Sam was right!

One of my friends in Australia used to tell me that Aussies were "tougher" than Americans. Thinking of myself, I argued the point. I've been home for almost two years now, and I'm discovering it's true! I should preface this with the fact that our cooler is usually set around 75 degrees while we're home. It's the temperature that everyone could agree on. Currently, Texas has been having a cold snap. Personally, I've been enjoying the change. I open the windows in the house, grab a blanket and some hot cocoa, and happily enjoy the change from the sweltering heat that is the norm for south Texas. I stand in my closet in the morning and wonder which of my neglected sweaters I should wear.

Yesterday morning I got up, got ready, and spent some time downstairs baking cookies before the rest of the residents in my house were awake. When I wandered back upstairs and was talking to an un-named roommate, she was complaining about how cold it was! I told her it was 71 degrees in the house-a mere 3-4 degrees cooler than the preferred temperature. She didn't believe me, and persisted in complaining about the cold. I laughed and headed back downstairs. Have we grown so soft that we can't take a 4 degree temperature change without complaint? I've lived in houses with no heating and no air conditioning and am still around to tell the tale (mind you, this was not in Texas-I don't think I would make it in the heat and humidity without air con). So while I'm relishing in the cooler weather, and torturing my roommates by perpetually opening the windows in our house to let in the cool air, others in San Antonio are running around like this: Please make note-this picture was taken in New York in December. There is ice on the water, and it was literally freezing. I'd like also to note that the "cold snap" here in Texas means our high is in the 60's somewhere, and maybe ten degrees cooler at night. My friends in Utah have had highs in the 50's and lows in the 20's! So while I may be wearing a coat or sweater to protect against the "cold", I am well aware that it really isn't cold.

Happy Fall, everyone. 34 days until my birthday (not that I'm counting...actually I guess I just did).