Now What?

Musings of ways to make time pass when visiting in-laws in foreign country (in my case, Turkey in middle of summer) when you would rather be somewhere else, like Italy. If you get me, you will get it. 1. When the heat is up, turn the AC ON (dial it up to # 26) 2. Bring your laptop (endless options and huge time killer) 3. Your smartphone is your friend (load up your kindle app with easy summer reads, text friends begging for mercy and positive thoughts) 4. Sleep in (waste the entire morning in bed, makes the day go by faster) 5. Escape to the bedroom during the day-- which has AC. (take afternoon nap while everyone else minds your kids (and husband) 6. Late afternoon trip to the sea (good to kill those agonizing late afternoon hours before dinner like 4pm-7pm Turkish time) 7. Fold clothes (when the clothes have reached premium stiffness from hanging out in the Aegean heat, fold em up and put away) 8. Periodically check the weather, like hourly (especially when there...

I am a New Englander, born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. I've lived in the Boston area for more than half my life now and I detest New England winters. I hate the cold. I find it annoying to bundle up with many layers to walk outside, making it "bearable." I loathe the unpredictable winter weather. Wintery mixes, sub-zero wind chills, and the random 60-degree teaser all make for an enjoyable (insert sarcasm) three months. I have Raynaud's syndrome, a circulation disorder that makes my extremities numb. Though I don't have seasonal affective disorder, the early morning and late afternoon darkness feel like evil bookends compressing the day. Over myriad winters, I've endured by making myself socially active despite the cold. After all, misery loves company, right? I've trained for four Boston Marathons in horrendous winter weather, including blizzards where my eyelashes carried chunks of ice during long runs. I survived the ...