Sunday, February 5, 2012

Baby It's Cold Outside

Well the sub-artic temperatures have arrived.  From what everybody says it has been an unusually warm winter.  When we left in December to head back to Arkansas it was in the mid 20s here.  We got back with it being in the mid teens.  Still not too bad.  Then this past week it hit. It has been in the negative teens.  That just sounds wrong.  Weather should not go to negative numbers.  That is too cold!

Before I moved here and was completely uneducated about Russia I had the vision of cold miserable days with snow swirling around me and under foot.  Then I moved here in the summer and was in shock.  And then winter came and it didn't seem so bad.  Well last Thursday was the vision in action.  I think it was -12 that day.  I do talk in Fahrenheit.  I am a little fuzzy on Celsius and most of the people that read this already think in Fahrenheit.  So we will keep it that way.  Plus talking in Celsius just makes it seems colder.  -12 F is  -24 C.   That is an even bigger negative number.  So we will stick with F for now.

Anyway, the day was cold and slightly miserable, but did that stop Owen and I from braving it.  NO!  Owen and I went to the mall to have lunch with David on his birthday.  The Russians don't let the cold stop them, so why should I.  The only problem is that the Muscovites are much more used to the cold so they do a casual stroll.  I on the other hand am practically running.  And mind you I have the stroller in front of me, so I am clipping these arm in arm snugglers, yelling excuse me "извините" the whole way.  So when I get to my destination my face is frozen solid and my legs are numb but I am sweating under my coat, scarf, gloves, and hat.  And not to mention that buildings here are overheated so I am in short sleeves.  And Owen is cozy and warm in his snowsuit.  First thing we do when we get to the mall or anywhere is to take off the outerwear and do a combination of thaw and melt.

Then Friday came and Owen and I are gearing up for baby group at my friend Katherine's.  It is not far from me and I walked there last time.  So I thought if the number is positive I will walk again.  I would have even taken the number 0 for positive, but no as I leave the house the temperature is -13.  I mean seriously!  So I took the metro which was an experience as always.  I don't know if the holidays or the weather made people more grouchy but they are not helping the way they did before.  And then the exit gates at the metro stop I took didn't have a wide turnstile for me so I had to take Owen out of the stroller and fold up the stroller to get through then pop it back open to put Owen in.  Just another normal day in Moscow.

But yesterday was by far the coldest day for me.  I was just asking David the temp yesterday and he said it wasn't the coldest day we had but it sure did feel like it.  I don't know why but I was cold all day.  Even to the point, that today I go out and think that it is not too bad and fairly warm at -2.  What is wrong with me!?!

So, who's ready to come visit?

1 comment:

  1. I'm jealous!!! Now I'm wishing I didn't have to wait so long :( But I do because even if I had the money for the passport and visa right now my doctor won't clear me to fly :( So trip has been postponed till they fix my hip (and till I can pay for them to fix my hip then restore money flow to the bank to pay for the trip haha)

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