Yeah, yeah I know what you’re thinking. I’ve heard it all before. Once Chicagoans find out that I am from the South the next thing I hear them say is “How can you live here? It is sooo COLD??”
And here is what I say verbatim. “You can always put more clothes on but you can’t take more clothes you can take off.” At least not in public.
That seems to make a great deal of sense to most people and to me it makes perfect sense. My entire life until the age of, let’s just say eight years ago, I have lived in the southern part of the country residing in Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Texas.
Living in Texas truly almost sent me over the edge. Dealing with 100+ degree weather does not bode well for me. Also, when it rains it pours golf ball size pellets and people leave work early because no one can seem to drive in any type of bad weather.
I digress.
So here I am eight years living in Chicago surviving the brutal winters – city style. What does that mean exactly? Pay attention or you could miss it.
1. If it is 40 degrees or less I won’t leave the house which explains why I am Vitamin D deficient. To the locals that isn’t considered cold. I think the cutoff for letting the kids outside is 30 and below. No thank you! My kids will be vitamin D deficient right along with me. That’s why God made supplements.
2. I own at least five pair of heavy duty winter boots. For a girl raised in the south (GRITS), that is a lot. I keep buying them thinking that eventually one pair will keep my toes from freezing when I do venture out. I plan to continue purchasing a create a wonderful collection my sassy girls will eventually inherit.
3. I own a powerful space heater which sits next to my bed all winter. It would follow me around the house but apparently those things suck major electricity and it keeps blowing fuses in the other rooms. Probably not a good sign, but I’m willing to take my chances.
4. I’ve been on a mission to find the perfect winter woobie for myself that isn’t too thick. Down comforters don’t work for husband so I’ve been searching high and low for years. Finally found it last month and I’m happy to report I am finally sleeping like a baby. There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night frozen. Yeah!
5. Last but not least, I do what most Chicagoans do at some point between December and March. Get the H@## out of town and go somewhere warm!
This brought a smile to my freezing cold face! I’m from Louisiana and went to college in Mississippi. Southern girl through and through! I moved here in August and this is my first Chicago winter. I, too, consider 40 degrees unbearable and I’m all but ready to crawl home on my hands and knees, except… I kind of really LOVE it here!
This is my 7th winter, and you just don’t get use to them. I am from LA, and 40 degrees is COLD. Hello, water freezes at 32 degrees, and aren’t we mostly made of water! My first year here I was on the search for a WARM coat. I did all kinds of research on what kind of materials were the warmest. My husband finally said one day….”Cindy, there is no such thing as a MAGIC coat. It’s winter, and you will be cold!” Not what a California girls wants to hear! That being said, I hate staying indoors, so I brave the ridiculously cold weather daily. And my husband can attest to the fact that I still complain loudly about my fingers freezing off while I strap the kids in their car seats!
Love all my southern sisters feel the same! We should organize a GRITS Meetup!
HA – I have a one track mind. I thought Cindy was from Louisiana (LA) but just realized she meant Los Angeles!!