124 degrees of separation

okay...I'm back in MN visiting my family.

It just happens to coincide with the coldest winter they have seen in years. Today, right now, it is -18F (-28C)...I was chatting to Nathan online and it is 106F in Perth. We are talking about 124 decrees difference. But with windchills at -40F (-40C) , they have windchill advisories (exposed flesh warnings). That's just crazy....

I'm beginning to feel like the Michelin Man. I get dressed to walk to the car. In 5 minutes I'm boiling, so I unzip and take off hat and mittens in the car. When we get to the hospital where dad is having his chemo, I re-cover hat and gloves...struggle with the zipper of my coat which is caught in my oversize sweatshirt. Drop dad off...I stay in my jacket slowly starting to overheat thinking this will only take a few minutes. Mom has a few questions while I debate whether I should risk sweating in all my stuff which will make me feel colder when we go outside OR take off all my gear again. Eventually I remove all the outer garments again.

Mom and I decide to go shopping. We zip up, hat, gloves, and scarves. Stop in one store (remove parka etc) can't find anything (don parka again). Stop in another store (remove parka), decide to try on jeans and shirt. Unlace winter boots, remove jeans and turtle neck and sweatshirt, try on shirt...don't like it so put sweatshirt on again (my hair looks like a dandelion gone to seed, I have so much static electricity it stands on end).

I try on jeans...but grab the wrong size. Can't go out in socks, since everyone is tracking in snow, which means putting on my jeans, relacing boots, getting smaller size, returning to fitting room, unlacing boots, struggle into 4-5 different pairs. When the jeans finally fit, I realise I probably should get 10 pair since I don't want to go through this process again. We have several more errands to run but I can't face 3 more dress/undress rituals in less than 5 minutes.

I know MN and Alaska people will think I have gone soft living in Perth. I've always said that I can handle the cold better than the heat. I mean, in MN you can always put on more clothes, in Perth...well, you can only get so naked in public. But, now it seems I'd rather have the reverse, at least it would be consistent.

Being home makes me realize how much I miss being so close to family---Hanging out, getting to go to the birthday parties, how much the babies have grown in the past year, seeing old friends. Being in MN during a cold snap makes me wish they could come and visit me for a change. But no matter how "frigid" there's no place like home.