How to Survive Another Day in Polar-dise

Well, that arctic blast is living up to its hype. Wisconsin was basically closed today. No school. No postal delivery. Apparently the worst windchills for decades.

First, I have to acknowledge the weather forecasters. Regrettably, you were right. It is stinkin' cold. Flippin' frigid. Not enough words to describe, but Polar Vortex does do it justice.

Woke up to negative 28 (I used to think it was my lucky number) with windchill of negative 57. Or a "real feel" of roughly 80 degrees below freezing. Does that help illustrate the magnitude of the chill factor here? Good.

Since I had the opportunity to work from home today, I took it. I really need to name my car because I will have to do some major sweet talking to get her out of the garage tomorrow morning – when it's going to be another day in polar-dise.

Here's a few survival tips I learned today...

1. If you're cold, they're cold. Bring them inside. Probably refers mainly to husbands, children, and pets. But I considered it for our Skol Man. Then I thought, what kind of viking would he be if he can't handle a little cold?

2. Dress warmly. As my work-from-home hubby pointed out, I was a fashion disaster today. But if you want to feel warm, you wear a Maui sweatshirt and fleece-lined leggings. If all you have is Christmas ones, go for it. It's about practicality.

3. Seek the sun. From indoors, that is. I took a cue from kitty and set up my kitchen table office near the front windows. So much warmer there than my north-facing office!

Sylvester's like, "Duh. I'm smarter than I look."

4. Go outside. Yes, do it. I  was reminded of this tip on Facebook. Check your heat vent on the outside of your house to be sure it's not blocked by ice.  I was glad I did. Luckily, I was able to knock over this big fella without breaking a toe. Scary.

5. Call your mother. Especially if she lives alone. I was relieved when I talked to Mom and she assured me she's been staying put and has not plans to venture out the next few days. Probably a good thing they don't have garage sales during a Polar Vortex. Must be a rule or something.

6. Be smart. I'm sure I'll venture out and go to work tomorrow – if the car cooperates. But really, if you don't have to go anywhere, don't. At least not until Friday, when the warm-up starts.

Did someone say warm? Still freezing temps, but yes, we'll be able to tell the difference.