(Not As) Cold in the Carolinas

Today was Addison's first day at school since this week's "cold snap." This meant she would be on the playground at the unforgivingly chilly hour of 10:30 am, and the high today was only in the 50s. As Ella and I donned our coats and hats, Addison declared she wanted to wear her "geen jack-keet"-- no, needed to wear it. It was almost as if the rest of her life depended upon wearing this jacket. The problem is, said jacket is a windbreaker. And it's too small on her. I explained it was too cold out to wear the green jacket. She insisted. I stuck her head in the freezer to illustrate my point. She insisted even more. I dipped her feet in an ice bath so she would know how cold she was going to be. "Geen Jack-keet!" she yelled. Her passion for this jacket was not going to be overcome by reason before school, so I encased her, geen jack-keet and all, in this shiny read enormous puffy coat that we own for some reason. She looked like the Michelin man and moved like Randy from A Christmas Story (with whom, by the way, my sister had a holiday card picture taken a couple of years ago--it's like an inherited disease! I can see it now--Abby, in a diagnostician's office, with the doctor gravely asking "Ma'am, do you have a family history of Holiday Card picture taking?"). Anyway, back to Addison. I ended up having to let out the straps of the poor child's car seat in order to accommodate her absurd fluffiness.

We passed a mom with a kid in Addison's class on the way into school. Her little girl was dressed appropriately in a simple fleece sweatshirt and matching pants. She took one look at my kids, though, and lost confidence in her choice. "Excuse me, but you don't happen to have an extra coat in your car do you? I just noticed how your kids are dressed and wondered if Little Susie is going to be warm enough." "Why yes, I do have an extra coat in the car," I answered. "I'm actually fully stocked just in case the temperature dips below 55. I'll open my trunk so you take your pick. And may I knit you a scarf while you're rummaging around? Your cheeks look a little pink."

Temperature at time of publication: 55 degrees