Europe's Big Freeze

Europe is currently getting a lot of press in the paper and on the news because of the cold spell we are experiencing. Freezing temperatures are to blame for hundreds of deaths across Europe. Places that rarely get snow are trying to figure out how to operate with the foreign white stuff that is falling from the sky. Flights are being cancelled and delayed, trains have quit running, and people who are trying to drive are getting stranded. It is madness!

I love season change and could never live in a place that doesn't have all four seasons. Winter brings me so many things I love...snow, curling up on the couch in a blanket, and wearing chunky sweaters with boots. But the winter we are currently experiencing in Italy is crazy, freezing cold! I know for a fact that I have never lived anywhere that gets this cold. The high for today was -14°C or 7°F. Brr!

Last night, there was a hockey game and I went despite the forecast of a low of -19°C or -2°F. In an North American rink, the temperature outside wouldn't matter because almost all rinks are heated, but this is not the case here in Italy (and in a lot of Europe). The temperature outside is pretty much the temperature in the building. Kevin told me to consider not going because it was so miserable, but I insisted. I look forward to the games. They are my one night out a week with people other than my husband (sad, I know). I get to catch up with the other wife, Debbie, and we get to see our hairdresser, bank tellers, bakery ladies, and the best nurse in Vipiteno, Sylvia. And then after the game, we all go out for pizza, which is what I really look forward to.

Well Kevin was right, the rink last night was miserable. I had on a tank top, long sleeve t-shirt, sweater, tights, jeans, three pairs of socks, boots, gloves, hat, scarf, and a down coat. Plus Debbie and I both had blankets, one to sit on and one to put over our legs. I could barely moved and felt like Randy from A Christmas Story and I was still freezing!

This is pretty much what I felt like last night. Putting skinny jeans on over tights is not an easy task.
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Luckily, the hockey team is on its Olympic break for the next 10 days and there isn't another home game until February 18. I'm really hoping that in the next 2 weeks the temperature can rise above freezing so I don't have to sit through another hockey game feeling like my feet are going to shatter once I stand on them.