It is 20 degrees outside and the windchill is 7 degrees.  After walking Lindy to the park for a measly 10 minutes this morning, I was frozen to the bone.  The news reported 20-30 mph winds with 40 mph gusts.  That ranks in the “difficulty walking” weather category on weather.com. I had no intention of going back outside, so I put the kettle on and settled in for the morning with my book. Unfortunately,  Brannon came home from breakfast with a friend, red faced and windblown, announcing that he had bad news.  The wind had blown his glasses clear off of his face and into the street just in time for a car to crush them to smithereens.  He held in his hand the two rectangle lenses and several brown plastic shards. So much for my hibernation plan.

I’d only finished half of my tea before I was putting on my coat again. We were off to Manhattan. I bundled myself with extra care because my ears were already hurting from the morning walk. I know I looked absolutely ridiculous, but when it comes to extreme cold I have no shame. I doubt any other New Yorkers have either, for that matter. After all, people here wear sheer panty hose as pants around in public and don’t think twice. I layered up with two long sleeve t-shirts, a sweater, my thick Yale hooded sweatshirt, pashmina scarf, stocking cap tied tightly under my chin, matching mittens, and black trench coat — sweatshirt hood up.  I could still feel the wind in my ears twisting like tiny knives.

The trip was worth it to find Brannon a spiffy new pair of glasses though.  While we were waiting for the lenses to be cut he didn’t want to go anywhere because he was so disoriented from lack of vision. This is very unlike him, because he is usually curiously exploring whatever 20 block radius he finds himself in. Our little adventure took up the majority of the day. Brannon went straight to work when we got home (what a trooper), and I took a short  nap. Today was by far the coldest day I’ve experienced since we’ve been in New York.  I hope the temperature only goes up from here.