Turn On Your Heater...

• When all surrounding mountains are dusted with snow.
• When you wake up with a cat glued to your side because his fur coat isn't enough warmth.
• When you have to double check that the fridge is in fact running because it doesn't feel cold. 
• When you can see your breath in the house and your hot coffee steams like it never has before. 
• When stepping onto the patio feels warmer than the living room you just left.
• When the fear of your laundry drying too slowly and being stinky is replaced with the high possibility of it freezing.
• When things that should feel cold don't because you have 10 icicles instead of 10 fingers. 
• When your PJs could double as snow gear.
• When you realize that milk was left on the counter for about 5 hours, but aren't worried because it's still cold. (True story.) 
• When pending union strikes (gas station attendees) are put on hold due to extreme weather conditions currently being experienced in Italy. Yes. Even strikes are impacted by this coldness!

I finally caved the other night and turned on the heat here in my stone castle. I'm surprised just how nice this antiquated system can take the edge off of the cold. Don't get me wrong, my warm blooded sister would still freeze to death here, but I'm down to just one sweatshirt over whatever the sweater of the day was.

Nico finds the 2 wall units extremely entertaining with their beeping, but I also think he's realized that they provide heat. Why? Well I noticed we were fighting for the same half of the bed last night. You know, the "warm" side. And when the one in our room isn't on I find him perched on the back of the couch, in between the wall radiator and the unit on the wall producing warmth. (Yes, my cat is a genius!)

So yeah. I guess this is what I could consider my first winter? I don't like it very much. Bring on the rain any time because seriously...I already can't run out there because it's so cold.