Polar Whiplash!

I think there were 80 days in January!  Seriously. Yes, it’s hard to believe it’s already February, but January was long here in the frozen tundra.  This week, we had such record breaking below zero weather that the U.S. Postal Service even shut down. No mail on Wednesday, and no schools for most of the week while we had -33 air temperatures with -54 wind chills. Dangerously cold for everyone.  (Frozen water pipes add to the excitement.) But, here we are today with a high of about 36, and tomorrow’s high of 40. That’s a 70 degree swing in just 4 days! Typical Minnesota - big temperature swings. No wonder we don’t know how to dress from one day to the next.

A bonus to hibernating for a few days is the opportunity to either tat or sew or create something - more hours than usual to spend in my cave studio.  I stayed home from work on Wednesday and worked on a duffel bag I’ve had cut out since . . . well . . . for months. Today I will finish the straps, and it will be usable.  For my next getaway. Hopefully somewhere warmer than here.

This is from my 2016 Quilt Minnesota Fabric. I love to get some each year because it’s limited, and it just represents “home”.  (Notice there are no winter scenes in this particular line!)  The 2019 fabric is gorgeous - I can’t wait to get some of that for a future project. 

Other than weather, January was fun.  We met my folks and my brother’s family for a buffet lunch at a casino for my Dad’s birthday one Saturday - I actually won a few $ this time.  Nothing big, but considering I usually just lose $20 within 15 minutes, it was a good day.  I also tried out wheel throwing pottery with one of my daughters - another fun hobby I could get into, but what a mess! I still need to wash the clay off the shoes I wore 😬.

On with February!