I am not ready for winter!

A cold front came through yesterday. We are unusually cold for this time of year with nights in the mid-to-high thirties and days in the forties (too cold for this time of year). We also have wind gusts of 20-30 mph. I noticed yesterday that my legs did not want to work after taking Fred for his morning walk (I ride the cart and he walks). We are supposed to warm up again early this week (back into the 50's and 70's). I am ready for that.

Last January we had some unusually cold weather for northern Georgia. It was 13 degrees one morning and did not get out of the twenties. I remember commenting that I thought we moved away from this type of weather. Fortunately, those temperatures are not normal around here.

The cold also affects my ability to use my hands and legs. I find myself feeling much weaker and the fingers do not work. Even though temperatures in the house are still comfortable, I just cannot seem to warm up. I find that my fingers just do not want to work correctly (i.e., typing, eating, picking up things). During the winter, I wear long underwear, wool socks, a hooded sweatshirt, and even have heat packs for my gloves (no, I do not live in Alaska). When I go out, I look like "Nanook of the North." The winter gear all seems to help, but it does not eliminate the basic problem. Someone recommended electric (battery operated) gloves and socks. Someone else recommended that I install a heater in the golf cart. I am not certain I am ready for this level of warmth yet, but give me a few more days of low temperatures and high winds and I might take the plunge.

You would not believe that I grew up in Minnesota. 35 degrees below zero did not keep me in. We (my Boy Scout troop) even camped out one weekend where temperatures never rose above 25 below. It was nothing to go hunting in the early morning. Somehow, we survived and had a lot of fun doing it.

When we lived in Seattle, we hiked in the mountains all year round. We even used snowshoes during the winter when the snow was several feet deep. I was in my mid-to-late forties at the time and did not notice the temperatures nearly as much as I do today. Just thinking about snowshoeing in my current condition makes me smile (cannot walk and chew gum).

Yes, I know I will survive these occasional cold days in Georgia. I really believe I just need something to complain about occasionally. The most important thing for me to remember is that "this too will pass."