cold....

In all my time in Mumbai I have not been as cold as I have been this winter! Its amazing. Really, its absolutely perfect weather. But most people here aren't used to it and don't have any way to deal with it. At night all the watchmen build fires to sit around, but they even do that when we don't feel like its cold! Everyone is walking around with shawls tied over their ears (i think they think if the cold gets in your ears you will get sick?!?).

But even I don't dress appropriately for this weather -- I am so used to wearing short sleeves, open toed shoes, thin pants, etc that I leave the house like this and soon realize that I'm 'freezing'!

It's been nice and warm (in the sun) during the day and chilly at night. Yesterday I was out in the rural areas where i was sweating and got sunburned, but on the way there in the morning I was so cold even with a sweater, hood and closed toe shoes! This is the weather I like if I could choose. If it was like this year round I just might live here forever!

The paper today said that yesterday was the coldest Mumbai has seen in 46 yrs. It was 9.4 C (48 F). Thats pretty cold when you have very few winter clothes, marble floors and a drafty house meant for hot weather!

I'm not used to keeping my windows closed all day, but for the past week I've had to do it or else wear my jacket as its cold with the wind whipping through the house! Folo has been wearing his hoodie to work for the past three days as well.

The cats are a bit cold as well I think. They haven't been sitting on the floor much unless there is a rug down, have been sleeping in the bed with us and if we are on the couch, they are laying on top of one of us to get warmth!

I am trying not to complain about the cold though because the longer it lasts, the longer it is until the horrible hot 'summer' starts! For now I am going to enjoy my cold nose, toes and fingers and curl up on the couch with a cup of hot tea!