Snowpocalypse (or Snowmageddon) in Iowa

By the first official day of Winter here in Iowa, we already had snow and below-zero wind chills. This week we are getting more snow and more cold. When will it end!?!? I've lived in the Midwest most of my life, and I'll never get used to the snow and ice and cold.

This is Christmas week, which usually involves stress and lots of sugar for me, and this year is no exception. I've been rushing around trying to buy last-minute gifts and wrap them. I bought a bunch of holiday-themed cookie cutters a year or two ago and I haven't had a chance to use them this year. I think I'm going to bake some dog cookies tonight and use them for that. Of course, only one out of the two dogs will probably eat them, as Mr. Beau doesn't really like biscuits. I've been researching recipes online for cookies involving mostly cheese or meat in the hopes I'll find something he'll eat. I found a couple involving large amounts of cheddar or bacon, so that might work. He's very picky. Buddy, on the other hand, will eat just about anything.

On the subject of dogs, this cold weather has made it nearly impossible to walk them. It doesn't phase Buddy too much, as walks are not his raison d'etre, but Beau looks like he might resort to drinking. Tonight might be the first in two days that is mild enough to walk him. Buddy, though wearing a sweater or coat, still has trouble walking in the winter because of the snow and salt getting into his paws. I'm looking into getting him some booties, fully aware that he won't like them, but he's gonna wear them anyway. We get about halfway down the street and he starts limping and licking his little paws, so they're kind of an evil necessity.

This video is absolutely adorable to me. This doggie is owned by the blogger of Offbeat Bride. This gives me hope that Buddy might "warm" to wearing booties.

Snowpocalypse 2008 from arielmeadow on Vimeo.

We are off to Storm Lake tomorrow to spend Christmas with Sean's parents. Pray for us that the weather is OK on the way there and back. We are both absolute chickensh*ts when it comes to driving in winter weather anymore, and we'll have the dogs in the car with us, so we'll be doubly nervous.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday weekend!

Crazy Weather and Christmas Procrastination

This week, we had a day where the weather went from the upper 40's in the morning to -1 degree that night. I am happy to report I walked the dogs before it hit zero, but it still wasn't very warm. We had -25 degree wind chills yesterday, so the dogs did not get their walk. I'm sorry, but if they don't want to spend more than 2 minutes in the back yard, I'm certainly not taking them out for a 20+ minute walk, no siree. They don't seem too depressed, though I wonder how long I can keep this up. It is snowing like crazy right now AND in the teens, so I'm not sure if it will be walking weather tonight, either.

The dogs found the Christmas pile stash this week and have already absconded with two presents. We got smart and put the rest in a safe location, but with this weather, I'm sorely tempted to open the rest of them just to keep them entertained. Someone needs to invent a Wii for dogs or something, because I have a feeling the big one will start a muntiny soon.

I have not sent out any Christmas cards yet. I haven't bought a single gift yet, either. I don't know if it's really procrastination or just being too busy with other priorities. I know I'm not alone in this, either, as people I've talked to have found a kinship with me when they reveal that they, too, have not bought anything yet. I think a lot of gift cards will be given out this year, not that that is a bad thing. E-cards, anyone?


I've tried to update my sidebar links today, but the Amazon books would load properly. I just finished reading Coraline (the novel, not the graphic novel) by Neil Gaiman. It's the first book of his I've read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I can't wait to see the movie in February.


A bunch of light bulbs in the house have gone out this week. They were compact fluorescent, too. Coincidence? Nothing like changing a porch light in below-zero weather at night!


I just downloaded two Christmas albums off iTunes which I am enjoying: A Colbert Christmas and The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs. I have to admit I downloaded the Enya album (And Winter Came), too, and it's pretty good.

If I don't blog before then, Happy Holidays everyone!