AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW… this part of the USA, the midwest, is experiencing arctic temperatures. Records are being broken. Schools are being closed. Furnaces are being taxed. Prayers are being said. Et cetera, et cetera.
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BECAUSE I’VE DECIDED TO STAY AT HOME DURING THIS WEATHER EVENT… I am now in charge of:
- running water through all sink/shower/tub faucets so that the pipes don’t freeze;
- opening and closing blinds/curtains to allow sunshine + warmth, when available, to come into the house; and
- monitoring the thermostat, so that I can fret over the furnace’s every clink and whoosh and thunk as it continues to heat the house.
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NOW THAT I HAVE A BIT OF UNEXPECTED TIME ON MY HANDS… I’ve started reading three books:
- The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance, by Edmund de Waal. After inheriting from an uncle a collection of Japanese netsuke, the author researches his ancestors and their involvement with these objects. Fascinating.
- One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, by Jim Fergus. Using a few pieces of real history, the author creates a novel about a white pioneer woman who, courtesy of the U. S. government, goes to live among the Cheyenne, with the express purpose of helping the Cheyenne assimilate into white culture. Compelling.
- Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life, by Shauna Niequist. By examining the details of her days, the author writes a charming personal memoir filled with gentle guidance for living a better life. Uplifting.
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OF COURSE LIFE ISN’T JUST SERIOUS PURSUITS… which means that I’m playing Candy Crush Saga as often as the game will let me play. By using this cheat, I reigned victorious over a particularly difficult level 77 in Easter Bunny Hills, but now I’m unable to progress past level 80, waiting to complete my 3 quests so that I can move across the lake to level 81 and the next episode. Stuck in the game, stuck in the house. 😉
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
We too, here in SC, will be experiencing this Polar Vortex. The schools are all closed today in anticipation of the rain, changing to sleet, and then finally to snow. The grocery stores were packed yesterday with people scrambling for milk and bread–craziness! But of course, we in the south do not experience snow every winter and do not have the machinery to deal with it, so there will be chaos! Hopefully, our older heat pump will stay alive through all of this, too. The hubby left for NY early this morning for two weeks. He will definitely experience the bitter cold and lots of snow!
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Beth, I didn’t know that this frigid weather was going as far south as where you live. At least we northerns have the ability to clear the roads/sidewalks, so I feel for you. It’s going to be a mess for you.
As for the hubby in NY, oy vey! What a change of everything that is going to be for him! The stories he’ll tell when he gets back home.
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I am also in SC awaiting the ice-and-snowpocalypse. Being married to a Wisconsin-er, it is hard not to laugh, but I can’t drive in this weather.
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Andra, treacherous winter road conditions are tricky. I drive without too much concern because I’ve been doing it all my life; it’s just part of the deal here. But I can imagine if the first time I encountered snowy, slick roads was when I was an adult, I wouldn’t try to drive on winter roads either. It can be nerve-racking.
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If I haven’t asked you for your mailing address (and I don’t think I have), I would like to include you in the pre-launch for my book. I am not announcing it on the blog. Hence, the mailing address. If you reply to my email attached to this comment, I will get it.
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I’m under a fleece blanket, in my jammies and heavy sox, and have a small space heater blowing at me because the furnace cannot get the house past 64. My hands are freezing, so my next move is to find some knit gloves. Today might have to be a cocooning, soup-making, cat-cuddling, Interwebs-surfing kind of day. I give up.
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nance, fleece is my new best friend. Our furnace is holding steady at 63ºF so I’m jealous of yours going up so high. I’ve got to start my car today, so despite not wanting to go outside, I’ll probably drive somewhere– maybe the grocery. Bet that’ll be fun– not.
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I heard yesterday (though it’s kind of old news) that counting the wind chills, Minneapolis has actually been colder than Mars. The Curiosity Rover is laughing at you.
I am not laughing. I was considering complaining about the cold this morning but after reading about those of you stuck in the “once in a lifetime” vortex that has already occurred twice this month, I feel nothing but sympathy and a desire to mail you hand warmers and microwavable socks.
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Zazzy, somewhere between the Mars rover and microwaveable socks, you made me laugh out loud! Thanks.
You’re so right about this “once in a lifetime” x [oops!] 2 weather event. Ridiculous. Undoubtedly Curiosity is smirking.
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Have read one of the three books – if the others are as good as “Amber Eyes,” you are in for great reads. And there are over 500 levels of Candy Crush? I am struggling at Level 50. Yikes!! Finally, thank you for caring for Happy House during these extreme conditions. It and I appreciate it very much.
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Z-D, I pulled those three books from the piles of ones we have sitting around. If I don’t like them, there are plenty more!
I’m sure that I’ll give up on Candy Crush long before level 500. However, I NEED to see what happens once I get to level 80! 😉
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I have a friend who just moved to Michigan from England. Bit of a shock for her, I think! A friend’s husband is going to Cleveland, Ohio next week for work – I think he’ll be in for a bit of a shock too. Glad everyone is OK, it sounds like a major deal over there. I went to Iceland once and it was so cold I could hardly breathe. I hear it’s similar over there with you now. Stay warm. Sounds like you’ve got plenty to do while you wait it out.
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Polly, you’ve mentioned two notoriously cold places in the USA, not to mention that the midwest is a different animal than England. I wish your friends the best, but have to wonder what they’ll make of it all.
I hadn’t thought of how Icelandic this weather is, but you’re right. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. Cold, cold, cold… never-ending cold.
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As someone who has lived my whole life in a temperate coastal climate, I would have NO CLUE what to do. I would probably stay in and entertain myself(and fret a bit) just like you’re doing. When is this supposed to GO AWAY? I hope it’s not March!
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Margaret, supposedly this will all be over by Friday. I’ve taken it in stride because: 1) I don’t mind wearing layers of clothes that make me look like a multi-colored blob; 2) it’s been sunny most days during this mess so I get to look outside into sunshine instead of winter gray; and 3) I like to read + play iPad games, so I’ve got plenty to do. But it’s been weird, I’ll give the polar vortex that!
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There are CHEATS for Candy Crush???? This has made my day (because why work when I can be playing Candy Crush? Just sayin’)
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Jana, happy am I to know that I’ve helped you avoid work! I do what I can here in this little bloggy. 😉
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The polar vortex – ugh. Is it over yet??!! Our house too, is holding about 68, and that’s with the heat on full blast and the fireplace. I’ve found the key to warmth though – a hot water bottle. I either feel very European OR incredibly old (maybe a little of both), but those things really work (which is probably why they’ve been around a million years)! It keeps our feet warm (big enough to share!) and the kitties at the end of the bed very happy. Stay warm!
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Kristen, love the hot water bottle idea. Very smart. And practical. I’m choosing to believe that you’re rather European with this idea, btw. Not an old lady at all!
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