I wish someone on Facebook would post a picture of their thermometer. How else would I know how cold it is?

Its the first cold snap of the year, here in northwest Wisconsin. I know this because for some reason, everybody feels the need to post a picture of their thermometer on Facebook.

Why?

Yes, it's cold. It's the middle of December in Wisconsin. Now if it was -25°F in August, that would be something to get excited about. But it's the middle of December. In Wisconsin. This is nothing new folks.

The funny thing is, some people seem to be bragging about it. It's normal seasonal weather that you, by chance, happen to live in. You didn't do anything! It's not an accomplishment. 

I've worked with people in the past, and present who can't wait to ask others "how cold was it at your place this morning?" just to miraculously be two or three degrees colder. I finally got one to quit asking me when I replied "three degrees colder than what you had." That must of took the fun away from him, for he quit asking me that question every winter morning.

A Wisconsin winter is also not a testimony to your endurance for living here in the winter. You live in a very well insulated building with a modern heating system, electricity and running water. You drive a modern (most likely ) all wheel drive vehicle with an enclosed heated cab. Some of your vehicles even have heated seats and steering wheels! Not to mention our modern clothing options with the Thinsulate, Gortex, etc, 

Our Native and pioneering ancestors from centuries past would laugh at your "accomplishment" of endurance of turning up the thermostat, plugging in a space heater and putting on that micro fleece hoodie. 

If you'd like to read a book on real winter survival in this area, check out the link to the book below.

"All Hell Broke Loose" is a collection of first hand accounts of the 1940 Armistice Day storm. You may find it to be a real eye opener to how much harder life was around here not that long ago. Not to mention how dependent on technology and others conveniences we've all become. I honestly think many, many of us wouldn't be able to survive living in rural Wisconsin or Minnesota in 1940, let alone during a natural disaster as a major blizzard in September.