"Baby, It's Cold Outside"

So far this winter only severe temps, unlike the deep snow of last Feb.

The congenial delivery man assured me that I wasn't the only one who refused to go outside in this latest Arctic blast here in the Twin Cities. Unloading my groceries, he said, "We've really been busy lately."

I thanked him and his co-workers for braving below zero temps so I wouldn't have to. And I've been congratulating myself since then for having the wisdom to order my foodstuffs and other necessities online. (Keep in mind that I have a steel plate in my leg that rebels against Arctic weather.)

From Paul Douglas, my favorite meteorologist, these words of encouragement:

Hold on, models continue to show a thaw by the end of next week. Today's clipper drops a slippery inch of powder, followed by one last subzero slap - for now. 2 more subzero nights, then a slow recovery next week. You'll be amazed and vaguely horrified by just how good freezing feels.
Go ahead and take a bow. You're surviving the coldest week of winter.

Okay, then.

In the meantime, sitting here at my computer in my warm apartment, I agree with AP writer, Dave Collins, we're dealing with "dangerously cold air." Collins reports the effects of severe weather across the nation:

Dangerously cold air has sent temperatures plummeting into the single digits around the U.S., with wind chills driving them even lower. Throw in the snow some areas are getting and you've got a bone chilling mix that may also be super messy.

The result?

School delays and cancellations, a fatal car pileup and worries about the homeless.

Here's a look at what's happening:
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A PILEUP IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS
An 18-vehicle pileup that happened in whiteout conditions on a western Pennsylvania interstate has left two people dead and nearly two dozen injured.

Nine trucks, several of them tractor-trailers, and nine cars were involved in the crash Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 80 in Clarion Township, state police said. At least one of the trucks was carrying hazardous material, but no leaks were found.

None of the injuries was thought to be life-threatening, but three of the approximately 20 people taken to the hospital, appeared to have serious injuries. The others were treated for everything from bumps to broken bones.
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DELAYING AND CANCELING SCHOOL
School districts from the South to the Northeast and Midwest are delaying the start of classes or canceling school altogether.

Read more:

Let's enjoy a celebratory moment or two

The front elevator of our seniors' apartment building was recently out of order for several days causing major inconvenience, especially to tenants with disabilities. The necessity to order a part caused additional delay. Understandably a lot of grumbling was heard in the nooks and crannies of the common areas of the building where neighbors gathered to air their grievances.

I was in the lobby when the two repairmen announced their work was done - the elevator was operating again. Our assistant building manager was standing nearby, and she and I burst into applause and shouted "Woohoo!"

 We were relieved the problem had been resolved and enjoyed a celebratory moment. Not so for several neighbors who chimed in with comments such as:

"Should've been done a lot sooner."
"They should keep elevator parts on hand."
"They should get another elevator service company."
"It's never been down this long before - our new manager should be fired."

Thus the past overshadowed a possibly happy present moment.

The present moment was sabotaged again this Friday when I went grocery shopping. All the while he was bagging my groceries, the store employee grumbled that the warmer temps yesterday would not last - we'd be back in the deep freeze within a few days. I tried to interrupt his monologue with "Hey, how about enjoying today?"

No dice. He kept up his pessimistic commentary on our local weather.

I'm thinking this morning that mindfulness gurus have a point in urging practitioners to discipline themselves to stay with the present moment instead of grumbling about the past or wallowing in pessimism about the future, even if it's just about Minnesota weather in January.