Rio de Janeiro Weather: Burrrrrr

I know Rio de Janeiro doesn't get that cold. I really truly get that. I mean, when I see the children wearing ski-caps, scarves, and hooded jackets in this city I wonder what they would ever do if they were shipped off to Norway.

But it has gotten chilly for a Rio de Janeiro winter and that, in an of itself, has turned my apartment into a refrigerator. I am not lying here people, I live in the crisper.

It's just that apartments here are not made for windy and breezy weather. They don't hold in warmth for a second. Obviously architects had to choose between cool for the summer and warm for the winter. Which is the greater of two evils.

So as I scoot around in my US Christmas jammies and sock slippers, I remind myself that my house is nice and cool come January. Well, as cool as an non air-conditioned place can be.

And I make a little promise to myself to have those damn windows changed to good ones. Ones that are not from the 60s and allow in a draft strong enough to be considered a breeze. Then again, once summer rolls around I love that air still gets in when the windows are closed because of the summer rain.

Oh well.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find myself a blanket to curl up with.

Hell has Frozen Over and There is Nothing to Do

I'm dying in the country. Well, not literally dying. I'm dying of boredom!  And so are my kids.

First off, we are not used to cold. And it is COLD outside. That takes the fun away from the swing sets and makes it all but impossible for this Mom to sit and supervise.  I end up zoning out and almost passing into a freezing-my-ass-off coma.

And there is nothing to do otherwise. I swear, everyone in this town must spend their summers roaming the cornfields and going to Target.  That or underage drinking.

But it's not all small town America's fault.  Rio de Janeiro has turned me into a city girl. I enjoy walking everywhere, besides cornfields. I love that I can run down from my apartment and pick up just about anything in less then 10 minutes.

I adore that I do not have to use my car on a daily basis.  It makes me tingle that I can go to a multitude of parks, museums, nature walks, malls, movies, or restaurants with little to no effort.

I dig that the beach is so close, that I don't even have to bring chairs if I don't want to, and that there's a guy selling cold beer by 930am.

Ok, am I a city girl or a Rio de Janeiro city girl?

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the country. I really love to get out of the city... for a long weekend.  Maybe for 2 weeks.  I could even do a month if it's warm.

But 6 weeks in the middle of nowhere, in the cold, is a lot to ask for.

So I will not be moving to the little town in the middle of small town America where my parents live. I will visit. I love a good visit to the Grandma and Grandpa, as do my kids.

However, I do think it may be wise, do to our accustomed body temperatures, to save these special visits until spring.

Win win for all involved.

So any ideas to help me and two active little boys survive?

Cold Front Hits Rio de Janeiro

Before everyone gets on their high global warming horse let me qualify that statement.  It's a Rio de Janeiro cold front. That means it's 19 degrees C and 66 degrees F.

Yes people, that is cold down here. That's FREAKING cold down here! For starters, homes are not made for cold. I swear, my apartment breaths.  It does. It takes in air from the outside and exhales it into the apartment.   

And I am loving it!  Really!  We get so much warm and even more sun, this is my moment for chills. This is the one time I can dress my boys in the really cute clothes I brought from the states. You know, the preppy polos, cargo pants, and sweaters, etc.  Hell, in the summer, they hardly even wear clothes short of undies. 

Plus I can wear my beloved jeans every single day.  I'm a jeans girl living in Rio de Janeiro and this is the only time I get to dust them off and bust them out!

It's time to enjoy every single moment of our month of "cold".  We have taken out socks, blankets, long sleeved jammies and jammie pants.  We have tea on, are making soup, and eating warm cookies.  I am drinking red wine, taking scolding hot showers, and traded my haviannas in for converse. 

Hello Winter, it's been too long