Friday, January 23, 2009

What happens when it's -15 degrees

While I may joke about being constantly cold, I am actually enjoying our first winter back in Michigan. The snow is really beautiful when it falls, I can never get enough of warm, cozy sweaters, and my knitting projects have grown exponentially. 

That said, when the air temperature hit -15 degrees last week, the cons of winter began to outweigh the pros of winter. For those of you reading this blog from balmy California, here's what happens when the temperature dips that low:
  • Schools close. And all those kids that would normally be in school on a Friday morning are now at Target with their parents, screaming bloody murder about not getting the toy they want. 
  • Cars sound like trucks. Yes, even the little Chevy Aveo sounded like an F-150 when it started. Thankfully, it started. And drove. 
  • Car locks and/or stick shifts freeze. Your aforementioned car isn't terribly useful if it doesn't unlock. For those in our household with a stick shift, it took an incredible feat of strength to shift from park into reverse.
  • You can't get warm. Despite multiple layers of clothes, slippers and a warm blanket, your fingers are still numb as you type.
  • Salt doesn't work. That means, any icy spots on the road stay icy. And any icy spots on your front walk continue to be a fall-on-your-ass hazard. 
  • Cats hide. Our small (but certainly not thin) kitty lived under blankets. While she's perfectly adept at getting under them herself, she would much prefer to beg until a human lifted the blanket for her. 
  • Everyone dances. Ann Arbor was quite a hopping town last Friday night-- literally. Large groups of people would wait to cross the street and do their own version of the staying-warm jig. Mine involved lots of bouncing. 
Thankfully, the cold weather lasted for a short time and we're back to a warm 30 degrees. This, I might remind you, is a full 45 degrees warmer than last week. Although, I will probably still dance while waiting to cross the street... 

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