It's Winter!

Apparently June 1 is the first day of winter.  I tried to explain to a local that in North America we transition from one season to the next on the solstice.  She had as hard a time understanding the logic in that as Dave had in understanding how it can be a new season if it isn't the shortest or longest day of the year.

So what does winter look like here?  It looks the same as every other time of year.  There is no snow.  So I got woke up this morning and the house felt COLD. I called out to ask Dave what temperature it was inside.  The reply?  Fourteen degrees.  FOURTEEN.  In Canada if it was ever 14 degrees inside my house I would immediately have the furnace checked. Here that just means that the toilet seat is going to be even colder than normal.

So I finally got out of bed and it was -1.5 degrees outside.  What does that mean?  Two/three things.

1-There is a significant amount of frost on the car (if you are not familiar with my thoughts on this, go here)
2-There is no water in the house.  Not no hot water, THERE IS NO WATER.  The water intake is frozen and you just have to wait to it to thaw before there is any water in the house.
3-There will definitely be no snakes today.

So I set a fire. I fed the children.  I pulled some clothes on OVER my PJs because there was no way that I was getting even a little bit naked in a 14 degree house.  I poured water on the windshield (I'm so Australian!), and I drove the children to school.

I had to convince myself that I was not the only person in the same boat.  Most people in town would also be bringing their children to school without brushing their teeth (or washing their hands).  We all live like this.  It is as though the Australians collectively feel that if we ignore winter it will go away.

Luckily it is sunny today, so I am sitting in the gorgeous bay window like any cat you have even met and working there for the day.  It is very possible that I am solar powered.  The house is beautifully set up with lots of big windows to let the sun in and it is over 18 degrees in here now.

Here's the current problem.  It is almost 2pm and I am still in the PJ/clothing combo.  I am going for a run tonight at 6.  It seems rather pointless to shower now....