February 11, 2018

Oops, I Did It Again!

In honor of the Olympics starting, here are some winter-related questions stolen from Bogglesworld

1. Do you prefer winter or summer? Why?

I always used to say winter because no matter how cold it gets you can always put on another layer of clothes, pull up another blanket, toss another log on the fire, etc., but when it gets too hot there is only so much you can take off. 

I've changed my mind in recent years. I still don't like extreme heat, but I'd rather suffer through it than extreme cold. I've gotten old, I guess, because the cold makes my bones hurt! I'm also not (and never have been) a fan of winter activities.


  

2. What are your favorite winter activities?

Hibernating. Also known as reading, writing, watching movies, and eating oh-so-yummy-but-oh-so-bad-for-me foods.




3. Can you tell me about a time you went skiing or skating?


I've only been on ice skates a couple of times as a kid.  Once at a birthday party and once at the private school I attended (the maintenance man built a rink on the playground). It didn't go well either time. I have really crappy balance and weak ankles. As for skiing, nothing would make me strap a couple of boards to my feet and slide down a mountain on them.




4. Have you ever made a snow angel?


Yes, many times as a child...and quite a few as an adult.




5. Is your house cold?


Not right now. The outside temperature got up near 60 degrees today (Saturday) and while it's raining and the temperature is beginning to drop, the house is comfortable. That's specific. In general, our house can be a bit on the chilly side at times. It sits higher on its foundation and we are located on a small plateau. The wind seems to roll around in the valley below and then rip up the hill and race across the flat. It is very nearly always, at least, breezy here. When it is cold outside that can make it hard to keep the house feeling cozy. That's why we bought a pellet stove a few years ago. It has a thermostat so we can set it for the desired temperature and it will regulate itself. I love that it is a constant heat, not like the furnace, which runs until the desired temperature is reached then shuts off until the house cools back down. 




6. Do you have a fireplace in your house?


We used to, but opted to replace it with the pellet stove.




7. What do you usually do to keep warm in the winter?


I wear lots of layers for work. My wardrobe contains lots of fleece, sweaters, and turtlenecks. I've become a huge fan of fleece-lined leggings. I wear them for pajamas and even under my jeans for work as they are warmer and fit better than longjohns. I also own a lot of thick socks and fuzzy socks. If the feet are cold, the whole body is cold. At home in the evenings the Poodle and I snuggle up in the recliner with a thick, fuzzy throw or if I'm reading or on the laptop I'll break out the Snuggy (yes, I own 3!!!...all gifts).




8. Have you ever gone hiking in the snow?


Yes, when I was younger. I was in the Civil Air Patrol all through high school and our leaders loved to schedule encampments and training weekends in the snow. It was great fun back then.




9. Tell me about a snowball fight you had.


I don't remember ever having one.




10. Have you ever looked at a snowflake carefully?


Yes. I remember learning about them in a science class somewhere along the way. We learned about how they are formed and how they get their design and of course, we looked at quite a few of them with magnifying glasses.




11. Do you have a sled? Have you been sledding?


I do own an old wooden sled and a 2-person bobsled. Neither has seen the light of day in years.




12. What do you usually do after a big snowfall?


Well, if the timing's right it usually means school is cancelled so I have a day off. When the snow is done I shovel the sidewalk from the backdoor to the driveway and the cars (clearing an area for the dog to take care of business) and then I clean off my car.  I don't usually try digging out the driveway because if I wait long enough someone usually comes along and offers to do it for $20 or so. When the digging out is done, I enjoy my snow day by reading, watching a movie I know my husband would hate, maybe taking a nap, and probably cooking a hearty, comfort food kind of dinner.




13. What’s the best thing about winter?


When it's over!




14. What’s the worst thing about winter?


Driving on icy roads.




15. Have you ever been in a blizzard?


Quite a few times.  The worst was in 1992.  I was at home alone with my kids (ages 5 months and 6 years) and once the snow started it never stopped until it had dropped 3 feet...all in less than 24 hours!  My husband was a supervisor at a stone quarry then and the company sent out its men and equipment to help the town dig out. Nobody had cell phones then so I had no way of knowing. I finally reached someone at the company offices the second day and got the story. It was 3 days before he came home and the kids and I were dug out. Thank goodness the power stayed on. 

We were hit again nearly as bad just a couple of months later in 1993, but my husband was at home for that one...a good thing because I came down with strep throat just as that one was getting started.




16. Can you describe ice for me?


Cold water molecules that have swelled up and bonded together so densely that they form a solid surface.  It's cold, hard, generally clear, and slick.  It hurts like heck to fall on it (trust me, I'm an expert who only recently got smart enough to buy ice cleats) and is best used in cube form to chill drinks.




17. Have you ever slipped on ice and hurt yourself?


Oops! I kind of hinted at the answer to this one up above. The parking and bus lots at the bus garage are gravel (really more dirt than gravel is involved) and my employer doesn't allow the lots to be salted because the salt softens the ground and makes for a muddy mess.  They may or may not plow the snow and then they scatter pea gravel for traction. It works okay if you're a bus...not so great if you're the person trying to get to the bus or your own car.  I have wiped out several times over the years. One fall was particularly bad and I still get a little fluid build up on my knee from time to time. I have been lucky this year so far and since I just bought a pair of ice cleats I expect my streak to last. 

I did fall once at our daughter's house this winter. I landed on my hip (a first as my knees seem to be my preferred landing gear) and was sore for a couple of days, but that was it.




18.Have you ever had to shovel snow?


Ha! Only every time it snows.




19. Will you be watching the Olympics?


I watched a couple of the men's figure skaters the first night, but I haven't watched anything else. I don't know if I will or not. If I know when the luge and bobsled events are on I might watch those.




20. If yes, what are your favorite events? 


Oops, again! I just told you in #19.




That's all for this week. Be sure to stop by the Sunday Stealing
site and say thanks to Bev for finding the questions week
after week and to find the links to all the bloggers
playing along this week.  I probably won't be playing next
week as our youngest grandson will be spending the 
weekend with us. I'm pretty sure it's going to take 
ALL my time and energy to keep up with a 1 year old!
Have a great week!

8 comments:

  1. I have stopped doing the Sunday Stealing but enjoyed your answers today. This one would not have been easy for me, living in Florida these past nearly 29 years. I don't care to ever see snow and ice in person again. Stay warm up there!!

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  2. We actually came back because we missed the change of seasons. Now I ask myself, "What were we thinking?" LOL

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  3. I enjoy your memes on your meme. :-) I remember those snows in 1992-1993. They were the worst ones thus far in our marriage, mostly because we lost power for 10 days.

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    1. Yikes! That is a looooong time without power. I was very grateful our power never went out with the first one since I was stuck there alone with two small children and no alternative means of cooking or heating.

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  4. I hate winter in Maine--eventually, I hope to move closer to my Pennsylvania and Virginia sisters.

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    1. Well, I'll give you that compared to Maine it will be milder. What part of PA does your sister live in? I'm on the western side and we get it worse.

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  5. I totally agree with your first paragraph! Some of my happiest moments have been spent in front of a roaring fireplace, sipping hot toddies or huddling under a mini-mountain of quilts. Unfortunately -as my husband is quick to remind me -the winters I enjoyed in Los Alamos (think Currier & Ives) are a far cry than what y'all endure.

    That Dave Barry camping meme is hysterical ... soooo me!

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  6. Yes! Hibernating - my absolute FAVE winter activity. Loved all your answers and wonderful pictures - especially that "Going for Gold." Thanks for visiting my blog - have a lovely week, and stay warm.

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