Gasp.
Maybe this is not the morning to say again how grateful I am to be making my recovery in a temperate climate. But it really would have a very different outcome if I had icy sidewalks and cold winds to contend with.
A lot of my therapy and exercise takes place in the outdoors and I've learned that if I settle in, try to get comfortable, and do less activity it just makes things worse.
This morning, as she was leaving for work, Lisa mentioned she had opened our kitchen window. I immediately wondered about the yeast I was culturing in there (beer stuff–– more on that later). Would it get too cold? Cold. I will point out it is now 56ºF and expected to reach 72º today.
I started reading the news and noticed a piece about the cold front in the northern Midwest. I wondered what this morning looks like for our friend Ellen in St. Paul. I looked it up. Here's what I saw:
I couldn't breathe. For a full minute I stared and gasped.
I'm not sure I've ever–– even growing up in New York, living in New England, traveling all over the country–– experienced anything like that.
Midwesterners? How are you doing? Do your cars start? Do you burn rocket fuel in your fireplace? Are the children and small pets allowed to go near the windows?
I just noticed though, there's good news for St.Paul. It only feels like -11 below. Hi, Ellen. Stay warm. Pip & Loki, stay inside!
A lot of my therapy and exercise takes place in the outdoors and I've learned that if I settle in, try to get comfortable, and do less activity it just makes things worse.
This morning, as she was leaving for work, Lisa mentioned she had opened our kitchen window. I immediately wondered about the yeast I was culturing in there (beer stuff–– more on that later). Would it get too cold? Cold. I will point out it is now 56ºF and expected to reach 72º today.
I started reading the news and noticed a piece about the cold front in the northern Midwest. I wondered what this morning looks like for our friend Ellen in St. Paul. I looked it up. Here's what I saw:
I couldn't breathe. For a full minute I stared and gasped.
I'm not sure I've ever–– even growing up in New York, living in New England, traveling all over the country–– experienced anything like that.
Midwesterners? How are you doing? Do your cars start? Do you burn rocket fuel in your fireplace? Are the children and small pets allowed to go near the windows?
I just noticed though, there's good news for St.Paul. It only feels like -11 below. Hi, Ellen. Stay warm. Pip & Loki, stay inside!
Comments
We've got a balmy 34* here in Asheville, NC at the moment. Very glad I'm not facing a winter storm right now.
Tom McKenna here (blast from the past). I recently got back in touch with a few of the PMHS theater folks and heard about your injury. Just wanted to drop a line to say hi and to let you know that I'm rooting for you. Your determination is inspiring. I also like the fact that you live in such a beautiful place. It's 18 degrees here in CT, and we're waiting for more snow.
Eric Sandin here, another blast form the past. Hope you are feeling well and you spirits are high!
In re the weather; I recall a small device my dad had back in NY that was an electric oil dip stick. You plug it into the wall and the dip stick end would stay mildly warm allowing the oil to stay fluid. He also had a indoor car starter so he wouldn't have to go out there to start the car. Crazy cold weather living humans.
Luckly, I live in So. Cal. now and love it. Although I'd move to Nor Cal any day of the week.
Anywho, I'm glad you and Lisa started this blog. Thank you. It's very nice to see your smiling face once again.
Peace&love, my Brother.
Eric
www.ericsandin.com
ericsandin@yahoo.com
By Saturday it should be a balmy 20 degrees and lots of people will be back out hiking/cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, etc. (and of course letterboxing!)
Things are a bit different even here on days like today. Many people go out to their cars at lunch to warm the engines up so they'll still start when they leave the office in the evening. Even folks who grew up here generally put on their hats and zip up their coats. And all but the hardiest joggers and folks who bike to work take the day off from such outdoor activities.
This morning was the coldest here since Jan of 2004, but check with us again on Thursday morning. S'posed to get quite a bit colder.
News last night said that we were in a "BLIZZARD WARNING" until noon . . . however, nothing became of it.
I live 1.9 miles from work, my car doesn't have a chance to warm up. I could see my breath hitting the inside of my windshield all the way to work!!
hx6
Remember going outside in the cold and having the hair in your nostrils freeze stiff and tickle you as you were breathing? Well at -35 degrees, the moisture in your breath freezes into little icicles on your eyebrows and you have to knock them off your crunchy-feeling face every once in awhile.
But every once in awhile is every 15 minutes, because the weather guy said any longer than that outside will cause severe frostbite. Not JUST frostbite, but severe. This is actually really bad in places that have nursing home populations where the populace has dementia, as people wander off outside and freeze to death, basically dressed in regular houseclothes. These are unsavory survival things I learned when I lived in Detroit for 10 years as well.
We are supposed to be getting some cold weather here in Pennsylvania, (or have been, actually) but I can honestly say that since being in Wyoming, -15 almost sounds tropical!
When I was back here and it was 40 degrees, I laughed when I realized it was 75 degrees WARMER than what I had been in! Almost makes one long for some of that global warming, eh?
Annalisa
Dexter Jones here. Blast from the past part 3. Robbi sent a link to your page on Facebook. Many of the old gang have recently been in touch, brought together by the passing of Mr. Pollock. I wish you the best in your recovery. Many people were asking about you because I posted all these pictures up on Facebook and you were in so many of them. I don't envy you the long road you've traveled or the distance yet to be covered, but your inner strength will see you through.
Always forward,
Dexter
dextertjones@mac.com
I do like palm trees...
Suzi/suzilivvi
We layer up, bundle up (think Ralphie's little brother in "A Christmas Story" -- "I can't put my arms down!"), hunker down, and think smug thoughts about how hardy we are (though some of that might be foolhardiness)!
The coldest I remember seeing was -36° actual air temp in NE Wisconsin as a kid. You breathe in and your nose feels like it's gonna crack off your face.
Did anyone notice the dewpoint on Robb's screen-grab? -21° -- how is that even possible?!?! At what point is the lack of moisture so severe that it becomes a vacuum out there? We gotta be close!
A side note, I believe we were 50° colder than Fairbanks, AK this morning.