Living in Denial


MIDLAND, NC - For most of my adult life I have been living in denial about the coldness of winter. Like a good alcoholic I was able to cover up and get by but deep inside I was cold.

I would dash outside in the cold under dressed into a warm car and then dash through the cold into a heated office.

I would visit the barn under protected and be miserable in 5 minutes.

This winter so far is as cold as last which was unusually cold for North Carolina but this year I am fighting back.

First, I have my insulated Dickies. They are so warm, so encompassing and so easy to put on and take off that I don’t avoid using them.

Second, I have been layering, overdressing and taking extra layers just in case.

Third, I have been covering my head more and using a polar Buff around my neck and head.

Finally this has allowed me to spend many more hours outside where I prefer to be.

I know this seems like common sense to a Midwesterner but you have to know a bit about our winters. A good winter here is cold but not harsh. Everything is dark and wet. Highs are upper 50’s to warm lower 60’s with lows around 30.

This year is like last. Lows in the low 20’s to upper teens. Frozen ground in the morning until noon. Highs in the 40’s to maybe 50 and always a brisk breeze. We have had quite a few days in the 30’s and lows in the teens.

These winters are in stark contrast to each other.



© 2011 wReggie’s I’m Always Mentally on Vacation. These Terms and Conditions of Use apply to you when you view, access or otherwise use the blog located at www.wreggie.com (the “blog”). Terms and Conditions can be found at http://reghunnicutt.com/terms.html.

4 comments:

terri said...

I'm a midwesterner, and I have no common sense about the winter. I haven't worn a hat since around 4th grade, even though I'm well aware that if you're head is warm, your body will stay warmer. In high school, we had to wear uniforms of skirts and blouses. I would go to the bus stop in the dead of winter in that skirt with bare legs, and freeze my butt off. My own kids don't understand the need to at least bring a jacket along in a car during a blizzard. Guess they need to experience a breakdown and have to spend some time walking to figure that one out.

Rock Chef said...

This year I rediscovered an old padded shirt of mine. It has done sterling work, keeping me toasting warm in the snow and wind.

Looks like crap, but I don't care!

MELackey said...

We were just laughing the other day that we know we are from Texas (or the South in general) when the only cold weather clothes we have are camouflage. I like the cold weather, but I hate being cold, so I now have a heater for my deer stand (because I'm not smart enough to just stay in bed on the cold mornings...)

matshorts said...

I like Winter for some of the time, but it's gets old super quick and Spring/Summer can't get here fast enough.

Growing up near DC and moving north to Philly doesn't make Winters any warmer, but I can't complain about the changing of seasons... it's pretty awesome.