The weather change is like a light switch

Friday was warm, hot actually. I wore a skirt and two layered tank tops to the computer lab, and carried a super light weight zippy sweatshirt which I had no need for until I sat waiting for a bus at 10 pm.

I went to bed that night and found myself waking up through the night. It was the first night I'd felt a need for a blanket. I've been sleeping with a blanket nearby but it just hasn't even been cool. I woke up to grab it and make sure I was fully covered... and woke up again after I kicked it off... and woke up again, to find that I was completely covered but that it wasn't enough - and had trouble sleeping as I was so cold.

Saturday we had heard would be a little cooler - of concern and a topic of conversation because we were going canoing for the day.

A little cooler is as appropriate a description as, say, ice isn't warm. It was freezing. I thought it might warm up a bit, and in a few spots we found some sun (more on the trip later) but for the most part there was a frigid air blowing us backwards up the river.

When we got back to Prague it was even colder. We had warm dry clothes and had been sitting in a car for an hour, but waiting for the bus we were shivering and chattering. It was so cold that we went in to the Tesco at the bus stop and bought another comforter and another blanket... and looked at coats.

Coral couldn't find a coat she liked and we were both cold and tired so we caught the bus and made our way home... where I took a really hot bath.

Yesterday, Sunday, it drizzled. The drizzling was warmer than the wind, though. It has been freezing!!! Bone cold!! We got up and dressed in our warmest clothes, our mission was to find some coats or winter shoes and some warmer clothing. We set off for the far end of Prague and went back to the metro stop we were at the previous day when we went canoing. There is a great mall there.

At the first shop Coral found a long sleeved t-shirt for a very reasonable price. The next store we went in to was fashionably cute along the lines of Anthropolgie - but not as expensive, by a long shot. However, even cheap Anthrolopgie-esque is beyond our budget to after much admiration and some time in the dressing room we moved on... and hit the jackpot.

I found a pair of jeans (yes, I got one pair of jeans because all the other pants I found were some sort of like synthetic material that the wind would tatter in seconds) a few long sleeved shirts and a sweater or two (not at home, can't remember) and Coral found a coat. She really, really likes it, too. It's pretty darn adorable, plaid and hooded and cute.

We wandered the mall some more, and for this outing I remembered to put new batteries in the camer and to put the camera in my purse - but somehow the batteries drained and the camera died during my first picture... sorry.

We had a great time, and then it was time to leave and we were shivering all over again walking back to the metro.

Today I had an interview with a lady who wants me to talk with her little boy - he's 1 1/2. I went a little early as I was concerned I may not find the spot where we were to meet. I got dressed in my new warm clothes, as bundled as I could be, and while standing outside waiting for the bus I realized how insufficient my wardrobe was - the wind was coming through my jeans like I had nothing on. The sky looked ready to breakdown and start sobbing, and the bitter cold was biting my ears and nose and fingertips. I hopped on the bus, got off at the metro, saw a sign for a discount clothing store and bought myself a coat - a really warm coat which I also happen to like. Hopefully it will serve me well, and if not, well, it saved me for at least today and was worth the money it cost if it does nothing more.

I met with the lady and her children and will start working with them in October, when I start my teaching job as well. During our conversation she expressed her dismay with the weather - apparently there is usually a little more transition between summer and winter - and yes, the winter weather has started, as of Saturday. There shouldn't be any more sunny hot and humid days until the spring.

Everyone at school was caught by surprise too - except for the natives, who, for which this may be an unusual drastic difference, knew the indications that the cold was coming and weren't caught unprepared... it was literally tank tops and t-shirts on Friday and now it's fingertips through the mittens and scarves up to your nose...

I am so grateful for my tub and my Mom. And that I packed my furry slippers.