Staying warm in winter not a problem
It’s never too cold to wear shorts. We’ve had some pretty frigid days and nights with the mercury dipping into the single digits. Add some light snow to that and it’s easy to see that it’s winter.
Do I mind the cold? No. In fact, it’s common knowledge in our home and among our circle of friends that even extremely low temperatures usually don’t bother me too much.
For instance, one day last week I heard the familiar sound of a shovel scraping along the sidewalk. Gazing out the window, I saw a fellow pushing snow off a neighbor’s walk and driveway. There wasn’t much snow, maybe an inch or so. But it was enough to make small piles along the walk.
Looking at my own drive and walk from the warmth of our house, I decided I should do the same chore. I opened the garage door, grabbed my snow shovel and, within about five minutes, had wiped the cement paths clean.
All while wearing cargo shorts, no socks and a knit sport shirt (yes, I had shoes on).
Meanwhile, the guy across the street was dressed for an expedition to the South Pole.
Well, he didn’t say anything when he saw me but I’m sure he thought I had forgotten my medication for the day.
My attire, however, is what you could call my uniform. It’s what I put on for casual dress around the house just about every day of the year. Somehow, this all started when I was a teen. In high school, my outerwear was a V-neck sweater and sport coat, a scarf added when the chill took on arctic proportions. Today, I wear a spring jacket through December, turning to a heavier winter coat (which I rarely button up) only when the thermometer registers below freezing.
Oh, parts of me get cold: nose, feet and fingers. But generally, my portly self generates enough warmth to stave off winter’s worst.
However, sometimes I am forced to accept the norm.
For example, our 15-year-old friend Kendra was visiting recently. A cold winter blast from up north struck sending temperatures into the teens and below. After watching a football game on TV, she asked if I could drive her home. She lives along the mountain ridge overlooking Uniontown, meaning the air there is even colder than in the valley.
You know what she said to me as we were preparing to go?
“You are going to wear a coat, aren’t you? I hope I don’t have to take you to the hospital,’ she said.
Her implication was that by not wearing a winter coat on such a cold evening I was certainly crazy and in need of psychological attention. I was tempted to hop into the car wearing my shorts and sport shirt.
Well, I did her one better. Not only did I wear a heavy coat, I also changed from my shorts to long pants and put on socks.
And I roasted all the way up the mountain and back.
Hey, I’m not crazy. I’m just hot. Temperature-wise, that is.
Have a good day.
James Pletcher Jr. is Herald-Standard business editor. He can be reached at 724-439-7571 or by e-mail at jpletcher@heraldstandard.com.