It's coming!

January and February were the coldest months in Budapest last year.  It got down to -22 C (-8 F).  The last place I lived that was that cold was Alaska.  As a child.  So after 16 years living out of Alaska, including the last three years living on the equator... it was a bit of a shock.  This year I'm a little more prepared.  I own wool socks, long underwear and the warmest coat North Face sells for women.  So in the next week or two when the Danube looks like this...

Will took this picture last February near our house.

... I'm prepared!

Prepared to stay in my warm cozy house with "Fireplace" playing on the TV.

I looked in my closet yesterday and realized...

When I moved to Budapest

I owned 3 sweaters

And a lot of ratty summer clothes

Washed by hand

And dried in the African sun too many times.

When I looked in my closet this week

I saw 11 sweaters

And a few ratty summer clothes

Washed by hand

And dried in the African sun too many times.

Last year at this time

I was wearing a sun dress and sandals to work.

Now it's -7 degrees F

And I'm wearing long underwear,

Trousers (leggings don't cut it!),

2 pairs of wool socks,

2 shirts,

1 sweater,

1 scarf,

1 hat,

1 amazingly warm coat,

And ugly old winter boots from years ago

To work each day.

I looked in my closet yesterday and realized...

It used to take me 2 minutes to get dressed in the morning.

Now it's a full 15 minutes with all those layers.

I'm ready for spring.

And it looks very far away...!