The temperature outside has warmed up a bit which surprisingly makes the house feel cooler. It is not cold enough for the heat to come on. Normally if I am moving about doing chores I do not notice too much. But once I sit down I can feel the coolness.
I have always been one who has difficulty staying warm in cold weather. When I lived in Alaska, I had a huge parka, complete with synthetic fur trim around the sleeves and the hood. Temperatures often dipped below zero, so staying warm was paramount.
Since my time in Alaska, I have lived in Maine (also cold), Florida (usually hot) and now North Carolina which tends to be more temperate. In Florida, during the few cold weeks in winter, our house got cold. Our heat came from an electric heat pump and houses there are rarely well-insulated. But the cold weather did not last.
Although I live in an isothermal belt, I still get cold in winter. Maybe another ‘gift’ of aging. I think, however, since I have always been like this, it is just my lot in life. I do love the change in seasons, but keeping warm takes some effort on my part.
Hubby just bought me a small Dyson combination heater/fan/air cleaner that I use in our small family room where I usually write. Writing is so hard for me when my hands are cold. It is a pretty cool gadget and keeps the room warm so I can be comfortable writing.
I have a pair of Rieker fleece-lined boots which I bought ages ago. They are suede ankle boots and so warm for going out on cold days. I dread the idea that these boots will eventually break down. Last year I searched but of course, the styles have changed so I could not find a pair similar to the pair I have.
I have a couple of fleece-lined hoodies I wear around the house They are easy to zip off if I get too warm (which is rarely the case). I also have some fleece lined slippers with hard soles that keep my feet off our floors which are on top of cement slab.
I love wool socks, too. I buy wool socks at Costco which help keep my feet warm. I also have several pair of SmartWool brand socks that are thinner and stylish which I love wearing with my boots. They are a little pricier, so they always go on my Christmas list.
I have a couple of stocking caps, which are nice except the knit is too lose so in windy weather the wind cuts right through. I did find a SmartWool cap which I might suggest to hubby as a thoughtful Christmas gift.
My biggest issue with staying warm in the house is my hands. They are always cold. This is half the reason I cannot give up drinking coffee in the morning. Holding that warm coffee cup is divine!
Of course bedtime is another concern. Our bedrooms are upstairs, so we keep the heat temperature lower at night. This means the bedrooms get quite cool. Nothing that some stylish flannel sheets from the Vermont Country Store and a down comforter cannot fix, though! I love these sheets. They are made in Portugal and I love the cardinal and chickadee pattern.
I think about the number of years I lived in Alaska and Maine and am not sure how I survived. I do love the seasons, but I do need to be warm to enjoy the colder weather.
I do not know how my northern friends survive!
fromcavewalls.wordpress.com 