Cold Feet...

So Karyn mentioned bruising on her blog the other day, and the other morning I was reminded of another unanticipated "side effect" of this journey.

First, a brief trip in the way back machine. For all the years I was pretending to be someone I wasn't, I had this larger than life, indestructible thing going on to the point of being absurd. I was for all practical purposes ten feet tall and bullet proof. I walked away without a scratch from car wrecks that should have killed me, got hit by a big old Ford truck and all but walked away from that too. The truck on the other hand became a source of debate and law suit. The insurance company (theirs, I didn't have one) claimed it hit a bridge footing, not a "human being" on a bicycle.

It hit me, I was there, and remember that. I saw the pictures of what was left of the truck, and I have to admit, it looked like it something really big. I mean really, really big!

I could stand outside in twenty below zero temps and sweat. There would be a fog bank around me as I shoveled snow in New England winter. I threw off that much heat. Heat went out in my car, and I never really noticed it, neither did anyone else. I was really popular in bed on cold winter nights because I warmed it up right quick.

For years I never really understood the cold feet thing. Women around me always complained about cold feet, and well I couldn't relate because despite having a normal body temp of 94.7, I was always hot to the touch.

The other morning I woke up and for the umteen millionth time since I crossed that line, my feet were blocks of ice. July. It was July, the summertime, and I didn't want to get out of bed because I was freezing. I'd left the AC on a wee bit too much overnight and so I woke to a freezing house. When I finally summoned the courage to get out of bed, the thermostate said the room temp was 75 degrees...

Four some years ago, 75 degrees would have had me soaked in sweat and melting from the heat. Now? I was freezing! My feet like I say were blocks of ice...

So, for those of you who are still in the early stages of your journey, keep this in mind. Cold Feet. Yup. It can happen to you too. So I wear socks to bed in the winter, and have an extra blanket over my feet... I'm not even kidding. Going outside in the winter? I look like nanuc's wife, bundled up in lots of warm clothes. Shove the snow in a light shirt and pants?!?!?! Are you crazy? Not me...