Life In A Northern Town

 My wife, all dressed in layers, ready to tackle the cold of rural Iowa. Temp, 35.

 



My wife is from a tropical country, and has never before seen temperatures below 45 degrees.  She is now experiencing all the joys of her first winter here in the Midwest.  

Watching her learn to adapt to life in the (near) Great White North has caused me to think about all the little things we who live here take for granted.

First, foremost, and always; dress in layers.  It is the mantra of life in winter.  Air, it turns out, is the best insulator.  So having plenty of layers of clothing helps to keep you warm like nothing else can! 

I have personally seen women arrive at events completely cocooned in hats, scarves, boots, and snowmobile suits.  Even the gender of the new arrival was often in doubt.  Until they peel off the layers, and revealed themselves to be a butterfly in lace and taffeta.

Always wear a hat.  The theory being that since heat rises, a good hat will keep the rest of your body nice and warm.  However, this theory does not extend to going barefoot even with a good hat. It does not work, trust me.

It seems the hat is also a crucial fashion statement.  A sensible leather hat with fur lining and ear flaps lets the world know you are a serious kind of guy, prepared to tackle anything.  A hat with moose antlers reveals your whimsical side.

Making snow angels is okay for kids and couples in love.  The challenge is to get up without ruining your angel with your foot prints.  Having a loved one ready with a helping hand is a must, and has been known to lead to a stolen kiss or two.  Sometimes followed by a snow ball fight.

If you get too cold go inside and have a mug of hot chocolate.  To be a true "Midwest" cup of hot chocolate it needs to have the little white marshmallows floating in it.  It must be the little ones, the big ones are for New Yorkers.  And using multi-colored marshmallows? That's just wrong.

A good pair of boots is a must.  I've explained this very carefully to my wife while leaving the house in my comfy worn out sneakers.  She now has 8 pairs of boots, one of which keeps her feet warm and dry. They also look good on her, or so I'm told.

Of course, when all is said and done the best part of winter is to snuggle up close to your sweetie, mug of hot chocolate in hand, and a nice chick-flick on the tv.

And don't forget the marshmallows.