Tuesday, February 06, 2007

A real snot-freezer


God, this sucks. I can't seem to stop eating, our last gas/electric bill was $429.71, and I have huge fights with the kids every time we have to go outside. Typical exchange: Jo refuses to wear her mittens; I tell her she has to; she refuses; repeat until I am yelling "If you don't wear them you will get frostbite and a doctor will have to cut your fingers off!!!" (no, I'm not proud of that one).

The last time I can rememer being this cold was when I lived in France in college. I stayed in a house just outside of Grenoble, a town in the mountains of Savoie that hosted the Winter Olympics in 1968. Grâce à Dieu, some friend of my parents had a daughter who'd spent time there, and she urged me to bring some long underwear. I had one pair, the silk kind, and I wore them day and night for weeks. I slept in the long johns, flannel pajamas, a hooded sweatshirt, two pairs of socks, and a bathrobe. My bedroom was on the ground floor and jutted out from the front of the house, with three walls and the roof exposed, so it was even more freezing than the rest of the place. (Also loud: A few mornings a week, my host mother's son would drop off his small children for her to babysit. He'd open the front door, just outside my bedroom door, and shove the kids in, shouting Maman! Je les laisse!! at the top of his lungs, and then leave.)

To get to the university where I took classes, I'd have to walk a half-mile from the house to the bus stop--uphill, naturellement--then take the bus to the tram. If I knew how to upload audio I'd give you my imitation of the disembodied Tram Lady Voice saying "Attention à la fermeture des portes! Ce tram a son terminus à Gare Europole." I assure you, my impression is dead on.

12 comments:

Lisa said...

Yes it HAS been cold.

And I'd LOVE to hear your impression!

tallulah said...

Brrrrr! I'm cold just thinking about it!

Anonymous said...

Me and my cuddleduds so feel you! I'm on day three of my top because I only have one and I can't bear to take it off long enough to wash it. I can't stop eating and all I want are baked potatoes and mac and cheese- as much starch as I can pound at a sitting. Hybernate much?

Movin Mom said...

okay ...can
i just first say that Tallulah's icon is scaring me !
Is it a nun???

polly voo frahnsay?

I am going to throw some spanish at you next time....oh wait....you probably speak 6 languages huh?

Summer said...

I have been known to say things like "fine, don't put your slippers on, but when your toes freeze and fall off, I am NOT picking them up."

Even in my somewhat southerly locale, it's been cold. It's been so cold, I just bought a hat with earflaps. I am so sexy.

Jeni said...

ditto!!!

Lady M said...

I've been wearing cuddleduds, thermals, and fleece on top. Way too much of a weather wimp to move back to real winters any more!

Anonymous said...

I look forward to hearing your impression when I see you tonight!!!

Damselfly said...

I'd love to hear that impression....

You're so lucky you got to study in France. I tried to make it there for a semester but couldn't work out the finances. I CLEP'd out of my language requirement with two French tests -- bing, bang, done!

Kate said...

Yep, daaaaaamn cold. I'm so ready for spring.

Can you do any other impressions, oh mom of mayberry?

Kimberly said...

Spring cannot come quickly enough. Winter here has been short, but merciless!

Anonymous said...

Oh man, I remember those subzero days from college in western Pennsylvania. Walking to class the wind would make your eyes water and the tears would freeze on your face. You couldn't wear metal jewelry because you would seriously get frostbite from it. And nothing got cancelled on account of cold either so you just had to suck it up. I do not miss it.
Hope you're staying warm and cozy.