By Dale M. King
I don’t like cold weather. Yet it was my fate to be born in Massachusetts.
My wife, who also despises cold weather, was born a few miles away in Rhode Island.
We actually do love New England – at least for three out of the four seasons. Spring, like poet e.e. cummings said, is truly “mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.” Summer has its share of heat waves, but is normally temperate. Fall is just great, with the leaves changing color, the hint of Halloween in the air, the cool nights and the smell of apples ripened in roadside orchards.
Winter? Forget it. The weather is just miserable. We hibernate most of the time, or watch those nasty white flakes falling on the lawn.
Getting away from winter was the aim of our move to Florida. And just when we were settling into the pattern of warm, along come the winters of 2010 and 2011.
The other day, my wife jokingly asked: “Why don’t we move to Florida?” It was one of those cold, windy days, with palm trees flapping outside the windows.
I jokingly added: “We DO live in Florida.” To which she responded, “Well, it doesn’t feel like it.”
I remember the first winter we were here. It seemed like every day was in the 80s – even in February. Sure, there was a little nip in the air, but it didn’t require gloves and hats and long underwear.
Actually – and perhaps a little too optimistically – we left most of our heavy clothing up north. Now, we do like the meteorologists say – we dress in layers. A sweater topped with a fleece jacket and a hat usually does the trick. But when you get in the car, you have to turn on the air conditioner because the sun has heated the inside.
I’m not insensitive to what is going on right now in New England and the blizzards the region has endured. I remember the TV weather guys reporting on the impending arrival of blizzards. I remember seeing my car covered with a foot or more of the white stuff.
Down here in Florida, I have met a lot of people who never saw snow. They think it’s cool – no pun intended. They think snow is like a fluffy powder that decorates the trees and lines the streets with hedges of snow drifts.
Here’s the real story. Snow is cold. It melts in your hand (unlike M&Ms) and freezes your skin. Snow plows push the stuff into piles that quickly become dirty from splashed mud. If the weather stays cold, the snow remains on the ground, sometimes for months. If the snow melts, then refreezes, you suddenly find yourself walking amid mini-skating rinks.
Did you ever slip and fall on an ice patch? It’s more embarrassing than painful, because usually you are wearing such a thickness of clothing that you can’t feel it.
I member falling on an ice patch on the loading dock at the paper I worked for up north. I landed on my back, and spent several minutes flailing like an overturned turtle.
Driving is even worse. When snowstorms hit, officials tell you to go home. Work lets out early and causes horrendous traffic jams. And while normal people are heading for safety, we reporters were sent into the field to cover the storm.
I remember talking to a supermarket manager one time. I asked how much snow had accumulated in the parking lot. “You have to call our corporate office,” he said.
“Will your corporate office tell me how much snow is in YOUR parking lot?”
“You’ll have to ask them.”
“Can you at least acknowledge there is snow out there?” I said as we both looked through a large window.
It was obvious the interview was over.
So, we endure the Florida chill, knowing it would be much worse in New England. I bundle up to take my dog for a walk. He doesn’t seem to mind the cold. I come home to feel heat blasting from the air conditioning vents.
The other day, I got my electric bill for the past month. It reminded me of that physical law – heat rises. And apparently, it causes power bills to rise, too. To help avoid extremely high utility bills in the winter, make sure to maintain your heating system regularly and address issues promptly if the furnace breaks down. You should also have a furnace maintenance or heating system serviced by a heating contractor and ensure that it is working at its maximum efficiency, or get a more energy-efficient furnace installation.
In addition, with professional hvac services, you’ll less likely to encounter mechanical issues with your heating system. So, if you need HVAC specialists in Aurora, CO, you may search online and visit the websites of companies like Hughes Mechanical. Those who need professional heating services in Manassas, VA can get in touch with HVAC contractors of Trivett Mechanical, Inc., while those who require a furnace replacement in Englewood, CO may hire companies such as Cronen Plumbing & Heating Inc. Visit sites like https://www.alaskanac.com for additional guidance.