pc: Alex Anne Photography, taken on an Instax, on Monday
I have six things to say about the weather this past week.
1. Yes, I survived.
2. Many of you know that when other people are slightly chilled, pleasantly cool, or even just not hot, I’m freezing. When other people are wearing one or two layers, I’m wearing five. And when other people are overheating, I’m finally warm.
So a lot of you checked in on me this week to find out what happens to Julie when everyone in the entire Midwest is actually, literally freezing.
What happens is this: I stay inside. Next to the space heater. I wear even more layers, with as many of them made of wool as possible. Plus sometimes also a scarf and hat and fingerless gloves. And I thank the Lord in heaven (over and over and over again) that I get to work from home. A warm, gas-furnace-heated home. I don’t know what I would do without a functioning furnace; it’s such a blessing that I have one. I don’t envy those who are working from their cold homes. Sometimes, furnaces can break down and be in need of repair work. It’s not a bad idea to seek the services of those in your area who are capable of repairing a furnace and visit web site to set up a time for them to come round. Just knowing that I have such services close by is a comfort to me in case something goes wrong with my heating. I was speaking to a friend of mine about this just the other day. She lives in Ellicott City in Maryland, and she recently had to get her furnace repaired. It is quite an old model, but fortunately, the team at Buric Heating and Air Conditioning were able to get her furnace up and running again in no time at all. You can learn more about their services here: www.burichvac.com/heating/furnace-repair/. Thank goodness she was able to get her furnace repaired! I cannot imagine how cold it would be for her without a furnace to keep her house warm.
3. Fortunately, this weather hasn’t dragged me into anything near the deep, dark, cold depression of last March, April, and May when winter just WOULD NOT GO AWAY. I’m a native Minnesotan and my body clock is set for winter. I’m fine with snow and cold in January, as long as I don’t have to be out in it (much). I don’t love it, but I do expect it.
However.
If things still look the same in another 8 weeks from now? That will be another story. Another story altogether. But that story can wait.
4. I’m not sure who was more excited about the extra two days of Christmas break, R-kids or me. (First, the Governor cancelled all school in the entire state of Minnesota for Monday because of wind chills forecast at thirty-/forty-/fifty-something below zero. Then, halfway through Monday, school was cancelled for Tuesday as well.)
That is insanely good fortune for a kid coming off of Christmas vacation!!! Is it not?!?!
Yet every time I pointed this out to R-kids, with genuine enthusiasm and disbelief and amazement, they would say, “Mom!!!!! Enough already! Yes. We know.”
I simply could not convince them of how absolutely astounding and magical this situation was. Or maybe I over-convinced them.
Anyway, one of my favorite things is working in the office while I can hear R-kids downstairs, enjoying their break from school. Another is staying up late watching entire seasons of The Office with them.
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to get an extra couple days to do both.
5. Um, a 50-degree difference between Monday and today?? It’s weather whiplash. A bipolar vortex. Suddenly, even to me, 20 degrees feels like spring. Just. Plain. Weird.
6. Can we just talk for a minute about the weather?
No, really.
I mean, I know that’s what we’re doing right now. I also know some people get really annoyed with it. I pick up on a general attitude that the weather is the most petty, redundant, meaningless thing a person can talk about. But in any other culture, in any other period of history, the weather determines everything. If it were not for our climate-controlled houses, vehicles, and workplaces, the weather would dictate what we eat (and whether we eat!), what kind of shelter we need, what will happen today, what we need to get done before tomorrow, and how we will live. Or die.
Really, it still does. We just don’t have to think about it as often.
But what if the weather is actually one of the most powerful, beautiful, frightening, unpredictable (or only slightly predictable), worthy-of-respect, influential facets of our lives?
What if pretending it doesn’t affect us might actually cut us off from something important?
What if?
xo
__
Here’s to snuggling up, staying warm, dressing in layers, feeling it all, and riding this wacky weather wave, friends.
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