I almost cried this morning when I woke – checked the temperature and found that it was only -17f ( -27c) – the forecast was calling for -26f and after struggling through yesterday I was in despair.
Now that it is over I can concede that it was bad. By yesterday evening I had a terribly sore throat and gritty eyes. But all the animals and birds save for three starlights that literally froze where they sat, we were all ok.
It is a funny thing the cold, I am very rugged up with three layers of trousers, four layers on top then my raggy jacket, my big mohair shawl, hat and then extra hood. Kim’s extra long fingerless mittens over double cotton gloves and I look like this.
I am of the persuasion that many loose layers of natural fabrics are better than tight fancy plastic.
But still after about 30 minutes working outside even with visits to the kitchen to fill buckets I felt myself begin to stumble in the snow a bit. I became a little woozy really. What was even more interesting was that my Mind began to watch my Body. Monitoring my bodily reactions with no emotion at all. My mind had split apart from my body and was Watching with interest. As I finished up who I was feeding I would begin to feel a bit drunk, then as I shuffled back up to the house I would feel nausea – not vomiting nausea but that nausea one feels alongside hunger. And still my mind emitted no panic just amazement – no, not amazement – wonder even interest at the effect extreme cold has on a body.
Then I got so tired. Terribly tired. The cold exhausted me.
By then I was of course feeling really hot, skin tingling hot but I know that trick so I did not take my outer clothes off – even when I was inside- I have a distant memory of my mum warning us to keep our jackets on and warm back up slowly. The heat of cold is a trick.
I wore my headgear and wooly jersey and double socks inside all day anyway – the house heater was having a big of a struggle keeping up.
So this morning my throat still hurts and my eyes are gritty but when I awoke to only – wait let me check what it is now, it always gets colder at dawn, hmm, -20 now but no wind. No wind! I am so grateful. 
You remember Jude has a house in the barn, a horse trough flipped over with a hole cut in it. It sits on deep straw. Is covered in straw with little air holes at the back. With a huge mound of straw at the entrance . Jude has made a tunnel through the mound and into the doorway of his house. He actually drags an old tablecloth in with him and bunches it up at the door after himself. I have seen him do it three times now. He goes in and shuts his door. Amazing. God knows how he breathes in there but so far so good. He pops back out warm and fat and hungry.
I hope they did ok last night. But we warm up from here. The worst us over I think.
You know, yesterday I could not work out why my earlobes were aching. Then I realized that the metal of my earrings- studs- were conducting this terrible cold right through my ears. So I took them out. No more pain in the earlobes. Extreme right?
We have gone up FOUR degrees in the last hour. -16 as I finish up . We will warm up fast now – faster than usual actually then straight into snow but I don’t believe we will get snow, it is still too cold for snow.
I will let you know how we all are later, after chores.
C
F
H
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “SLUGGISH”
Yesterday sounds awful. Keeping surviving matey. Arrr!
x The Captain
Yes. Though still bitterly cold the temperatures are slowly rising
You are a wonderful reporter, Celi. I am relieved to read your accepting & optimistic attitude toward this polar vortex. And proud of your courage. Hooray for the warming trend & no wind. There must be warmth from that brilliant sunlight in sheltered patches. Be sure to eat something warm & fortifying against the nausea, & drink mugs of steaming coffee or tea. Bless everyone at the Farmy.
The sunshine was our saving grace! And this morning both groups of cows were out in it.
I read with interest the New York Times piece on the polar vortex. Their online version has an animation that explains how it ‘usually’ works/ed and how it currently operates. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/30/science/polar-vortex-extreme-cold.html It is quite interesting to see what is happening … less so when I headed outside before dawn this morning to deliver warm mash to the donkeys, scrambled eggs to the chickens (yep!) and extra grain and alfalfa pellets to the goats. No shivering once their breakfasts were gobbled up. Me included! Glad to see the sunshine has arrived here this morning. Good luck with today’s work!
There is nothing like warm food in tye belly
Eeeeek! Right now we are at a balmy -1F with a wind chill warning and even in the house I am still cold. We do not need you to become a meat Popsicle so take care now…. t
The way you describe the effects of the cold is interesting. This had been happening to me the last few winters. Sometimes I would lie down in the hay for a few minutes as I could feel myself passing out. Then I would get back to the house and feel so hot and tired. I thought it was more due to age but you are young and having much the same effects. Take care I hope the worst is over.
Okay, now that it’s come up yet again, I can’t not say something to both of you, right this instant. What you both are describing are the early stages of hypothermia and thankfully neither of you succumbed…
I agree after experiencing it myself!
You are a true superwoman!! I agree with the natural fabrics – I wore all wool/ cotton/silk as a kid in Michigan winters and stayed very warm. I do like synthetic gloves and mittens though!
I wonder if what you described is what the beginning stages of hypothermia feel like. Keep taking care of yourself. I worry about you there alone. Has your John made it home yet? That is a cold I do not ever want to have to be out in. Keeping good thoughts for you and all your creatures.
Seconding Hypothermia…
Saw horrific report on TV this morning about Chicago conditions,. I nearly came and fetched you. Looks like our John is a couple of days away yet. Beware of frostbite and keep your mouth closed while outside and do not take any maps in the snow. All this advice from an idiot who has never even seen the stuff. Keep warm, talk later. Laura
I haven’t worn earrings for years, and until your comment, I’d forgotten why that is. I used to wear them at work: earrings being the only jewelry that didn’t present the same kind of danger as necklaces, rings, or bracelets. After a couple of winters, though, I discovered the same thing. My earlobes would ache from the cold, and it was because of the metal of the earrings. Once I took them off, and realized how much more comfortable I was, they stayed off, and I just got used to it. It’s amazing how much difference a little thing can make. Of course, it’s also true that a few degrees can make quite a difference!
As I was reading your story to my husband – we are both retired critical care nurses- we both realized that you were in the beginning stages of hypothermia! Stay safe and hopefully you can get some rest soon
Many local stations reporting -28 here in eastern IA. One death yesterday on the U of IA campus. A student walking home to the dorm didn’t make it. No alcohol involved. No one knows how it happened. Sad.
That sounds dreadful – I hope the worst is over for you. I know what you mean about the body shutting down in the cold. When I’ve been on outdoor film shoots in mid winter everyone starts to go slow after half an hour and concentration disappears …and that’s only 0ºC, but there’s an awful lot of standing around and waiting.
Isn’t Jude clever!
Take care! I tend to do worse in the extreme heat and humidity, but I was toast after 50 minutes outside this morning at chores, and it was 0F, not minus numbers!
It’s a crazy day when we celebrate that the -16F also just feels like -16F instead of -36F. I’m glad you are all alright. It’s a testament to your hard work and planning that they all survived.
Please tell John to bring home some VSOP ASAP
What does vsop mean?
Is it brandy?
very special old pale – a “grade” or descriptive ranking of brandy And I’m sure you know that Deb W-C (2 spots down) is correct – alcohol and cold are a deadly combination.
Although a wee nip just before tucking into a warm bed can help you to a dreamless, comforting sleep.
Chris S in Canada
Alcohol and cold are a deadly combination.