Suffering from Freeze Envy

Here in the Midwest mid-December is rolling in on wheels of 10 degrees, tossing in a windchill of around -15.  A real freezer burn is waiting for all of us.

Most of my colleagues at work are dressed up in wonderfully warm cable knit sweaters, turtlenecks, and fleece hoodies. Some are extra chilled, relying on an extra sweater or even their coat to keep the freezies away. Getting together with my friends, they all show off their sports hoodies, camo jackets, and other warm and fluffy garb.

And then there’s me.

Short sleeves, sometimes a tank top beneath, a medium-weight sweater that is off as often as it’s on, and a small fan blowing and stirring the air.

I suffer from a strong case of freezy envy. I am always jealous of all these colleagues showing off their long sweaters with just the tips of their fingers peeking out and over-sized-neck turtlenecks and Christmas sweaters with bling or Christmas trees. Winter is full of great looks, and yet I can’t take advantage of them because I’m still as warm as a toaster oven.

I suppose it’s some kind of cosmic hot flash flashback. I thought I was past the hots of menopause, but its tentacles still must be wrapped around my body. My house thermostat is set at a balmy 65 degrees — it’s the one place I can get into my fuzzies and get under the blanket and snuggle for least for 10 minutes. Half hour, even.

Bedtime is toss and turn time, hot flash time, throw the covers off, pull the covers back on time. I make myself tired with all the on-and-off clothes routine. You would think with the weather being sub-zero that I would be able to embrace the cold with the same apprehension my friends and colleagues do.

Not happening.

For my male friend readers: Do guys have this kind of hot and cold thing going?

Do you suffer from freezy envy? Ever wish you could spend the day in a hoodie or sweater without sweating profusely?

I’ve always been a fan of layering. It’s easier to layer to get warmer than it is to peel off to get cooler. You would think that once the temperature dropped below 10-15 degrees, the world in general would be in favor of layering to get warmer. No one wears short-sleeved peasant shirts or cutsie T-shirts when there’s 5 inches of snow outside.

Except me.

I trust that as the years go by the hot flashes will, too. That I will be able to wear my pink camo hoodie and my leopard print lounging pants and my heavy-duty Bears sweatshirt or be able to watch TV from under the blankets for at least an hour. Until then, I will deal with this envy and wear something close to what everyone else is wearing.

Just have to remember no footed jammies or pulled up hoodies — there might be spontaneous combustion in there….