Fresh because it's frozen fresh

It is -2°F (-19°C) outside now with a wind chill of -23°F (-31°C) and the temperature is still dropping. NOAA is predicting a low of -16°F tonight with a wind chill of -26°F to -31°F. What happened to 42°F from 2 PM yesterday? I was outside with only a sweater for extra warmth, and quite happy. The locals all seem quite proud of this sudden thermometer crash. Welcome to Minnesota. And I don't even live in one of the cold parts of the state.

The wind is strong and steady, and cuts right through the fabric of my pants and sneaks up under my hat. It makes my eyes water, and the hairs inside your nose freeze in this weather if your nose is uncovered. I wonder what a knitter like me is doing with only one warm scarf to my name, and that one forgotten at home?

Thank goodness I got into work early enough to get a good parking place, so I'm only a hundred yards or so from the office door. I left my lunch in the car today (in an insulated bag so it wouldn't freeze solid) to give me an excuse for an extra bit of walking around and fresh air. I think tomorrow I'm bringing it inside, and I'll add an extra spin around the quad, with it's indoor walkways between buildings, instead. No fresh air, of course. But walking around outside right now reminds me of that old frozen food commercial singing the praises of their product by declaring, "It's fresh because it's frozen fresh." I'd rather have my air thawed out a bit before sucking it into my lungs right now.

No sign of the snow they predicted for this morning. I'll be happy if it holds off until after the evening rush hour. If local weather had a democratic component, I suspect there would be an overwhelming vote for that.

Good news for today is that I'm finally sleeping better. Another week of decent sleep, and maybe I'll start to feel like myself again. As a sign of improvement, instead of the usual nightmares, I had a dream about H.H. the Dalai Lama. About a modern cathedral-type structure with pews and a lectern at the front, but instead of hymnals and Bibles there were books with prayers and teachings from many religions and philosophies. The people there were waiting to hear not a sermon, but a philosophical dialog in which His Holiness one participant. The people gathered there to listen were from countries all around the world.

Alrighty. Lunch break is over. Back to work.