Thursday, January 7, 2010

Kamikaze iguanas and credit cards on ice

I'm t-t-t-too c-c-c-cold to t-t-t-type. This Arctic Blast was fun for a moment and now it's stopped being fun and is just downright horrible. We're not equipped for such low temperatures here in Florida, especially not in Central and Southern Florida. We're thin-skinned sun lovers and we know it. We've had low temperatures in the 20s and 30s for days and days and days… and I am ready to move away from the frigid confines of Florida at this point.

We don't have the clothes for it and we sure don't have the patience for it. No one owns a real jacket around here and I don't even have any fleece-lined Croc's. I have two pairs of jeans and three long-sleeved shirts. It's all a bit too much. I'm calling it quits on this weather. Hmph.

Farmer B is running in his first ever marathon this weekend and temps and windchills are expected to be in the 20s. That means he'll be running in weather that's 70 degrees colder than what he's been training in!!!! He's very stressed to say the least.

Yeah, we're a mad, mad mess.

Just how cold is it?

It's so cold that iguanas are falling out of trees in South Florida because the cold puts them into a state similar to hibernation. They're calling them kamikaze iguanas because they're just dive-bombing to the ground.

It's so cold that my boys were almost late to school today because our car was frozen. We don't own ice scrapers here in Central Florida so when the car is frozen we stare dumbly and numbly at it for awhile before scraping off the ice with our credit cards. That takes a long time, by the way. I saw an ice scraper once and asked my mom why someone had a kitty litter scoop in their glove box. Also, recess is cancelled in school because it's too cold for the kids to play outside since many don't own jackets.




It's so cold that the chickens get warm cooked oatmeal for breakfast instead of just the as-is oats scattered around their run. Yes, I'm aware that I cook my chickens oatmeal when it's cold. Please just gloss over that.


It's so cold that I think the garden is history. I threw a tablecloth over my best-producing tomato plant just in case, but I'm afraid to look under it. I fear it'll be like lifting a sheet in a morgue - just too gruesome to take right now. Everything else outside is a funky shade of grey, including my oh-so-cute flowers by the front door.


It's so cold that our local weather guy is predicting a *chance* of snow/sleet/wintery mix this Friday night into Saturday morning. SERIOUSLY? And we're about to set a record for the most days with temperatures under 60 degrees. Oh and airplanes are stuck at our airport because they have ice on them and of course, we have no deicing equipment. I should call them and let them know about the credit card technique.


Well I'm going to go and curl up with a cup of tea, a warm puppy and a blanket and try and thaw out before I have to trek outside into the bitter Florida weather again.

Sigh.

13 comments:

Dani said...

I'm with yah girlfriend! Been giving my Girlz oatmeal too in the morning. Seems to really perk them up.

Ribbit said...

It was all the rage on the news yesterday that ATL was colder than Anchorage, Alaska. Stay warm!

LGJ said...

I've been wearing silky pajama bottoms under my work pants. They really help with the insulation. I saw someone yesterday who had put Christmas lights over their plants and then put the sheet over that - I immediately did the same when I got home. Maybe that slight warmth will be enough to save my peas!

Darla said...

I saw the falling iguanas on the 12o'clock news show....how strange. It has been way to cold for too long now. We are used to cold snaps not cold stays! I think it's precious that you cook for your chickens, and I'm not surprised that you and Dani do this..stay warm....teens and 30's this weekend here...

Jeff Vandiver said...

That's unbelievable....to think of those temps that far south is just unheard of. Tell farmer B that as long as he keeps "the boys" warm during the race, he'll be ok. hehe...He knows what i'm talking about....Oh no! your tomatoes are in serious trouble. The plants might live, but the transition from blooms to edible fruit is probably over. Poor Kate, you have the worst luck with Mother Nature....

Erin said...

DEFINITELY tell the airport about the credit card idea... I'm laughing my butt off! Your chickens will be fine, I know chickens in -37 degree Northern MN are still clucking along so yours are being spoiled, lol! Sorry about your tomatoes, EG is right, I think they are toast! And don't bother with fleece lined Crocs... imo no self respecting gardener even a northern one has any business in those, don't get me started! Stick with yer chicken muckin' boots! Stay warm down there, I thought of you when I heard the weather news on the Today show today!

Kelly said...

The poor iguanas. And trees. Ugh, must be tough to find gear for freezing temps in a hurry, I hope it warms up soon. Real soon, cause above all else it is COLD to take a puppy out for midnight potty run in this weather.

Daphne Gould said...

You can always turn the heat all the way up in your car for ten minutes. That ought to melt your ice. I have to do that when we have ice storms that put half an inch of solid clear ice on the windshield. I can't crack it with my scraper. Some years we get lots of ice storms, but this year it has been too cold. We have just been getting snow.

Melissa said...

Pour a pitcher of cold water over your iced car windscreen - cold water is plenty warm enough to melt that little bit of ice. Your chickens look beautiful - and new puppy too!

Stefaneener said...

At least you have a warm puppy to cuddle with. Hang in there.

Dani said...

It's a shame it's not the end of the month, cause I got lots of dead stuff now for GBDD. ;)

Kate and Crew said...

Dani - ain't that the truth? I've got a garden FULL of material for GBDD :o(

Erin - I'd guess those chickens who survive in cold temp's probably have a cold-weather coop. I doubt they'd make it thru the night in an open warm-weather coop though!

Erin said...

oh yeah, and the coop....that's the funny thing... the woman I know with chickens is in Northern MN and yes, she has a solid coop but only a CFL bulb in it, and the darn chickens would rather roost in the trees than come back to the coop at night, LOL. No one said they wouldn't prefer to roost in the trees in your neck of the woods however :)

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