Winter is here… kinda.

The brisk 45-degree days of mid-December in Savannah bring with them the threat of dry skin, sniffles, and the occasional, “I woke up with frost on my grass this morning,” or, “I don’t know where I packed my gloves… I never thought I’d need them again.” 

In truth, after moving here from Los Angeles, I knew I’d be trading one warm climate for another.  And that’s part of the reason why my family and I chose to move to Savannah in the first place.  I can’t brave 3+ consecutive months of snow and ice… no way.  But I knew I could handle being surrounded by three centuries of history and culture, a short and scenic drive to Tybee Beach, and NO MORE TRAFFIC.

That was one of the biggest eye-openers I have experienced since my relocation to the South.  This city, given its compact size, is not terribly dense; relieving it of the problems and pitfalls of other larger cities I’ve visited and lived in.  It’s relatively clean.  It’s relatively safe.  It’s relatively slow.

Yes, slow.  The pace is remarkably slow and comfortable here… like you’re on vacation.  I remember a time when my wife and mother were taking my boys to a restaurant, and they were forced to follow behind drivers of a terribly slow Subaru who shared the same destination as they did.  My mother was ready to cross the yellow line, hit the gas, and lay on the horn while leaving these other motorists in her wake.  My sensible and more acclimated wife told her, “Please don’t, we may know these people.”  Sure enough, not a minute later, the Subaru pulled into the parking lot and out came Elizabeth, David, and their two kids (friends of ours from a Facebook mom’s group).

Moving to Savannah has meant changing my ways – of thinking, acting, and believing – because I may always run into a friend or client when I’m at the gas station, Sunday brunch, or Target.  And it’s that sense of community that I was missing for so many years that I just didn’t get in Los Angeles.  And what I believe most transplants from other parts of the country find so refreshing about Savannah is the small town vibe in a bigger package.  

And while virtually half of the country has a decent chance of seeing a white Christmas (1″ of snow) this year, those of us in Savannah will be settling for 56-degrees and maybe a little rain.