I've felt 32 degrees below 0 and lived to write about it.
On Wednesday, I got up just like every other school/work day and thought, "I can't believe this is happening, I can't believe this is happening," while sliding my cold pants onto my body. Depending primarily on the wood stove for heat, means that the fire dies down during the night and that makes for some cool mornings, especially back in the bedrooms. So after the task of getting dressed is done, I shuffle into the bathroom to wash my face in lukewarm water. After those deeds are done, I always feel a little bit better about having to actually be somewhere at a certain time. I've been a stay at home mother for 5 years for crying out loud. The transition back into the world of paychecks and schedules is hard ok? I digress....so after prying Morning Glory's stiff body out of bed and feeding her (so early that she isn't even hungry), I put on my boots and coat and head out to warm up the truck. It was then that I realized something was different.
The arctic air hit me like a electrical surge charged with ice. The air dug deep into my skin chilling me to the bone. My face, left unshielded from the air's fury, felt like what that scary guy from "Hellraiser" must feel like each day (he has needles in his face).
I got both trucks fired up (I am such a good wife) and went back in to finish the getting ready process. Leaving a truck running like that goes against everything I believe in. I mean it seems wasteful. One should USE gas, not waste it. But if you don't crank your truck up before you go driving off in it, you'll be all the way to work before the heat blows out temperatures above 0.
I tell ya, after someone gets up early in the morning in order to be somewhere on time, on a regular basis, in Alaska, in November, or December, or January, or February, or heck..March too, doing it anywhere else has got to seem like a cakewalk. I am not trying to say life can't be tough in the lower 48. But come on. Life is easier when considering how to prevent dying of exposure during your daily commute isn't on your plate.
Furthermore, the following day it was only 17 below 0, and it felt quite nice. Well "nice" is pushing it, but I could tell a considerable difference from the day before. -17 isn't near as unbearable as -32. For real. 6 Comments
WOW! Good post! -32, huh? I saw your weather one day when it was -23 (according to weather.com) and I was wondering how it felt. My toes got numb during the one hour long parade in Griffin on Sunday & it was in the 30's/40's, oh, but very windy!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking a summer job would be sufficient for me...lol
ReplyDeletemaybe at Alaska Land (AKA Pioneer Park)
CAL-I-FORN-IA HERE I COME.. RIGHT BACK WHERE I STARTED FROM.. WHERE BOWERS.. OF FLOWERS.. BLOOM IN THE SUN.. EACH MORNING..AT DAWNING.. BIRDIES SING AND EVERYTHING sorry. I am now just trying to entice you with the perfect and glorious weather of California now by singing a song I learned in John Jones circa '82. It may have been what made me wanna come here.. who knows?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your -32 degree weather. That's not even okay. Why don't all those folks up there just please come on down here. It's nice and not painful like Hellraiser (who has needles in his face).
Can you get a nice, safe space heater in Fairbanks next time you go? Or two? For the bed rooms?
There are pretty safe ones nowadays. Cooooooouuuuuuullllllldddd be worth it. But I'm sure you've thought of this.
I know you hate to waste gas but one thing to think about is Autostart. Our first year in AK we didn't have it but before the second winter we had autostart. Many times I wasn't able to get a parking spot to plug in at my job with a school in Fairbanks and this was handy!!! I now live in Northport/Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We have had mornings in the 20's and highs about 46. I'm loving it but everyone around me are wearing gloves, hats, and two layers of clothes. Suppose to get snow flurries. I say Woo Hoo bring it on. Have fun in AK! I can't wait to hubby retires from Army and we move back to our home in Fairbanks. Miz Liz will hopefully be my neighbor!!
ReplyDeleteOh. My. GOD.
ReplyDelete-32?!?
As in, that's WITHOUT a windchill?
Listen, Alaska looks beautiful to visit and all, but you are braver than me. I bitch the second I get the ice scraper out. I put on my hoodie when it's 50 degrees out. Inside. I wear jeans to the beach. You see where this is going right? ;) I have my heat setting at 4 (the highest) in my car. Alaska and I are clearly not friends. Hawaii maybe. ;) Kudos forever to you though.
Oh me oh my! I can't even imagine those temps! Y'all are becoming so hearty! Love the updates:)
ReplyDelete