Friday, January 25, 2008

So, Like, How Cold is It?



No, this isn't a photo of my house. It's from my friend Wendy, who lives in Idaho. Wendy and I went to junior high and high school together. We were a couple of horse crazy teens who shunned the football games, the cheerleading and the school dances and instead coveted every hardcover book in the school library that dealt with horses. Though Wendy and I both grew up in Southern California, she now lives in Idaho with her Quarter horses while I'm firmly rooted in Southern California with my two Paints. And while I feel right now like I'm freezing (I've been wearing my down jacket all day) I can't honestly feel sorry for myself because look at this recent photo of Wendy's ranch. Now that is freezing cold! Lovely and serene in its winter beauty, but freezing nonetheless.

Wendy emailed me that she's wearing her ski suit to muck the stalls in her barn.

I also got an email from Nancy, a reader from New Hampshire, who just discovered my blog. After missing my Life with Horses column in Horse Illustrated, she just found my new online home and caught up with all of my posts. Apparently all the reading gave her something to do on what she described as "a cold, freezing winter night."

So I suppose when I rush outside in a couple of hours to hastily toss Wally and Lexi their dinners before I get chilled, I'll console myself by thinking of Wendy and Nancy. I may be in a down jacket, but at least I'm not wearing a ski suit.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was freezing nuts today. Seriously. I had on three pairs of socks, leg warmers, long underwear, jeans, underarmour, a long-sleeve shirt, two hoodies, a winter coat AND a parka over that.

And it was twenty-five degrees. It's supposed to go down tonight, I think. Ew.

Snow would be nice, though.

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindy,

I'm so enjoying your blog and check it daily. I'm a fairly new horse owner and this is my first winter having to tend to all the extra care that goes along with cold weather for my quarterhorse, Doc. I live in Michigan and it's been very cold and very snowy. Yesterday we woke to -3 with wind chills at -20. We have at least 12inches of snow on the ground with a couple of inches more expected today. The good news is that it's supposed to get up into the 20's today. I love winter and the cold weather, so I'm in the minority for sure!

Anonymous said...

I am in northern Mn, where the temp. has ben a steady -10 to -30 with out windchill.That is COLD!!I bundle up so much I can barely walk(it's more like the a duck waddle)to do chores.

Anonymous said...

Here in Southern MN we got hit with a heat wave the past few days. It was 18 yesterday and even through I am miserable with a cold I could not let the such warm weather just pass by.
After day after day of temp. of -15, or -32 with wind chill, 18 felt like heaven.

Anonymous said...

i live in SE MN, but right now i'm on vacation in southern tx! it is SO nice to get away from the freezing weather for a while!

Anonymous said...

wow, where I live it's been no higher than 5 degrees for the past week. For going outside I wear windpants over sweatpants, and a winter jacket over a sweatshirt. After hauing water, I was sweating a little. Recently my friend went to Florida, where it was in the 60's and 70's, she saw people in winter jackets! We northerners are wearing shorts in that weather. It's nice now that it's in the double digits aqain.

Cindy Hale said...

Oh you brave, brave souls! I was reading these comments to my husband (who is sitting in the recliner, in front of the fireplace, with an electric blanket and a warm dog on his lap) and he said, "Well, I guess we can't complain about our weather."

Anonymous said...

Here in Montana, It is 25 below and dropping, and I don't think I want to mention the wind chill! Snow is everywhere...thank goodness our furnace finally got fixed!! Yuck.

Anonymous said...

Ahem. I'll let you all in on a little secret: Cindy is always cold. Always. Except when she's hot, LOL.

No matter where we go, it's a sure bet that she will be coming home with at least one more sweater/sweat shirt/jacket than she left with. In fact, it's the first -- and last -- question I ask before we go somewhere together: "Do you have your coat??"