It’s not just the lack of sunshine that gets to me, although that definitely doesn’t help. It’s that I have always been abnormally susceptible to the cold for some reason. I never enjoyed sledding or building snowmen like most children because the brutal cold winter air is literally like torture on my skin. I admit it, I’m a total pansy. And it’s gotten worse as I’ve gotten older, despite weighing much more than I used to. In February and March, when winter is at its worst here, I have to wrap my legs in heating pads when I get home from work just to be able to feel them again. I’m jealous of women who get hot flashes.
In the summer, I get annoyed with people who turn up the air conditioner until a place is a meat locker. Honestly, people start running the AC once it reaches 80 outside! 80 is probably the optimum temp for me. The blood in my veins is finally starting to thaw out at 80. These same people think I’m nuts for turning on the heat when it reaches 34 outside! Am I really THAT out of whack? How cold does it have to get before you turn the heat on? And what do you keep it set at?
I installed a programmable thermostat a couple of months ago. Well, um, okay, I had a boy install it for me….. seriously, you don’t want me messing with electrical wiring, folks. Anyway. I have it set at 70 from 6 – 8 a.m. when we’re getting ready for work and school, down to 62 from 8 - 4, up to 68 at 4 when Noelle gets home, and at 70 from 9:30 – 10 just to get the bedrooms warmed up before bedtime. Then back to 68 overnight.
I also shrink-wrapped all my windows and hung thermal-backed drapes in my bedroom (the coldest room, of course!) to cut down on energy usage. I’m really hoping that all of these measures will help reduce my heating bill, which was absolutely outrageous last winter.
Even with all of this, I wear silk long johns, sweats, and two pairs of socks around the house, and I’m able to just stay above the “miserable” range. I used to think I must be anemic, given that I have been a vegetarian since I was 13. But I now have my blood tested every year and my iron is fine. Probably because I’m cognizant of the fact that I need to eat more iron-rich foods, being a veggie. So I don’t know what my problem is. All I know is that I am counting the days until April.
The good news about winter is that I will be keeping in touch with all of you more, since I will be huddled up inside the house. :-)
**P.S.**
After a whole year of posting, this blog finally has a name. Inspired by the never-ending question that plagues all us vegetarians, particularly during the holiday season: "Where do you get your protein?" Usually asked with a scrunched up, bewildered facial expression. This is my answer. :-)
Monday, December 15, 2008
Hello, Winter. Back so soon?
Posted by Jennifer at 10:47 PM
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10 comments:
I too am unusually susceptible to cold weather. I was always told it's because of my mitro valve prolapse which apparently impedes normal circulation. My hands and feet get fridged in the winter time or if I computer to long...I get "mouse hand".
This winter though; running the just the fireplace in the main part of the house has helped tremendously. For some reason it heats my body very differently. The room can be 58 and I feel great. Last winter I couldn't get warm at 75. Maybe it's because I have to go outside every couple hours to haul in more wood and it reset my internal thermometer or because it's a very different heat but either way I'm loving it. Jesse also mentioned he's never met a person who's mood was so tied to how high the fire was. If he builds me a fire it's like I'm on the top of the world. If the fire goes out I'm blue. Maybe it's because of growing up with wood heat at such a young age (I know we didn't have wood heat after I was 5 but I guess it's the early years that count).
My suggestion..have boy install fireplace, with insert with glass doors. It's that easy! ;)
Maybe I'm a visual heater too...Like if I see the fire then I feel warmer!
Oh how I would love to have a fireplace. Remember, I had wood heat until I was 10, so I know what you mean. Of course, that heat never reached the upstairs bedrooms, where you could see your breath until March, so...yea. I'm just glad to know I'm not alone in the suffering.
You should move to the NW!! We have snow but it goes away quicker than yours does. We keep our heat turned down to 65. We have a wood stove in this house so that helps. Our main heat is baseboard here and it is not on in the bedrooms much. At the house we just moved from we kept it at 55-60 to conserve oil because it was so high. We just wore sweats and we did buy a space heater for when we were all in the living room watching a movie.
I like this house much better! Thanks for your kind words about my job. I am catching up with things around the house and settling in more after moving. I also get to be with the kids on their Christmas break. I do not think I will look for work again anytime soon. We will just tighten up the budget!
I have been going to estate auctions to purchase pretty quilts. Then I staple them to the (carefully caulked up) windows.
Get a boy in to lay in another six inches of insulation in your attic. It might take a while for it to pay off, but the comfort is priceless.
You can get foam sheets which fit under the plug plates and switch plates to cut a major source of drafts. I also take off the decorative moulding around all my windows and outside doors, I use the foam in a can to fill the surprisingly large voids in there.
A fireplace, expecially a gas fireplace, is safe, and very pleasant. But more a psychological boost than a real one. Of course, as the old saying goes...a wood stove will warm you up several times. Once when you get the wood and stack it, again when you split it, again when you move it inside, and again when you finally get around to burning it.
Here is a site which will keep you warm. Eye candy for women....and make sure you look over your shoulder before clicking onto it... its not especially work safe but not so bad. http://eroticacoverwatch.wordpress.com/
55?!?! Oh my word Cheri….I would literally have frostbite.
Stag, those are all really great suggestions. I particularly want to check into installing foam behind the switch plates and outlets. I would love to have more insulation put in, but I don’t have the money to do that right now. I will definitely have to wait until I’m at home to check out that site….
I know you like shoes...so check out the office synchronized swimming on my blog....
And remember, a kitchen which has cookies baking in it is always warm. (speaking of which...I have to get some cookies baked before Saturday!)
we are blessed to have free natural gas off of our oil wells so I could turn the heat up as much as I wanted but I don't like the house too warm. I keep it at about 68 - 70 degrees. We have a big wood stove for back up but it rarely gets cold enough here to need it. The wood heat is so much warmer than gas and electric heat is useless as far as I'm concerned.
I remember when we lived in Montana ... I felt like I was never going to be warm again.
Aola, that's it. I'm moving to Ada, Oklahoma! :-D
I know what you mean!
I've taken to wearing a hat in the house. It helps a lot!!!
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