When 15 Degrees Feels Warm

When 15 degrees feels warm, you know that it's been cold lately.  We've been hovering in the low teens and single digits for much of the past week, occasionally dipping down into the negatives in the "real feel" weather report.

Of course, I wonder how anyone knows what -16 degrees really feels like.  This week as I traversed campus, I never was able to pinpoint the real feel of anything, not even my toes.  I didn't overhear anyone saying, "This definitely feels like -16.  I sense that it's nine degrees colder than yesterday when it felt like -7."

After a while, cold is just cold.

At the end of the day my shoulders have been sore, which I suspect is due to rigidly hunching as I'm walking, as if folding up into myself would protect me from the elements.  The idea of exercising -- taking off my clothing to put on less clothing -- has taken a toll on my motivation.  For two days I've needed to put a check in the mail, but I've dragged my feet on actually walking to the mailbox.

Still, these cold days have brought warmth.  In the evenings, the girls and I hunker down.  There's little need or incentive to go out.  We grab piles of books, snuggle on the couch, and enjoy the closeness.  We eat cookies.  I let an extra half-hour of cartoons slide by without any guilt.

It feels right.  Negative 16 degrees may never feel right, but this certainly does.