Well, I guess it was bound to happen. California has cooked the cold weather conditioning out of my daughter, Jory. Even being born and bred here in the Chicagoland area and growing up all those years in the middle of the merciless Midwestern winters, there's no guarantee that you will be immune forever. "God, it's cold here Mom. Are you wearing socks?"
"Cold? Yeah, I guess so; but it's suppose to get a lot colder by the end of the week."
As I dropped her off at the train station for meetings in ChiTown, I believe she was wearing every article of winter clothing she possessed. Oh you Californians...all you have to deal with are earthquakes....piece of cake. I think in one short day she was well reminded of what it was like growing up in Chicago....
60 above (16C)
Floridians wear coats, gloves and woolly hats.
Chicagoans sunbathe.
50 above (10C)
New Yorkers try to turn on the heat.
Chicagoans plant gardens.
40 above (5C)
Italian cars won't start.
Chicagoans drive with the windows down.
32 above (0C)
Distilled water freezes.
Lake Michigan's water gets thicker.
20 above (-7C)
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
Chicagoans have the last cook-out before it gets cold.
15 above (-9C)
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
Chicagoans throw on a sweatshirt.
0 (-18C)
Californians fly away to Mexico.
Chicagoans lick the flagpole.
20 below (-29C)
People in Miami cease to exist.
Chicagoans get out their winter coats.
40 below (-40C)
Hollywood disintegrates.
Chicago's Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.
60 below (-51C)
Polar bears begin to evacuate Antarctica.
Chicago's Boy Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.
80 below (-62C)
Mt. St. Helen's freezes.
Chicagoans rent some videos.
100 below (-73C)
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Chicagoans get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg.
297 below (-183C)
Microbial life survives on dairy products.
Illinois cows complain of farmers with cold hands.
460 below (-273C)
ALL atomic motion stops.
Chicagoans start saying "Cold 'nuff for ya?"
500 below (-296C)
Hell freezes over.
Toooooooooo funny!!!!!!!! NE Ohio isn't too far behind!!!!!
Posted by: Kay Dennison | January 16, 2008 at 02:24 AM
What are you saying Joy? that Chicago is cold? that Chicagoans are tough? or that places other than Chicago breed softies?
Posted by: Peter | January 16, 2008 at 03:58 AM
As a fellow Chicagoan, I love it! I've lived in the Midwest all my 75 years, and although I've traveled all over the world, I wouldn't consider living anywhere else. I guess we have a certain spirit here. And I'll take cold over heat and humidity any day.
Posted by: Marlys Styne | January 16, 2008 at 06:10 AM
I'm in Florida and yes, I'm freezing. And, have been freezing for days. And, I have no winter clothing so I'm wearing layers and layers of non-winter clothing.
SHIVER.
Posted by: Denise | January 16, 2008 at 07:33 AM
Joy,
This is very funny and what makes it remarkable is that it is almost TRUE!!!!!
My daughter lives in Chicago and I am in Florida for the Winter and when I hear of the bone chilling cold and sleet predicted for Chicago I always gets upset for Carol and her family. Then it snows a couple of feet and I call and say, "Are you OK?" Carol: " "Yes,we are heading for the Mall. Then we're going to the library for that book I want to read."
"But isn't it a blizzard out there?"
"No, it's a little snow, that's all."
At 5 A.M. one morning it was starting to snow and my Grandson wanted to know if there would be school that day, so he sent an Email to the Superintendent of Schools and asked.
This was the reply.
Dear Andrew,
Let me explain how I determine whether or not there will be school. I open the back door and if the dog won't go out, there is no school.
Dr. William Jones
Posted by: Nancy | January 16, 2008 at 08:17 AM
LOL: excellent! Had no idea how that would end, but it was perfect!
Posted by: GoingLikeSixty | January 16, 2008 at 08:27 AM
;) I liked that!
Posted by: June | January 16, 2008 at 08:47 AM
I count on chuckles when I come here and you never disappoint! LOL
We're dealing with Santa Ana winds and unusually warm January weather here in So Cal ... and I'd LIKE some cooler (but not cold) weather right now. These winds are driving my sinuses crazy!!! Molly doesn't stay indoors just because it's windy (though she DOES avoid rain ... which is crazy since she's a "water dog" and loves to swim).
Hope your birthday bash with your kids was delightful.
Hugs and blessings,
Posted by: storyteller | January 16, 2008 at 09:24 AM
Yes, we Californians are big whiners when it comes to cold weather. Of course, I was born and raised in Minnesota and I have been known to say that although I have lived in California for 40 years, my feet have not yet warmed up.
Posted by: Maria | January 16, 2008 at 08:26 PM
I love it, Joy! The only time I was in Chicago, I was 14, and on a school trip. They told us to pack warm winter clothes, and Chicago had a heat wave (in April). The temps were in the 80's and all we had to wear was wool clothing!!
Posted by: kenju | January 16, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Toooooooooo funny, Joy! This morning it is -18 in my backyard - cold, yep - I'll be back after the gym. :)
Hope you had a terrific BDay. Hugs.
Posted by: Suzann | January 19, 2008 at 07:58 AM
Great list... and I love the kicker on the end! I think there really is something to the old warning that once your blood has thinned out by living in a warm climate, it will never thicken up again. I've experienced it myself and know plenty of yankees who came here, went back, and couldn't take it.
It's in single digits here overnight and we are freezing. Guess you're just hitting your stride...
Enjoy!
Posted by: Winston | January 20, 2008 at 08:02 AM
This Minnesotan is sharing your pain. I believe it was 30 below windchill yesterday with an overnight low of 24 below. There's a reason it's called "bone-chilling" cold!
Posted by: Lisa Dunn | January 20, 2008 at 09:35 AM
that is very funny. Each region has its own definition of cold for sure. We will be in the teens here in Oregon this week and for us, that's cold. high 40s and people are in shorts but then it never gets much above 50... okay, just kidding :)
Posted by: Rain | January 20, 2008 at 02:22 PM
I love this post. It's about like here, to a certain degree. After -10C Oslo people starts to complain:Must to wear long underwear. They are so warm when inside.
Posted by: TorAa | January 22, 2008 at 06:48 AM