Wednesday, January 7, 2009

It is very, very cold here

My student told me, Monday night, the TV forecast was for negative 20C. I think that's about 4F. It's really very cold. I am trying to adapt but it's a whole different way of life. Layers are obvious but what you are layering with is also crucial. Three layers plus a jacket are the minimum for me to be warm... and that's not always cutting it right now. Last night I had silk leggings and fleece lined pants and was freezing. I need warmer items to layer. I'll be adding to my wardrobe tonight, probably making a pit stop at Flora on my way between pre-school and adult school... if not tonight then tomorrow after pre-school as I don't have to be anywhere right away.

This may sound silly, but I've been sleeping with my sleeping bag under a blanket... fully unzipped... It's the warmest blanket in the house, and I stick my feet in the bottom where it doesn't unzip and they stay warm all night (I have a special sleeping bag from REI, designed for women... part of the technology for their woman's bag is that the spot for the feet is extra insulated as it's quite common for women's feet to get cold - and mine do.) With my bag and one light blanket I am warm and cozy all night long... which is about the only time I'm warm and cozy... no,not true - I've come to appreciate baths in a whole new way. The giant bathtub is long and deep enough to completely submerge and thoroughly defrost. That and my bag are what I look forward to on my way home each day.

BTW - the sun doesn't surface till, oh, after 8, and is long gone by the time I leave at 4... short days, cold weather... oh joy. And this is the start of the winter season. I am getting a glimpse in to why people say "Oh you may love Prague, but we'll see if you can stick it out!"

Last note:

Your teeth freeze here. I was told to breathe through my nose, but I think that freezes too - while technically that may not be true, for all intents and purposes, it does.

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