I watch the snow fall out my picture window...again...as I pretty much do each day, I thought it would be fun to share with you some advice I got about living in the UP from a dear, and funny friend via Facebook. Keep in mind that Justin and I may or may not have dressed quite appropriately for trick or treating with the kids (and when I say Justin and I...I might mean mostly mean me) and this may or may not have been a note of encouragement to do so among other winterly advice.
Enjoy!
Hi friend,
On the eve of your first full winter here in "God's Country" (because, you know, God's preference is for places where frostbite is common and no food can grow) and after watching you and your family valiantly shiver your way through our less than stellar attempt at trick or treating, I've decided to share with you my top secret top 6 ways to prepare yourself, mentally and physically, for the long U.P. winters
1. Despite what you were taught in school, there are not 4 seasons. There are five. "The Holidays" are indeed their own season. They start around the first of November and last until the Christmas clearance sales are done. WINTER doesn't start until at least the second week of January. The sooner you mentally adjust to this "fact" the happier all 5 of your seasons will be.
2. Turn the heat up - a bit controversial perhaps, but I'm committed to saving the planet from April through September only. After that I figure the winters are just too long to be cold all the time and so I choose a comfortable 68-71 degrees.
3. And speaking of being warm enough - long johns...all the time.
4. In February, change the light bulbs in at least one of your rooms to the kind that resemble sunlight. It's really neat to go into the "sunshine" room and get a pick me up.
5. The best way to make the winter go faster is to make a long list of ridiculously ambitious goals that you hope to accomplish before Spring (i.e. this winter I'm for sure gonna finish writing that novel/organizing my pictures/potty training my youngest). It is best if they are winter weather dependant ("this winter the whole family is going to become experts at the luge!"), however anything that completes the sentence "I can't believe that winter is almost over and we have hardly spent any time________" will work just fine.
6. Finally, to truly enjoy the U.P. winters, you pretty much have to plan to skip town for almost the entire month of March. You do that and you'll probably be just fine. ;-)
On the eve of your first full winter here in "God's Country" (because, you know, God's preference is for places where frostbite is common and no food can grow) and after watching you and your family valiantly shiver your way through our less than stellar attempt at trick or treating, I've decided to share with you my top secret top 6 ways to prepare yourself, mentally and physically, for the long U.P. winters
1. Despite what you were taught in school, there are not 4 seasons. There are five. "The Holidays" are indeed their own season. They start around the first of November and last until the Christmas clearance sales are done. WINTER doesn't start until at least the second week of January. The sooner you mentally adjust to this "fact" the happier all 5 of your seasons will be.
2. Turn the heat up - a bit controversial perhaps, but I'm committed to saving the planet from April through September only. After that I figure the winters are just too long to be cold all the time and so I choose a comfortable 68-71 degrees.
3. And speaking of being warm enough - long johns...all the time.
4. In February, change the light bulbs in at least one of your rooms to the kind that resemble sunlight. It's really neat to go into the "sunshine" room and get a pick me up.
5. The best way to make the winter go faster is to make a long list of ridiculously ambitious goals that you hope to accomplish before Spring (i.e. this winter I'm for sure gonna finish writing that novel/organizing my pictures/potty training my youngest). It is best if they are winter weather dependant ("this winter the whole family is going to become experts at the luge!"), however anything that completes the sentence "I can't believe that winter is almost over and we have hardly spent any time________" will work just fine.
6. Finally, to truly enjoy the U.P. winters, you pretty much have to plan to skip town for almost the entire month of March. You do that and you'll probably be just fine. ;-)
Thank you, Karen.
You always make me laugh
You are one of my very favorites!
You always make me laugh
You are one of my very favorites!
First sledding adventure of the year.
Keep this wagon train a movin'!
I think they were on their way out west.
There was some arguement about that
I'm not sure it was ever resolved.
These two.
They said they wanted a "real" old timey photo.
Ya know the ones where no one is smiling?
And it looks "kinda brown"?
And it looks "kinda brown"?
The coveted Cub Scout Uniform.
Finally came in the mail.
And was laid out on Monday.
Though the meeting was Thursday...
evening.
Our Boy Scout.
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