The Joy of Winter

Dry Skin and Dog Hair

The house is dark even though it’s 7:30 in the morning. The windchill is 3° so the drapes are drawn to keep the heat in and the cold out. Oh yay, another cold day.

What to wear? My choices being, two dark green sweaters, a dark blue thermal shirt, a dark mauve sweater, or a black sweater and my favorite black, wide-leg yoga pants.

I put on a dark green sweater and the black, wide-legged yoga pants. 

I vacuum up dog hair in the laundry room and living room, along with all the rugs she sleeps on. Then I get busy with other household chores.

The other day I had planned to get out. I was excited. A 45-minute drive to anywhere away from here. I had a dream of being amongst the living. 

After squeezing into a pair of jeans and putting on my dark blue thermal shirt, fixing my hair (it finally looked decent) and face (I found a dog hair inside the lid of my facial moisturizer), then adding 24 lbs of outer-wear, I let the dog out before I heading out on my adventure. 

Freezing rain….

In short, I decided it was best not to fall that day so I went back inside and slipped out from under the 24 lbs of outer-wear and jeans, and slipped back into my black, wide-legged yoga pants and thick cabin socks. I kept on my dark blue thermal shirt. 

I thought it would be a good idea to get ready for spring by going through my closet to donate items that no longer fit.

My closet now contains two dark green sweaters, a dark blue thermal shirt, a dark mauve sweater, or a black sweater and my favorite black, wide-leg yoga pants.

I found more tumbleweeds of dog hair floating down the hallway. I vacuumed them up. 

I organized  my desk drawer and office cabinets. 

I did the dishes. I found a dog hair in the sink. 

After the dishes, I needed to tend to the skin-splits on the end of each thumb that continually crack with severe dryness. They hurt quite a bit and couldn’t be in a more inconvenient place. I used Burt Bees hand salve and coat the wounds real well. Then I roll a tiny finger condom over each thumb to protect it. Anything to keep those splits from reaching bone. 

I find dog hair under the kitchen table, a room where she isn’t allowed. I vacuum. And I dream about warmer weather when she can be outside.

I decide to take care of my dry feet due to this cold, dry winter. I use a battery operated sander and file the dry skin off each foot. Then I slather them each with Burt Bees hand salve and put my thick cabin socks back on. My feet are as soft as a newborn’s. Well, maybe not really. But they are softer than a troll’s. 

I throw in a load of laundry, clean dog hair out of the dryer lint trap, and then sit on a heated blanket in my rocking chair to read for a bit. 

I get on my vibration plate for the second time that day and work my legs for a few minutes. Then I do my stretches. I go to the basement and organize some stuff. 

I start to prepare dinner for D and binge-watch YouTube about the coldest city in the world. Yakutsk, Russia.  

This is where their brutal winter lasts from October–April. The average temperatures are -22 degrees F to -40, but can be as low as -60 degrees. This is where cars must be kept running 24/7 for seven months and schools only close when the temperature reaches -50. 

Their spring is one month, May. It is a muddy mess. Summer is June-August with temps ranging from 70-86 degrees, and sometimes higher, and the sun almost never sets. Fall is September, where leaves change color and temps begin to drop drastically. Then back into seven brutal months of winter.

When I finally go to bed that night, I think about my day. I consider those who live in Yakutsk, Russia and I’m grateful for my Indiana winter. Dry skin, dog hair, and all.

♥️

Andi