Baby, it’s cold outside
Judy Conlin
Here it is-the brand new year of 2026, and it is freezing outdoors. Everyone knows I hate cold weather. Moving from near Buffalo, New York to sunny Florida was a no brainer for me. I was happy with north Florida because it had seasons – even a little winter but never too cold and very short, but last year and this year it seems to get colder and stay longer. I am upset by this and want to complain, but my resolve for this year is to no longer be a whiner. Why has the new year put me in this dilemma right from January 1? I can’t complain about it, yet I sit here at my computer shivering.
I come to the decision that I must find good things about cold weather and think about them. What is good about cold weather? I can’t think of anything. I put on another sweater and meet that pesky alter ego of mine, Nurse Judy. I explain my problem to her making sure that I’m not using a whiny or complaining voice. I am merely doing research to help scientifically solve a problem I have. She immediately , as usual, uses this to argue with me.
“There is a lot about cold weather that is good,” she says.
“Like what?”
“You don’t have to mow your grass as much.”
“I don’t mow my lawn. The gardener does.”
“Well, you don’t have to pay him as often,” she says
“I still pay him as frequently for other things he does,” I say in a lilting voice and sporting a big smile so I can’t be mistaken for being negative. “Is there anything else.?”
“Oh yes,” she continues without taking a breath., “you don’t have to run the air conditioner.”
“But you have to turn on the heat.” The smile is having a hard time staying on my face. “What else?”
“You get to watch more television.”
“Is it good to be a couch potato?” I ask as if this is a scientific question.
She ignores that and continues on. “There’s no danger from bears. They’re hibernating.”
“When have we ever seen a bear near us?” I ask still trying to be a scientific questioner.
“There are no mosquitos, or ticks , or chiggers” she says triumphantly, and they cause
disease and certainly are around here.”
I think about that. She’s right. I don’t have bites all over me every time I go out. I don’t have to check my skin every night before going to bed. Back when I still was able to complain, I complained about this all spring, summer and fall. Maybe cold wasn’t all bad.” I pasted a phony smile upon my face. “Perhaps you’re right,” I say, adding “for once” under my breath.
“Of course, I am”, she says. “I love cold weather.”
“Why do you love it? I ask, thinking it’s something to be tolerated, not loved.
“Because you always must take me shopping to get embroidered sweaters, furry coats and capes, fluffy earmuffs and lacey fringed scarves. Sometimes you even buy me pretty boots.”
I suddenly remember. This was always one of my best complaining sessions. All this shopping for a card-carrying, selfish diva I could go on for hours. This resolution was going to be the end of me.
All I could do was bite my tongue and say, ”Get in the car.”
This is going to be a long hard year. (Just saying, not complaining.)
More later,
Judy
www.nursejudyinfo.com
