I'm going to stop bitching about 9 degrees.

I mostly liked winter. Not all the time and snow in March is a pain and shoveling snow isn't fun but I liked winter.

But I'm so heat intolerant I've worn a coat only a handful of times. And a scarf a handful of times and gloves twice. I have kept one set of long underwear and one scarf. Mom has my parka. She keeps offering it to me to wear but it's just not cold enough for me to need it.

I'm dreading this summer in South Carolina without central air conditioning.

I'm currently wearing 3 layers of shirts plus a wool sweater, wool socks, wool slippers, and fleece pj pants. When I'm sitting for a bit I'll pull a throw over my lap, too.

I can't do too many layers, because it messes up how my joints move. I can wear a camisole underneath a long-sleeved shirt, but two long-sleeved shirts will mess up my shoulders.

I know we're warm compared to everywhere right now, but I still don't get how my brother goes around in shorts and flip-flops. Also, if I try to take my van out early on a cold morning something squeals at me, for the first few minutes.(Which is one thing now that we know it's a possibility, but I found out on the way to a protest and thought something was broken...that thing has more quirks...kind of hate it. Just in time for it to be all ours.)

Hil, is it the action of putting on the layers or the bulk? Or tightness of the layers?

Can you prop pillows around you? I've done that before to trap heat.

I sleep on my side so sometimes I will pit pillows against my back to stay warmer.

This stupid cold. I hate it. I have congestion in my chest and it feels slightly uncomfortable to breathe and I get tired and out of breath fast. I don't have an inhaler anymore. I think I have one somewhere but it's probably at Mom's or in the car where it has been exposed to freezing temperatures.

So M went to get a humidifier and the Vicks stuff that goes in it and hopefully that will help. And I've been taking Musinex for the congestion.

I'm at the point in a cold where I'm keeping close track of how often I can take the medicine.

Could something like a poncho sweater add a layer without impacting your shoulders?

Hil, is it the action of putting on the layers or the bulk? Or tightness of the layers?

It's the bulk, and the way the layers slide against each other (or don't.) If the layers were all tight and very stretchy, it would be OK in that respect, but I hate wearing anything tight. Like, you know the stereotypical thing of the kid in the snowsuit who can't put his arms all the way down? Even a tiny amount of that effect gets my shoulders totally screwed up.

Could something like a poncho sweater add a layer without impacting your shoulders?

Maybe. But I've also got a million other sensory issues with fabrics, and it's pretty rare for me to find knit stuff that I don't want to claw off my skin. I've found scarves and hats that are good enough that I can tolerate them for the amount of time I need to spend outside, but I can't wear them all the time.