“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 676 (Tuesday)

Snow tracks.

It was cold, but only if you think five degrees is cold. Sure, it was well below freezing, but at least it was still a positive number. Right?

The ice at the end of the driveway was the dry brittle stuff that shatters when stepped on and makes a satisfying sound. A dusting of snow covering the driveway was accented by a trail of tracks between the car and the yard. They ran  under the car and came out the other end. Weather reports proclaimed it was “the coldest temperatures in three years” and the on-dash monitor informed me the tires are suddenly low again. On the bright side (literally) the sun was out and required use of the visor.  

The walk from the garage to the office was invigorating. I play the little games played while a student walking to school including altering routes around other pedestrians to avoid changing speed, and engaging in foot races with other unsuspecting pedestrians, which I nearly always win. Walking fast can build up some body heat, even when it’s only five degrees out. During those mile-long walks to school, the scarf would be loosened and coat unzipped halfway there, and I would often be sweating by the time I arrived. Maybe I should start walking to work on the cold days, for old time’s sake.

The day’s attire included a base layer of long johns and the super warm and cozy recently mended alpaca sweater, and the alpaca shoe liners were in the tan suede chukka boots chosen for the day, so it wasn’t too bad. There’s a saying that has been attributed to the Norwegians, the Swedes, the Finns, and possibly folks from all the cold weather countries – “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.” It really does make a difference.

It helped being at the office-office today, where my favorite amenity is the water dispenser with instant hot water, allowing for endless cups of hot tea. Or, more accurately, one cup of hot fruit tea that is frugally refilled with hot water enough times that eventually it is just hot water. The home-office was once a porch, and when it was finished into an extension of the kitchen, insulation doesn’t seem to have been part of the project. The office and the bathroom closet are the coldest spots in the house. If the refrigerator ever ceases working, I know where to keep the perishables. And it was nice to not be sitting in there today.

Best boy in the world.

After settling in at my office-office desk after the invigorating walk, I realized that I had put a sweater on Winston but I forgot about his pants. Apparently, the five consecutive days at home between remote workdays and the weekend made me soft and forgetful. I envisioned the potential flood of pee that would greet me upon my return. 

Luckily, at lunch time, I was able to dash home to check on things. The floors were dry and my good boy met me at the door and was ready for a trip outside. The cold must have inspired people to stay indoors, because there was no traffic during that quick errand. It was like driving in a ghost town, and it was pretty fantastic.

Powered by hot beverages, too many chocolate truffles brought in by a colleague, and the joy of setting up new spreadsheets, the afternoon passed quickly. (Yes, I really do enjoy spreadsheets.) At 4:55, it was still light(ish) out. It may have been friggin’ cold, but it was still a decent day.