You Call THIS Cold?!

I've still got to post the blogs I wrote about how cold in gets in Europe.   To answer Aussie questions such as "My girlfriend and I were thinking of going to Europe in February, during the off season, to save money.  Do you think I need to buy a coat?"

Uh yeah.

This past Saturday, 9AM.  It was in the 70s by mid-morning,

In the meantime, we've experienced bit of a cold snap here ourselves.  The week we moved, the first week of June, the Brisbane area experienced its coldest June day since 1916.

Let me repeat.  Brisbane recently experienced its coldest June day since 1916.

It was nippy.  For shorts and a T-shirt.  Probably only the low 50s F.  (12C.)

I was getting a little worried until I picked the children up at school and one of the teachers told me that this was the coldest she can EVER remember it being during the daytime.  Oh, I thought, if this is the WORST they're gonna throw at me, I'll be fine.

But a frigid 60s in the early morning.  The goalie got to wear sweats!

12C is the coldest it has been in June since 1916.

That same day, it was the Thursday after we moved I remember, was also gray and cloudy.  Which meant that our solar water heating system only allowed us one shower.

But which also means that such a day is so rare here that you CAN rely on solar power to heat your water.

What a concept.

Late May.  More danger from sun than cold.

Sure, we had a couple of nights the week after where the temperatures dipped into the 40s F.  (5C).  But nothing that a couple of blankets and a small heater in the living room in the morning wouldn't cover.

I read that the average Brissie household uses those heaters an average of 12 days a year.

TWELVE DAYS A YEAR.

In the meantime, most days are crisp and clear.  Blue skies like Europe only dreams about.  And in the low 20C (70sF). 

Mid-May.

Really folks, I tell them, THIS is the type of SUMMER WEATHER Europe is DYING for.

My friend from Moscow gets homesick in the winter here, because it reminds her of summer back home.

I'd forgotten what it was like to see the sky - by the way it is BLUE here, not gray - almost EVERY DAY.  With an almost constant 12 hours of daylight year round.

What a difference it makes.

May 1.  Anything to keep the sun off!

I've promised not to complain about the heat when it does arrives in summer.  (Although I have a blog about that too!)

I  look up at the bright blue sky and know I will never take these beautiful winter days for granted. 

Even if I am wearing a long-sleeved cotton sweater at 21C (low 70s F)!