It's as cold as it gets in central North Carolina this weekend. Yesterday it was around freezing all day long and in the wee early hours of Saturday morning as I write this it is 16 degrees with a high in the low 40s. This is our coldest weather.

It's always a shock when it gets cold here, since most of the time we have very tolerable and balmy weather and in the summer it's HOT. Spring starts in February (I date spring by the time you can plant your peas!) and last week we were walking around in t-shirts.

So yesterday, not fully realizing that winter had come overnight, I had underdressed for the day. I had on a long-sleeve t-shirt, jeans, and a short corduroy jacket. Cute, yes. Warm, no. I ran from place to place when doing my errands. Brr. It was cold!

At my older son's school it's a long walk from the parking lot to the front of the school where the kids wait for their parents. As I walked up I saw a bunch of kids who were underdressed. Remember your coat tomorrow! I thought to myself as I walked by them. At the spot on the sidewalk where my son was waiting I saw one of his classmates, V., who was jumping around, trying to keep warm while wearing a thin sweatshirt over the t-shirt he had on underneath.

V! I scolded. Where's your coat? You must be freezing!

This is my coat, he said, smiling.

No, I mean your winter coat, I said. You need to bring your winter coat to school on Monday.

This is it, he said. I am warm. Don't worry.

Don't worry! A 7-year-old told me not to worry about him! That pretty much broke my heart there and then. I will bring you a coat, I said. I have an extra one. This is true. About a month ago I bought Big J a new (to us) winter coat off of e-bay, and about 2 days after it came I was looking for something in my younger son's closet and I found a coat I'd bought last year for Big J...off of e-bay. Duh. Two perfectly nice, inexpensive winter coats for the same 7-year-old boy. That's what happens when you move into a house with no closets. You stick things in strange places, only to discover them after the fact.

What does it look like? asked another boy, D, who was wearing a perfectly functional winter coat. Can I have it?

It's too small for you, I said. D. is a big boy. It will be perfect for V.

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