Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Everybody who had been complaining that the winter had been, to use an Anne Rice word, preternaturally warm, can now officially eat their words.

It has been bitter cold here for about the last week. And frankly, I've had enough.

I've been continuing my dog walks with Una, which involves bundling up to the point that I even wrap my wool scarf around my ears and mouth. This has the added bonus of fogging up my glasses.

When the snow fell the other day, it got Una's tootsies cold so that she started limping partway through. I had to rub her back feet between my gloves to warm them up. Why am I no longer using her doggie snow boots? Because they keep falling off, and it becomes more trouble than it's worth. Fortunately, as soon as people shoveled their walks, the problem seemed to disappear.

Honestly, by now I've had enough of these temperatures. I know I shouldn't complain, especially when you look at other parts of the country, where they're seeing temperatures as much as 40 degrees below zero, where they're seeing eight feet of snow. In other words, the sort of extreme weather usually confined to a Bill Cosby routine. I guess 20 degrees Fahrenheit and a dusting of snow seems minor.

Still, it's much colder than what makes me feel comfortable. I was much happier with 40 and 50 degree weather, abnormal though it might seem.

As The Gryphon left for work today, I saw he was wearing only a light sweater, and I asked him if he was going to be warm enough. He said, "Yes, it's going to be up to 29 degrees today." That's right, folks. A temperature below freezing is considered warmer.

Of course, it doesn't help with all this wind blowing. With the wind chill, I'm certain it's as cold yesterday as it was the day before.

I've been wearing thermal leggings underneath my pants, a polar fleece top and my ugly, square-toed snow boots (they don't seem to make any other type, at least that I can find). I feel like a lumberjack. Fortunately, with the scarf wrapped around my face, I doubt anyone can tell who I am.

Even so, the first block or two are miserable until we start to warm up from the exercise. I don't know how much longer this sort of weather is going to last. I suppose the milder winters we've been having were anomalies, so it's not unusual for winter to actually feel like winter. It almost seems like the weather has something to prove: "Global warming advocates, take this!"

There have been some days that we curtailed our walking activities early because of the extreme cold. Una's winter coat came in almost overnight as soon as the temperature dropped. She seems to be taking it well, except for her sensitive paws. After all, she was born in Colorado, so for the first several months of her puppy life, she was accustomed to both cold weather and thinner air. Maybe that's why she now has so much energy.

One thing she doesn't miss is having me wipe down her legs and belly after the walk with a damp wash cloth, like I was doing when the weather was warmer and we dealt with slush. I can't say I blame her; I never liked sponge baths, either.

The nature of this winter is probably very disappointing to the kids. Aside from the first snowfall back in January, when I saw them excited, running around in the flakes, they don't seem to be out enjoying the cold weather. After all, it's bitter cold without enough snow to play in, so mostly I seem them bundled up on their way to and from school, two eyes and maybe a nose poking out of a puffy jacket with the hood pulled as tight as possible.

Looking ahead, the forecast calls for some warmer temperatures next week. As warm as 40 degrees. Woo! Bring it on!

Copyright 2006 by Alyce Wilson

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