cold weather

It is cold this morning -- minus two degrees Fahrenheit at the moment. The dawn sky was dotted earlier with pink clouds as if to bring credibility to the old saw, "Red sky in the morning/ Sailors take warning./ Red sky at night/ Sailors delight." The forecast promises a few inches of snow later today.

Cold ... a hard cold.

Bundle up as I have. Wrap yourself in layers of clothing...

I once listened to an East German telephone operator chatting with a fellow telephone operator in another city. It was so cold, she said, that her son had put on 17 sweaters. I listened to the telephone tap tape several times to make sure I had it right ... 17 sweaters.

Swaddle yourself in another and another bit of clothing.

Ordinary clothing, monastic clothing, police officer clothing, businessman clothing, homeless-person clothing, military clothing, au courant clothing, behind the times clothing ... layer after layer ...

The cold doesn't mind, but I do.