Here comes the cold, again. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Winter isn't so bad if the temps stay 20 degrees above zero. Below that I want to hide under a blanket.

That's awful, jabber. Stay warm!!

Would love to live in Arizona, yonuh. Even have kin there. But that isn't happening. WB wouldn't go for it. Thought about moving to Florida but the sinkholes and hurricanes don't look like fun.

How's the weather where some of the rest of you are? Heard California is having a nice warm spell. But their fires are nasty.

Not sure you'd like the summers here, jabber, we can get over 100 for 60+ days in the summer, and even 110+ on some days. Sure, it's a 'dry' heat with little humidity, but it's still HOT!

Jabber, Yonuh, the concept of moving to a totally different state is an interesting one, and one that I have given a little bit of thought to, myself. Especially since it is cold any yucky here, too. Started snowing again in the early afternoon, and I think we are going to be having subzero temps again for the next few days.

so we've also toyed with the idea of moving, but not found any better place to be -- yet. Here's how our thinking goes so far...

First, we need to recognize that Steve wears leg braces and here in NW Illinois he finds it hard to get around as freely as he might like during the winter months. But he's an Illinois boy born and bred, so it's what he's used to...

Moving to Arizona is not something he's interested in: having visited my mother there, we know it is a desert state and that he would be terribly uncomfortable living where they are (near Tucson) during any months other than winter ones.

I know, I know, one can always stay inside in air conditioning, but that is just as limiting of one's mobility as is ice and snow. Plus, since we are not acclimated to the desert, we just plain find it too darn hot down there in the Southwest...

(I do recognize that there are mountainous areas of New Mexico and Arizona, but I don't know much about them. They MIGHT be a possibility.)

We've visited Las Vegas and absolutely hated it. We've also visited Lake Tahoe and loved it, but it is terribly expensive to live there. Or so I've surmised. So I guess Nevada's tax advantages will fail to lure us.

My brother lives in Dallas, and has been there for several decades, so I guess he likes it. But quite often it is just as hot as Arizona -- plus it is humid. So again, while the state's tax advantages are something we recognize, I'm not sure we would ever choose to live there.

I don't think I would like Florida for similar reasons. Hot and humid weather just do not entice.

I like four seasons, so I'm also ruling out California.

I'm Wisconsin born and bred, so I have some interest in moving back to my home town of Madison, which is a beautiful and highly cultured city. Plus employment opportunities seem to be good there, in the tech industry, which would benefit Steve. But my daughter, who lives in Milwaukee, doesn't like the current governor, so she doesn't think we should look that way. While I realize governors can change, the bottom line is, moving NORTH doesn't get us out of the winter snow situation...

And at that point in my search, I start looking to states like Tennessee or the Carolinas... I haven't done any research on them, so they presently remain unknown potentials.

Wherever we would move, it would have to be to a place where there is good and easily available medical care. Including access to orthotists -- experts who we work with the maintain Steve's leg braces in good condition. Right now, we have an excellent source for this work, and Steve would not want to give that up, unless he knew he could get equal or better support elsewhere. Not to mention that we have excellent medical services here -- both doctors and medical centers. I can't say the same about the resources available to my mother in Arizona. So clearly good medical care opportunities are not universally available.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Cold does not agree with this ol' gal any more. Yes, it gets cold here in NM/winter time. If it weren't for outdoor retail, I'd appreciate the winters. But having to get up at 4:30 to go to work, and stand outside in the brutal wind/cold etc. is not my cup of tea.

But.......on the other hand......I love outdoor retail in the summertime. We are home by 2 pm....out of the heat.

Wish I could help you, Anne. I've been looking for some time, because it's only going to get hotter here in summer - it already has. I don't know of any other place in the US that has the advantages of Tucson - no humidity, no snow, no hurricanes, no tornadoes, - and none of the disadvantages - hight heat, no humidity!

The closest would be a tropical island with sea breezes and a temperate climate - like Hawaii, which is very expensive. But Panama has been touted as a great place to retire for the last couple of years - if you wanted to go overseas. It's close enough to be able to get to the US easily and, from what I've been reading, has first class medical care along with all sorts of perks for retirees.

We too, have been considering where to move because of the weather and taxes. We most likely won't move for a couple of more years as my husband still wants to work at his current job, but he can retire "again" if he wants. He has retired from one job already.

I live in Illinois too, and the taxes are getting even more ridiculous both at local and state levels. We have had horrible cold and hot weather over the last few years. I don't like extreme in either case. Like you said Anne, staying in the A/C in the summer confines one too. Tonight the weather is going to be in single digits again with cold strong winds. The weekend looks like it could be a winter mix but isn’t supposed to amount to anything…..we’ll see.

I would love to move to Hawaii also, lol. One of my nephews lived there for 3 years. He had an opportunity to go work there and being young and single, he jumped at the chance. He loved it there, but when the job was over so was the big money he made.....he could no longer afford to stay there. Unfortunately, he didn't bother to save any money so he could continue to live there!! Errrrr!

We are considering Tennessee and maybe Southeast MO. We still like the 4 seasons too, but would like less of hot humid summers and cold blustery winters. Not asking for much, are we.

They say people are moving out of NY in droves due to taxes and joblessness. We hate the taxes but the gov't's wasteful spending is nationwide. It's too bad those in charge can't put a cap on both those issues. "America the Beautiful" doesn't deserve to have its reputation sullied in such a manner. IMHO!

Heard on the morning news that this is the coldest winter since 1976/77 in these parts. That Blizzard of '77 is an unforgettable thing. What a nightmare. Am praying the cold snap, snaps asap.