Technically, I was ready…

November 16th

…mentally — not by a long shot. I started my preparations about a month ago when I saw the first signs of its coming. I started with easy tasks like taking out my warm jackets from the storage and washing and refreshing them. And I did the same with hoodies and sweaters and sweatpants and long johns and woolly hats and scarfs and gloves and thermal everything else I got. I ran the heating system a couple of times to make sure everything was working. I checked for all I could with my car and prepared all the fluids and made sure everything is ready, including putting on winter tires before the expected rush of everybody surprised by winter. What is more, I even put on 2 kilograms of muscle on my body in the last month. Ok, that wasn't really planned, but it happened, and it worked out fine. And that is not really muscle but rather fat from all the sweets I ate like a maniac lately, but anyway…

Everything was ready.

But I wasn't.

And today, the first day when temperatures were sustained below zero Celsius, with howling wind and deep overcast sky — it hit me like a ton of bricks. Technically, everything was done by a rule book. But I shivered in my winter jacket in the morning, because I forgot my gloves. I shivered every time I went out for a smoke because the polar fleece jacket I wear outside when out for a cigarette was left at home in a very prominent and visible spot — but forgotten anyway. Every wind gust would find new ways to get through multiple layers and hit the most vulnerable spot on my skin. And I was cursing my forgetfulness, my idea of being ready — when clearly I wasn't — and the upcoming four months of the like weather throughout the day. I know it will get better, I am used to getting used to everything thrown my way. But it will take several days for it to happen, and I need an outlet to bitch about it. So there you have it, and I feel much better now.