Well, winter took its time this year and the cold has truly set it. I had thought that perhaps we would miss the worst of it, but alas nature must always take its course. This was confirmed by the groundhog, Phil, seeing his shadow this year.
I know I might sound like a princess πΈπ½, but hey ho, I dislike cold weather as much as I dislike the heat. I was made for temperate climates – just like Goldilocks. Most of the time, I can endure because I really don’t like to leave the house that much, even to go into our own yard. However, now and then I do venture out. Plus, the dogs cannot just be left to their own devices for walks – though they do a pretty good job.
When we moved to Southern France, we looked forward to living in warmer temperatures year-round. However, the first year had us feeling a bit cold π₯Ά though. Still, it was like in Japan where I felt it was endurable given that the sun was shining.
Somehow, when we moved to Italy, I thought that it would be warmer as it felt more south. However, two winters in and I am definitely no longer fooled by the lack of sunshine or warmth. These days, it is the cold wind that blows through despite the sunshine βοΈ.
So, I have made an executive decision to not experience another winter in this area, if I don’t have to. I know it is a luxury. I also know that it seems spoiled. However, with the means and capability, why not?
In the same vein, I also no longer enjoy the really hot weather. With the onset of menopause or all that surrounds it, the warmer temperatures make me overheat quickly and turns me into a raging π€ fiend. Therefore, I also have determined we shall avoid being here for the height of the summer months as well.
To make this happen, I have listed our new home on a site called Home Exchange. It is a nice way of being able to travel and stay somewhere for free, really. As we often have issues in finding pet-sitters, the bonus is that people will also take care of our cats and dogs while staying in our house. There are two ways of using this service. One is to do what they call a reciprocal exchange – home for home at the same time. Think the film The Holiday. The other way is using guest points. For every stay that we allow, we get points that can then be used to stay somewhere else. Since we are looking at some vacation options, it is amazing to think that we might be able to stay for, more or less, free.
Mostly, I just cannot wait until we have warmer weather or escape to find some!
~T π₯πβοΈ
