When I began telling friends and colleagues that we were moving to Portland I was met with varied reactions ranging from “Portland is so you” to “how are you going to handle all of the rain?” I found that rain question especially hilarious when it was asked one February morning as I arrived in my Chicago office looking like Kenny from South Park after standing on an elevated train platform in 13 degree temperatures.
Last winter, our first in Portland, I was thrilled. Although we did not have much snow to play in on the mountain, the winter was mild. I gardened all winter and was so excited to harvest some overwintering foods come spring. We even did some landscaping in February and laid new sod. Natives kept repeating almost daily, “this is not normal.”
Fast forward to this winter. Now on day 17 of grey and rainy I am experiencing what I thought I was immune to- The Portland Depression. The urge to stay in bed. Fighting back tears for no reason. These are not things in my personality. The grey is really affecting me and no amount of this city’s amazing coffee seems to be curing it.
I have been taking vitamin D like it’s a lifesaving drug. I am wondering if my husband has a happy light in one of the boxes beneath our Christmas Tree. The precautions native Portlanders advised me to take are all too real a year later, as normal returns.
Fortunately normal also brings fresh snow on the mountain and an opportunity to take advantage of something Portlanders have been raving about-playing in the snow on the mountain but not having to shovel it in the city.