Hello Fall!

.It's SO SAD that the cold is on it's way! Summer is so much better for living than is winter.



Cold means S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and having to use light box daily to get the good effects from 'sunshine' (can get it daily naturally for 3 months a yr - so 9 mths of being 'attached' to the box).



Cold means no mowing or gardening which I LOVE - just snow shoveling just to get out the door for the dogs. Winter means trying to keep my bougainvillas alive inside til it's finally warm enough for them to exist outside again next summer.



Cold means never being comfortable/warm without at least 3 layers of clothes on (top - themies under a turtleneck/flannel shirt under a sweatshirt/sweater; bottom - thermies under jeans or cords) inside just to be close to 'comfortable'.



Cold means no nice long dog walks as even me bundled up in my outdoor gear, it's too cold for them to be out for anything except short periods of time. Also unsafe to be out for long walks on the frozen/icy ground. No biking either for safety reason also. No boating - frozen lakes. No fishing - frozen lakes (well unless you want to do ice fishing but to me (a flyfisher) that's not fishing just sitting on ice). No riding again for safety reasons.



Cold means HURTING. Yes literally hurting everywhere.



Cold means more issues with keeping LE under control as have to work at getting as much activity as I get during summer just in my daily activities. It's time spent at the gym to try to make up for just 'living'.



Cold is having to be sure that you have enough kerosene for your heater/lamps (or fuel for your generator) for at least a week in case of power outages during blizzards to survive the brutally frigid actual temps and wind chills. It's being sure to have enough water and food in the house for at least a week for you/family (to include your 4 legged 'kids'). It's being one of the last people on the road (in your 4X4) making sure that your horses have enough hay out to last them until it's possible to get back to them once it's possible to even get on the roads again.



YES - I HATE COLD with a lot of good/legitimate reasons! I have lived in 3 'corners' of the States (SE, SW, and NW) before being here on the northern praires and I loved winters there. Grew up primarily in SW FL, was stationed in AZ and spent 3 1/2 yrs in the norther Mojave (NWC China Lake) was stationed there when Hubby stationed there. We also spent 12 yrs on Whidbey Island (NW - Puget Sound). But that was then and there - here is TODAY and I HATE COLD with all it's major limitations!

I do not HATE West River So Dak! I HATE the COLD that lasts for so LONG AND WHAT IT DOES TO ME. There is so much that I LOVE about being WRSD! (For those who don't know - WRSD is West of the Missouri River South Dakota. I live on the prairie just east of the Hills).



I LOVE being WRSD! BUT I HATE the COLD - - HUMONGIOUS DIFFERENT!

Looks like we have a poll going.

I am in with BHD last comment. Hot weather is so good for my athritis/ mood and gets me active outside. Love gardening camping/outdoor fires and working outside but..............that said, hot weather takes a toll on me with LE. and so I really have mixed feelings. The one thing I hate about hot sun is that I have to wear a sun shirt, then my sleeve and glove and a hot shaper that just makes me so miserable, cranky and it creeps all up and I have to constantly adjust the sweaty stuff against my skin.

At least in the cold you are not sweating bullets and you can put another layer on and take off at free will but the dressing for summer is the pits because I have to have the sun shirt on and it is hot itself. Suncrean only wrecks your sleeves in the end. Spent most my days in the shade.

Kicks, I really feel for you on the SAD. As soon as the constant west coast grey sky peeks its ugly head about end of Sept. I notice a mood change within a couple hours. It makes me sluggish and I have to force myself to be perky at times. Yup. I am forcing myself to don raingear and go out trudging along today.

It sounds like you live in a beautiful area for your horses and flyfishing. What a beautiful life that sounds like. Did you like living on the coast on Whidbey? It is so beautiful. We cabin across the Saratoga passage on Camano island which is equally nice.

Everyone is so different but yet we are all in this together supporting eachother. 

Regarding heat, I really have no complaint because Binney said that her weather just dropped to double digits. Now there's a girl that could comment on Heat. Even her dogs are cranky!

hugz4u - I LOVED Whidbey! Never had any issues with SAD there (though it's farther north than here - does not make SENSE but fact). The first time Hubby was stationed there we lived near Strawberry Point and the second time on Swan Town Rd near West Beach. Do I miss being in the Sound or on the Gulf Coast - YES! But I do not regret my decision to come here when Hubby retired (yes he gave ME the decision of where we went). I will always say how much I HATE THE COLD!

October brings my birthday soon.....a little closer to retirement....  It also brings breast cancer awareness month.  Am I the only one that is aggravated by this??  I personally do not need any awareness.  I am living with awareness.  The survivors around here who are all gung ho are fortunate.  They are the ones who had surgery, immediate reconstruction...no chemo....no radiation.  They feel good, have few issues and are out rallying pinkness.   Am I bitter?  Oh, yes.  For them the tough part is over.  For us........it apparently never ends.   So excuse me if I am not wearing pink, having gatherings and sharing.   I just have to focus on getting through every day.  I am already real damn aware.