Single Digits Stops Stella

We knew it was going to happen but that didn't mean we had to like it. Yes, it does look like a nice clear morning, a great sky to walk under, as we start this Friday. With only a few degrees difference between the different weather apps, I knew it was too cold to take the daily walk. My first hint was seeing the storm windows covered in solid ice as the sun rose.

It was like the rising sun was waiting for Stella and I. It not only brightened the fields across the highway in front of the house but the woods on the north side of the field. It was a bright clear morning around 8:15am ... it was also 8° and a windchill temp of -5°.

After my morning reading, and my two cups of coffee, I told Stella we were not walking this morning. I didn't know if she would take off on me or not as I stepped outside wearing a Fleece jacket, fleece lined Wrangler's, with my wool socks inside some very cheap Chinese made sandals I bought at Walmart years ago. Those $24 Nike sandals I use to wear were one of Sadie's favorite chew toys ... so I quit buying them after the 3rd pair.

I had to shove on the frozen storm door for it to open as Stella and I stepped outside. The freezing air hit my lungs as I breathed in and cleared out any cobwebs that might be lingering in my brain after a good night of sleep ... just not enough of it. The ground was harder than a rock, if that is possible. I stood at the corner of the house watching Stella ... hoping I would not have to walk out in my socks and sandals to keep her out of the land of burrs.

You'll see that she knew it was cold. She did what she had to do (not pictured), turned without me calling her name and came back to the house. As I scanned my hourly temps on my weather app, I was up to 7pm before it gets above 15° today. It's dark by that time, so I think it is safe to say both walks today are postponed.

For some strange reason last night around 1am ... yes, it hit me at 1am ... about the time I was turning off the computer for the day, I had the urge to change the blog template to show a sidebar on the right hand side and was even willing to have smaller photos, to make that happen.

I scanned the list of possibilities, all familiar ones no matter how I changed the search terms, design features or how many columns. I kept glancing to the current design I had and the one you see here and knew this one, is the one I liked the most. Will cold weather that keeps me inside make me investigate possible changes in design?

I have no idea why those impulses hit me so often to change things. It falls within the same lines as me looking to take Verizon up on their email offer for unlimited data for only a few dollars more per month. For years I have had 5Gb of data, unlimited text and calls. That small amount of monthly data covers me for what I do with my phone.

Unlimited data is always tempting though. It has a built-in 20Gb threshold they might show in small print of the agreement or you might get a Verizon rep to confess to. The speeds will slow down after 20Gb are used within a billing period. (30 days).

What's the problem? It's only a few dollars more! That is the problem. Those 'few dollars more' add up as you apply that theory to the cell phone account, the satellite tv account, or more satellite internet data. (more than a few dollar increase)

There are a few more TV channels I'd like to get back since I moved to the lower tier of shows by decreasing my monthly payment $10 a few months ago. Those shows were not that important to me when I made the change and really they aren't now ... but that 'urge to change', just like the blog template. The MLB channel is on that higher tier and baseball season is right around the corner.

I just remembered, this blog post is done on the 'newer' WordPress editor. It's not really that new as I have used it for the past few years but it is newer than their old 'wp-admin' editor. I thought there was a difference between the two editors the other day as I was reading a post on my laptop.

In this editor the content goes no further than the edges of the photos. In the 'wp-admin' editor it does go past the photos. I like this better but I have a close eye on my Activity Monitor as I type this and add a few photos. I don't want to see an unexpected 700Mb data dump that happens sometimes on the WordPress .com editor. So far so good.

Stella and I were outside less than 3 minutes this morning. It seemed like a lifetime as I waited for her to finish. As you see here, single digits does not affect Heidi, time does. When it's time to sleep, it's time to sleep. Her normal routine is get up, goes outside to pee, back inside to eat breakfast and right back to bed. I fold  the sleeping back over the top of her afer she lays down.

Her dog bed, bought at Costco in 2011 about an hour before I met her for adoption, is more comfortable than the bed I sleep on, I think. It has the perfect firmness for the mattress. It's just not large enough for me of course. She will be up before lunch but I guarantee you that her trip outside today will take less than a minute.

I am afraid to turn on the tv today just to see what is going on in DC. I've glanced at the online headlines from three different news sources. Yes, I do read 'both sides' of news reporting. I have the ability to sort out facts and what is fake.

800,000 out of 2.3 million workers supposedly are the ones not being paid. They use to call it a 'skeleton crew', just enough to get the basics of the job finished but now they call it "essential personnel" ... how essential can they be if you can afford to let them go? I know the local ~8,000 government employees and contractor are all working and all are getting paid ... unless my neighbor is lying to me.

I must say that now that I have the Canon G9X adjusted I very happy with the quality of the photos I am taking. Early morning lighting is always a tough time for any camera, unless I was outside at sunrise. Today might be another good day to go for a drive.

I could stop and buy a deadbolt lock to install on the door this afternoon to contain Stella. :)

I appreciate all the responses I received via email and the public comments for my last post about the shutdown and congress. The email responses outnumbered the comments on the blog but all counted, it was an overwhelming number of people that agreed with me or that of the President. No one was threatening or angry and I welcome all opinions, on all of my blog posts.

I read this morning that Ms Harris, a 2020 candidate has hired all of the "Clinton Team" to run her campaign. Interesting. She has a lot of other issues though that will come to the forefront as the campaign gets closer to starting. I keep seeing the word "horizontal" describing her ... confusing to some I'm sure.

To add to my food discussion from last night ... I clicked in 1645 calories yesterday and had nothing but healthy food. I can also feel my appetite adjusting after tightening the food intake a couple of weeks ago. I'm not as hungry during the day or night and that's a good thing.

Well I need to see if I can figure out a way to move my desk chair away from my desk far enough to stand up. Stella has me blocked in as she is sleeping curled up and leaning on one of the desk chair legs. Maybe if I start sneezing she will wake up to whine like she always does and that will give me room to move my chair.

It's breath-taking cold today in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.