After a long, four-day break from work, I was ready to get back into my routine again. New week, new job site, new neighborhood, and I’m excited to start. Little did I know, it was going to be one of the most undesirable days I’ve ever had to work.
We get the trailer all hooked up to power on the job site, and I am just realizing what a grave mistake I’ve made by not getting gloves when I had time off. Naturally, I snatched someone else’s extra set of gloves from the trailer and get back to it. Not even 30 minutes into the day and the familiar tingling of numb fingers is started to take over my hands. Nope, not me, not today, suck it up and keep working!
Bad circulation to my fingers is my Achilles heel, and a pathetic one at that. I’ve a snowboarder my whole life for crying out loud, a little cold should affect me on the job! Little by little, each finger is going from bad to worse. Within two hours, both of my hands are on fire. I can’t feel them, I can’t grab anything from my tool pouches, and all I’m trying to do is not be such a wimp, as it was only 22 degrees out. I say “only” because the guys on my crew who grew up in Wisconsin, know all too well that this doesn’t compare to actual winter weather around here. I have heard numerous stories of them building for weeks without the temperature going above zero!
If I could wear my snowboard mittens, with liners and hand warmers, you know I’d be all over it! Since I must be grabbing nails, staples, pencils, etc. from my tool pouches all day, this isn’t a feasible option, and I am left wearing gloves slim enough for dexterity, which really don’t keep my hands warm at all. This was just a little glimpse into my day, and what I’m going to be dealing with for far too long as I try to survive the winter. Many more days of burning cold hands are on the horizon, and I’m excited to wake up every day and put myself through it! Ha, yeah right!
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