The news is full of dire warnings. The whole world has been cancelled preemptively. So I had Tuesday off as a scheduled vacation day. Today and half of tomorrow is cancelled at work. Only essential personnel are to attempt to come into work (provided there isn’t a emergency in the county where they say that no one except First Responders are to be on the roads. They will ticket you if you get caught)!! I had planned to get together with Saintvi. We were going to pick out new glasses frames for me. Have lunch. Visit. Maybe see if there was anything at the bookstore. Possibly even find a geocache… Instead I went to the eye doctor. Looked at frames but didn’t buy anything. Came home. Huddled under covers shivering until the space heater warmed up the bedroom a little. Eventually I managed to finish the laundry and vacuum. My big birthday celebration consisted of using the oven to make a frozen pizza.
On another note concerning the weather, my skin is so dry I’m flaking and cracking. The humidity has dropped and I am drying out. Soon I’ll be so desiccated I’ll look like one of those Egyptian mummies once they unwrap them! We have a variety of moisturizers. I’ve used the natural botanical lotion – not much improvement but I did smell nice. I have slathered on the unscented, added collagen enhanced, oatmeal boosted lotion for extremely dry skin. Not much use. I tried the Working Hands treatment. Let’s just say I’m not so sure the guarantee is able to be enforced. We need to go to Lowe’s and purchase another space heater and a new humidifier. I’m hopeful that adding effective units the bedroom will be warmer and that my nose bleeds will disappear! Of course everywhere is closed so we can’t buy anything. I’m guessing that there won’t be a single space heater on the shelves when we finally do get to the store!
Monday night I went out to dinner. It took me forever (well, maybe not forever) to scrape some ice off the windshield. On my drive to the restaurant there were at least 4 cars in assorted ditches. I nearly wiped out on some black ice walking into the restaurant… But I’ve survived it all. So far. Wednesday night I was supposed to stay overnight at work in case of emergency. I am on call this week after all. Fortunately it wasn’t necessary and I was able to sleep in my own bed!!
A Different Perspective 
This weather is just ridiculous! My son’s surgery went well yesterday (cryoablation for A-Fib) but today they are supposed to drive home from Ft. Wayne. They took my car as it is better on bad roads than theirs. We have some snow, but probably not as much as you do. I’ve been using a crockpot as a humidifier in my bedroom. I put it on low, and leave the lid off. Watch out for that black ice. What would we do without frozen pizzas? Pb and J sandwiches for your birthday just wouldn’t be right. Hope you and Saintvi will be able to get together soon.
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I hope your son’s trip home is uneventful and he recovers well. Out humidifier is on its last legs but still working well enough. My grandmother used to put a pan of water on the registers in the winter to humidify the hot air. I’m tempted to do the same!
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I am curious. Do you not have central heat in your home?
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Oh we have central heat – but most furnaces are not designed for sustained subzero temperatures. The furnace has been running non-stop for the last 2 days and we are concerned that it might not be able to keep going. The newspaper warned not to try to keep the house at a high temp as the motor on the blower might burn out… it is better to keep it at a moderate temp and to NOT turn it down at night since it will be very difficult for the temperature to rebound once it falls too low. We are using supplemental sources (2 space heaters) to pick up the slack.
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I have learned that the best space heater is a vacuum cleaner. A broom works too. They come under the heading, “A man who chops his own wood is twice warmed”. Next winter the Bare Bones B&B should be ready for guests so, you will have a place to land should you decide to make an escape to Southern California. It has central heat and air, so if you come during one of our two weeks of winter (it could be as low as 40 degrees out), you can still be comfortable. Or, if you want to test your heat tolerance, come during our endless summer, when the drone of air conditioners can be heard throughout the land.
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Haha! Sounds like my mother when we complained about being cold! She’d always recommend doing some chores and putting on a sweater. The BBB&B sounds like a fun place to visit! If we get out that way, I’ll certainly look up the Bare Bones B&B!
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We are where it’s cold with wind chills in the negatives but at least above zero temps. If we were home the high today is 42.
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I wish we would have a high of 42~ it is currently at -12 (the predicted high for today)…Brrr!
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We were where it was 17 this morning. Than headed north into eastern Nebraska and its 1.
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Below freezing but still not in negative numbers so I’d call that a win. Hope you can stay warm in Elmo.
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I woke up sweating with just the front heat set at a low temp on low
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That is wonderful – for you. We are still frozen here!
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Hope it warms up soon
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I don’t envy you that cold — do take care! And by the time you get to the store for another heater, the polar vortex will have gone back where it belongs — to the Arctic — and you won’t need it till next winter! And stay home for the next couple of days to stay warm!
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We have 2 working heaters right now – there aren’t any on the shelves! I was home yesterday and today. I have to go to work tomorrow but it will be a shorter day as no one wants to stay late. Friday will be “business as usual” for the university so I’ll be back at work…
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i love the cold of north america but the dryness literally shrivels me up – happy to be back in the humid Malaysia so my skin can rejuvenate
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Pre-emptive fussing seems to be the thing these days… tomorrow’s school and business closings scrolling across the TV at 10 pm? As kids, the announcement came on the radio 15-30 minutes before the school bus was due. Snow and ice were acceptable reasons for closure, but days off for “severe cold” were unheard of. I don’t like going out in the cold if I don’t have to, and my Honda doesn’t like to start when it’s -5 degrees, but we made it out today to procure essentials–bread, cream for coffee, avocados. Our furnace hasn’t had any trouble keeping the house warm. If I work on my afghan, I get an extra layer of coziness. The dogs and cat have stayed in without complaint. So anyway, Happy B-day, Muri. You’ve got frozen pizza and clean clothes, your car isn’t in a ditch, and you could have a space heater delivered in 2 days via AmazonPrime. Life is good. 🙂
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It’s just better science. They can monitor front systems better, they understand that there is a temperature below which it is useless to put melting agents on the roads because they won’t work, and they are able to predict temperatures and windchills better. More children are bused to school than when we were kids. These windchill temperatures are literally deadly. I won’t even let my dogs be outside for more than five minutes (they’ve been running back to the door within 30 seconds), so there’s no way I would send a child out to a bus stop in these conditions. And since it’s too cold to melt the ice on the roads, I wouldn’t risk trying to drive anywhere unless it’s an emergency. I think they were wise to cancel school, just as I think it was wise for Val and me to cancel our plans.
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You are further north, I think. We’re in middle Ohio, below zero temps are rare, almost unheard of, but better safe than sorry. Our dogs don’t want to go for walks in this weather, just a quick whiz in the yard. Stay warm and safe.
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Thanks Joan! We are still standing (or huddled in the fetal position under mounds of blankets). The pizza was deluxe and my car started so life is indeed good… It would be better still if the temperature would warm into positive numbers!
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Val, I’m so glad you didn’t have to go in and spend the night! I hope you’re feeling better. We’ll manage to get together eventually. If it takes too long, I’ll mail your birthday gift to you!
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Hello saintvi . I remember you from Xanga like a diplomed geocacher !
Take care to the cold .
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Bonjour, Michel! Comment ca va? I hope you are well. (I am trying to learn a little bit of French using an app on my phone.) I survived the Polar Vortex and it is supposed to get up to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the next few days. It’s been much too cold to geocache! I didn’t leave my house for more than a week, but today I shoveled snow and cleared my van and ran some errands. It was good to be back out in the world!
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Don’t spend the money on postage! We’ll get together eventually! Sparky drove me to work today – he didn’t want me to have to walk in the cold. He was so sweet! Besides I’m suffering from a massive head cold that I think I got from him so he’s feeling a little guilty. Especially since he sucked down all the NyQuil and didn’t buy a new bottle! We stopped on the way home and got some more. I plan on having a restful night as long as Ed doesn’t call me every 5 minutes…
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This is the offensive of General Winter . Its preys are the cars put in the ditches , your skin that dessicates and your nose bleeding without forget the cold in your bedroom.
Val, I see you take the means for a sure defence ? Courage ! 🙂
Love ❤
Michel
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Thanks Michel! I am on the defensive against larger forces but I am persistent! I will manage (with a fleece blanket wrapped around me and a mug of hot cocoa in my hand)!
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I’m glad you didn’t have to stay overnight. Winter is difficult on senses and skin for sure.
We are suppose to get snow but we didn’t. However, we had really cold, cold weather for a couple of days. Back up to the 40’s now.
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The temps here are supposed to get to the mid 40s this weekend – that would be a 60 degree swing. No wonder I’ve got a bad cold!
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Using the 2 Icelandic wool blankets from Annie’s sale of her deceased mom Louise’s sale. She gave them to me since I purchased a bunch of stuff too. I’m drying out too! Using lots and lots of cream and Vaseline seems to be pretty good for my hands but it’s a little greasy. Stay warm &. Let me know when you get your b’day card and check.
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Crazy Louise remains in out memories… I bet those blankets are toasty warm! Your card and gift arrived today. Thank you for the check! I think I’ll put it into the savings for a new driveway!! That is the next improvement project!
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