winter in perth

having experienced 2 full "winters" in WA, entering the 3rd, i decided that it was time to discuss what it's all about. "winter". it's a loose term in WA, a very loose term. i think most non-australians would refer to it as "fall" or "not summer".

winter in our neck of the woods (or desert i suppose) is pleasant. the weather hovers in the mid-teens during the day and may go down as low as 2 degrees at night, but generally floats around 5-8 overnight. the wind is quite strong and can be cold, but never bites the same way a freezing winter wind in canada does. it does rain quite a bit, but even then, compared to what? we may get somewhere between 6-8 weeks of intense rain, which is hardly enough to make up for the 10 months without it! and when it does rain, you can often wait it out before- it usually clears on/off all day. the rain also lacks that heavy, greyness that most of you know well. the sky may get grey, but on most days there'll be a few clearings of bright blue, sunny skies!

the thing that amazes me is how wimpy perthites are to cold. and yes, i know, they're used to hot weather. but having lived here for 2.5 years, i am used to hot weather as well. perthites dress for 15 degree, sunny days like it's 0 degrees outside: big, thick winter jackets that i would legitimately wear in sub-zero temps at home, scarves and ugg boots (which is a whole other issue in itself), they complain about the "bone chilling" cold outside and how they can't warm up, they don't do anything outdoorsy in winter because it's "too cold" and they flee to warmer areas for their "winter holidays". and they tell me that it's because i'm canadian when i tell them "it's really not that cold out".

and sure, that may be true. i am canadian. but it's also true that it's not that cold out. 15 degrees is a comfortable weather, hardly needing a jacket in the sun-drenched day time and usually requiring a thin fall-thickness jacket at night. all i use here is my pink trench (which gets about 4 months of action in canada) and a "scarf" which i would call a shawl, as it's made of such soft, thin material it would never cut it in winter.

i can't help but laugh at them. i think it might be rude, but i just can't stop. the other day whilst i was working, i saw a girl run by the clinic. she was wearing running tights, a long sleeved shirt and (the piece de resistance) an ear-band! it ws 9:30am, sunny and approx 16 degrees at the time. did i mention that she was running!?

the only thing i will admit, and will probably be harassed for, is that my house is bloody freezing. perthites don't insulate. at all. in fact, i don't even think they know the word! it can be a comfortable 15 degrees outside, but it will feel closer to 5 inside the house. to the point that you dress for the cold, step outside and think "what?"

the poorly constructed houses have no insulation in the walls, windows that are paper-thin and drafty and no basements, so the ground floor is cold to walk on. they have no central heating/cooling systems in the houses either. so at best, you have a little gas heater on the floor, blowing away all evening. the second you turn it off is the second you start to get cold again!

last year, john went to bunnings (home depot) to get some plastic sheets to cover our windows (to keep the draft out). the man at the shop looked at him like he was speaking latin and had no idea what john wanted when he asked for "thick plastic sheets to cover the windows to keep the draft out".

when i mention this lack of insulating materials, perthites look at me like i'm crazy. why would you need to insulate, it's hot most of the year. clearly, they don't get that insulation works both ways. keeps heat in during winter and cold in during summer. the government is starting to push insulation as a way of keeping electricity bills down, decrease greenhouse gas and keep houses cooler naturally. but nah, they still don't get it. instead they whinge about the terrible weather that they have to endure...for 8 weeks.

i, on the other hand, will just sit with a hot drink in front of my gas heater, in my sweater and slippers and contemplate the fact that winter here is like summer ins some parts of canada...
xo