Frozen Snot

Thank goodness that the news media is around to tell us that it is winter and that somewhere during that time snow will fall and cold air will happen. Not only have the national cable news networks advised us on how winter works in the northern part of the United States, but our local news people here in Florida have also spent hours warning us that it will snow up north in the winter. I'll just assume that they do that so we can gloat.

I got up early this morning to walk my dogs in the chilly Florida air. It was around fifty five degrees so I put on long pants, a sweatshirt, and my  leather jacket. Still, the wind was strong and the cold air was finding its way down my collar and up my pant legs. Brrr...  It all reminded me of living in Chicago and just how bad it can get there in the winter. It reminded me of walking outside and experiencing my nostrils freezing on contact with the subzero air. Childhood memories flooded back of woolen mufflers around my neck, pulled up over my mouth and nose and soaked with frozen snot. When I lived in Chicago, for the duration of winter, I had cold feet. Not just chilly feet, but painfully cold feet. It seemed that no matter what I put on over my feet, they were cold. I remember the ice on the car and having to let it run for half an hour to melt it all off. I once locked myself out of the car doing that. It sat out in front of my house, on the street, running for three hours until AAA could get there to open the door. For once, not a car thief to be seen when you need one. Ah, winter in Chicago. Coat checks, anti-freeze, salt stained shoes, frozen pipes, frost bite. Looking forward to it. Not sure what Mark will make of it.