Cold.

I get colder and colder every year...
Or I become less capable of dealing with cold temperatures every year.

My family moved from Ohio to California in the Fall of 1992, just in time for me to start the 4th grade. I prided myself on the fact that I wore shorts every single day of that school year. Why would I need long pants in a place where it never snowed?!?

Over time, I have acclimated to my lovely Californian home, and now I think 50ºF is cold. Also, I'm not a cocky ten-year-old anymore, so there's that. This year, I've noticed that I am bundling up more than most of the people around me. It's ridiculous.

Last Winter I wore leggings or long underwear and a long-sleeved shirt under my scrubs every day that I worked. This year, I am again wearing a base layer, but I also walk around with a fleece sweatshirt zipped up on top of my scrubs. AND I put a beanie on during the midday when we aren't seeing clients. This is INSIDE at vet's office. The building is old, with cinderblock walls and an inadequate HVAC system. Add in the heating and AC battles duked out by the front and back staff, and I have a constantly frigid workspace.  (The front of the building, where the receptionist sit in a small space with lots of warm computers, is the only area that gets warmed up by the sun. They're constantly turning the thermostat down, while the techs in the bigger work areas are constantly turning the thermostat up, myself included.)

My intolerance of the cold has gradually worsened over time. I have long been the person who exits the swimming pool before anyone else, with chattering teeth and blue lips in the middle of summer. However, now I don't even get in a pool unless it's 100ºF outside. In Fall and Winter, beanies and gloves are a regular part of my apparel. I know that's not unusual this time of year, but I LIVE IN THE TRI-VALLEY, not the Sierras. Some people blame it on the "lack of meat on my bones" but I don't buy it. I'd blame my hypothyroidism, but I take my little pill every day and have normal levels of thyroid hormone in my blood, so I don't think that's the reason either. I do have a great-grandfather and great-uncle who each underwent an amputation surgery due to poor circulation, so maybe it's that?

I worry about what I will wear next Winter. Can I fit another layer under my clothes? Should I invest in foot warmers for inside my shoes? Will it scare the dogs and cats if I wear ear muffs in the exam rooms? Is it okay to walk down the street wearing a ski mask?

At this rate, I highly suspect I will want to retire some place warm. I'm suddenly feeling a connection to all of the old people who retire to Florida or San Diego. Unless my body temperature changes drastically when I go through menopause, or climate change causes Winter temps to increase in my home town, I don't see how I can avoid a tropical destination in twenty-five years.
Oh well.

My nose is cold.


Merry Christmas.