(no subject)

[rivka]

I was going to make a post complaining about how cold it is here - it was 14 F when I took Alex to school this morning, and has subsequently warmed up to a balmy 16. Then I read through my friends page and saw how cold it is where most of you live. So never mind.

Although I must say: I have an excellent coat for weather like this. It is the thigh-length parka I bought when I lived in Iowa. It is wool-lined and Polartec-filled and Gortex-topped, and the hood snaps across the lower face so that only the eyes are exposed.

There is no way in hell that it would zip over my belly.

I suppose I should be counting my blessings. It's fortunate that my standard winter coat (ankle-length double-breasted wool, although it only buttons down to the midriff) does close over my belly. It's fortunate that I have maternity tights I can wear under my slacks for additional warmth. And even more fortunately? The portable electric heater I bought for my office arrived earlier this week. Just in time.

Comments

[naomikritzer]

And I feel sorry for southerners dealing with temperatures that would be no big deal here because mostly they don't have the clothing to deal with it. I mean, I have long underwear and SmartWool socks and fleece hats and mittens and so on in addition to a good-quality Land's End coat and a wide selection of wool sweaters and shearling boots.

My friends down in Atlanta in 12 degree temperatures? Are not equipped so well, for the most part.

[geminigirl]

I'm from New York, my husband is from Canada. We're both used to cold weather, but we've got a nine month old, and I've been scrambling to find her enough warm clothes to get through the last week, and next week too.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the first winter after I moved from Portland OR to Iowa was the worst, because I had no idea how to dress. I don't think I bought a parka until about 2/3 of the way through the winter - previously I was trying to make do with a wool duffel coat. It was wool, right? Didn't that mean it was warm?

I had those thin stretchy gloves, too. And no ice scraper for the car.

Now my wardrobe is mixed. I have lots of wool sweaters, although few of them can be worn to work. I have silk long underwear which, again, doesn't fit over my belly. But I don't have snow boots (just work/hiking boots which I wear in the snow), or a winter hat (I just use the hood on my jacket), or a really warm scarf.

[naomikritzer]

My freshman year college roommate was from Portland, OR. We went to college in MN, and Rukaiyah had come there sight-unseen; she'd never been in the midwest before she arrived for freshman week.

In early November, I took a shower, then came back to the room and got dressed for the day. Rukaiyah watched as I put my coat on and blurted out, "You're going to go out on a day like today with wet hair?"

I said, incredulously, "Why wouldn't I? Do you think I'm going to catch my death or something?" And then I grinned and said, "Just wait until January, when I'll go out like this and my hair will freeze into hair-sickles while I walk."

She said, "You're INSANE. INSANE! LA LA LA I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS!"

In retrospect, I'm amazed she made it through that first year at this college; she was not mentally prepared for the weather at all. (She did, and went on to become Student Council President and to graduate with high honors. But when she went to law school, she went to Stanford. And still lives in CA, not MN.)

(You went to Reed, right? I applied to Reed but wound up going to Carleton. I have a funny story about my Reed application essay if you wanna hear it.)

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Carleton was my second choice - I really liked it, but I did early decision at Reed. We would've been there at the same time, too, I think - I graduated college in '94.

And yes, I totally want to hear your funny story about your Reed application essay, because not only did I go there, I was an Admissions Office intern my senior year.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

When I worked, I always went to work with wet hair and in the winter there'd be ice on it. People were sure I was killing myself, but it wasn't a big deal. These days, I wear a hat & scarf. The cold really gets to me.