Monday, February 23, 2015

Cold? It's All Relative.


     As my home state of Michigan continues to post record low temperatures, I'm reminded that the cold is relative.  I remember many years ago being in the Florida keys during a particular cold stretch down there (for some reason cold weather seems to follow Michiganders EVERYWHERE) when some local commented, "I can take 50s, but when it gets in the forties, that's just way too cold for me."

     Really?!  Forties right now would seem like a heat wave when temperatures are dipping below zero.  Heck, even thirties would make us feel like we're in Florida right now.  Well not quite, but hopefully you get the picture.

     So my wife and I had it with this winter wonderland.  When you go outside, draw a breath of fresh air, then feel like it's not warming up at all inside your lungs, that's take-your-breath-away cold.  Too cold.  We decided to take a mid-winter's break, hoping that by the time we put in ten days worth of vacation down in Florida, Michigan would have warmed up.

     But as anybody who has been following weather reports knows, even the south has been enduring unseasonably cool temperatures.  We were at a pub down in sunny Florida.  Among the patrons were other snowbirds from up north, but the temperatures barely reached 50 degrees in central Florida.  The waitress apologized for the unseasonably cool temperatures as one group was leaving.   "Don't apologize," one guest said as she walked out the door.  "We're from Massachusetts."

    A collective "Ohhhhhhhh" response emanated from those still in the pub, myself included.  Anybody watching the news knows how terrible this winter has been on Boston and Massachusetts.  As bad as Michigan's been, it's worse in the northeast.  As I said, it's all relative.

     Wendy and I stopped at Ponce De Leon State Park during our trip down there.  The park, home to the fabled fountain of youth, was empty.  The waters of the natural spring there maintain a year-round  temperature of 68 degrees, not all that cold.

     Hmmmmmm, I could quickly change into a swim suit, take a dip and let the rejuvenating waters return me to my youth.  But the air temperature wasn't even 50 degrees.  Getting yet another cold shock to my body would be the price of turning back the ravages of 60 years of aging.  I decided to forgo the dip.  An eternity of youth could wait.

     We returned to Michigan, our winter wonderland.  As if to welcome us back, we had to drive through several snow squalls in Ohio.  These created white-out conditions but drivers here are used to that, slowing down immediately and putting their flashers on.  Once traffic came to a dead stop on I-75 but we were at an exit and just took side roads for the next ten miles north.  Driving was dicey at times, but again drivers here are used to that.

    So we returned to Michigan last week.  Did temperatures warm up just a bit?  Nawwww, it was the same as when we left.  I took the picture above just outside the city limits of our hometown as we returned home, a winter wonderland still.

     Wonderful

   

   

6 Comments:

Blogger Carine-what's cooking? said...

you and Wendy are of a much heartier breed than Steve and I Dave.

so sorry about the cold-I'm thinking I'd be a popsicle if I even tried going back east.

today we have gray skies, 57 and rain, we're all complaining about the weather. We shouldn't-obviously.

12:45 PM  
Blogger Big Dave T said...

CARINE--We can take the cold to a point, but heat and humidity is another thing.

6:29 AM  
Blogger Lee said...

I've never experienced cold weather like that. These days I prefer our winter weather to the heat of summer...but what you guys have been experiencing up your way is taking things to extremes!

Take care...keep warm. :)

9:46 PM  
Blogger Big Dave T said...

LEE--Stay warm or keep warm is very often what people around here say when they're parting friends or family. It's replace "See you" and the like.

12:00 PM  
Blogger Mrs. Dike said...

Why not thaw your heart toward the SPARTANS during March Madness? We're hoping for victory over Virginia as a 39th wedding anniversary present today!

11:10 AM  
Blogger Big Dave T said...

MRS DIKE--Congrats on 39 years together, not so much so on MSU's victory over Virginia (and now Oklahoma too). Cheering on the Spartans? You want me to be unfaithful to my Wolverines? I've been faithful to them for more than 39 years. Till death do us part.

6:49 AM  

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