<p>Fortunately, the worst of it lasts only about a week, usually in January. Yes, we see lots of vacations around now (my sister is in Maui all month - although a working vacation for her), and yes, lots of indoor exercise equipment or memberships to gyms; we have an indoor treadmill, exercise bike, weights for DS etc. And since it’s still January, the New Years’ resolutions haven’t been abandoned yet so they actually get used - a little (well, not the weights, they are just gathering dust since DS is away at school, NOT in Minnesota!) Of course, you still see the die-hard runners around the lakes even in the worst of it (brrrhhh!!) (Mpls has some nice inner city lakes). </p>
<p>And, not surprisingly, a lot of the LACs do not have classes during much of January which makes it much more bearable for those not used to this weather (I think S’s friends at Macalester do not start again until the end of the month).</p>
<p>NOT that anybody can ever really get “used” to it…</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. I spent 3 years in New England and I can still feel that bitter cold in my mind. Brrr…I just wasn’t made of strong enough stuff for it!</p>
<p>Very interesting about the Puget Sound area, as my D will be there next year. She thinks she’s escaping winter! Perhaps less than she knows? </p>
<p>I appreciate January in this midwestern zone. Get cozy inside, walk vigorously or run on the nice days, cross country ski if enough snow, gather with friends, see movies. Things change soon enough, and then the warmth is really appreciated. And I grew up in the desert!</p>
<p>patient, was it windy in Bay Area today? My husband is in “the land of evil bosses” (his co. headquarters) tonight, and he reported that wind was howling in the trees, but the sun was gorgeous! </p>
<p>It was much nice north of Seattle today (35-40 and no cold rain), and most of the snow is gone. Of course, my personal permafrost (icy private drive to our house) has not even started thawing yet. I’d give it a few more days… My friend, who grew up in southern (!!!) Siberia, laughs at us, Washington pansies.</p>
<p>Here are some Seattle jokes. A very pale Seattelite lounges on the beach in Maui. Someone asks him why he’s so pale, like there’re no sunny days in Seattle? The guy replies, “Of course, we do have sunny days, but I had to work that day”.</p>
<p>What do you call a nice sunny day after two days of pouring rain? A Monday.</p>
<p>great lakes mom, my Siberian-grown friend lo-o-oves it here. Rain in January? Ha, to her it feels wonderful! And in early March, when the little crocuses start popping out of the ground, everyone wakes up from the winter slumber and starts digging in the dirt, jogging outside, hiking, etc. Puget Sounders are very outdoorsy people and we are not that afraid of the rain (we just whine about it a lot), but a few snowflakes outside of designated skiing areas make us panic! By the way, today I saw pale pink flowers on the japanese cherries in my business park, and filbert bushes are already spreading pollen all around them. Spring is coming…</p>
<p>BB–I didn’t notice any wind. Went running this morning in tank top and running pants. Trees are quiet outside my office, basking in the afternoon sun :). Depends on the part of the BArea I guess?</p>