Lizards do not like it cold

Brrr! Currently, I am in Oregon with our children. Being from southern California, this COLD, wet, dank, freezing, cold, wet, and did I mention COLD, weather is for the birds. Seriously, it's not for lizards like me. Or my poor children.

In SoCal, I send my children out barefoot year round. On really cold, wet (*cough, cough*) days, I may send them out in Crocs. But that really isn't often. It's rare that we don't get to at least the 60's during the day. Yes, 40's and sometimes 30's at night, rarely below freezing and always pretty nice. So we're weather wusses. And I freely admit that. Proudly, even.

Here in Oregon, it is a completely different story. Take today. High's in the mid 40's. The kids are dying to get outside. It's not that bad looking out there, just a bit of wind and lots of clouds. And it's cold. Did I mention that it's cold? Because it really is COLD out there. And inside, too, but that's another story. So we all go outside, and I dig out our "winter" gear from the back of the truck. It's stuff I've collected by hook or by crook, and gathered up specifically for this trip. So I put their jackets on, and they claim they're cold. Heh. Unzip those, wrap fleece scarves around their little necks. Rezip the jackets. Still cold. Put turtle fur hats on. And another jacket. Plus mittens. And gloves under those. I'm laughing because they look like Weeblows...Weeblows wobble but they don't fall over...right? Their arms are sticking straight out. You can barely see their eyes. It's a funny sight, but frankly, I didn't care. Because now they were all relatively happy and warm. Off they go to frolic and play, the Eskimo way.

You should have been there to hear the comments from the locals. Perhaps a bit of background would help here. We're at my grandma's house, helping my parents sort through her belongings to settle her estate. So the neighborhood is mostly older, retired folks who go out for a brisk walk during the day. And laugh that there's no way the children could get cold in all those clothes! This as Little Dude is turning blue and chattering. Because it's COLD out!

Honestly, Little Dude is a snuggle bug and a burrower in bed. He likes blankets. Lots and lots of blankets. And two pairs of pajamas, please. In southern California. Now imagine him out in that cold, COLD weather. He was a popsicle! Luckily, we were given some fleece lined pants, and he's been living in those plus a sweatshirt, socks and shoes in the house.

Oh, which brings me back to the house. It's a 5 bedroom house, with the original aluminum windows (read: drafty, noisy, pathetic excuses for part of the wall). With the fireplace going, it runs about 56*F in the house. Which makes my nose cold, and my fingers and toes numb. Occasionally, we run the furnace, but that doesn't do a whole lot against the drafty, gusty things that let in the sun as well as the wind. Fortunately, I brought a space heater to combat the chill a bit. Unfortunately, it tends to pop the circuit breaker every now and again (at least every couple of hours at random), which requires a trip out to the garage. Which is also COLD. My dad has taken to wearing his insulated coveralls in the house. My mom and I wear scarves and jackets. And the kids wear all manner of things, but always shoes and socks. Funny how important those long forgotten articles of clothing became.

In any case, there you are. A glimpse into the life that is mine for the next two weeks. Does Oregon get Santa Ana's? Because I could really use some 80+ degree weather right about now. My hiney is just flat out cold right now.