Arctic Blast

 I really don't like complaining about the weather. I usually roll with it. But this is pretty ridiculous. Chicago hit a record low for this date this morning, as temperatures plummeted to minus 16 at O'Hare International Airport at 8 a.m. The previous record was minus 14 set in 1988. I don't remember that freeze at all since I was in baby heaven daze - my son had just been born and I had other things to think about I guess. Right now the temperature near me is -14 F. But it's pretty sunny and it's supposed to go all the way up to -9 degress F.  Imagine!

 

Those of you with dogs will love this. My little pup was afraid to go out in the backyard because of all the snow, which was over a foot. She yearned to go out there - I could tell - but she stayed close to me, near the door. We were both getting a little bit of cabin fever. I try not to walk her on the streets where there's so much salt to irritate her paws and the sidewalks are just too full of snow now for us to manuever well (okay, I'm really afraid of falling). When our other dog was alive he would blaze the trail in the back and she would follow behind in his paw prints.

 

Last week, my husband was kind enough to shovel a path for me to get to the bird feeders. On Saturday, when it hadn't gotten quite so cold yet, I went out and shoveled a series of paths in the back yard so she could run around a little. She had the best time and didn't have to venture into the far reaches of the yard, the paths were close to the house and just long enough for her to run around like a crazy puppy at least 5-6 times then come inside, dry off and rest - then whine to go out and do it again in 1/2 an hour. Today it was too cold - she went out for about 1 minute to pee then she turned around and ran inside. FYI - when she comes inside I always dry off her paws with a soft towel and later apply lotion to the pads. Cesar said to do this a couple of times a day, just as we rub lotion on our hands to keep them from drying and cracking.

 

Gopher tunnels? No, puppy tunnels!

 

 

 

 

If the temps stay cold at least she'll have someplace to run around for awhile.

 

I just peeked outside and even though I have errands to do I decided to stay in today. If you placed an order for a book or pattern on my website over the weekend, sorry, it will not go out today or tomorrow and may take a little longer to arrive.

 

 

Maybe I'll work on some blocks.

 

This one, titled Cabin Fever, perhaps?

 

But I'm leaning toward this one because it looks like it would be more fun.

 

Stay warm and safe if you're also in the middle of a freeze.