Friday Mishmash - Ice, Ice Baby Edition

When we first moved to Texas, back in 1992, and got a "wintery weather event" every few years, it was fun. Everything shut down, we enjoyed our bonus days off from work and school, and then life went back to normal within a couple of days. We all laughed at how Texans can't handle driving in snow or ice, and how our cities aren't set up to deal with it beyond throwing down some sand/gravel/deicer mix on the freeway onramps and bridges. Haha, we are so southern and charming. Well guess what? It isn't charming anymore. For the last few years, we've gotten ice and snow and freezing rain and this whole "winter interruption" is just getting to be annoying. Artic air masses, I'm putting you on notice. This will not be tolerated anymore. Stop when you get to the Oklahoma border. Thank you in advance.

Wednesday turned out to be extremely cold (24 degrees with a wind chill of 10 degree...10, people!) and, thanks to a bit of rain and wintery mix, it was icy. So, since cars were sliding off the roads, I decided to reschedule my ortho appointment - hated to delay it, but I would have felt like a moron getting out in those conditions and wrecking the car. My new appointment is on Monday - hopefully I'll have some answers on my ankle by the next WWU.

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Comment Catch Up:

Regarding the huge cardinal in last Friday's post? I did not know that birds fluffed themselves up in the winter, but that makes sense, as it was really cold the day I took that picture. Thank you Lori and Kelly for the info. :)

And several of you wondered if we really do shut down with that little bit of snow. Yes. To be fair, though, there was ice and that is really what messes Texas up. Apparently winter weather has not heard of the "Don't Mess With Texas" slogan that we have going here.

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Don't forget that Lori's Healthy Heart Challenge starts today and goes through the weekend. I pledged to get in 15 miles on the recumbent bike - not my first choice, but it's all I've got for now.

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Speaking of working out, since I couldn't get out to the gym on Wednesday (ice, remember?), I made up my own routine at home. First I did crunches on the stability ball - I wish I had someone here to take a picture, because as soon as I laid back on it, Paco jumped up on my stomach. I think he's been watching too much Biggest Loser...plus he got it wrong - Jillian jumps on the contestant's backs, not their stomachs! Then I did 100 calf raises, and a bunch of upper body work with my 10 pound dumbbells, and finished it with another 100 calf raises. They burned, but in a good way. Of course, when I woke up Thursday morning I was slightly crippled - ouch! Felt like old times when I worked out with Brad and Linda! A little stretching and I was good to go.

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There was trouble in River City in my office the other day...Henry, meek, mild, hide-under-the-bed Henry, took over Paco's chair (and pillow!):

Paco is giving Henry the stinkeye - "Yer in my spot!"

Just so you know, Henry is not kissing Paco here...there was biting going on!

Ooh! Now Henry is giving Paco the stinkeye right back - "I not moving, buddy!"

An epic battle for the chair begins!

Henners did not back down...

But Paco did - "You can have chair today, Hen. Today only."

Henry: "Dis MY chair, dog!"

Not only did Paco back down, he backed AWAY from mean old Henry - "I fine right over here wif my bone."

Later on I noticed Paco still hadn't gone back to his favorite chair - in fact, he never did get in it the entire day!

"I just lay here in sun. Don't need no chair. Or pillow."

Hope you all have a good weekend!