Monday, November 1, 2010

Somewhere Warmer

The weather in the Bag Lady's neck of the woods has been relatively mild lately. There were a couple of days last week that were cold with a little snow, but it melted, and yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day with a bit of a breeze and enough warmth to be outside without a parka, gloves and toque sweater.

In spite of this, the Rancher found it felt cold in the house, so he lit the first fire of the season in the woodstove. Ahhh - there's nothing quite like heat from a woodstove. It surrounds you and caresses you with it's warmth, soaking all the way in to your bones.

The Bag Lady has been on a bit of a cleaning binge. She tends to ignore housework during the summer, giving everything a "lick and a promise", for the most part, because she has so much to do outside, and, really, who wants to do housework when they can be outside, enjoying the sun and warmth? Especially in the north, when every moment of summer is to be savoured and enjoyed to the fullest because always, in the back of your mind, is the thought that winter is just around the corner. Winter, with it's cold, short days and long, colder nights, is not the Bag Lady's favourite time of year. Oh, there are things about winter that she likes..... err.... (hang on, she's thinking!) The sun sparkling off freshly-fallen snow is pretty......
Actually, if there weren't snakes and really big bugs in the warmer climates, she would move in a heartbeat!

But there are snakes and really BIG bugs elsewhere, and she belongs on the TV program "Hoarders" has a few baggage issues it would take years to thin out her belongings enough to be feasible to even consider moving so she stays put. But if she ever were to move, it would definitely be 'somewhere warmer'. Although, when she does think about moving, she ponders where she would go. 'Somewhere warmer' seems a little vague. When you factor in things like earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, cyclones, brutal high temperatures, and snakes and really BIG bugs, her neck of the woods starts to look pretty appealing. The summers are gorgeous with long (no, really, they are long) daylight hours and warm temperatures, there are no volcanoes close by, the mountains protect us from even the most enormous of tsunamis, tornadoes are rare, and earthquakes even more rare. Oh, there's always the chance of an asteroid hitting close by, but that could happen anywhere. There are mosquitoes, but she has never seen a spider bigger than her hand! And all three of the snakes are non-poisonous garter snakes.

So she'll probably stay where she is, whining occasionally about the cold in the winter (but never about the heat in the summer!) and dream once in awhile about living 'somewhere warmer'.

Is that a cobweb in the corner? Look at the dust behind that...... time to get out the vacuum.....

18 comments:

Leah J. Utas said...

Excellent post, df Bag Lady. Most evocative. I have always loved our long, long summer days and how it never really got dark at home in May and June.
We're lucky here that we have no poisonous spiders or snakes. Cold has it's good points.

the Bag Lady said...

Thanks, cousin! Cold does have some good points, including keeping the snake and bug population on the small side! :)

JavaChick said...

We lit our first fire of the season yesterday as well. Heat from a wood fire is so cozy!

Husband and I have that warm climate discussion all the time. We don't enjoy the cold weather but it sure does seem like there are a lot of downsides to warmer climates; we always end up agreeing that we've got it pretty good.

Geosomin said...

he hee...lately I've been so busy I've adopted an "if I don't see the dust bunny it's not real" theory and haven't looked too closely at things. Best let them cohabitate with me peacefully.

I know what you mean about fires...we went out for a bonfire on friday and it was so nice to watch the fire, toast marshmallows, drink beer, er I mean hot chocolate, and relax by a fire...

Anonymous said...

When the dust bunnies get too big, just name them and call the pets!

I'm supposed to be cleaning and decluttering today before my husband calls in the folks from "Hoarders." Instead, I'm blogging.

Reb said...

Except for the rattle snakes in Ft. Assiniboine and further south ;)
I would love to live where it's warm year round too, then like you I think about all the nasty bugs and natural disasters that seem to occur with rising frequency and am glad to be where I am in spit of the cold.

solarity said...

I had a fire late in September when there was a cold night with frost warnings (which did not come true) followed by a cloudy day. I haven't had one since, because it's been too warm. This house stays warm in the sun: the indoor temperatures have been 70F and mostly above without the heat being on. When I do turn the heat on, sometime next week probably, it will be set just below 60F and I'll be sitting next to the stove when I have a fire.

I did enjoy the milder winters when I lived in North Carolina, but there were hurricanes as well as the familiar tornadoes and poisonous snakes, and I was happy to move back home.

Mary Anne in Kentucky, where I've never seen a poisonous snake outside of a zoo

Hilary said...

Enjoyed this post immensely, Baggie. I vote for keeping snakes and spiders far away too. But I also feel that way about snow.

I had planned to clean today too. Look what I'm doing instead. Maybe tomorrow..

messymimi said...

What you want is a winter home in the Caribbean, when it isn't hurricane season, and a summer home right where you are.

Meanwhile, enjoy your wood fire.

Dawn said...

Lovely post, Baggie. There is simply nothing that can compare with a wood fire. I'm spoilt because I married a man who truly loves gathering firewood. He spends all summer chainsawing up old logs and we have enough firewood stacked for about 3 winters.

I heroically do my bit and try to burn it up as fast as I can!

Now about these warmer climes. I believe it might be warmer here in New Zealand - certainly it is over winter - and we don't have ANY snakes, not even harmless ones.

You could try here.

Umm - we do have volcanoes and earthquakes, though - but we just ignore them!

Sagan said...

You KNOW the reason we live in this country is specifically for the purpose of being able to complain about being cold all winter. Sure, it would be nice to live in a warmer climate, but then we'd have nothing to do in the winter months! Without our country's collective hobby of complaining, we'd be totally lost.

...that's what I keep telling myself, anyways. (I was definitely dreaming of moving to Italy yesterday when I was feeling particularly cold).

Woodstoves are the best thing ever.

Cheryl Kohan said...

I'll tell you, that could be me writing...I feel exactly like you do! We must be kindred spirits. We haven't lit a fire, yet, but it'll be soon.

And speaking from experience, we've spent winter "someplace warm" for the past five years and I gotta admit, I missed my little house. Put my foot down, this year...we'll be shoveling snow with everyone else on the street! Well...JACK will be shoveling snow, that is.

the Bag Lady said...

JavaChick - yes, we have that discussion around here, too, and always seem to find a reason to stay.

Geo - bonfires in the autumn are one of the things that make life worth living! All that beer.... err ... hot chocolate!

kcinnova - I've already named some of the dust bunnies..... :)

Reb - rattlers at the Fort?? Who knew! Glad I'm north of there!

Mary Anne in Kentucky - it's supposed to be mild here for awhile yet, too, so we probably won't have to light the stove again for a few days.

Thanks, Hilary - I know that part of the reason my house isn't as clean as it could be has to do with what I'm doing right now. Ahem.

messymimi - that is the perfect solution! Now, all I have to do is figure out how to afford it....

Dawn - Thanks! To be perfectly honest, we have had several serious discussions about New Zealand! No snakes? Good to know! But the Ring of Fire thing..... I don't know if the Rancher would like that idea.
(Unless, of course, we could convince him it refers to wood fires, and not volcanoes and earthquakes.... ;))

Sagan - you have a point. Canadians can hold entire conversations with total strangers about the weather!
Ooooh - Italy! I loved it there!!

Levi said...

I can't imagine moving with all that crap you've hoarded. It's better to croak and make someone else clean up after us.

carla said...

come here! and then we can whine together in chorus in the summer!!

the Bag Lady said...

Cheryl - not sure how I missed your comment - we must have been writing at the same time! Once we've had winter for awhile, I don't mind it as much because I can start to look forward to spring! :) I don't blame you for wanting to stay home this winter, although it sounds like you've had plenty of fun housesitting!

Janell - that's probably exactly what will happen, but I hope it won't be for a few more years!

Carla - We could winter there and summer here - all of us! You'd love it here in the summer, and so would the Tornado!

Missicat said...

Wish I had a wood stove or fireplace. wah! I also have contemplated moving...but I doubt I ever will. We have pretty decent weather (the ton of snow last winter was freakish...). I love living near Washington, D.C. - so much to do and see!

the Bag Lady said...

Missicat - there is something to be said for having lots to see and do! And I love having the woodstove - it comes in handy during power failures, too!