Can I tell you a little secret... I hate the cold!
I love the winter, the snow and living here in Piedmont but I have never liked the cold…. or rather feeling cold.
I think perhaps I was a cat in a previous life, one that slept all winter by the fire.
Right now I have a hot water bottle under my socked feet, it’s 5pm and the wood fire has been going all day and I’m still freezing!
I have a circulation issue which means my feet always feel like blocks of ice. (anyone know a good remedy for this let me know)
Meanwhile Sam is wandering the house in a short sleeved shirt, like it’s the middle of summer.
So about now, mid winter I start missing my former home in tropical Queensland just a street from the beach.
Although I must say winter here isn’t as bad as you may think.
Cold weather in Italy is totally manageable.
Even with high snows we still have beautiful clear blue sky days and sunshine.
Keeping Warm: cold weather in Italy
Buy your cold weather gear when you get to Europe, it’s way cheaper and the variety is amazing.
Keep an emergency kit in the car! My husband keeps bringing this in and I keep putting it back in the car. It has a torch, extra clothes for the kids and a big coat for me just in case we break down on the side of the road.
Keep the snow shovel by the door, you never know when you’ll have to dig your way out.
Remember your teenage daughter will swipe your good black leather boots and warm black leggings you bought in Australia… just kiss them goodbye and use Sams track suit pants to keep warm about the house. (yep glamour is my middle name)
If you’re crazy enough to want to go spend the day out in the snow with your kids take lots of socks and never tuck their pants into their boots, learned this one the hard way.
You know the saying “Location Location Location” well for me during winter it’s “Layers Layers Layers” starting with a thermal (which you can get at most markets and stores). Best place to get larger sizes has been Decathalon.
Invest in multiple woolly hats, gloves and scarfs (we get them ranging in price from 1 euro up to 5 euro for the fancy ones) as they always seem to go missing.
Keep spare gloves because they always go missing, and when you fall over in the snow without gloves getting up is chilly for your hands.
Drink lots of Hot Chocolate Piemontese style (okay you don’t HAVE to do this but why not! Oh and be sure to ask for panna on top! Trust me it makes a difference!)
Keep telling yourself that summer will be here soon! Oh and for all my Aussie friends who keep sending me beach photos… I hate you lol x
Keeping the house warm: cold weather in Italy
Make sure your house is well insulated, with double glazed doors and windows.
Every opportunity you get, gather wood…. all wood is good wood for the fire! Whenever I go for a walk though the year I take a big bag and gather bits of wood…. great for getting the fire lit in winter.
Learn how to light a fire, it took me ages to get this right and now both of our children can easily light a fire (without firelighters).
Autumn leaves are great for kindling, gather them through Autumn.
Make sure you’re never the first one up and about…. especially if your fire lighting skills are slightly lacking due to shivering.
And my best advice is to just give in to the cold, put on lots of layers and get out and enjoy it!
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