Monday Musings - Duly-Frozen Edition...

So, if ALL that snow didn't have you wondering exactly HOW many days until SPRING, the FRIGID temps today most certainly will...
You KNOW this is all caused by GLOBAL WARMING, though...ROFLMAO!
Today's high in the tundra-like Hoosierland will be in NEGATIVE numbers, and the higher THAT number,. the WORSE it is.
We're just BELOW zero degrees, and by 1500 hours today, we will be down into double-digit negative temps.
A "state-of-emergency" exists in the county Allen of Indiana.
Now, toss in a steady wind of greater than 10-15 MPH, and you're talking Robert Peary arctic expeditionary trek to the NORTH POLE kinda weather...with NO jolly old St. Nick anywhere to be found.

We claim this city of Ft. Wayne...!

So, keep those hot beverages at-the-ready, because we're talking some SERIOUS health-risk weather for people of ANY age.
*** First out of the deep-freeze today is the fact that Wifey and I dodged all this by grocery shopping EARLY on Saturday.
We were out and back before 0930 hrs.
There was one (important) hiccup to all this - The Wifeymobile was in the shop Friday for an oil change and new valve cover gaskets.

When I was driving it Saturday, I noticed the idle was "racing", and that's not really a good thing, especially if you're TRYING to go SLOW...because the car will keep accelerating. And let's just say when driving in BAD winter weather, an unexpected increase in speed is not something that makes ME feel comfortable. So, we;ll have to schedule to take it BACK in and see what's wrong. I'm thinking some type of sensor, because it's a MFI engine, as opposed to MY car, which still has a carburetor on it, and can be "adjusted" for idle speeds.
Perhaps when they took the plenum off the top of the engine, they disturbed something...who can say, but when "I:" feel leery driving a vehicle, you know it's something that needs attention.
Moving on cautiously...
*** Next up, I was amazed at the number of drivers ON the roads yesterday, and the number of slide-offs all over the damn place. Police were so busy...as were the flatbed wreckers.

FWPD use snow-speeders and Tauntauns to get around.

One police call was for a BIGGER wrecker - to pull out another WRECKER...that was stuck.
TRAA ambulance drivers were having trouble negotiating residential streets, due to impassibility.
Today is no better with tractor-trailers getting into difficulty, mainly due to the increasing WINDS.
But, if you can make it DOWNTOWN, the streets THERE are fairly CLEARED....yeah, it's ALWAYS about "downtown" abbey.
A few got stuck along our streets, but managed to get going.
The LAST thing I want is a bunch of cars littering MY property line because they're too stupid to heed the newscasts and REMAIN in their houses or apartments.

Wifey and I cleared the driveway ONCE, and teamed up for the sidewalks OUT FRONT (where no one EVER walks), because it's a city ORDINANCE stating they must be cleared by 0900 hrs. No one ELSE around here EVER does, and they NEVER get cited.
Nor do people clear out FIRE HYDRANTS, which could become FROZEN if encased in snow...OR could be struck by a vehicle because NO ONE CAN SEE THEM when they're buried under such snow.
Failure to clear them "could" bring a hefty $2500 FINE from the city (that they would never follow up on).

Now, if you STILL believe in MIRACLES (and who doesn't?)...we had THREE (count 'em 3) plows criss-cross OUR area this morning right after 0800 hrs...

A-F$CKING-MAZING...that's a FIRST!
*** To say it's been a "busy" 24 hours would be an understatement of EPIC proportions.
Fire crews have been out answering various calls (curiously very few for actual fires, thank God) non-stop, and the police have been helping stranded motorists where possible. A few have gotten stuck themselves answering a few calls, but overall, both departments have been performing in an exemplary manner.
This is NO reflection of either Hamilton OR York...THEY haven't done a thing (imho)...it's the fire crews and street officers that have done it all out there.

Basically, what we are staring at in Fort Wayne is a CLOSED CITY...even public transit (Citilink) is "closed" for the day, as is damn near everything else.
It would not surprise me if the schools were ALSO closed tomorrow, because of the COLD temps.
When we USED to have neighborhood schools, we trudged to them in ankle-deep snow...wasn't far to walk at all, and we placed our boots (galoshes for some) in the "cloak room" with all out other foul-weather gear. But since we NOW bus kids across town for no good reason, the chance of MISSING school is a lot more possible, especially if the DIESEL fuel for the buses has turned to JELL-O in the damn tanks.
*** Lastly today, this is NOT any kind of weather for ANYONE, and that includes PETS too.
You can get frostbite in LESS than 30 minutes if outside today, so don't screw around.
If you HAVE to got out and do the sidewalk, driveway, whatever...DRESS ACCORDINGLY.

Hi-tech?
My house is made of ICE BLOCKS!

-- Cover as much exposed area as possible, like using a balaclava or hooded garment.
-- Wrap a scarf around your neck if you not wearing a turtleneck, and guard your EYES as well, with some sort of protective eye-wear.
-- GOGGLES (mil-spec of ski) will do the trick and keep the frigid air OFF your eyes, but even regular glasses can ease the stinging snow from your eyes.
-- BOOTS are a MUST...no "athletic" shoes of ANY kind will keep your feet warm AND dry..
-- GLOVES ...ditto for protection.
Yet, the most important advice would be...
If you DON'T have to go outside today...DON'T...just DON'T!
You hunker down, take it slow, dig out the cards or board games and let Mother Nature do her thing.
Do have yourselves a good week, in spite of the weather.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE (and warm) out there, America!