So...it's been about 3 months since we left Pennsylvania. I have to admit I had much concern over moving here at the start of summer. I mean, I hate winter and all but did I really want to get thrown right into 100+ days, EVERY DAY??
This week's forecast only has a couple days with 100's. And, yes, I am crazy, but YES I will miss summer. The lows are in the 70's and that screws with my pool temperature. We got a cover recently because it just wasn't getting to a temp I liked, even with 110 degree days! Now we have a working thermometer (Thanks Michael!) and I have discovered that 94 may be a bit warm but 90 is a bit cool. The cover helps immensely. We may be getting the pool heater fixed with our home warranty (why didn't I think of that sooner?) but without jobs, I don't see us using it too much in the winter--unless we have guests....guests that swim. My son got in the pool ONCE in the 6 weeks he was here. I think he left the house less than 10 times!
Where was I? So the dreaming part....well all I really wanted was warm weather and palm trees. I have gotten both in abundance! There were a couple days it was a wee bit too hot...correction...too HUMID. I can take one or the other but not both. Right now it is East coast humid...and raining for the second day in a row!! WTF?!?!? Mr. Mann....oh Mr. Mann...you LIED! But the temp is so low it really feels good...with the swamp cooler...we have barely used our AC...first out of fear of the sky high California electric prices (an overstated rumor...our house is larger and our bill is about the same). Granted MOST people probably would use the AC more....but I LIKE to be warm. In PA, I sat around with a blanket, even in the summer... But now we have started using it when we NEED it and still find we just don't need it.
So any worries over the summer being too hot were unfounded...don't get me wrong it is HOT...but definitely not too hot...when my son agrees that Philly is hotter with the humidity, you know it must be true...he does not like hot weather...
Cost of living....yes gas is more expensive...maybe 20-30 cents a gallon. BUT we live near everything now....no more 45 minute trips to the mall! Or 20 minute drives to a restaurant. So that will probably even out. Health insurance is a bit more...hoping a job will help with that, but it seems employers just don't give a shit anymore...and you can blame Obama if you want but the real problem is way more complicated. Home and car insurance is a little more but property taxes are soooooo much less we are still ahead there. Food seems comparable, some things are more (all bottled beverages have a 5 cent per bottle CRV charge but we don't really drink bottled beverages) and some are less (can you say all you can eat avocadoes!!). Car registration is not nearly as bad as we had heard...if you factor in that you don't need inspections, it comes out pretty close.
But what about the FIRES, the EARTHQUAKES, the MUD SLIDES!??!? We have already experienced more fires than usual and it's not even fire season. We are located somewhere that won't burn because of a forest fire.. but yes the smell and ash were annoying, I think 2 days were bad. To give up rain nearly every friggin' day...it's a fair trade off. I guess there have been some earthquakes in the area...we haven't felt any yet (knock on wood) and the last damaging ones were in the 90's...some would say we're due...still beats hurricanes and tornadoes and snowstorms! Haven't heard of any mudslides but, again, where we are it's flat...not gonna affect us.
The only negative aspect of moving when we did is it's "off season"...the winter people don't come til October through April. So finding a job has been tough. Luckily we planned ahead, so we can make due...if we had jobs, I wouldn't hesitate on buying some things we WANT, not need, but the silver lining is we got to spend a lot of time in the pool and we have some kick ass tans! If we don't have jobs by November, I will probably freak out...not because of money as much as I really miss being around people. The volunteer training session for the zoo is early October and I am really looking forward to that!
I absolutely love having the birds in their own house. Dave would probably say we spend less time with them but it doesn't seem to be affecting them. I think they like their new digs! And the time we do spend with them is more pleasant for all concerned! We are still working on a way to have them outside with us while we are in the pool, but I don't think they would enjoy the summer weather anyway so we have some time to figure it out before it gets cool enough for them to enjoy.
To sum it all up the living has surpassed my dreaming. I really, really, really love it here! I can't wait to get jobs so it feels like we LIVE here and aren't vacationing here....but who knows maybe with the beautiful weather and palm trees it will ALWAYS feel like vacation!
Now if this rain would just stop....I have NOT gotten to the point that I missed it and am fascinated by it like other SoCal'ers!
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