Chilly Wednesday Chat 12/4 (Tacran)

    • Gold Top Dog

    Chilly Wednesday Chat 12/4 (Tacran)

    It was 22 degrees when we got up this morning, warmed up to a balmy 28 on my drive in.  But the sun is shining and the sky is blue, so I'm not complaining.  I'm happy to wear a scarf and gloves instead of needing an umbrella!  How is everyone faring where there was some severe weather?  I wonder how Doug is doing?  I heard a lot of snow fell near Minneapolis.

    I know a lot of kids get ready for school without parents at home (we did, since my Mom left for work much earlier than we got ready for school).  I drive by an elementary school each morning right about the time the kids are walking towards it.  Today I saw a boy wearing SHORTS.  Surely a Mom or Dad wouldn't let him out of the house in shorts when it's 28 degrees?  Even inside the building, he'd have to be cold with bare legs today.

    I mentioned how we're leaving Ruby out of her crate now.  This morning she was all cozy under her blankets on the love seat, where she's been staying when we leave.  Today as I was getting my coat on and putting my stuff together (my usual pre-departure routine), she went into her crate (which is what she used to do each morning).  I had to lure her back to the love seat with a treat.  I wonder how long it'll be before she realizes she doesn't have to go in there?  We haven't put the crate away because we do need it sometimes when service people come in or something like that.  I guess she'll figure it out eventually.

    • Gold Top Dog

    It's foggy here and about 36 degrees. We had a rain/snow mix yesterday and should be freezing our butts off in the next day or so.

    Never underestimate how much attention parents are actually paying to their children, esp. during the morning rush.

    I'd just let Ruby go to her crate and exit later and not bother to lure her out. She's already figured out she can move later. Then when you need to crate her, she'll still willingly go in and not try to stake her claim on the love seat first.

    • Gold Top Dog

    It's supposed to get cold here tomorrow.  It's in the 70's now.  

    I feel like doo doo.  Worried and stressed and this cold has settled in my chest.  *cough, cough, cough*

    • Gold Top Dog

    @sharismom
    I'd just let Ruby go to her crate and exit later and not bother to lure her out. She's already figured out she can move later. Then when you need to crate her, she'll still willingly go in and not try to stake her claim on the love seat first.

     

    I thought the same thing, Tina.  If it were summer, I'd do that for sure.  But being the over-indulgent dog-parents that we are, we always cover Ruby when the weather is cold.  (We're pathetic, I know!)  But  I've never seen a dog who likes to be as warm as she does.  She lays in the hot sun, and curls up into the tightest ball in cooler temps.

    Even when we used to crate her, we put a blanket over her after she curled up in there.   If she left the crate on her own, she'd end up uncovered on the love seat (and the heat is lower in the house during the day).   But the point about wanting her to continue to go willingly into the crate is more important that spoiling her with a blanket, so I need to get over the blanket thing!  Embarrassed

    • Gold Top Dog

    A chest cold is not fun, Jackie . . . keep the hot tea with lemon and honey going today.  I hope you feel better!

    • Gold Top Dog

    I'm so envious of how well Ruby is doing staying home. I'm super happy for her and for you guys too. Did she ever show any signs of separation anxiety since you've had her? Shane is still like velcro with me and follows my every move in the morning. Even here at work, he waits at the door when I walk down the hall to check the mail.

    High 20s here this morning and when I took Shane for a walk, I trotted most of the way just to stay warm. Brrrrrr...how many days till summer?

    • Gold Top Dog

    We were incredibly lucky that Ruby never showed any signs of SA.  We know she had at least 2 homes before we adopted her, but there was little to no info on her background (the person who surrendered her to the shelter only had her a month and didn't provide any info on where he got her).  

    She did have some fear behavior related to sudden noises, mostly outside when walking (garage doors going up/down, garbage bins being rolled, even your foot scuffing the pavement suddenly would make her jump significantly).  But because she was calm in the house and crate, our guess is that she was kept indoors nearly all the time, probably in a crate, but rarely taken outdoors to experience sights and sounds.

    She is VERY attached to DH, like Shane is to you (her nose is pressed to the door when he goes out even for a minute to the garage or something).  She is his shadow.  She mopes when he's gone, but she doesn't whine or carry on, thankfully.  

    • Gold Top Dog

    Hi all.  We're having a 40's day with plenty of sunshine.  I won't complain.  Especially since tomorrow is supposed to be a 50's day...then Friday only in the 30's.

    My guys go into their crates in the morning for breakfast, even though they aren't asked to, and at bedtime, just because they can.  They are always there in the morning when I get up, so don't know if they stay there all night or not.  Whatever the case, since I do sometimes want them to go to their crates, like when I'm ready to leave for the day, I'm not going to argue with them.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Hey all,  tried to catch up, hope everyone is doing ok, had a good holiday and is ready for the cold front.

    We are supposed to go from a current of 65 to 10 by the morning and are supposed to have sleet and freezing rain.  Ugh....just hit Wally world to stock up and have a few more things to do at home to get ready for possible electricity loss.  Hopefully we wont have a problem but when you live rural you just have to be prepared....

    If I go off the grid Wink everyone take care!

    • Gold Top Dog

    You are funny tracy, covering ruby up! I would let her go to her crate too and not use the lure but that is just me. I can see uses for it in the future if you ever need it so it might be something you don't want to have to retrain. She could probably figure out how to burrow herself in the blankets after you leave.

    It's 10 degrees here. So much for the warm sunny weather I was loving! The rest of this week is going to have windchills below zero.

    I am working on getting stuff packed and shipping some work stuff back home. Tomorrow is my last full work day and it is going to be split between 2 office withan hhour drive in between. So it will be hectic!

    Sorry you are feeling need the weather Jackie. I am right there with ya

    • Gold Top Dog

    Julie a coworker is supposed to be headed to Dillon CO Leaving after work Friday. She is already in a panic because she doesnt think they can make it in due to the weather.  They will be driving from NW Arkansas.  Do you have some input?   

    • Gold Top Dog

    Not really. I am finding it hard to predict what the weather will do here on the front range of the mountains. Back home it is easy to predict the weather but here they have the 2 jet streams that meet which I'm not used to. Anyway, it is butter cold here. Sub zero windchill. Snow. But everyone here tells me this type of stuff doesn't last long. A week then they are back to mild and sun so maybe they will be fine.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Thanks for the info....I will pass it on.  She is anxious to see the area in winter since she has seen it in summer but she is nervous about the road conditions between here and there.  Personally I dont like to venture too far from home in the winter  My yard is safe enough when it's cold and snowy.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I would not worry too much about driving conditions between Arkansas and CO unless they are heading across the mountain range. I would worry driving through the mountains.

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    • Gold Top Dog

    I woke up this morning pre sunrise.  When the sun rose, I saw the rainfall, poured another cup of coffee, and took the day off from work.  Then, as suspected, the rain turned to snow.  Heavy wet snow.  You really want to get a good ice base down first so the snow doesn't just melt off.  I went for a pizza for lunch and had a good time on the road.  Highway was okay, but the side roads were exciting.  I got to practice the MN two step. Uff da!!

    I will probably have to start up the snow blower.  There appears to be a mound of heavy wet snow across the end of the driveway, and the temp is going to do some serious dropping over the next few day.  I actually wore my Sorel pacs today.  I bought them over 30 years ago, wore out a set of liners, but still use them when its cold and wet out.

    I put new tires on the truck.  I am going to sell naming rights to them in an attempt to raise some money.  I paid less for my first three cars, combined.  They are pretty though.  I don't want to get them dirty.

    As I took the day off, I got to finish a few shop projects.  We give the kids a care package every xmas filled with produce from our garden.  Canned apples, tomatoes, other good items.  I made some wire mesh bottomed boxes suitable for carrying fresh produce from the garden.  The grand daughters (a really apt title) are getting a couple of jewelry boxes I made that turned out nicely.

    Keep warm and safe.

    HO HO HO, you betcha!!

    Doug