Slush Puppy

It is 43 degrees this afternoon. Much warmer than temps to which we've become accustomed recently. MUCH warmer. Hey, it was actually pleasant out this afternoon. Compared to 1 degree with minus digits windchill factor, 45 is welcome indeed. And sunny, too! Growing up in Florida, I never would have believed you if you were to have told me that one day I would think 45 degrees is warm, but I have come to learn that it is all about perspective. It's also all about humidity. Florida cold feels different from Missouri cold, I'll grant you that. It feels colder at higher temperatures there, and there are lots of reasons for it which are way beyond the scope of this little post. Anywho.....it was a little hard not to leave snarky comments around my FL Facebook friends this week when they were whining about the cold there while we were so cold that frostbite was a real threat. Just sayin'. I also, for the most part, kept my snarky comments where they belonged, in my head and not on the computer screen. For the most part. I do remember what it was like when we broke out the heaviest winter gear for 45 degree weather. And, to be fair, when you live in Florida for years and years, you don't HAVE winter gear to break out when you have a weird year like this one. I also greatly appreciate the danger to the crops that the cold is there (save the oranges and strawberries!!). So there is sympathy from this end of the blogosphere. Some.

Anyway, on to today. Seeing as it was warm enough for the snow to be melting, I decided that it was warm enough to walk home from school. So, Boo and I put the leash on Roscoe and began our trek up to the school. And it was pleasant out comparatively speaking. We could actually endure being outside without our faces and hands hurting.

It was also muddy.

Unfortunately, I did not have the forethought to factor in just how muddy the dog would become. He was a mess. Really and truly. Thankfully, I DID have the forethought to put snowboots on the three-year-old, however. Those humongous puddles are just too irresistible.

By the time we got home, Roscoe was quite a muddy little thing, and I recruited my oldest son to keep him from venturing onto the couch while I changed my white sweater (forethought again) so I could give him a bath. I had been thinking just the night before that he needed one, and I sure am glad I waited. He hates to take a bath. I had to close him in the bathroom and force him into the tub, but once there he was patient.

You should have seen the state of that tub. It was trashed. So much dog hair and mud everywhere. Good thing I changed my shirt first. So, I also got to clean the tub this afternoon due to my need to get out of the house.

But it was worth it. Nothing relieves cabin fever better than to be able to go outside and breathe in some fresh air that doesn't hurt your lungs when you fill them. The dog was glad for the long walk, too. I think his cabin fever may just have been worse than the people in the house.

Thankful for the warmer weather today. Not nearly as optimistic as my oldest boy who asked me if this means that we won't have anymore snow for the rest of the winter. Dream on, boy, dream on.