“I think it is trying to snow”

“I think it is trying to snow”

I could have written this one every day of the last three weeks. That’s how long we have been back home, ironically we left the snow of England which is quite pretty to the more industrial snow of our current homeland. Arriving late afternoon is was still a shock to see piles 6 to 8 foot high by the side of the road. It had come down two days before and the army of people had been out moving it around and out of the way.

There seems to be a strict code for moving snow. First main roads (predictably) then side streets then pavements and last car parking spaces. They have neat machines which scoop up the snow and put it on a conveyor which dumps it into a truck behind. Something like those you see digging up the asphalt. The snow is as I noted before moved somewhere else as there is not much chance it will melt for a month or two.

This brings me to the temperature “it’s cold”. I know it is relative and I have often been in Newcastle where people don’t seem to bother with coats (although this owes more to the fact that they are only moving 100 yards or so to the next pub). I have seen people in Rome with overcoats on when I was in short sleeves. As I say it is relative and when I go out I think it is relatively cold. Now I think I may still have some readers in Canada who might still think this is nothing special but to me of course it is still new. The temperature is averaging -15c. it has got as low as -26c and one day it did get as high as -5c when that pale yellow thing which never seems to rise above the rooftops popped out. We live on the 6th floor and not sure it gets above my eye line as it struggles to make any impression. The only result of this sudden exposure to the rays was to melt some of the roof and cause a leak into the “Patio” area I say patio it is about 5ft by 2ft so not something to shout about. 

 So how does one survive? Well inside is fine, so fine in fact I can spend the day in shorts and a football shirt. These Russians know how to heat a house. The radiators pump out heat constantly and there is never a stop they just keep going and will possibly get shut off 1st April. It is going out which is the issue so the drill is to check the outside temperature as it makes a difference to what you will put on. You also take into consideration how long you will be out and where. You only wander around a mall wrapped up once to break into a sweat. So here’s the deal.

-5 c woolen gloves, short coat with fleece, cloth scarf, 2 layers vest and shirt, no hat, short boots, 1 handkerchief
-10 – 15c padded gloves, long coat with fur collar, large woolen scarf, 2 layers vest and jersey, knitted hat, short boots, 1 handkerchief
– 18 – 25c Skiing gloves, long coat (add hood), large scarf, 2 layers shirt and jersey, fur hat with ear muffs, long large boots, 2 handkerchiefs (see below)
-25c or below what are you going out for you must be mad.

Does this work, not really there is a gap between your coat and your boots which is freezing. There are lined trousers which I need to acquire before the weather turns (so lots of time yet). You of course have the obligatory yet involuntary running nose which is quite an embarrassment. It starts 15 paces outside and continues forever. I can saturate one in the first 10 minutes so two is preferable. You also need to remember to keep things in your coat pockets as getting inside all this apparel once out could be classed as an Olympic event as you struggle to retrieve that 50 ruble note from some location about you which you thought was a wise place to store it.

I may say some more on the topic next week but I need to leave in 20 minutes so I really need to start getting wrapped up now if I am going to get out on time.