Wednesday, February 25, 2009

We're throwing off the bonds of seasonal oppression and declaring our independence!

Here in Arizona we like to keep up appearances. Even though we don't have a "real" Winter, we go through the motions with the rest of the Nation.


In August, as school creeps closer, the stores begin to fill with plaid wool and knit sweaters while we're still enduring temperatures above 105 degrees. The crazy thing is that we all start buying them because, ever-hopeful, we crave that change to Fall too. (Perhaps even more than most states.) Invariably you'll see a girl in long sleeves on the first sweltering day of school. You know she's insisted on wearing her favorite magazine dictated Fall fashions despite the warnings of her Mother. This year, I even saw a high school boy sporting his awesome long black Goth duster over his long black pants and knee-high boots, on a day with record-setting heat. I'm sure he felt extremely cool, even if he was about to faint from heat exhaustion.


Through November and December we revel in our chilly temperatures. The slightest frost is all the excuse we need to remove the candelabra from the fireplace and stick in a paper-coated 4-hour fire log. We may have to turn on the air conditioning to make a crowded Christmas party bearable, but at least it can look like Winter.


At school, little Arizonans go through the motions (I assume kids in Florida and small Californians also carry on the charade) by making sponge painted fall leaves that we won't see until January, cutting out snowflakes when some have never seen one, and bringing home construction paper snowmen to decorate at the kitchen table before they're allowed to run out to have a light-sabre war on the lawn with the other neighborhood kids.

But I, for one, am done keeping up appearances. I declare that it's time for the South to rise again and throw off the shackles of seasonal oppression! Today my kids are going barefoot and wearing shorts, even if it is still February!

17 comments:

vsalono said...

I wore sandals and short sleeves to work today. And I had to turn on the A/C when I got home from work last night! Just for a couple hours.

Salsa Mama said...

We use our ceiling fans almost year round, and have totally done the a/c on with the firelog!! Yea, we are with you on the shorts and barefeet. Right with ya.

Anonymous said...

Wearing sandals year round is one of the things I LOVE about living in the southwest!

Jen Sue Wild said...

Ohh I want to wear shorts and go bare Footed. Ok maybe footed not a word. But you get my point.

We are having lots and lots of sun but it's still to cold out to wear shorts and bare feet.
Hmm may be it's because we live in Alaska.

Devri said...

We wear shorts and barefeet in the dead of winter at our house.. Even her baby went with the neckked look!!

Becky T. said...

GOOD FOR YOU!

Here in VA, we have season changes but the (trace) snow is a joke. This morning was 27 but in a couple days it will be 67! I love your blog and all you have to say. Keep it up! :-)

Mamarazzi said...

most awesome post! i wore flip flips today...to the market! it was sooo freeing, my toes were beside themselves with happiness!

any news?

Cecily R said...

Guess what? We did the barefoot thing here yesterday too...in UTAH! Granted it was probably 25 or so degrees colder here than there, but still. We will make Spring come whether it wants to or not!!!

Awesome, RAD post my friend!

Cathy said...

WTG - we'll catch up to you soon. Here in Idaho we still have snow and ice on the ground, and we love that, for the most part, but I'm to the point where I'm ready to be done with it all too! :)

tammi said...

Oh, just hush up.

{sulking here in the coldest corner of the house on the still-solidly-frozen Canadian prairies....!}

Are You Serious! said...

♥ When we went to AZ a couple of years ago for Thanksgiving it was so beautiful we had shorts and capri's on and everyone else had long sleeves and stuff it was crazy! I guess when you're used to 105, 60 & 70 degrees would probably feel cold! :)

Crazymamaof6 said...

we like the diaper look here. it's not to cold for it. and my A/C it's on. RIGHT NOW. otherwise i'm hot and cranky!

Michelle said...

Shorts, no shoes and sandals are VERY common things around here. Love it but it's sad we don't experience most of the regular seasons. I laughed when you talked about making fall leaves, snowmen, snowflakes, etc. So true.

Ter said...

WATCH OUT!!!

I just threw a snowball at you!

Lisa Loo said...

You go girl!! We have a ways to go before we get there--lucky you! Love the South rising again feference :0)

Jen said...

We've had some super warm weather here as well. Not as warm as you by any means, but 60 + in Utah in February! I'll take it for sure!

Nikki said...

I am SO jealous. It's negative 25 degrees here right now. I have errands to run, no energy to do it, and NO desire to pack kids into coats, gloves, hats, and boots and into the van. nope. not happening today.

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