Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Cold


We are going through a cold spell here on the Oregon Coast. When ever it gets cold I can't help but think about the natives that lived here for years before the white man arrived. I know they had long houses and huts, but I wonder how they were able to handle the cold. There were natives living in colder places like North Dakota and their lives must have been miserable.

I like the cool climate here, but I'm no longer used to the cold. When I lived on the east coast I loved the cold. I dressed better for it. now I'm acclimated to wearing jeans and flannel shirts year round. When it gets colder that a flannel shirt can handle I become like a deer in the head lights. I have winter clothing, but I rarely ever fetch it. Instead I keep my outdoor exposure to a minimum.

As my hands get cold working the manure fork every evening. I realize half way through my mission that I should find my gloves or mittens, but I carry on in misery. Cold hands will make one feel chilled to the core. Sometimes the only to rewarm the core is to hop into a hot shower. Hot meals do wonders as well.

8 Comments:

Blogger Donna. W said...

Cold hands, cold head, cold feet. Any or all of those makes me cold all over. Stocking hats are standard equipment around here in winter.

4:09 AM  
Blogger JustRex said...

Doing the dishes works on cold hands and accomplishes something. Giving the dog a good belly rub works too. And folding a load of towels fresh out of the dryer. Or you could just wear gloves, ya big doofus.

6:14 AM  
Anonymous Auntie said...

I am miserable when my feet can't get warm enough. Hands are a close second though.

Thank god you have the Tank Drainer 2000 to help warm yourself after shoveling.

6:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

it was 19 here last night and the wind blew our greenhouse door open so we probably lost most of what was in there. My DH is howling and throwing things, mostly hats and mittens so not very dramatic.

None of our bantam birds will come out of their coops into the snow.

8:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's not the cold it's the humidity. Moisture in the air cuts to the bone and makes it seem 10 time colder than whatever the thermometer says. Last night I saw shopping cart John wrangling his three carts down 11th St. towards the river. He usually sleeps outside somewhere. I hope he had a plan B for last night.

9:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was reading some stuff about the treatment of hypothermia-it went back to the researchers of the German military in the 1940s-gruesome stuff in which they used captive ethnics as guinea pigs. They were trying to find the best way to warm up downed Lufwaffe airmen who were rescued from the North Sea. They found that placing an alive woman's body in closest proximity to the victim was the best. They decided that if one woman was good two would be better, but actually just one worked better than two.

3:16 PM  
Blogger The Guy Who Writes This said...

Donna, we have all that stuff here, too, but since we rarely ever use it because of our very moderate climate, we have to remember where we stashed it after the last cold spell.

Darev, just need to find them.

Auntie, the Tank Drainer 2000 is a wonder in modern cold and pain therapy.

Anon, Chickens!

Anon II, I think he has super powers to keep things away. I was once in a room with him and he was able to keep people away within 25 feet of him at all times.

Anon III, please tell me Moose wrote this reply...actually it couldn't have been, his French half wouldn't allow only one woman.

5:35 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ever wonder how cold a homeless person gets? With or without mittens.

12:28 AM  

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