Outside The Box

By the time you read this, it’s just possible that the massive block of ice created by shoveling snow from our walkway will have melted. I’m not taking any bets. Our personal glacier has been here for two weeks so far. The rain didn’t melt it. It remained defiant during those two hours when the temperature actually got above freezing. Sunshine only strengthens its resolve as it stubbornly reflects heat away from the permafrost underneath. I’m beginning to suspect that the albedo effect somehow contributed to the Great Florida Blizzard of 2025.

There is plenty to do during these extended cold snaps, and the fun with frozen things has been almost nonstop around here. Not only is there plenty to keep anyone suffering from cabin fever busy, but the unexpected variety of activities only adds to the delight. That’s not all. The festival of freezing also contributes to our list of things to do in the spring, alleviating any concerns about being idle or having extra money to spend after the great thaw.

For example, it’s remarkable how utterly immobile a metal window becomes when the excess moisture allowed by a broken seal freezes around the perimeter as the temperature outside dips into the single digits. On a positive note, the ice effectively blocks any warm air from escaping the bathroom. They stopped making this model window at least 15 years ago, and we look forward to being able to buy something for three times the cost that will last a third as long.

Also unexpected was the surprise puddle in the basement. The culprit was a dehumidifier that normally drains to the outside through a hose that has never frozen before. Note to self: Be sure to clean the slime out of the drain hose before an extended cold spell. That probably goes double for the HVAC drain pipe.

Cold weather is instructive for anyone collecting bits of wisdom for the “stitch in time saves nine” file. Go ahead and fix that ding on the windshield of the truck, even though it’s so tiny that it’s hardly noticeable. You will notice the crack that forms when the ice on the windshield elbows out as the temperature drops to single digits. Of course, this is only a cautionary tale since it’s so rare for a truck hauling gravel in our county to violate Georgia Code Title 40, Motor Vehicles and Traffic § 40-8-75 and 40-6-248.1, and rumble down the highway uncovered.

Overall, we were well prepared for winter this year. Weather stripping and door seals were generally in good shape, that one window notwithstanding. All the proper clothes were rotated forward in the closets, and our heavy coats were ready for those excruciatingly slow morning constitutionals with the pups. Antifreeze levels in the vehicles were good. The chicken house windows were insulated (eggs are worth their weight in gold now).

If you have cats, we strongly recommend stocking up on litter before a freeze. Apparently, the cat door in Tracey’s shop stops functioning when the temperature drops below 20 degrees outside, and our two second-hand lionesses become simultaneously hungrier and less mobile every winter. Extra litter is also great for covering those slick spots on the walkway, but you’ll probably want to resist the urge to recycle and use fresh litter.

Checking our morning correspondence as the sun peeking over the ridge reflects off of the glacier, I see that my FedEx package, which is only 8 days late, is out for delivery for the fourth time today. Suddenly, it occurs to me that the driver is probably waiting for our glacier to melt. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Someone should inform our Amazon driver, who came twice through the snow in her 2WD sedan to deliver on time.

Now here is a headline that you don’t see very often: Sydney Lanier Bridge closed because of falling ice. A friend near Savannah sent me snow pictures, and people from there to New Orleans are having fun with frozen things while once-in-a-lifetime snowmen guard the shores of the Gulf of America. Winter has been anything but dull this year, and it’s not even February!

We leave you with a cup of gratitude while I enjoy a second cup of coffee. I’m grateful for my warm companion sleeping late in our warm bed in a warm house. Today the President will visit some families in North Carolina who are wondering whether they will wake up in a warm place tomorrow morning. As the English Reformer, John Bradford, observed in 1555, “there but for the grace of God go I.”