The Good, the Bad, the Ugly - Getting Cold in AZ

Those of you who live where it actually gets cold may just roll your eyes at this.  It's been down in the sixties during the day here, thirties at night and whether you concede it or not, for Arizona desert people it's downright cold. 

And I love it!  However, our cold season is dreadfully short here (the hot season interminably long) so I forget some of the wonderful and not so wonderful things that the cold brings with it.

Here are some of the reminders we've been given over the past week or two:

The Good:

1.  Flannel sheets to cuddle up under.  They had to be dug out of a box in the garage, but hubby purposefully dug after them like a miner looking for ore, complete with intense focus and diligence.  He's passionate about those sheets, don'tcha know.

2.  The smell of fires in fireplaces and fire pits. 

3.  Hot chocolate and fuzzy socks.

4.  Baking, baking, baking!!!  So excited that the inside of my house smells like a bakery yet doesn't feel like a sauna.  Heavenly.

5.  Hubby warming up my side of the bed for me while I'm brushing my teeth.  He's romantical that way.

Plus, memories of our winter wedding, first Thanksgiving and Christmas together, honeymoon in Lake Tahoe (ooh, la, la)...


The Bad:

1.  Cold potty seats in the morning.  Yipes!

2.  Getting out of aforesaid cozy, wonderful bed.  Sometimes, I manage not to cry every morning.

3.  Trying to change diapers with cold hands.  Sorry, my darlings!

4.  Socks and shoes.  Silly, right?  I know.  But trying to get socks and shoes on five kids when they're used to only wearing flip-flops and sandals can be quite a pain in the royal rump.  I'm not even sure any of us own socks and closed-toed shoes.  I'd better check...

5.  Pulling kids limb by limb out of their cozy, wonderful beds.  Nobody seems to want to get up when it's cold and dark outside.  Crazy people.  I don't know where they get that from.


The Just Plain Ugly:


1.  Trying to shave legs over goosebumps.  Yeah, not a pretty sight.

2.  Not waxing my eye brows because maybe the extra hair will keep me warmer.  (Ok, not really, but that doesn't mean I haven't been tempted.)

3.  Dry skin and chapped lips.  ugh.  Just not a pretty sight.  Thank goodness for lotion and chap stick.

4.  My Doc Martin boots that I've had for fifteen years and still wear.  Seriously.  I think Hubby groans every time I pull them out.  I've worn them through five pregnancies and have completely worn out the tread on the bottom.  I don't think those two facts are related.  (Someone please tell me that they're not.  Please.)  I think the solution to this would be for Paco to just buy me more new shoes.  See?  Perfect solution?

5.  Head to toe warm fuzzy jammies.  Now, some people might put this into the "good" portion of this post.  On one hand, they keep me warm AND cover my un-shaven legs.  Two layers of insulation.  However, my husband would not agree.  I think that he would like to see me not looking like a nun.  (Not that nuns are ugly.)  Wow.  This could go downhill really fast.  Ummm, let's just say that winter jammies could be put in either category and leave it at that.  (whew!)


So now you can see why it's rough living through sixty-three degree days.  I'm sure you're all clucking you tongues in sympathy, especially those of you who live in the northern tundras.  You know what I'm talking about.  (hee, hee)