Tuesday, July 19, 2011

It sure is warm out there, eh?

Minnesotans like to talk about the weather. They like to lament the six-foot snow drifts. They like to tell people about the Halloween blizzard of 1991. They want outsiders to know that it can snow in May here. They joke that Minnesota has two season: winter and road construction.

I used to wonder why Minnesotans insisted on talking about the weather all the time. All. The. Time. Having lived here fourteen years now, I am finally beginning to understand. Minnesota has the best--or worst--of all worlds. Not only do we get hammered in the winter, but we get sub-tropical weather in the summer. No, it is not hot all summer long like it is in the south. But we do get spells of extreme heat and humidity. Add to that the winters from hell, and it takes a pretty hearty person to live in Minnesota.

Right now, we are in the midst of a heat spell. It is hot. It is hellishly hot. It was 100 degrees yesterday with a heat index of 117. And that is not even going to be the hottest day this week. This morning, it was 82 degrees and stifling at 6AM when I left my house to head to work. The humidity is so thick that it takes your breath away. Having grown up in Kentucky, I am used to heat and humidity. At least, I used to be. Unfortunately, over the years, my body has acclimated itself to subzero temps. I can handle a blizzard like a pro. Temperatures of -10 no longer even faze me. 100 degrees, however, is a different story. Heat like that is no longer my norm. And frankly, I can't take it.

I don't like to sweat. I don't like perspiring the minute I walk out a door. I don't like the feeling of beads of sweat trickling down my shins. I don't like feeling like I need a shower after simply walking to my car. I don't like it.

As of today, I am officially turning in my Kentucky card. I am a Minnesotan now. I am a snow-loving, ice-fighting, hotdish-making, jello casserole kind of girl. I can discuss the weather ad nauseum with the best of them.

It's hotter than two squirrels making love in a wool sock out there, eh? You betcha!

4 comments:

Barb said...

You betcha. The fog was so thick down by us (along the river) that I could hardly see for our drive in to town this morning. 81 with a dew temp of 79 at 6am. My sister lives in Florida where they deal with this all summer and she says they just stay inside all summer. I HATE hot. I'm an outdoor girl, so this is killing me. Give me a blizzard and my layers of clothing and throw some cross-country skis on me, but you can keep this heavy, thick, moist, sticky air down south. PLEASE! (I'm a Wisconsin girl, and we talk about the weather just as much. Weather and cheese and beer and football.)

Anonymous said...

Love the new blog set up. I'll take my Southern California weather any day over yours :)

Shannon said...

Madge--I would take your southern California weather as well. Would you happen to have room for two adults, three kids, a cat and a dog at your place? ;)

Shannon said...

Barb--I am secretly praying for snow. Shhh...don't tell anyone.

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