Eskimo | And 2 Makes Crazy

We moved to Poland September 8, 2001. We moved from Arizona. We packed what we thought were warm clothes. Turns out, warm clothes from Arizona are merely “thick” t-shirts.

We arrived and were freezing our tails off.

Seriously. It was raining. It was cold.

The heat wouldn’t turn on in our flat because the city controlled the heat in our flat and it was not yet deemed “cold” enough by the city to turn on the heat.

I was an Arizona Desert Rat. Instead of melting, I was living in an ice box gathering ice crystals.

I will never forget how cold I was.

I was so cold, I convinced my husband that we must run out and buy warm jackets.

It wasn’t even technically warm jacket season. After all, it was only September. Little did I know how cold November, December, and so forth would get if I was cold in September, eh?! To me it was already like Siberia.

We were off. We went to buy winter jackets. I found one. Floor length and brown. And a brown scarf. And a brown hat. And brown gloves.

I went all out.

I tell you, I was cold.

And then we went out. Literally. Out. In public. For all to see.

I was wrapped from head to toe in my beanie, my gloves, my scarf. You could barely see my eyes. But, worse than any of that was my jacket. My floor-length, brown, winter jacket.

I was so toasty warm. And it was evening. And we decided to walk to the city square.

Oh, tears are in my eyes right now recalling the numerous stares and mumblings we got as I walked around all wrapped like an Eskimo, yet technically still living in Polish summer. So funny.

Ah…memories of when we first arrived in Poland. And although I laugh now, I know then I was freezing. To my bone freezing.

Oh, I forgot to mention how cold it was.

About 60+F (around 16C).

To a desert rat, 60F is akin to the North Pole. And that is where I felt we lived.

Needless to say, my jacket and I really learned what cold was when actual winter hit. And then I dreamed about the return of those “warm” Polish evenings.

Haha.

I hope that there are folks still enjoying the attack of the mummy at their dinnertime conversation.

In any case, with time, I learned how to actually dress appropriately for the weather. And eventually I learned that September was not the right time to run around in floor-length jackets, gloves, scarves, and beanies, with only your eyes peeking through.

But, even after all of these years in Poland, I am still that same desert rat, freezing and cold. Just better adjusted for the weather.

Now, here are the TOP 10 most read posts this past year as And 2 Makes Crazy celebrates its one-year blog-o-versary. If you haven’t read one of the following posts, I hope that you go on back and have a read.

Enjoy.

xoxo from here to there,

(Top 10 from the entire blogging year in order of Most Read)

1. I don’t love Jesus. Can we still be friends? http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-ln

2. How to be a Good Wife. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-ue

3. Knockdown, drag-out fight in Costco. Today, I appreciate family! http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-Mo

4. Marital Un-Bliss and Lack of Sleep had a devastating Effect on My Eyebrows. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-3i

5. Belly Josephine. And my Ada and Max. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-gp

6. How to Keep the Romance Alive. Or Kill It. Your Hair May Choose. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-50

7. My Nose Ring was “Snot” a Good Idea. And We Got a Puppy. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-6B

8. Porn on Sunday. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-ww

9. O-M-G, Christians, watch what you say. http://wp.me/p3Bh9m-rZ