Friggin' Brrrrr

Yes, I know I grew up in cold places.  That is why I live HERE, in the land of the smoking hot summers - so that I don't have to deal with winters.  Unfortunately, winter found me, beginning on Tuesday night.  We peer-pressured each other into running 6 miles in the chilly chilly wind, and I came home and forced myself out of my layers (I hate running in that many clothes) and into the shower.  That was a good thing, because the temperature plunged below freezing and stayed there for a few days.  And, on Wednesday morning, my 87 year old house didn't think much of winter, either, and my pipes froze, rendering me hot-water-less. 

So, as I boiled water for sponge baths and attempted to coax my furnace into heating the house to 61 degrees (the limit, apparently, during winter), I did not run much, waited for my frozen pipes to explode, and vowed to move further south. 

Alas, after work on Thursday, after a failed attempt to cram myself in the "crawl" (slither?) space under the house in search of frozen pipes, I simply turned on every applicance in the house, including the dryer and oven.  As the struggling furnace notched temps upward of 64, I turned to my dripping faucets and aaaaaaah - HOT WATER!  (I immediately thawed out the washing machine and jumped in the shower.)  Winter and 'urban camping' do not top my 'favorite things' list.

And then, it snowed.  In San Antonio.  Really.  It was even measurable - something like 0.6" - but it also iced, and shut down the city (highways and all) on Friday morning.  So, for the first time in a long time, I actually enjoyed a snow day - one of those where you wake up, look out at the snow, then call the office (busy), then call the office (busy), then call the office (WE ARE CLOSED) - and you go back to bed.  The best part was that, when I woke up, the sun was shining for the first time in days and it was a balmy 45-ish. 

Since we're enjoying this practically 'tropical' front now (it's going to be in the 20s this evening), I figure that I may as well get up to run the San Antonio Rodeo 4 mile Stampede before we leave the freezing temps by midmorning.

And then - it's SUPERBOWL.  Starring - the Packers.  This week has gone worst to best, no question.

GO PACK!