Tuesday, October 19, 2010

marital conflict

I get cold very easily. It is for that reason, we had a heated mattress pad, that we used year round during the time we lived in SAN DIEGO.

We now live in Virginia. And over the past few weeks, the temperature has been steadily dropping. Last month, it was mostly in the 80's. This month, it's mostly in the 60's. Most mornings, the thermometer outside of our bathroom window registers low 40's. The children have been begging their father to drive them to the bus stop - which is less than a quarter mile away - because they can't tolerate being so cold. They've been asking that we please promise it won't get any colder and well, I've got bad news for them.

Snow?

It's actually frozen. Just like ice.

Although my husband largely grew up in Santa Barbara, he was born and spent the first few years of his life in Canada. This week, Charlie has been trotting around the outdoors in a t-shirt while announcing that his Canadian roots are coming back to him. When he comes indoors, he flings open the windows and says, "This feels so GREAT! Let's get some of this beautiful Fall air in here!" Meanwhile, his children and I are morphing in to one huge goosebump.

We don't want the windows open.

Charlie does.

We close the windows.

Charlie opens them.

We stress how cold we are.

Charlie stresses how he can't stand stuffy spaces.

Which I suppose, in the land of crazy, temperatures in the 50's are refreshing, while temperatures in the 70's are stuffy.

In retaliation for forcing us to live in ice box conditions, I am sneaking up behind him and slipping my ice cold hands under his shirt straight up to his arm pits.

After he stops screaming, I'll ask, "See? Isn't that refreshing?"

8 comments:

  1. Sara in Western Mass10/19/10, 10:18 PM

    two words: long underwear. Also: layers. I cannot stress this enough. All of the flannel and fleece in the world will not help you if you don't have layers underneath. Long underwear isn't sexy, but it will keep you warm, very warm. I'm laughing a little at your plight, being a born and bred New Englander, but comfort is relative and you are used to a certain level of heat. Long underwear, layers, and wool socks. And sweaters. You'll get used to it and will be much happier to be warm.

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  2. So cold in So Cal today!! 60 degrees with thunder storms and rain!!! Got our winter coats and gloves out!

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  3. Courtney in Crete10/20/10, 3:00 AM

    Why isn't your inner Bostonian making a reappearance? :)

    I'm jealous - it's going to be 85 in Crete today. No fall here...

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  4. Try merino wool long johns and undershirts on the kids. Breathe very nicely and keeps one toasty warm. There are some kinds that can go in the washer and dryer (Janus of Norway does them, for instance). Also, if you are not already wearing warm slippers inside try that.
    Charlie sounds like my brother in law, who is from Maine. In 50 degree weather he wears a t-shirt and flip-flops for doing yard chores...

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  5. HAHAHA, it's probably too late now, but wouldn't you please record that?

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  6. Sorry, but as my mom would say in our drafty old farmhouse in the middle of a Canadian winter: "Put a sweater on honey."

    You've just got to get used to wearing another layer or two. And keep moving.

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  7. Love it, paybacks a bitch!

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  8. well, you can give it twenty years and then the roles will be reversed? My grandparents actually spent their last years in separate bedrooms, because my grandfather slept under not one, but TWO heated blankets, and my grandma slept with the windows open in the dead of winter. My parents are perfectly matched in this regard- they keep their house like they're housing Mr. Popper's Penguins. my cousins call their house The Meat Locker.

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