fun if you're a moose

It's cold. I'm loosing my happy happy joy joy attitude. I think I shivered it out. Today was a clear sunny day. And FREAKING cold.

OK. I've known colder. My dear parents used to live in Minnesota. O. M. G. When the weather report includes the number of minutes before your nose will turn black and die, well, that's just too damn cold. When in Minnesota during the winter, I am completely at a loss as to how it is that there is civilization in that state. I get that now people survive there. Emphasis on survive. And now. But how in the heck did they do it 100 years ago? And if anyone did managed to survive a winter, why in the hell did they not pack up and run for their lives at the first sign of spring?

So, I admit, it's not all that cold here. I think this Celsius hoo haa is messing with my bio-rhythms. When I read -5 degrees on the thermometer, I get the shakes. I pull on the long underwear, the scarves, the hat with the ear flaps and the frigging face warmer. And I feel like it's -5. My body doesn't care when my brain tries to reason that it's actually 23 degrees. I remember being excited by anything over 20 degrees. 23 degrees was just about balmy. Well, my body ain't buyin it.

I experienced a good dose of this crisp weather today because we went to the mountains. This is a special event requiring renting of the car and packing of the snow gear, the medicine, the extra clothes. Hauling of the sled and booster seats. Stopping for the snacks and fresh air and the potty just 20 minutes into the trip. And a map too. Discussions as to where it is exactly that we're heading because Matteo and I are the two most indecisive parents in the history of procreation. I don't know how the punks can stand it.

We did in fact arrive at a patch of nicely groomed snow designed for little punks to play on without risk of getting run over by a stray skier or being swept away in an avalanche. Mediterranean Matteo stayed in the car. He's from Rome, people. Cold makes no sense to him whatsoever and he was having no part of it.

So I jam the punks into snow pants, snow boots, mittens and scarves. I threaten and curse under my breath (I'll have to bring you up to speed on my darling Punkette and how much fun she is to dress appropriately for cold weather). I haul the sled, cause, damn it, we are going to go play in the snow. And it's going to be fun.


And it really was. The place had some fantastic tubing runs that we managed to do in our plastic bob sled. Tunnels in the snow. Tepees and stuff to slide on. We had a blast, even without fur covered bodies.

And ooh, the big pay off, for me... stopping for hot chocolate ... and, get this.... a huge warm slice of apricot and ricotta strudel.

Oh, life is so good.