't sound like you'd do very well in an urban environment.

Do you want to duplicate your life in Louisiana, or do you want something better?

I want a better life...I guess its hard to change when you are my age...but I need to..and I want to..its actually very scary..I have a friend that lived here and moved there and she is encouraging me to move..she said it is wonderful there in Washington and she is about to move to the Seattle area....
I keep rereading what you said and asking myself is that what I want,,is that what i am trying to do??? NO...I want a much better life than here..I live in poverty actually..with my mother in a little moble home with my little grandson and my youngest daughter (she is not the mother of the boy)...I need to get out of here and she is begging to get outta here....thank you for calling me out

[sonjarrn50]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

You have bad timing in that we had a record high today and expect the same tomorrow, but that's barely 90. Sound like you would best fit in one of the less populated, affordable areas east of Centralia/Chehalis, such as Cinebar, Morton,
Randle or Packwood. Anything closer to populated areas will give you severe sticker shock, coming from Louisiana.

haha...thank you...that gives me something to work with......its like a sauna here actually...the humidity is .whew.....I will do some research on the cities you mentioned...thank you again

[Pretzelogik]

Bring lots of $$$$$$$ descent housing ain't cheap.

[sonjarrn50]

Originally Posted by PS90

Are you set on moving to Washington, or are you set on moving to the Puget Sound area? Because there are plenty of places in Washington that are similar in lifestyle to what you are describing (although less similar in climate and geography), but most of them are not anywhere close to Seattle. I couldn't tell by your opening post if you were interested in something similar to your life in Louisiana, or wanted something completely different.

Seattle has some gorgeous scenery close by, but the people are generally very urban oriented, trendy, and liberal. i.e. not many are into hunting, especially not into doing the hunting camp thing for weeks at a time. The weather in the Seattle area (Western Washington) is VERY mild - rarely colder than 40 degrees or hotter than 80 degrees for long stretches of time. But the area has a very high number of rainy days with a relatively moderate amount of average annual rainfall - which equates to LOTS of overcast, drizzly days.

If you are interested in more friendly, conservative, hunting-camp kind of people like you describe in Louisiana, then many places will fit the bill, including Centralia/Chehalis/Packwood, as Hemlock mentioned. But you will find much more of these types of people in Eastern Washington. Eastern Washington is much more varied in topography than Western Washington, but is generally much more rural, much more conservative, and much more extreme in weather - gets much colder in winter and much hotter in the summer.

In fact, we are supposed to hit 90+ degrees each of the next four days. That is pretty rare in this state, even in Eastern Washington, for September, though.

Thank you for your reply..I am still trying to figure this forum stuff out and am not sure if I am doing this right...I guess I gave a description of myself with the hopes that someone would magically tell me where I should move to...I suppose its kind of silly...I will research the towns/cities mentioned ...there is really only one way to find out about a place and thats to get there...but it helps when folks give their thoughts on places to live...I believe the Eastern area of Washington will be more to my liking.thank you again..

[Andy Patrizio]

Originally Posted by sonjarrn50

Our home is in the country and most homes in our area are pretty old and worn out. The people are some of the friendliest and warmest in the nation (no pun intended) Most will come help if you call them and give you the shirt from their back. Almost everyone knows thier neighbor but each keeps to themselves and most dont but into the other business. (unless its a know it all nosy aunt who has more problems than pounds and needs to get into yours and everyone elses)

I would think the legendary Seattle Chill would really be a shock for you.