If the fog comes in on little cat's feet, how does winter come in? I like when PBS airs programs showing winter at its worst, avalanches trapping people underneath or a NOVA show where they were climbing Denali, the tallest mountain in North America & all the climbers had elevation sickness, were dizzy & had air pockets in their lungs & had to climb back down.
These shows make me appreciate the endurance we need in wintertime, esp. as we grow older and have no one to dress us for the outdoors or carry us in their warm arms. You must be a hardy soul to survive even in the more moderate cold of a Philadelphia winter, n-est-ce pop?
Here are some rules I made up:
- Wear thermal underwear or dress in layers. Thermal underwear is one-third off at Sears if you BUY IT NOW.
- Put everything on before you leave home including hat and gloves. By covering your hands you'll avoid chapping. Have several pair of same-color gloves in case you lose them. In emergencies, you can wear socks on your hands.
- Carry a hot drink with you on your errands. I stopped at a Starbucks and bought their luscious apple cider.
- Avoid unnecessary exposure to cold. When filling your car w/gas, sit in your car while tank is filling. You can watch other gassers dancing with cold as they stare at the gas tanks instead of the beautiful world around them.
- Bundle up & park away from the fray and walk to your destination as long as you remain warm. This way you will absorb Vitamin D from the sun & possibly get a little color in your cheeks. You will also feel proud of yourself that you braved the elements far from Ididerata.
- Appreciate the cold as one of the great wonders of nature. I go for brief trips to my garbage can right outside my side door wearing my clogs and my new skivvies. I don't stay out long b/c I don't want to harm my body from the shock of The Cold, but while I'm out there I feel the extraordinary power of the winter in all its fury. Just a little tilt away from the sun, a few degrees, and the earth shivers and shrivels up.
- Do something unusual to0 snub your nose at ole man winter. Tuesday night I'm having Ada and Rich (The Fabulous Fleishers) over for a fish dinner. I'd also like to invite the Tamaccios but my kitchen table is too small. I'll buy whatever fresh fish is on sale and we'll each have a humongous always under-appreciated sweet potato slathered with butter. I learned this word on Chow.com.
- Oil yourself up. I use coconut oil on my face and hands. It smells sweet and attracts the bees.
- Walk with bended knees and minced steps on ice and snow and don't worry how silly you look. Remember, silly is good!
