Oh, this time of year! It’s right after Christmas and the snow is here to stay. As I sit at home in front of my fireplace, I think to myself, It’s too cold and dark to go outside. I’m wrapped in a blanket, consumed by my couch, when not one but two creatures with furry bodies, four legs, and tails run around the house like wild banshees, bouncing off the walls and into kitchen chairs.
Now, a few of you probably have a couple of these furry creatures in your houses, too. I’m talking about my rambunctious dogs, who go outside for literally 30 seconds to do their thing and come running back to the door.
“They’re cold now,” I say, thinking out loud. “They’re probably too cold to go for a walk.”
Oh no, I said the word—the four-letter word: WALK. They run first to me, then to their leashes, to the front door, back to me, to their leashes, the front door. They get even more wild, running around the house like children on Christmas Day.
What’s the temperature? Minus-30, of course. Way too cold. And it’s 5:30 p.m. and looks like midnight.
But it’s too late now. I’ve said the four-letter word, and now I’ve got to get bundled up. Sweatpants, ski pants, long-sleeved shirt, sweater, jacket, boots, scarf, hat, mitts… oh darn, forgot to put the leashes on. I’ve got to take off the mitts and scarf and unzip my jacket to bend down. Then put it all back on. And lastly, the reflective vest. Now we’re ready!
Off we go into the winter wonderland of Niverville. As the wind blows my scarf around, my eyelashes freeze over and my nose drips. The dogs are perfectly fine. I think my dogs are secretly scamming me when they go into the backyard to do their thing and come back in so quick. I must say, though; except for my exposed face, the rest of my body is warm.
My dogs love going for walks in any time of year, and it seems to me that the cold doesn’t bother them much. We usually try to go for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how cold it is outside.
Honestly I do enjoy the winter wonderland we have here, the glistening snow everywhere you go, and the frigid temperatures that make you wear ten layers just to keep warm
