Baby, It’s Cold Outside

The first cold front of the season has slipped in, and, baby, it’s cold outside, with a low of 41° Monday and Tuesday night. Yesterday, it warmed up some, and only dropped to 45° last night. Brrr. I made William a cardboard den and placed a lamp over it for some heat which is fine since it didn’t rain. A temporary solution. We have to design and build him a weatherproof structure before colder temperatures come.

Annie has been reluctant to venture out after being stuck on the porch one of the cold nights. She had refused to come in when we were going to bed. The next morning, she let me know it was all my fault that she was cold. Since her kitty litter is out there, I used a gentle prod to help her make her mind up to go out. She caught on. Now I have to carry her out. She is a fair weather cat. Sleeping on the couch in the warmth  is her plan, with occasional forays to her food bowl. 


I’ve added fast walking to my exercise program since I’m reluctant to swim even with my wetsuit top. I used our instant-read thermometer to check the pool temperature yesterday morning, and it read 65°. Double brrr. I’ve told myself I will give swimming a try soon. So far this fall, after I swam a lap or two, I would warm up enough. On the other hand, the water now is about 10° degrees cooler. 

All this proves we are South Floridians, body and soul. The New York Times ran an article recommending  a technique of gradual cold exposure to get used to cold weather. Since indoor gatherings are still so dangerous, perhaps if we were all more cold tolerant, we could continue outdoor meetups. William, Annie, and I are skeptical. 

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