Baby It's Cold Outside

Brrr.....it is so cold outside. Yesterday, I had scheduled my upstairs carpet to be cleaned. I couldn't believe that out of 365 days of the year, I would pick the coldest day of the year. It took the vendor 2 hours from start to finish to clean my carpet. During the process the garage door had to remain open in order for the hoses to be attached to his truck. Another hose had to be attached to a water source. He turned on the faucet in the garage, which usually works, but would not turn on. "Maybe it's frozen", he suggested. He found another usable water source and began carpet cleaning.

For 2 hours the door was open, and I was cold. I tried to continue with my usual routine, cleaning, cooking, and more cleaning. It was so cold, I finally turned on the fireplace, and wrapped up in a blanket. My kids were stunned with my choice. "Why didn't you just go downstairs where it is warm?"they mumbled. I hate it when they are so logical.

To make our cold day even colder, the garage door wouldn't shut. I tried all morning long to get it to shut, using all my tricks, but it didn't work. I finally called a vendor to come and fix the door. I was so glad he was in the neighborhood and got it fixed by late afternoon.

Last night I succumbed to my kids request, and let Snowball, aka, "the rat killing, garage cat" sleep inside. I had rules about the sleeping arrangements. The cat could ONLY sleep in the bathroom by the garage with the door shut. I thought my instructions were clear, until about 3:30 a.m. when I was sound asleep and a BIG, white cat, jumped on my face. That can be a little startling when you are awaken so abruptly. I guess someone didn't get the memo about Snowball's sleeping arrangements.

Early this morning I went to let the cat out, when I heard a strange sound coming from the garage. It sounded like a waterfall. The water pipe in the garage, attached to the sink where the carpet cleaner had tried to attach his hoses, had burst. Water was emptying into the garage at a rapid pace. Fortunately, it had just recently happened, fortunately we woke up early, and fortunately Mike knew how to turn off the water. Yikes!

On the way home from taking Lizzy to her Harp lesson, the younger kids had a great time watching the car thermometer dip from 6 degrees down to -1. "It's going to be another cold day", I told them.

Every winter day is a battle with Ben as to what it appropriate to wear to school. He wants to wear basketball shorts, sports tee-shirts or jerseys every day. It doesn't matter how cold it is. I told him that I look like a bad parent when he wears shorts with only a sweatshirt in the middle of winter.

When Ben started getting ready for school this morning he put on his usual basketball shorts, and sports tee-shirt. "What?" I exclaimed. I thought I said it was going to be a cold day. After MUCH encouragement (maybe even some threats), I finally got him to wear sweat pants.

I told him he MUST wear a coat today too. "I'll put it in my backpack," he grumbled. I found his coat crumpled on the floor. I picked it up, put it in the car, forced him to put it in his backpack, and took them to school. On the way to school we passed the kids waiting in the bitter cold, at the bus stop for the bus. Ben looked at a boy dressed in basketball shorts, and wearing only a sweatshirt and said, "I guess his parents don't really care about him."