I just read an Associated Press story about recordbreaking power consumption on Monday by Duke customers between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The high demand for electricity was attributed to the cold weather. Wow, I’d never have guessed that. Just because the low temperatures have been in the teens for the past couple of weeks and the highs not even reaching 40, why does that translate to record power consumption?

It certainly isn’t because of my household. My wife keeps that thermostat WAAAY below 70. Of course, I’m the first one up in the morning and I know it’s going to be cold before I even crawl out from beneath the covers.

Being able to see my breath is one clue. Seeing the dogs huddled up with one another on the corner of the bed is another.

It’s not any better when I come home after a long day at the office.

I’ve given up commenting on how cold it is inside, so I just head back to my recliner, put on my lined slippers and cover up with my brand new Snuggie. If you don’t know what a Snuggie is then you haven’t been watching much TV. (It’s a blanket with arms.)

Before I slip on my slippers and snug up in my Snuggie, I turn my heating pad on to the highest setting and place it against the back of the recliner — most of the time. Sometimes, if my feet are really cold, I’ll put it on the footrest.

Here lately I’ve added one more piece to my TVwatching wardrobe. See that toboggan I’m wearing in the picture with this column. Yep, I’ve taken to wearing that in the house. I feel a bit like Scrooge wearing his stocking cap, but hey, I’m bald and my head gets cold. (For my Northern friends, in these parts a toboggan is not something you use to slide down snowy hills. It is a tight-fitting knit hat.)

I think one reason my wife keeps the house so cold is that she spends a lot of time on our porch — no, it’s not enclosed — so when she comes in from the subfreezing temperatures outside, a 50-degree house feels warm.

It may be, though, the reason I find our house uncomfortably cold is that I’m usually cold no matter where I am. Even as I write this, there is a little electric heater going full blast right next to my chair and I’ve got a cashmere scarf around my neck. Did I mention my lined pants?

Despite my tendency to feeling cold most of the time, I can, from time to time, be found on the golf course when most folks are smart enough to stay inside and watch TV or read. This past Sunday afternoon was one of those times. It never got above 38 degrees, but I was prepared. Long underwear (top and bottom); flannel pajama bottoms; lined heavy pants; a second long underwear top; turtleneck shirt; heavy cotton sweater; short-sleeve wind shirt; two pair of socks and a toboggan. Since my feet cramp when the toes get cold, I put some hand warmers in my shoes. Oh, and I purchased some cold weather golf gloves as a Christmas present to myself.

I even wore sunglasses to keep my eyes warm!

It was fairly difficult to swing the golf club with all those clothes on, but I did not get cold. Plus, we had a golf cart cover and propane heater which kept us nice and toasty while in the cart. I even put a blanket behind the seat to keep any cold winds from whipping up our backsides.

Fortunately, warmer temperatures are forecast for the next several days, so the cold-natured among us will get somewhat of a break. Somewhat, I say, because anything below 65 is cold to me.

There are those of you who enjoy the cold weather and despise the heat— “I can always put on more clothes, but I can only take off so much.”

Anyone who saw me Sunday will know that’s not necessarily true. You cannot ALWAYS put on MORE clothes.

If this is what global warming does to our climate, then I’m ready to join the movement to stop it.

Cody Sossamon (cody@gaffneyledger.com) is publisher of The Gaffney Ledger.