I'll Shiver and Stay Safe, It's Worth It

I'm cold. We're experiencing an early cold snap up here in the Frozen Northlands, and I'm cold. I've got my winter gear out and my autumn jackets put away, I've already started wearing boots to the shop because it's no fun trying to walk on the asphalt without boots if there has been an overnight freeze, and I'm wearing hats indoors because my beautiful bald head is cold. (Frankly, I don't know how guys do it. I've been bald for more than a year and my head gets really cold in the cooler temps.) 

I don't mind being bald,. I look good 
without hair, but it's cold in the winter, 
so I wear hats all the time to stay warm. 

I wouldn't mind moving to a warmer climate, but there really isn't anywhere that we want to go, and the thought of packing, moving, and unpacking makes me sick. So no - I'm staying in the Frozen Northlands.  I think about a warmer climate often during our winters, but I enjoy the other seasons up here so much that I can't imagine living anywhere else. We get the snow in the winter, yes - a lot of it. And we get thunderstorms and the occasional tornado, but generally our weather up here is predictable and can be handled with appropriate outerwear. 

The Cameron Peak fire is threatening Colorado, causing 
evacuations just west of my Alma Mater and throught 
the foothills into Estes Park and Rocky Mountain 
National Park. It's a huge blaze, one of the largest fires 
ever in Colorado. 

It's quite different in the other places I've lived. Both New Mexico and Colorado have their share of serious wildfires, the Cameron Peak fire is hovering close enough that my cousin might have to evacuate her home. She's carefully watching the evacuation orders, and I have no idea what her horses will do if they have to leave them behind. I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that, but evacuation orders have been issued within 20 miles of their home. 

The Cameron Peak fire is the larger one to the north, 
the smaller central fire has already claimed two lives. 
The evacuations are mandated from the western part 
of Fort Collins (on the upper right), down through 
Loveland. My cousin lives in Berthoud - between the 
two L cities of Loveland and Longmont on the east 
side of this map. 

I think I'll stay up here, instead. We have 10,000+ lakes up here, and although there have been serious wildfires in the past, they've all been far north of us and quite a long time ago. The one thing that can cause serious harm for us are the tornadoes, and they are very much a hit or miss thing. You can't fight a twister, just hunker in your safe room and hope for the best. So far (knock on wood) we've been fortunate. I hope that fortune will continue to smile upon us, even if I shiver in the cold. 

So I'll put on my boots and long parka and hat/gloves and head outdoors to the shop in a little while. I guess if an early winter is the least of my problems, I'm a very lucky person. Have an excellent weekend, please be safe and be kind, and please wear your mask. I'll be back on Monday.