Coldest day survival tips
Have you ever known ahead of time that a certain day was going to be the _______ of your life? Fill in the blank with: worst, longest, happiest….? Well I knew going into today that it was going to be the coldest day of my life, and I have indeed had some very cold days, living in UP NORTH, Wisconsin as I do.
How does one prepare for the coldest day, when even the days leading up to that one date are cold in themselves? Do you just wing a monumental day such as this, Coldest one?
Well, I can tell you I did a little preparation:
1. Check your calendar. If you have an appointment in the “Big City” of say, Wausau, (an hour and a half away) reschedule it! Especially since the roads one travels to get there are not overly busy and if there is a problem, you only have minutes in the elements to handle it before your brain freezes over.
2. Fill your car with gas. This serves two purposes. First, if you have a problem on the road a full tank of gas can keep that heater going a very long time. Ideally, long enough for help to arrive. Secondly, if you are low on gas and there is even a little water in the tank, that water can freeze and cause problems. If your tank is full the problems are greatly reduced.
3. If your husband invites you to go shopping because all the stores will be empty of shoppers, decline.
4. If it has recently snowed, shovel BEFORE the coldest day gets here. If you have a pumphouse or other such that must be clear if there is a problem, shovel it, chip the ice out, clear it. You do not want to have to do this job on the coldest day of your life if you do have to get into the pump house to turn off the water main if you have a pipe burst. And just when do you think they are most likely to do this bursting? Why on the coldest day of the year, of course!
5. Start your car every once in a while. Let it run a bit. Sure you will use a little gas, but you will also know that it can still start when you need it to.
6. Teach your dog where to go potty. Go with him for a few weeks, monitor him closely. Show him pee/poo areas so he has complete confidence that he can handle the task without your guidance on the big day.
7. Things you schedule for certain days can be done earlier, or later. I suggest earlier so you don’t have them nagging on you and you can just enjoy the coldest day o the year knowing the trash is already out or whatever the task is you do on that day of the week, pick up the mail, wash the car, windex the doors, rake the roof… do it all early.
8. Call your mom. It’s probably the coldest day of her life too and she will be worried about you.
9. Stay inside, this is a perfect day to start planning your next holiday… Think warm locations!
10. Take a nap. It seems so naughty other times of the year, but a home stay on the coldest day of the year just screams nap!
Above all else stay warm!
Enjoy, only two more days just like this one! Cold. One more thing to note…. It might look beautiful out there, sunshining and all. But beware…. Hold tight, stay in and warm!
Cedaroma Lodge 
Good tips, Lynn. Reschedule your air travel is a good one too. Joel took his mom back to Arkansas yesterday. I had some nervous moments in front of the TV news thinking, “why didn’t I tell them to wait a week!” Their three-legged flight was delayed but they made it! How about “Curl up with a good book. Better yet, write one!” Talkin’ to you, Mrs. Innkeeper.