January 18th, 2019

This is how I was dressed when I left to go to the museum yesterday.  That's right, long pants, peacoat and a scarf.  And by the way, under the coat I'm wearing a pullover sweater!

Where is it that I live again?  I thought it was Florida?  Land of Sunshine and perpetual summer, right?

Well not always.  It was sunny and cloudy by turns yesterday and when it was cloudy, the temperature felt as if it dropped at least ten degrees.  It was also very breezy and when the wind comes across the water, it's a damp chill that reaches straight through to your bones.  And the temperature was probably in the  50's when I left the house. Which honestly is not that cold.  I mean seriously. This is what passes for quote unquote winter weather here.

I admit it.  If we were still in Denver, at 50 degrees, I might have a light sweater on at that temperature.  Heck, I remember shoveling snow after a storm wearing a tee-shirt!  50 Colorado degrees are completely different than 50 Florida degrees.

Part of it, of course, is the humidity.  Colorado doesn't have any.  I was very amused shortly after we moved to Colorado to be watching a weather report saying something like 25% humidity or something like that at the same time that it was pouring rain.  "Hmmm Dry Rain, interesting" I said to myself.  The lack of humidity and therefore much dryer air back in Colorado makes 50 degrees feel more like 70 degrees on a bright sunny day.

Florida, on the other hand, of course, has loads of humidity.  I think it has it's own share plus Colorado's.  Which makes for very soft skin, very green, lush gardens and a much chillier 50 degrees.  

But perhaps it's also the contrast.  Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Maine and even California and Texas have more distinct and changeable seasons.  One season gradually segues into the next.  So residents are kind of prepared.  They know what's coming and they have the clothing to prove it!   Florida, on the other hand,  is mostly warmer weather.  Sometimes MUCH warmer weather.  And I suppose the humidity acts like a magnifying glass.  If the temps are warm, it feels a lot warmer.  If the temps are cooler, it feels a lot cooler.  The humidity acts as a modifier?  Or something like that.

Regardless, I have become accustomed to much warmer weather on a regular basis.  So the contrasting unusually cool weather right now feels so much colder than it actually probably is.  I say that because as I walked to the museum yesterday, I  saw a lot of folks bundled up in their puffy coats,  but I also saw a few people in shorts and tank tops.  Shorts and Tank Tops?  Where do they normally live that 50 degrees warrants shorts and tank tops?  The North Pole?  I shudder to think.

Of course, there I was in my peacoat and scarf and Tim was wearing shorts all day.  With a long sleeved shirt.  So I supposed the long sleeves were his nod to the outside chill.

It was chilly enough that I did, finally , close all the windows in the house yesterday.  I am a fresh-air fiend and all summer it's much too hot and humid to open windows.  The summer is all about having the air conditioning on everywhere you go. So anytime I can take the opportunity to let the outside in, I absolutely do.  And I'm reluctant to close them again just because it's a little chilly out.  I would rather huddle on the sofa under a blanket! (and usually that's exactly what I do) but yesterday, I actually closed the windows!  Shocking!  tsktsktsk.  What a weenie I have become.

When we lived in Connecticut, I don't remember complaining about the weather and if Connecticut has one thing, it's weather and lots of it.  And most of the winter weather is cold, wet, windy, icey, snowy....unpleasant.  I remember even summer days in Maine that were briskly chill with weather that required long pants, socks and sweatshirts.  And there I would be  standing on shore, battered by a cold wind and a little damp and loving it!  I recall bicycling through the heat of a Texas summer and not even breaking a sweat!  What has happened to me?  I wasn't whining about it back then.

It seems that now, no matter what the season is, I seem to have something to say about it. I fret about the heat all summer and then January comes along and to cool things off and I'm complaining about that too.  Some people are never happy.  Shame on me.

And that's not true either because mostly I am very happy.  But yesterday I was happiest dressed warmly and closing windows.  I think that's fair.

Today is much less windy and I'm told, by the weather guys, that it's supposed to be in the 60's eventually.  Those windows may be going to open back up before the day is out.

Whatever your weather, have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs all 'round