You have everything pack right? Now think about a coat etc

[pb&j23]

It is entertaining to read about your experiences with the cold. I am from Minnesota and yesterday we dipped down to -15 degrees. But I will be excited to escape the cold and come down there to catch a ship at the end of the month. The coldest that I've been in was in northern Minnesota at -60 degrees.... that was cold! We put hot water in a cup and when we poured it out, it was frozen before it hit the ground! I also remember in 2003 when I went to Orlando for vacation... it was 43 when we left Minneapolis, so it was a heat wave, and all the baggage handlers were in shorts and t-shirts. When we arived in Orlando it was 42. All the baggage handlers were bundled up in big winter jackets and hats and gloves. It was quite entertaining to see the difference between the two locations!

[Bequia]

This is the first time I've turned on the heat in my home as well. Keep in mind, the typical heating system in a South Florida home is a heating element (similar to the one in a toaster) built into the central air conditioner's air handling unit. When you turn your heat on the first thing you smell is years of dust and dander burning off the element. After you turn on the heat you go outside and look at your electic meter, the disk spins so fast you swear it's going to fly off the wall. It's 54 degrees now, at 2:30pm, still cold. There's hope though, by Saturday it will be in the mid 70's.

54

[Jan_In_Maine]

My parents retired to NC many years ago, and I remember the first time they came up here for Christmas ... It was so cold we opened the door and watched the cold fall into the room .... actual waves of cold clouds.

 

I will admit that the coldest I ever was (sort of), was the year we went to NC for Christmas ... it was in the 30's ... and I thought I would freeze to death!!! Must have been because we were by the ocean .... seemed much colder than here.

 

It must be really hard when one isn't used to cold when it comes along. Hope it warms up in Florida soon ... Jan

[snelsonbrown]

Thank goodness we are getting back to ''normal'' here - just came up from taking the 4 legged child out and it actually didn't take a layer of clothes to get out of the door. When I post about bringing a coat, etc, I try to kinda sugarcoat what I am trying to say for I hate to start anyone's trend of thinking on the negative side before a cruise or just vacation time since the weather can change its mind faster than I can, but in all reality it is good to know you may not get that suntan you dreamed about, your getting way into the land of paradise being muddled with concern since again, most of the time it works out for the good.

Glad our Florida weather is back to being able to at least get outside and if you are coming down, as Price is Right program would say "COME ON DOWN".

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always

Shirley

 

Bequia I had to laugh when I read your imput on our heating system - you decribed it to a TEE especially when you first turn it off and yep that meter hand sure does spin - wish I had that much energy ;-).

Looks like another great day in Paradise.

Always

Shirley

[Ang in Miami]

Bequia, your description brought back memories of living in the midwest - I remember that first fire up smell of a furnace from when I had a house in Ohio, although it was just a few months worth of dust to burn off up there instead of 20 years worth. I don't have that here - I operate my AC in reverse cycle, so nothing new really comes on, the refrigerant just runs backwards through the copper lines pushing heat instead of cold air, and I'm darn happy it does that - didn't have it last year

 

Surely the electrical meter doesn't zing any faster than it does trying to cool a home in August in South Florida, does it? LOL I know...these are supposed to be our "cheap electric bill" months!

 

I'm happy the arctic cold snap is over. :D

[snelsonbrown]

Well we are finally back to where I could go down, walk the dog and didn't have to put 10 layers of clothes - I didn't realize exalty how cold it got until I looked around the neighborhood and saw so many damaged plants.

Anyhow it sure feels good again.

Always

Shirley