I was ready. I washed the sweaters I’d been wearing since October, hand washed the scarves I wore to keep my neck warm and rolled up the knee socks in my drawer.

The weather was warmer, and I had my fingers crossed we were on a roll. Seventy-degree days were happening, and my feet were finally starting to defrost.

But Mother Nature is fickle, especially here in Texas. One day, it’s 70 degrees and blue skies. The next, it’s cold with gray skies and gale-force winds.

Back in February of 2021, we thought we were finished with the cold. Then the big freeze hit and we were without power or heat for days. So we can’t count out another freeze until at least the first part of March.

For some people, the cold is welcome. They love nothing more than when the outside temperature hovers below 20 degrees. They look forward to drinking hot tea, wearing flannel shirts and heavy fur-lined boots.

Not me.

I’m a hot-weather fan. When it’s cold, I have to wear long sleeves and long pants, both of which make me itch.

My skin dries out, and at night, I’m bundled up in pajamas and a robe. To make sure I don’t wake up freezing in the middle of the night, I also sleep under three blankets.

My husband has patiently explained that the temperature in the house is the same as it is in the summer. That logic does not matter to my cold hands, my runny nose and my freezing feet.

It’s cold.

I’m cold.

And I complain.

A lot.

I whine how unhappy I am when it’s winter. There’s no leaves on the trees, the grass is a bland shade of brown, and there’s no flowers blooming. The sky is usually gray and, more times than not this year, it’s raining.

I understand science, and I try to stay positive. We need the cold weather to allow plants to rejuvenate. The different seasons allow us to see things we don’t see when it’s a jungle outside.

I can see more birds in the trees because they’re not hidden by all the leaves. Our grass doesn’t need cutting every week because it’s not growing.

But to my cold-adverse heart, those are feeble excuses.

The only thing good about cold weather is that snakes hibernate. It could be I’ve got some reptilian blood because I totally understand why something would want to curl up under a rock when the wind’s howling and the temperatures are below 40 degrees.

In the summer, especially in the South, the colors are spectacular. The flowers show off their reds, crimsons and yellows. Leaves are deep green, and there’s plenty of them.

The food is colorful – spicy green guacamole, juicy, deep red watermelons and vegetables in every color of the rainbow. Pitchers of iced tea take their rightful place in the fridge.

Produce prices are low, and that section of the store is overflowing with healthy, colorful choices.

In the winter, we’ve got butternut squash and bananas. Both are yellow and, when cut open, are either pale yellow or white.

In the summer, we can barbecue in the back yard, wear flip flops every single day, eat Popsicles, ride bikes, skateboard, or walk.

No denying that we sweat a lot in the heat, but I’ve rationalized that irritant away. The excess humidity keeps our skin looking younger longer.

Fitting in outside chores requires getting up early or working after dinner. That’s okay because it’s light outside until almost 9 p.m. in the summer.

The washer and dryer have an easier time with T-shirts and shorts instead of heavy jeans and jackets.

In the summer, we’re not washing blankets and comforters – a plain sheet works just fine at night.

Those who love the cold can have it, including my share. I’ll keep my sweaty July, hotter-n-blazes August and even a blistering September.

Just let me wear my shorts again.

And let my feet finally warm up.

 

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.