Small towns aren't bad in the cold
It is cold in Alma today. When I walked in this morning, the temperature was right around 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but the wind chill was something like -8F (though the wind chill forecast had been for -17F; maybe we lucked out).
I bundled all up before leaving the house: long underwear, jeans, a warm coat, gloves sealed in at my wrists, a hat, and a ski mask covering the bottom half of my face. So I had no exposed skin: just my glasses peeking out in front. I plunged out into the cold, and started to walk the 3/4 mile or so to work.
It actually wasn't that bad, though the chill did immediately start trying to seep through the chinks in my armor. But as I headed west toward campus, an SUV slowed down next to me. I nodded politely, but kept walking: walking fast enough to generate some warmth was important. The driver rolled the window down and asked, "Do you want a ride to campus?" I said, "No thanks!" as I kept going, and my cheerful tone wasn't really even forced: I do enjoy braving the elements from time to time. But she said, "Are you sure? It's awfully cold." And I looked over and thought, "Oh, it's Sandy, the photography professor who got us our cats! Why the heck am I saying no?" So I said, "Thanks!" and jumped into the passenger seat.
Once I was belted in, I pulled down my mask so I could breathe a little better, and I smiled and went to thank her again. And we looked at each other. "Oh! You're not who I thought you were!" she said. I laughed, because neither was she! So we introduced ourselves, and she still gave me a lift to campus. I would have been fine, but I was grateful anyway. I don't think I would have been quite so careless in Chicago, though.
So that was my weather-related excitement for the day. Walking home should be fun, too, though it's supposed to be much warmer: +8F (though the forecast says it'll feel like -8F).
[In other news, I'm wearing my winter coat at my desk. (Not zipped up, though.) What brilliant architect decided that *metal* window frames were a reasonable choice in Michigan? Or anywhere? Metal is one of the best heat conductors out there: that's why we cook in metal pans!]
I bundled all up before leaving the house: long underwear, jeans, a warm coat, gloves sealed in at my wrists, a hat, and a ski mask covering the bottom half of my face. So I had no exposed skin: just my glasses peeking out in front. I plunged out into the cold, and started to walk the 3/4 mile or so to work.
It actually wasn't that bad, though the chill did immediately start trying to seep through the chinks in my armor. But as I headed west toward campus, an SUV slowed down next to me. I nodded politely, but kept walking: walking fast enough to generate some warmth was important. The driver rolled the window down and asked, "Do you want a ride to campus?" I said, "No thanks!" as I kept going, and my cheerful tone wasn't really even forced: I do enjoy braving the elements from time to time. But she said, "Are you sure? It's awfully cold." And I looked over and thought, "Oh, it's Sandy, the photography professor who got us our cats! Why the heck am I saying no?" So I said, "Thanks!" and jumped into the passenger seat.
Once I was belted in, I pulled down my mask so I could breathe a little better, and I smiled and went to thank her again. And we looked at each other. "Oh! You're not who I thought you were!" she said. I laughed, because neither was she! So we introduced ourselves, and she still gave me a lift to campus. I would have been fine, but I was grateful anyway. I don't think I would have been quite so careless in Chicago, though.
So that was my weather-related excitement for the day. Walking home should be fun, too, though it's supposed to be much warmer: +8F (though the forecast says it'll feel like -8F).
[In other news, I'm wearing my winter coat at my desk. (Not zipped up, though.) What brilliant architect decided that *metal* window frames were a reasonable choice in Michigan? Or anywhere? Metal is one of the best heat conductors out there: that's why we cook in metal pans!]