It's cold. The kind of cold that gets into your bones and hangs out there while you have to get up and face the dreary day. Having a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, partner or that stranger you picked up at the bar last night to cozy up to should make things less miserable, right? Wrong. They've stolen all the blankets (and your will to live) and even managed to "accidentally" turn on the AC (not cool). Don't toss them to the wet curb just yet. Thankfully, the winters are short in Israel. You've only got 1 2 3 months to go?
The Sock Monster Squabble. "My toes are froze and I'm all out of woollies. Honey, can I borrow your socks?" She begs in desperation. "Why don't you check the living room, kitchen, bathroom, dryer, or foot of the bed where all strays go to hibernate."
The "Sex Is Cheaper Than Heat" Rationale. Don't fight it, don't deny it, just hop to it. There's nothing wrong with a little cardio to raise that body temperature. Not only is mid-winter sex cost-efficient, if you're active enough, you can ditch the gym membership, too.
The Blanket Battle. There's plenty of duvet to go around. That is, until you start doing the hokey pokey: he puts his left foot in, you take your left foot out, that's not what it's all about.
The Hustle Or Bus-tle. One of you wants to walk it out, while the other refuses to go more than a city block to catch the nearest bus and would even transfer if it limited the time spent outdoors.
The Coffee Shop Standoff. You refuse to go more than three steps without cozying up to a steaming hot cup o' joe. Your partner knows just how aggressive you get when your caffeine kill count tops three shots of espresso.
The Gloves Come Off Conundrum. There's nothing more romantic than holding hands on a Friday afternoon stroll down Dizengoff, right? Wrong. As much as you love your partner, you love your fur-lined jacket pocket with the built-in personal heater better.
The Homebody Clash. You made a pact in April to be one of those couples that goes out and does stuff. You even cancelled your Netflix subscription (though you still have access to your parent's account). Then December hit. Now, while one of you wants to honor the commitment, the other cannot think of anything better to do than cower under a blanket fort and binge on Fauda Season 2.
The Heated Patio Predicament. One of you wants to sit outside–after all, those heat lamps could practically cause third degree sunburns. The other won't accept the patio as a viable option–there's a reason they reserve an entire season for patios when it's bright and sunny out.
The Alps Altercation. Making a break for the slopes to appreciate a "real" winter is all one of you can think about. The other can't be bothered with gloves, snowsuits, skis, goggles, and gear. Hot cocoa on the other hand...
By Jennifer Greenberg, a true blue-blooded Canadian with a very cold Israeli boyfriend.
Sick of winter? Look forward to 10 relationship arguments you'll have at least once in Israel this summer.