Chicago Snow Memories: Or The Mouse that Froze

It's the first Friday of January, and if you're somewhere snowy and cold, I hope you're warm and dry and bundled up. Here in Houston it's in the 20's which for us is frigid, but it never lasts that long--usually. In Chicago where I grew up, it's snowing and snowing and then the ice will set in when it drops below freezing next week. My last winters in Chicago were like that-- endless snow, feet of snow, and then sub-arctic temps that freeze your eyeballs.

Chicago weather makes you tough. It was once so cold while I was walking to class at Northwestern that when I made the half mile or so, there were tiny icicles on my scarf where it had covered my mouth. Yes, the moisture of my breath had formed ice! On Lake Michigan, I saw waves freeze in mid-motion close to the shore.

Once I walked outside too soon after sucking on a menthol cough drop and my lungs seized up momentarily.

And then there was an endlessly cold winter my junior year at NU and all the houses in the sorority quad got a mouse problem because hey,  they needed somewhere warm and the interconnected houses were perfect. We put out these sticky traps that didn't work mostly…. Grossed out one morning to find an unfortunate and chilly rodent stuck to the yellow paper, I tossed it outside in the blizzard where he froze to death soon after. Mousicle. A cautionary tale for his comrades.

Chicago's a tough town.

Stay warm, dear readers.

Let it Snow and Upcoming Events: Borders! Signing!

Yes, it's snow on the windshield. Real snow. In Houston. The earliest snow in recorded Houston history.

Okay, so up here in the northern burbs we didn't have too much. And I had to take the picture through the windshield because otherwise you really couldn't see the flakes. But still. Snow! What a great day yesterday was. The administration even decided that we should have our December fire drill early so everyone could get outside while the getting was good. So out we all went about 1:30 into the cold and snow. Joyous! I had forgotten how happy snow makes me. All smiley and giddy. Until it piles up in giant frozen heaps and I lose my car in a drift that is, as as happened in my past life in Chicago. But yesterday's snow was just plain fun.

Beyond that, I'm absolutely bursting with great news... which I can't actually tell anyone yet. But soon, my gentle readers. Soon. Let's just say I'm going to be very busy for awhile.

And other than that... if you're in the Houston area, come on out next Saturday 12/12 to the Borders in Market Street in The Woodlands. I'll be signing Dreaming Anastasia from 2-4 PM and I'd love to say hi! If you've never been up to Market Street, it's lots of fun - great shops and restaurants and a cool park and a movie theater. And a wonderful Borders with a fab YA section upstairs... and me signing books. :)

til next time...