I’m so not a fan of this time of year. I know that so many folks enjoy their hayrides and their pumpkin spiced everything, but frankly it’s just too cold for me. It was 40 degrees here this morning when I go up, and fine, as the day went on, it definitely warmed up. My husband and I went for a walk at lunchtime, when it was sunny and 60 degrees.
But what I really don’t like about this time of year — it is now warmer outside than it is in my house. How is that, you ask? Well, that’s because every year, my husband and I play the “let’s see how long we can go without turning on the heat” game and I feel like I am the real loser every year.
Over the weekend, I had on long yoga pants, a sweatshirt, big fuzzy socks and my finger nails looked blue. Today, I draped a big thick purple shawl over my shoulders while I sat at my computer responding to work e-mails. I had the window open hoping the warmer air from outside would heat my home “office”. My husband made fun of me for the shawl, but what else was I supposed to do? I could always start a small fire on the floor in my office, but that seems like it just won’t end well.
As I sit here rubbing my fingers to create some kind of warmth, I know that my husband is definitely determined again this year — he doesn’t want to turn the heat on until Thanksgiving. He says this every year, but every year I used to go into my actual office 5 days a week, so I could take advantage of the heat there. Now I’m stuck at home, just another pawn in my husband’s game with mother nature. Will turning on the heat in October hurt us? No, it won’t. But does he feel like if he turns on the heat in our home prior to November 1, he loses some universal game? Yes. And I’m not sure who the players are in this game he’s playing, but I’m the one wearing 3 layers in October. What the heck am I going to do while working from home in November??
Notes from a Self Quarantine 